I am now engaged in an undertaking, which from its nature will be imperfect. While _Hogarth_ was yet an apprentice, and worked on his master's account, we may suppose he was not at liberty to affix his name to his own performances. Nay, afterwards, when he appeared as an independent artist, he probably left many of them anonymous, being sometimes obliged to measure out his exertions in proportion to the scanty prices paid for them. For reasons like these, we may be sure that many of his early plates must have eluded search; and, if gradually discovered, will serve only to swell the collections they will not adorn.--The judicious connoisseur, perhaps, would be content to possess the pictures of _Raffaelle_, without aiming at a complete assemblage of the Roman _Fayence_ that passes under his name. In settling the dates of his pieces there is also difficulty. Sometimes, indeed, they have been inferred from circumstances almost infallible; as in respect to the _Rabbit-breeder_,&c. which would naturally have been published in the year 1726. On other occasions they are determined within a certain compass of time. Thus the _Ticket for Milward_, then a player at _Lincoln's-Inn Fields_, must have preceded 1733, when he removed with _Rich_ to _Covent Garden_; and it is equally sure, that _Orator Henley christening an Infant_, and _A Girl swearing a child to a grave citizen_, came out before 1735, in which year we know that _J. Y. Schley_, one of _Picart's_ coadjutors, had re-engraved them both for the use of the fourth volume of the _Religious Ceremonies_, published at _Amsterdam_ in 1736. But how are we to guess at the period that produced _Sancho at Dinner_, or _The Discovery_? The merits and demerits of his performances would prove deceitful guides in our researches. As our artist grew older, he did not regularly advance in estimation; for neither the frontispieces to _Tristram Shandy_, the _Times_, the _Bathos_, or the _Bear_, can be said to equal many of his earliest productions.--Under such difficulties is the following chronological list of our author's pieces attempted.