The figure of the young woman with a wedding-ring is not alluring, neither is her face attractive; but her being pregnant, and accompanied by her mother with an apron full of letters, gives her a claim to our pity, as it clearly intimates that this is meant as a visit to entreat the promised hand of her seducer; but he violates every former protestation, refuses her marriage, and attempts by a bribe to get a release from the obligation. Her mother violently reproaches him for his conduct, and invokes the curses of offended Heaven upon his falsehood. In this print the drawing and disposition of the figures are tolerably good, the light is properly distributed, and the perspective accurately represented; but the whole wants _mass_. To display the hoards, it was necessary to open the boxes and doors; and though an exhibition of the heterogeneous collection heaped together by this wretched defrauder of himself most forcibly describes the disposition of the man, it hurts the _repose_ of the picture. Breaking the background into so many parts, destroys that breadth which ought to be considered as a leading excellence. PLATE II. "Prosperity (with harlot's smiles, Most pleasing when she most beguiles), How soon, sweet foe, can all thy train Of false, gay, frantic, loud, and vain, Enter the unprovided mind, And memory in fetters bind? Load faith and love with golden chain, And sprinkle Lethe o'er the brain! Pleasure, on her silver throne, Smiling comes, nor comes alone; Venus comes with her along, And smooth Lyæus, ever young; And in their train, to fill the press, Come apish Dance, and swoln Excess, Mechanic Honour, vicious Taste, And Fashion in her changing vest." --HOADLEY. [Illustration: THE RAKE'S PROGRESS, PLATE II.] The sordid avarice of the wretched miser is in this print contrasted by the giddy profusion of his prodigal heir. The old man pined in the midst of plenty, starved while surrounded by abundance, and refused himself enjoyment of the absolute necessaries of life from an apprehension of future poverty. "Not so his son; he mark'd this oversight, And quite mistook reverse of wrong for right."