In the "Miser's Feast," Mr. _Hogarth_ thought proper to pillory Sir _Isaac Shard_, a gentleman proverbially avaricious. Hearing this, the son of Sir _Isaac_, the late _Isaac Pacatus Shard_,[51] esq. a young man of spirit, just returned from his travels, called at the painter's to see the picture; and, among the rest, asking the _Cicerone_ "whether that odd figure was intended for any particular person;" on his replying, "that it was thought to be very like one Sir _Isaac Shard_;" he immediately drew his sword, and slashed the canvas. _Hogarth_ appeared instantly in great wrath; to whom Mr. _Shard_ calmly justified what he had done, saying, "that this was a very unwarrantable licence; that he was the injured party's son, and that he was ready to defend any suit at law;" which, however, was never instituted. About 1757, his brother-in-law, Mr. _Thornhill_, resigned the place of king's serjeant-painter in favour of Mr. _Hogarth_; who soon after made an experiment in painting, which involved him in some disgrace. The celebrated collection of pictures belonging to Sir _Luke Schaub_ was in 1758 sold by public auction;[52] and the admired picture of _Sigismunda_ (purchased by Sir _Thomas Sebright_ for 404. _l._ 5 _s._) excited Mr. _Hogarth's_ emulation. "From a contempt of the ignorant virtuosi of the age," says Mr. _Walpole_, "and from indignation at the impudent tricks of picture-dealers, whom he saw continually recommending and vending vile copies to bubble collectors, and from having never studied, indeed having seen, few good pictures of the great _Italian_ masters, he persuaded himself that the praises bestowed on those glorious works were nothing but the effects of prejudice. He talked this language till he believed it; and having heard it often asserted, as is true, that time gives a mellowness to colours and improves them, he not only denied the proposition, but maintained that pictures only grew black and worse by age, not distinguishing between the degrees in which the proportion might be true or false. He went farther: he determined to rival the ancients--and unfortunately chose one of the finest pictures in _England_ as the object of his competition. This was the celebrated _Sigismunda_ of Sir _Luke Schaub_, now in the possession of the Duke of _Newcastle_, said to be painted by _Correggio_, probably by _Furino_, but no matter by whom. It is impossible to see the picture, or read _Dryden's_ inimitable tale, and not feel that the same soul animated both. After many essays, _Hogarth_ at last produced HIS _Sigismunda_--but no more like _Sigismunda_, than I to _Hercules_. Not to mention the wretchedness of the colouring, it was the representation of a maudlin strumpet just turned out of keeping, and, with eyes red with rage and usquebaugh, tearing off the ornaments her keeper had given her. To add to the disgust raised by such vulgar expression, her fingers were bloodied by her lover's heart,[53] that