CHAPTER 
XXVIII. 
G_ILLRAX' was, beyond all others, the great political caricaturift of 
his age. His works form a complete hiliory of the greater and 
more important portion of the reign of George III. He appears to have 
had lefs tafte for general caricature, and his caricatures on focial life are 
lefs numerous, and with a few exceptions lefs important, than thofe which 
were called forth by political events. The exceptions are chieily fatires 
on individual charaiters, which are marked by the fame bold [tyle which 
is difplayed in his political attacks. Some of his caricatures on the 
extravagant cottume of the time, and on its more prominent vices, fuch 
as the rage for gambling, are alfo line, but his focial lketches generally 
are much inferior to his other works. 
This, however, was not the cafe with his contemporary, Thomas 
Rowlandfon, who doubtlefsly ftands fecond to Gillray, and may, in ibrne 
refpeots, be confidered his equal. Rowlandfon was born in the Old 
Jewry in London, the year before that of the birth of Gillray, in the July 
of I756. His father was a city merchant, who had the means to give 
him a good education, but embarking rafhly in fome unfuccefsful fpecula- 
tions, he fell into reduced circurnitances, and the fon had to depend upon 
the liberality of a relative. His uncle, Thomas Rowlandfon, after whom 
probably he was named, had married a French lady, a Mademoifelle 
Chatelier, who was now a widow, reflding in Paris, with what would be 
confldered in that capital a handfome fortune, and {he appears to have 
been attached to her Englilh nephew, and fupplied him rather freely with 
money. Young Rowlandfon had fhown at an early age great talent for 
drawing