His grandfather was a plain yeoman, who possessed1 a small tenement2 in the vale of Bampton, a village about fifteen miles north of Kendal, in that county; and had three sons.
The eldest3 assisted his father in farming, and succeeded to his little freehold.
The second settled in Troutbeck, a village eight miles north west of Kendal, and was remarkable4 for his talent at provincial5 poetry.
Richard Hogarth, the third son, who was educated at St. Bees, and had kept a school in the same county, appears to have been a man of some learning. He came early to London, where he resumed his original occupation of a schoolmaster, in Ship-court in the Old Bailey, and was occasionally employed as a corrector of the press.
Mr. Richard Hogarth married in London; and our artist, and his sisters, Mary and Anne, are believed to have been the only product of the marriage.
William Hogarth was born November 10, and baptised Nov. 28, 1697, in the parish of St. Bartholomew the Great, in London; to which parish, it is said, in the Biographia Britannica, he was afterwards a benefactor6.
The school of Hogarth’s father, in 1712, was in the parish of St. Martin, Ludgate. In the register of that parish, therefore, the date of his death, it was natural to suppose, might be found; but the register has been searched to no purpose.
Hogarth seems to have received no other education than that of a mechanic, and his outset in life was unpropitious. Young Hogarth was bound apprentice7 to a silversmith (whose name was Gamble) of some eminence8; by whom he was confined to that branch of the trade, which consists in engraving9 arms and cyphers upon the plate. While thus employed, he gradually acquired some knowledge of drawing; and, before his apprenticeship10 expired, he exhibited talent for caricature. “He felt the impulse of genius, and that it directed him to painting, though little apprised11 at that time of the mode Nature had intended he should pursue.”
The following circumstance gave the first indication of the talents with which Hogarth afterwards proved himself to be so liberally endowed.
During his apprenticeship, he set out one Sunday, with two or three companions, on an excursion to Highgate. The weather being hot, they went into a public-house; where they had not long been, before a quarrel arose between some persons in the same room; from words they soon got to blows, and the quart pots being the only missiles at hand, were sent flying about the room in glorious confusion. This was a scene too laughable for Hogarth to resist. He drew out his pencil, and produced on the spot one of the most ludicrous pieces that ever was seen; which exhibited likenesses not only of the combatants engaged in the affray, but also of the persons gathered round them, placed in grotesque13 attitudes, and heightened with character and points of humour.
On the expiration14 of his apprenticeship, he entered into the academy in St. Martin’s Lane, and studied drawing from the life: but in this his proficiency15 was inconsiderable; nor would he ever have surpassed mediocrity as a painter, if he had not penetrated16 through external form to character and manners. “It was character, passions, the soul, that his genius was given him to copy.”
The engraving of arms and shop-bills seems to have been his first employment by which to obtain a decent livelihood17. He was, however, soon engaged in decorating books, and furnished sets of plates for several publications of the time. An edition of Hudibras afforded him the first subject suited to his genius: yet he felt so much the shackles18 of other men’s ideas, that he was less successful in this task than might have been expected. In the mean time, he had acquired the use of the brush, as well as of the pen and graver; and, possessing a singular facility in seizing a likeness12, he acquired considerable employment as a portrait-painter. Shortly after his marriage, he informs us that he commenced painter of small conversation pieces, from twelve to fifteen inches in height; the novelty of which caused them to succeed for a few years. One of the earliest productions of this kind, which distinguished19 him as a painter, is supposed to have been a representation of Wanstead Assembly; the figures in it were drawn20 from the life, and without burlesque21. The faces were said to bear great likenesses to the persons so drawn, and to be rather better coloured than some of his more finished performances. Grace, however, was no attribute of his pencil; and he was more disposed to aggravate22, than to soften23 the harsh touches of Nature.
A curious anecdote24 is recorded of our artist during the early part of his practice as a portrait painter. A nobleman, who was uncommonly25 ugly and deformed26, sat for his picture, which was executed in his happiest manner, and with singularly rigid27 fidelity28. The peer, disgusted at this counterpart of his dear self, was not disposed very readily to pay for a reflector that would only insult him with his deformities. After some time had elapsed, and numerous unsuccessful applications had been made for payment, the painter resorted to an expedient29, which he knew must alarm the nobleman’s pride. He sent him the following card:—“Mr. Hogarth’s dutiful respects to Lord ——; finding that he does not mean to have the picture which was drawn for him, is informed again of Mr. Hogarth’s pressing necessities for the money. If, therefore, his lordship does not send for it in three days, it will be disposed of, with the addition of a tail and some other appendages30, to Mr. Hare, the famous wild beast man; Mr. H. having given that gentleman a conditional31 promise on his lordship’s refusal.” This intimation had its desired effect; the picture was paid for, and committed to the flames.
Hogarth’s talents, however, for original comic design, gradually unfolded themselves, and various public occasions produced displays of his ludicrous powers.
