.....
‘But wedded, Strephon now neglects his dame,
Tumble or not, to him ‘tis all the same.’
The fan leaf, published in Paris, but also issued in England, illustrates two scenes, in the former of which Cupid smiles approvingly: in the latter, Cupid in the background is overwhelmed with grief at this instance of Strephon’s indifference; above are inscriptions in French and Spanish: ‘La Complaisance de l’Amant ou Huit jours avant,’ and ‘L’indifférence du Mari ou Huit jours après.’ The fan etched from drawings by William Williams, a name which suggests an English origin of the idea.
| A Trip to Gretna. | Schreiber Colln, British Museum. |
| ‘Bartolozzi’ Fan. | Mrs Frank W. Gibson. (Eugenie Joachim.) |
A similar contrast is drawn in two fans published by J. Read, Feb. 20, and Nov. 1, 1795, 133 Pall Mall: ‘The Good Swain’ gives three oval medallions of ‘The Morning of Youth,’ ‘Mid-Day of Life,’ and ‘Chearful Evening of Old Age,’ each subject being provided with four lines of verse commencing with, ‘Unless with my Amanda blest.’
The ‘Good-for-nothing Swain’ gives ‘The Vow of Constancy,’ ‘The Hour of Infidelity,’ and ‘Cupid’s Farewell,’ the verses commencing, ‘With soothing Smiles he won my easy heart.’