[131] "What signifies," says some one to Dr. Johnson, "giving half-pence to common beggars? they only lay them out in gin or tobacco." "And why," replied the Doctor, "should they be denied such sweeteners of their existence? It is surely very savage to shut out from them every possible avenue to those pleasures reckoned too coarse for our own acceptance. Life is a pill which none of us can swallow without gilding; yet for the poor we delight in stripping it still more bare, and are not ashamed to show even visible marks of displeasure, if ever the bitter taste is taken from their mouths." [132] This is said to be a striking resemblance of that very great man. For many years he attended Covent Garden market every morning. [133] It has been said that this incomparable figure was designed as the representative of either a particular friend or a relation. Individual satire may be very gratifying to the public, but is frequently fatal to the satirst. Churchill, by the lines, "Fam'd Vine Street, Where Heaven, the kindest wish of man to grant, Gave me an old house, and an older aunt," lost a considerable legacy; and it is related that Hogarth, by the introduction of this withered votary of Diana into this print, induced her to alter a will which had been made considerably in his favour: she was at first well enough satisfied with her resemblance, but some designing people taught her to be angry. [134] Of this there is an enlarged copy, which some of our collectors have ingeniously enough christened, _The Half-Starved Boy_. It bears the date of 1730, and is inscribed "W. H. pinx. F. Sykes sc." Sykes was the pupil of either Sir James Thornhill or Hogarth, and the 0 might be intended for an 8 or a 9; but the aquafortis failing, it appears to have an earlier date than the print from which it was copied. If the date is right, Sykes undoubtedly copied it from a sketch of his master's, which might then be unappropriated. In any case, it is too ridiculous to imagine for a moment that Hogarth was a plagiary; for supposing, what is not very probable, that his pupil was capable of delineating the figure, he would scarcely have made the sketch without some concomitant circumstances to explain its meaning. [135] I speak of the large print; in the small copy, which is inserted in this work, they are properly placed. [136] From what combination is this now made the sign for a colour shop? [137] This boy is copied from a figure in a picture of _The Rape of the Sabines_, by N. Poussin, now in the collection of Sir R. Hoare, at Stourhead. [138] At that period there was a windmill at the bottom of Rathbone Place. [139] Mr. Nichols, in his _Anecdotes_. [140] I have seen more than one modern impression with the hands and face tinged with red and blue. Those only are genuine which are printed in colours.