In the year 1730, he clandestinely32 married the only daughter of Sir James Thornhill, the painter, who was not easily reconciled to her union with an obscure artist, as Hogarth then comparatively was. Shortly after, he commenced his first great series of moral paintings, “The Harlot’s Progress:” some of these were, at Lady Thornhill’s suggestion, designedly placed by Mrs. Hogarth in her father’s way, in order to reconcile him to her marriage. Being informed by whom they were executed, Sir James observed, “The man who can produce such representations as these, can also maintain a wife without a portion.” He soon after, however, relented, and became generous to the young couple, with whom he lived in great harmony until his death, which took place in 1733.
In 1733 his genius became conspicuously33 known. The third scene of “The Harlot’s Progress” introduced him to the notice of the great: at a Board of Treasury34, (which was held a day or two after the appearance of that print), a copy of it was shown by one of the lords, as containing, among other excellences35, a striking likeness of Sir John Gonson, a celebrated36 magistrate37 of that day, well known for his rigour towards women of the town. From the Treasury each lord repaired to the print-shop for a copy of it, and Hogarth rose completely into fame.
Upwards38 of twelve hundred subscribers entered their names for the plates, which were copied and imitated on fan mounts, and in a variety of other forms; and a pantomime taken from them was represented at the theatre. This performance, together with several subsequent ones of a similar kind, have placed Hogarth in the rare class of original geniuses and inventors. He may be said to have created an entirely39 new species of painting, which may be termed the moral comic; and may be considered rather as a writer of comedy with a pencil, than as a painter. If catching40 the manners and follies41 of an age, living as they rise — if general satire42 on vices43 — and ridicule44 familiarised by strokes of Nature, and heightened by wit — and the whole animated45 by proper and just expressions of the passions — be comedy, Hogarth composed comedies as much as Moliere.
Soon after his marriage, Hogarth resided at South Lambeth; and being intimate with Mr. Tyers, the then spirited proprietor46 of Vauxhall Gardens, he contributed much to the improvement of those gardens; and first suggested the hint of embellishing47 them with paintings, some of which were the productions of his own comic pencil. Among the paintings were “The Four Parts of the Day,” either by Hogarth, or after his designs.
Two years after the publication of his “Harlot’s Progress,” appeared the “Rake’s Progress,” which, Lord Orford remarks, (though perhaps superior,) “had not so much success, for want of notoriety: nor is the print of the Arrest equal in merit to the others.” The curtain, however, was now drawn aside, and his genius stood displayed in its full lustre48.
The Rake’s Progress was followed by several works in series, viz. “Marriage à-la-mode, Industry and Idleness, the Stages of Cruelty, and Election Prints.” To these may be added, a great number of single comic pieces, all of which present a rich source of amusement:— such as, “The March to Finchley, Modern Midnight Conversation, the Sleeping Congregation, the Gates of Calais, Gin Lane, Beer Street, Strolling Players in a Barn, the Lecture, Laughing Audience, Enraged49 Musician,” &c. &c. which, being introduced and described in the subsequent part of this work, it would far exceed the limits, necessarily assigned to these brief memoirs50, here minutely to characterise.
All the works of this original genius are, in fact, lectures of morality. They are satires51 of particular vices and follies, expressed with such strength of character, and such an accumulation of minute and appropriate circumstances, that they have all the truth of Nature heightened by the attractions of wit and fancy. Nothing is without a meaning, but all either conspires52 to the great end, or forms an addition to the lively drama of human manners. His single pieces, however, are rather to be considered as studies, not perhaps for the professional artist, but for the searcher into life and manners, and for the votaries53 of true humour and ridicule. No furniture of the kind can vie with Hogarth’s prints, as a fund of inexhaustible amusement, yet conveying at the same time lessons of morality.
Not contented54, however, with the just reputation which he had acquired in his proper department, Hogarth attempted to shine in the highest branch of the art — serious history-painting. “From a contempt,” says Lord Orford, “of the ignorant virtuosi of the age, and from indignation at the impudent55 tricks of picture dealers56, whom he saw continually recommending and vending57 vile58 copies to bubble collectors, and from having never studied, or indeed having seen, few good pictures of the great Italian masters, he persuaded himself that the praises bestowed59 on those glorious works were nothing but the effects of prejudice. He talked this language till he believed it; and having heard it often asserted (as is true) that time gives a mellowness60 to colours, and improves them, he not only denied the proposition, but maintained that pictures only grew black and worse by age, not distinguishing between the degrees in which the proposition might be true or false. He went farther: he determined61 to rival the ancients, and unfortunately chose one of the finest pictures in England as the object of his competition. This was the celebrated Sigismonda of Sir Luke Schaub, now in the possession of the Duke of Newcastle, said to be painted by Correggio, probably by Furino."—“It is impossible to see the picture,” (continues his lordship,) “or read Dryden’s inimitable tale, and not feel that the same soul animated both. After many essays, Hogarth at last produced his Sigismonda — but no more like Sigismonda than I to Hercules.”
