in Literature and Art. 44.5
the other fide Hands Dr. Morell, or, perhaps, Mr. Townley, the mafter of
Merchant Tayl0rs' School, who continued his fervice in preparing the
book for the prefs after hrIorell's death, defcribed as " the author's friend
and Corrector," aftonilhed at the fight of the ghoit. The ugly figure on
the left hand of the picture is described as "Deformity weeping at the
condition of her darling ion," while the dog is " a greyhound bemoaning
his friend's condition." This group is reprefented in our cut N0. 210.
The other caricatures which appeared at this time were two numerous
to allow us to give a particular defcription of them. The artilt is ufually
reprefented, under the influence of his line of beauty, painting ugly
pictures from deformed models, or attempting hiltorical pictures in a Ityle
bordering on caricature, or, on one occafron, as locked up in a mad-houfe,
and allowed only to exercife his lkill upon the bare walls. One of thefe
caricatures is entitled, in allufion to the title of one of his molt popular
prints, " The Painter's March through F inchley, dedicated to the king of
the gipfies, as an encourager of arts, 8zc." Hogarth appears in full flight
through the village, clofely purfued by women and children, and animals
in great variety, and defended only by his favourite dog.
With the " Marriage oi la mode," Hogarth may be confidered as having
I reached his highelt point of excellence. The fet of " lnduftry and Idle-
nefs" tells a good and ufeful moral tiory, but difplays inferior talent in
defign. " Beer Street" and " Gin Lane " dilgult us by their vulgarity,
and the " Four Stages of Cruelty" are equally repullive to our feelings
by the unveiled horrors of the fcenes which are too coarfely depicted in
them. In the four prints of the proceedings at an election, which are
the latt of his pi6tures of this defcription, publilhed in 1754, Hogarth rifes
again, and approaches in fome degree to his former elevation.
In I757, on the death of his brother-in-law, John Thornhill, the
oflice of fergeant-painter of all his M-ajefty's works became vacant, and it
was bettowed upon Hogarth, who, according to his own account, received
from it an income of about 55200 a-year. This appointment caufed
another difplay of hoftility towards him, and his enemies called him
jeeringly the king's chief panel painter. It was at this moment that a
plan for the eftablifhment of an academy of the fine arts was agitated,
which,