Rowlandson the Caricaturist; a Selection from His Works. Vol. 2Grego, Joseph
History
Rowlandson the Caricaturist; a Selection from His Works. Vol. 2
Grego, Joseph
English wit and humor, Pictorial; Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827
The portrait of Lady Hamilton is firmly drawn. Mrs. St. George thus
describes the famous 'Emma,' of whose features so many admirable
paintings exist limned by the hand of Romney. 'Her figure is colossal,
but, excepting her feet, well shaped. Her bones are large, and she
is exceedingly _embonpoint_. She resembles the bust of Ariadne: the
shape of all her features is fine, as is the form of her head, and
particularly her ears; her teeth are a little irregular, but tolerably
white; her eyes light blue, with a brown spot in one, which, though
a defect, takes nothing away from their beauty and expression. Her
eyebrows and hair are dark, and her complexion coarse. Her expression
is strongly marked, variable, and interesting; her movements in common
life ungraceful; her voice loud yet not disagreeable. Sir William is
old, infirm, all admiration of his wife, and never spoke to-day but to
applaud her. Miss Cornelia Knight seems the decided flatterer of the
two, and never opens her mouth but to show forth their praise; and Mrs.
Cadogan, Lady Hamilton's mother, is what one might expect. After dinner
we had several songs in honour of Lord Nelson, written by Miss Knight,
and sung by Lady Hamilton. She puffs the incense full in his face, but
he receives it with pleasure, and sniffs it up very cordially.
'_October 7._--Breakfasted with Lady Hamilton, and saw her represent
in succession the best statues and paintings extant. She assumes their
attitude, expression, and drapery, with great facility, swiftness, and
accuracy. Several Indian shawls, a chair, some antique vases, a wreath
of roses, a tamborine, and a few children are her whole apparatus. She
stands at one end of the room with a strong light on her left, and
every other window closed. Her hair is short, dressed like an antique,
and her gown a simple calico chemise, very easy, with loose sleeves to
the wrists. She disposes of the shawls so as to form Grecian, Turkish,
and other drapery, as well as a variety of turbans. Her arrangement
of the turbans is absolutely sleight-of-hand, she does it so quickly,
so easily, and so well. It is a beautiful performance, amusing to the
most ignorant, and highly interesting to the lovers of art. The chief
of her imitations are from the antique. Each representation lasts about
ten minutes. It is remarkable that, coarse and ungraceful in common
life, she becomes highly graceful, and even beautiful, during this
performance. After showing her attitudes, she sang, and I accompanied.
Her voice is good and very strong, but she is frequently out of tune;
her expression strongly marked and various; but she has no flexibility,
and no sweetness. She acts her songs.'
1816. _Adventures of Johnny Newcome._ Republished. (See 1815.)
1816. _Relics of a Saint, by Ferdinand._ Frontispiece by Rowlandson,
12mo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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