Biographical Anecdotes of William Hogarth, With a Catalogue of His WorksNichols, John
General
Biographical Anecdotes of William Hogarth, With a Catalogue of His Works
Nichols, John
Hogarth, William, 1697-1764
delineate this fellow in colours sufficiently strong and lively, it is
fortunate for us and the Doctor, that _Hogarth_ has undertaken that
task. In the print of an Election Entertainment, the publick will see
the Doctor represented sitting among the freeholders, and zealously
eating and drinking for the sake of the New Interest. His venerable
and humane aspect will at once bespeak the dignity and benevolence
of his heart. Never did alderman at _Guildhall_ devour custard with
half such an appearance of love to his country, or swallow ale with
so much the air of a patriot. These circumstances the pencil of
Mr. _Hogarth_ will undoubtedly make manifest; but it is much to be
lamented, that his words also cannot appear in this print, and that
the artist cannot delineate that persuasive flow of eloquence which
could prevail upon Copyholders to abjure their base tenures, and
swear themselves Freeholders. But this oratory (far different from
the balderdash of _Tully_ and Dr. _King_, concerning liberty and our
country) as the genius of mild ale alone could inspire, this fellow
alone could deliver."--The very paper of tobacco, inscribed "_Kirton's_
Best," has its peculiar significance. This man was a tobacconist
by St. _Dunstan's_ Church in _Fleet-street_, and ruined his health
and constitution, as well as impaired his circumstances, by being
busy in the _Oxfordshire_ election of 1754. Plate II. In the painted
cloth depending from the sign-post, the height of _The Treasury_ is
contrasted with the squat solidity of _The Horse-Guards_, where the
arch is so low, that the state-coachman cannot pass through it with
his head on; and the turret on the top is so drawn as to resemble
a beer-barrel. _Ware_ the architect very gravely remarked, on this
occasion, that the chief defect would have been sufficiently pointed
out by making the coachman only stoop. He was hurt by _Hogarth's_
stroke of satire. Money is likewise thrown from _The Treasury_ windows,
to be put into a waggon, and carried into the country. _George
Alexander Stevens_, in his celebrated "Lecture on Heads," exhibited
the man with a pot of beer, explaining, with pieces of a tobacco-pipe,
how _Porto Bello_ was taken with six ships only. In Plate III. Dr.
_Shebbeare_, with fetters on, is prompting the idiot; and in Plate IV.
the old Duke of _Newcastle_ appears at a window. A happy parody in the
last of these plates may, perhaps, have escaped the notice of common
observers. _Le Brun_, in his battle of the _Granicus_, has represented
an eagle hovering above the laurel'd helmet of _Alexander. Hogarth_
has painted a goose flying over the periwig'd head of the successful
candidate. During the contested _Oxfordshire_ election in 1754, an
outrageous mob in the Old Interest had surrounded a post-chaise,
and was about to throw it into the river; when Captain _T----_,
within-side, shot a chimney-sweeper who was most active in the assault.
The captain was tried and acquitted. To this fact _Hogarth_ is supposed
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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