[6] The dictionary here alluded to, Mrs. Lewis of Chiswick presented to the Editor of this volume. It is a thick quarto, containing an early edition of Littleton's Dictionary, and also Robertson's Phrases, with numerous corrections to each, and about 400 pages of manuscript close written. On the marginal leaf is inscripted in Hogarth's handwriting, "The manuscript part of this dictionary was the work of Mr. Richard Hogarth." Another volume of this work is in the possession of J. Bindley, Esq., of the Stamp Office.
[7] Hogarth's father came to the metropolis in company with Dr. Gibson, the late Bishop of London's brother, and was employed as corrector of the press, which in those days was not considered as a mean employment.
[8] By Sir James Thornhill, afterwards his father-in-law.
[9] Though averse, as he himself expresses it, to coldly copying on the spot any objects that struck him, it was usual with him when he saw a singular character, either in the street or elsewhere, to pencil the leading features and prominent markings upon his nail, and when he came home, to copy the sketch on paper, and afterwards introduce it in a print. Several of these sketches I have seen, and in them may be traced the first thoughts for many of the characters which he afterwards introduced in his works.
[10] As this was the doctrine I preached as well as practised, an arch brother of the pencil once gave it this turn, that the only way to draw well, was not to draw at all; and, on the same principle, he supposed that if I wrote an essay on the art of swimming, I should prohibit my pupil from going into the water until he had learnt.
[11] If Hogarth calls himself idle, who shall dare to denominate himself industrious?
[12] Hudibras was published in 1726, so that his father probably died about the year 1721, leaving two daughters, Mary and Anne, besides his son William, who, on the leaf of an old memorandum book in my possession, after mentioning the time of his own birth and baptism, thus continues:
"Mary Hogarth was born November 10th, 1699.
Ann Hogarth, two years after in the same month.
Taken from the Register at Great St. Bartholomew's."
[13] The leader of the figures hurrying to a masquerade, crowned with a cap and bells, and a garter round his right leg, has been supposed to be intended for George II., who was very partial to these nocturnal amusements, and is said to have bestowed a thousand pounds towards their support. The purse with the label £1000, which the satyr holds immediately before him, gives some probability to the supposition. The kneeling figure on the show-cloth, pouring gold at the feet of Cuzzoni, the Italian singer (with the label, "Pray accept £8000"), has been said to be designed for Lord Peterborough.
[14] As this print, to heighten the burlesque, was almost invariably impressed on blue paper, I have stamped the annexed copy on the same colour.