1752.
1. Paul before Felix, from the original painting in Lincoln's-Inn Hall, painted by W. Hogarth. "There is much less Dignity in this, than Wit in the preceding." Under the inscription to the first impressions of this plate is "Published Feb. 5, 1752. Engraved by Luke Sullivan." To the second state of it was added the quotation which, in p. [64], I have printed from Dr. Joseph Warton's Essay on the Genius of Pope. It was covered with paper in the third impression, and entirely effaced in the fourth.
2. The same, "as first designed, but the wife of Felix was afterwards omitted, because St. Paul's hand was very improperly placed before her." I have seen a copy of it, on which Hogarth had written, "A print off the plate that was set aside as insufficient. Engraved by W. H." On the appearance of Dr. Warton's criticism on this plate, Hogarth caused the whole of it to be engraved under both this and the next mentioned print, without any comment.
3. Moses brought to Pharaoh's daughter, from a picture at The Foundling Hospital. Engraved by W. Hogarth and Luke Sullivan.
In the early impressions from this plate (exclusive of its necessary and usual inscription) the words "Published February 5, 1752, according to Act of Parliament," and "W. Hogarth pinxit," are found. In subsequent copies they are obliterated; and we have only "Published as the Act directs" in their room. These were left out, however, only to make room for the quotation from Dr. Warton's book already mentioned.[1]
[1] It should here be remarked, that the heads of several of the figures in the original, differ widely from those in the engraving. The daughter of the Egyptian Monarch appears to more advantage in the print than on the canvas, for there she resembles a wanton under-actress, who, half-undrest, and waiting for her keeper, employs the interval of time in settling accounts with a washerwoman, who has her bastard at nurse, and has just brought him home to convince her that young Curl-pated Hugh has no shoes to his feet. The colouring of this piece is beneath criticism. I have just been told the head of Pharaoh's daughter was copied from one Seaton, a smock-faced youth of our artist's acquaintance: a proper model, no doubt, for an Eastern Princess! Hogarth could not, like Guido, draw a Venus from a common porter.