[98] Religious Ceremonies of all Nations, published at Amsterdam in 1735. He entitles this print, "Le Serment de la Fille qui se trouve enceinte." On the same page he has introduced a copy from Sympson's print of orator Henley christening a child, and calls it "Le Baptême Domestique."
[99] The gates of this charity were for several years open to the orphans of those who fell in the battles of their country. A great number of the children who became orphans by the battle of Minden were admitted into this Hospital.
[100] When Schalcken once painted a portrait of King William, he requested his Majesty to hold the candle; this the monarch did till the tallow ran down upon his fingers. To justify this piece of ill-breeding, the painter drew his own portrait in the same situation.
[101] The conductors of this office have printed proposals, stating their terms, etc.; but the business is sometimes transacted by individuals, through the medium of the public prints. The following advertisements are copied from the daily papers:—
Matrimony.
"A gentleman of honour and property having in his disposal at present a young lady of good family, with a fortune of sixty thousand pounds on her marrying with his approbation, would be very happy to treat with a man of fortune and family, who may think it worth his while to give the advertiser a gratuity of five thousand pounds. Direct, etc."
Matrimony.
"A gentleman who hath filled two succeeding seats in Parliament, is near sixty years of age, lives in great splendour and hospitality, and from whom a considerable estate must pass if he dies without issue, hath no objection to marry any single lady, provided the party be of genteel birth, polite manners, and five, six, seven, or eight months advanced in her pregnancy. Address to —— Brecknock, Esq., etc."—Pub. Adv., April 16, 1776.
[102] The apology here alluded to was made in a letter to the author of the Beggars' Opera, dated December 16, 1731, and ushered into the world as written by a Mr. Cleland, who had a few years before sent a letter to the publisher of the Dunciad, explaining the author's motives for writing the poem, and subjoining a list of the books in which he had been abused, etc. This Pope printed; and this, as well as the letter to Mr. Gay, it was universally believed was written by Pope. In a note to the letter to Gay, printed in the same volume with the Dunciad, the poet, after giving Mr. Cleland a very high character for diligence, punctuality, etc., concludes: "and yet for all this, the public will not allow him to be the author of this letter."
[103] Hogarth has introduced these three figures in rather a better style, in his print of "The Small Masquerade Ticket, or Burlington Gate."