Notwithstanding Hogarth professed62 to decry63 literature, he felt an inclination64 to communicate to the public his ideas on a topic connected with his art. His “Analysis of Beauty” made its appearance in one volume quarto, in the year 1753. Its leading principle is, that beauty fundamentally consists in that union of uniformity which is found in the curve or waving line; and that round swelling65 figures are most pleasing to the eye. This principle he illustrates66 by many ingenious remarks and examples, and also by some plates characteristic of his genius.
In the year 1757, his brother-in-law, Mr. Thornhill, resigned his office of king’s serjeant-painter in favour of Hogarth, who received his appointment on the 6th of June, and entered on his functions on the 16th of July, both in the same year. This place was re-granted to him by a warrant of George the Third, which bears date the 30th October, 1761, with a salary of ten pounds per annum, payable67 quarterly.
This connexion with the court probably induced Hogarth to deviate68 from the strict line of party neutrality which he had hitherto observed, and to engage against Mr. Wilkes and his friends, in a print published in September, 1762, entitled The Times. This publication provoked some severe strictures from Wilkes’s pen, in a North Briton (No. 17.) Hogarth replied by a caricature of the writer: a rejoinder was put in by Churchill, in an angry epistle to Hogarth (not the brightest of his works); and in which the severest strokes fell on a defect the painter had not caused, and could not amend69 — his age; which, however, was neither remarkable nor decrepit70; much less had it impaired71 his talents: for, only six months before, he had produced one of his most capital works. In revenge for this epistle, Hogarth caricatured Churchill, under the form of a canonical72 bear, with a club and a pot of porter.
During this period of warfare73 (so virulent74 and disgraceful to all the parties), Hogarth’s health visibly declined. In 1762, he complained of an internal pain, the continuance of which produced a general decay of the system, that proved incurable75; and, on the 25th of October, 1764, (having been previously76 conveyed in a very weak and languid state from Chiswick to Leicester Fields,) he died suddenly, of an aneurism in his chest, in the sixty-seventh or sixty-eighth year of his age. His remains77 were interred78 at Chiswick, beneath a plain but neat mausoleum, with the following elegant inscription79 by his friend Garrick:—
“Farewell, great painter of mankind,
Who reach’d the noblest point of art;
Whose pictured morals charm the mind,
And through the eye correct the heart.
If Genius fire thee, reader, stay;
If Nature touch thee, drop a tear:
If neither move thee, turn away,
For Hogarth’s honour’d dust lies here.”
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1
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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provincial
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| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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engraving
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| n.版画；雕刻（作品）；雕刻艺术；镌版术v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的现在分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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apprenticeship
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| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
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apprised
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| v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价 | |
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likeness
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| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
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grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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expiration
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| n.终结，期满，呼气，呼出物 | |
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proficiency
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| n.精通，熟练，精练 | |
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penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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shackles
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| 手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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burlesque
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| v.嘲弄，戏仿；n.嘲弄，取笑，滑稽模仿 | |
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aggravate
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| vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火 | |
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soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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anecdote
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| n.轶事，趣闻，短故事 | |
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uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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appendages
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| n.附属物( appendage的名词复数 )；依附的人；附属器官；附属肢体（如臂、腿、尾等） | |
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conditional
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| adj.条件的，带有条件的 | |
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clandestinely
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| adv.秘密地，暗中地 | |
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conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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treasury
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| n.宝库；国库，金库；文库 | |
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excellences
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| n.卓越( excellence的名词复数 )；（只用于所修饰的名词后）杰出的；卓越的；出类拔萃的 | |
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celebrated
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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upwards
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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follies
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| 罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 ) | |
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satire
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| n.讽刺，讽刺文学，讽刺作品 | |
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vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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ridicule
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| v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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embellishing
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| v.美化( embellish的现在分词 )；装饰；修饰；润色 | |
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lustre
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| n.光亮，光泽；荣誉 | |
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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memoirs
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| n.回忆录；回忆录传( mem,自oir的名词复数) | |
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satires
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| 讽刺，讥讽( satire的名词复数 )； 讽刺作品 | |
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conspires
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| 密谋( conspire的第三人称单数 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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votaries
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| n.信徒( votary的名词复数 )；追随者；（天主教）修士；修女 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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impudent
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| adj.鲁莽的，卑鄙的，厚颜无耻的 | |
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dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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vending
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| v.出售（尤指土地等财产）( vend的现在分词 )；（尤指在公共场所）贩卖；发表（意见，言论）；声明 | |
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vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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mellowness
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| 成熟； 芳醇； 肥沃； 怡然 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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decry
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| v.危难，谴责 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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illustrates
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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payable
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| adj.可付的，应付的，有利益的 | |
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deviate
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| v.(from)背离，偏离 | |
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amend
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| vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿 | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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canonical
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| n.权威的；典型的 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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74
virulent
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| adj.有毒的，有恶意的，充满敌意的 | |
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75
incurable
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| adj.不能医治的，不能矫正的，无救的；n.不治的病人，无救的人 | |
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76
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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77
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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78
interred
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| v.埋，葬( inter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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