"When a man of parts dedicates his talents to the service of his country, he deserves the highest rewards: when he makes them subservient to base purposes, he merits execration and punishment. Among the _Spartans_, music and poetry were made to serve the noblest purposes of the _Lacedemonian_ state. A manly courage and great contempt of death were inspired by them; and the poet, musician, soldier, and patriot, were often the same good citizen, who despised the low _mechanic lucre_ of the profession, and was zealous only for the glory of his country. In the year 1746, when the _Guards_ were ordered to march to _Finchley_, on the most important service they could be employed in, the extinguishing a _Scottish_ rebellion, which threatened the intire ruin of the illustrious family on the throne, and, in consequence, of our liberties, Mr. _Hogarth_ came out with a print to make them ridiculous to their countrymen and to all _Europe_; or perhaps it rather was to tell the _Scots_ in his way how little the Guards were to be feared, and that they might safely advance. That the ridicule might not stop here, and that it might be as offensive as possible to his own _sovereign_, he dedicated the print to the king of _Pru[s]ia[A] as an encourager of arts_. Is this patriotism! In old _Rome_, or in any of the _Grecian_ states, he would have been punished as a profligate citizen, totally devoid of all principle. In _England_ he is rewarded, and made _serjeant_ painter to that very king's grandson. I think the term means the same as what is vulgarly called _house_-painter; and indeed he has not been suffered to _caricature_ the royal family. The post of portrait-painter is given to a _Scotsman_, one _Ramsay_. Mr. _Hogarth_ is only to paint the wainscot of the rooms, or, in the phrase of the art, may be called their _pannel-painter_. But how have the _Guards_ offended Mr. _Hogarth_, for he is again attacking them in _The Times_? Lord _Harrington's_ second troop of grenadier guards is allowed to be very perfect in every part of military discipline; and _Hogarth's_ friend, the king of _Prussia_, could have shewn him the real importance of it. He had heard them much applauded, and therefore must abuse them. The ridicule ends however in airs composed by _Harrington_, and in a piece of _clock-work_; but he ought to have known, that though _l'homme machine_ is not sound philosophy, it is the true doctrine of tactics.