In the second impressions of this plate there are a few slight variations, sufficient at least to shew that the face of the person represented had been retouched. I have been told, by a copper-plate printer, that near 4000 copies of this caricature were worked off on its first publication. Being kept up for two or three following nights on the occasion, he has reason to remember it. [1] The original drawing, which was thrown by _Hogarth_ into the fire, was snatched out of it by Mrs. _Lewis_, and is now in the possession of Mr. _S. Ireland_. 2. The Bruiser _C. Churchill_,[1] in the character of a _Russian Hercules_, &c. The _Russian Hercules_ was thus explained, in _August_, 1763, by an admirer of _Hogarth_: "The principal figure is a _Russian Bear_ (i. e. Mr. _Churchill_) with a club in his left paw, which he hugs to his side, and which is intended to denote his friendship to Mr. _Wilkes_: on the notches of the club are wrote, _Lye_ 1, _Lye_ 2, &c. signifying the falsities in _The North Briton_: in his other paw is a gallon pot of porter, of which (being very hot) he seems going to drink: round his neck is a clergyman's band, which is torn, and seems intended to denote the bruiser. The other figure is a _Pug-dog_, which is supposed to mean Mr. _Hogarth_ himself, pissing with the greatest contempt on the epistle wrote to him by _C. Churchill_. In the centre is a prison begging-box, standing on a folio, the title of which is, _Great George-Street. A list of the Subscribers to the_ North Briton: underneath is another book, the title of which is, _A New Way to pay Old Debts, a Comedy, by_ Massinger. All of which allude to Mr. _Wilkes's_ debts, to be defrayed by the subscriptions to _The North Briton_."