Part 5 (1/2)

The French sentinel is so situated, as to give some idea of a figure hanging in chains: his ragged s.h.i.+rt is trimmed with a pair of paper ruffles. The old woman, and a fish which she is pointing at, have a striking resemblance. The abundance of parsnips, and other vegetables, indicate what are the leading articles in a Lenten feast.

Mr. Pine, the painter, sat for the friar, and from thence acquired the t.i.tle of Father Pine. This distinction did not flatter him, and he frequently requested that the countenance might be altered, but the artist peremptorily refused.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GATE OF CALAIS.

”O THE ROAST BEEF OF OLD ENGLAND.”]

THE POLITICIAN.

”A politician should (as I have read) Be furnish'd in the first place with a head.”

One of our old writers gives it as his opinion, that ”there are onlie two subjects which are worthie the studie of a wise man,” i.e. religion and politics. For the first, it does not come under inquiry in this print,--but certain it is, that too sedulously studying the second, has frequently involved its votaries in many most tedious and unprofitable disputes, and been the source of much evil to many well-meaning and honest men. Under this cla.s.s comes the Quidnunc here pourtrayed; it is said to be intended for a Mr. Tibson, laceman, in the Strand, who paid more attention to the affairs of Europe, than to those of his own shop.

He is represented in a style somewhat similar to that in which Schalcken painted William the third,--holding a candle in his right hand, and eagerly inspecting the Gazetteer of the day. Deeply interested in the intelligence it contains, concerning the flames that rage on the Continent, he is totally insensible of domestic danger, and regardless of a flame, which, ascending to his hat,--

”Threatens destruction to his three-tail'd wig.”

From the tie-wig, stockings, high-quartered shoes, and sword, I should suppose it was painted about the year 1730, when street robberies were so frequent in the metropolis, that it was customary for men in trade to wear swords, not to preserve their religion and liberty from foreign invasion, but to defend their own pockets from ”domestic collectors.”

The original sketch Hogarth presented to his friend Forrest; it was etched by Sherwin, and published in 1775.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE POLITICIAN.]

TASTE IN HIGH LIFE,

IN THE YEAR 1742.

The picture from which this print was copied, Hogarth painted by the order of Miss Edwards, a woman of large fortune, who having been laughed at for some singularities in her manners, requested the artist to recriminate on her opponents, and paid him sixty guineas for his production.

It is professedly intended to ridicule the reigning fas.h.i.+ons of high life, in the year 1742: to do this, the painter has brought into one group, an old beau and an old lady of the Chesterfield school, a fas.h.i.+onable young lady, a little black boy, and a full-dressed monkey.

The old lady, with a most affected air, poises, between her finger and thumb, a small tea-cup, with the beauties of which she appears to be highly enamoured.

The gentleman, gazing with vacant wonder at that and the companion saucer which he holds in his hand, joins in admiration of its astonis.h.i.+ng beauties!

”Each varied colour of the brightest hue, The green, the red, the yellow, and the blue, In every part their dazzled eyes behold, Here streak'd with silver--there enrich'd with gold.”

This gentleman is said to be intended for Lord Portmore, in the habit he first appeared at Court, on his return from France. The cane dangling from his wrist, large m.u.f.f, long queue, black stock, feathered chapeau, and shoes, give him the air of

”An old and finish'd fop, All cork at heel, and feather all at top.”

The old lady's habit, formed of stiff brocade, gives her the appearance of a squat pyramid, with a grotesque head at the top of it. The young one is fondling a little black boy, who on his part is playing with a pet.i.te paG.o.da. This miniature Oth.e.l.lo has been said to be intended for the late Ignatius Sancho, whose talents and virtues were an honour to his colour. At the time the picture was painted, he would have been rather older than the figure, but as he was then honoured by the partiality and protection of a n.o.ble family, the painter might possibly mean to delineate what his figure had been a few years before.

The little monkey, with a magnifying gla.s.s, bag-wig, solitaire, laced hat, and ruffles, is eagerly inspecting a bill of fare, with the following articles _pour diner_; c.o.c.ks' combs, ducks' tongues, rabbits'

ears, fricasee of snails, _grande d'oeufs buerre_.