[44] Little did Hogarth imagine that a man lived in his own time, who, by a great commercial enterprise, should awaken the spirit of the nation to historical and poetical paintings from the drama of Shakspeare. This drama has been a school for the representation of all the passions, and opened to the artist a new mine of rich materials for displaying the mirror of life in the colours of nature. The Shakspeare Gallery has been followed by undertakings of a similar description, and, all united, have afforded a patronage to the arts which had been vainly sought for among the nobility, and given to such painters as had the power, a fair opportunity of confuting the visionary assertion, that it was not possible for an Englishman to paint a good historical picture.
[45] How far Hogarth's prediction has been fulfilled, by the repentance of some painters who may have been thus dragged into the temple of taste, those painters only can determine.
[46] The hope of the arts is in the patronage of the sovereign.
[47] A great personage once remarked that sculpture was too cold and chilling for this climate.
[48] What shall we say of these, if fame is denied to the living?
[49] On Mr. Lane's death they became the property of his nephew, Colonel Cawthorn; and on the 5th of February 1797, were sold by auction at Christie's room, and purchased by Mr. Angerstein for one thousand guineas.
It has frequently been the fate of painters, as well as poets, to have their works disregarded until the authors were out of the hearing of praise or censure. Young, in his Love of Fame, speaking of the value which a writer's death gave to his productions, neatly enough concludes with an allusion to Tonson the bookseller:
"This truth sagacious Tonson knew full well,
And starv'd his authors that their works might sell."
[50] Such is the date both in his MS. and the preface to the Analysis, though under the print he has engraven, "Se ipse pinxit et sculpsit, 1749." It is probable that in the first instance he meant to speak of the painting it was taken from, which is now in the possession of Mr. Angerstein.