The Works of William Hogarth: In a Series of Engravings Part 17

England! bound in with the triumphant sea, Whose rocky sh.o.r.es beat back the envious siege Of wat'ry Neptune.

Instead of the forlorn and famished party who were represented in the last plate, we here see a company of well-fed and high-spirited Britons, marked with all the hardihood of ancient times, and eager to defend their country.

In the first group a young peasant, who aspires to a niche in the temple of Fame, preferring the service of Mars to that of Ceres, and the dignified appellation of soldier to the plebeian name of farmer, offers to enlist. Standing with his back against the halberd to ascertain his height, and, finding he is rather under the mark, he endeavours to reach it by rising on tiptoe. This artifice, to which he is impelled by towering ambition, the serjeant seems disposed to connive at--and the serjeant is a hero, and a great man in his way; "your hero always must be tall, you know."

To evince that the polite arts were then in a flouris.h.i.+ng state, and cultivated by more than the immediate professors, a gentleman artist, who to common eyes must pa.s.s for a grenadier, is making a caricature of _le grand monarque_, with a label from his mouth worthy the speaker and worthy observation, "You take a my fine s.h.i.+ps; you be de pirate; you be de teef: me send my grand armies, and hang you all." The action is suited to the word, for with his left hand this most Christian potentate grasps his sword, and in his right poises a gibbet. The figure and motto united produce a roar of approbation from the soldier and sailor, who are criticising the work. It is so natural that the Helen and Briseis of the camp contemplate the performance with apparent delight, and, while one of them with her ap.r.o.n measures the breadth of this herculean painter's shoulders, the other, to show that the performance has some point, places her forefinger against the p.r.o.ngs of a fork. The little fifer, playing that animated and inspiring tune, "G.o.d save the King," is an old acquaintance: we recollect him in the March to Finchley. In the back-ground is a serjeant, teaching a company of young recruits their manual exercise.

This military meeting is held at the sign of the Gallant Duke of c.u.mberland, who is mounted upon a prancing charger,

As if an angel dropp'd down from the clouds, To turn and wield a fiery Pegasus, And witch the world with n.o.ble horsemans.h.i.+p.

Underneath is inscribed "Roast and Boiled every day," which, with the beef and beverage upon the table, forms a fine contrast to the _soup maigre_, bare bones, and roasted frogs, in the last print. The bottle painted on the wall, foaming with liquor, which, impatient of imprisonment, has burst its cerements, must be an irresistible invitation to a thirsty traveller. The soldier's sword laid upon the round of beef, and the sailor's pistol on the vessel containing the ale, intimate that these great bulwarks of our island are as tenacious of their beef and beer, as of their religion and liberty.

These two plates were published in 1756; but in the London Chronicle for October 20, 1759, is the following advertis.e.m.e.nt: "This day are republished, Two prints designed and etched by William Hogarth, one representing the preparations on the French coast for an intended invasion; the other, a view of the preparations making in England to oppose the wicked designs of our enemies; proper to be stuck up in public places, both in town and country, at this juncture."

The verses which were inserted under each print, and subjoined to this account, are, it must be acknowledged, coa.r.s.e enough. They were, however, written by David Garrick.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ENGLAND.]