In addition to the high and sounding title of Counsellor and Honorary Member of the Imperial Academy at Augsburg, conferred upon Hogarth in the German diploma, he was, on the 6th of June 1757, still further dignified by being appointed Serjeant Painter to the King of Great Britain, and entered on the duties of his office on the 16th of the following July. On the demise of George the Second, his post necessarily became vacant; his present Majesty's warrant for reinstating him is in my possession. I have annexed a copy, which shows that the salary was ten pounds per annum, payable quarterly. In one of his manuscripts I find the following memorandum of the interest by which he obtained the place, and its annual profits:—
"Having, just after my brother's death, obtained, by means of my friend Mr. Manning and the Duke of Devonshire, which might not have exceeded one hundred a year to me for trouble and attendance; but by two portraits at more than eighty pounds each, the last occasioned by his present Majesty's accession, and some other things, it has for these last five years been, one way or other, worth two hundred pounds per annum."
Who these portraits were, or for whom they were painted, I know not. By his manner of expressing himself, I should suppose that they were royal, and, as is customary, presented to some of the ambassadors, in which case they were probably sent to the Continent.
"George R.
"Whereas the King, our late royal grandfather, of glorious and happy memory, by his letters patent, under his Great Seal of Great Britain, and bearing date the sixth day of June, in the thirtieth year of his reign, did grant unto William Hogarth, Esq., the office of Serjeant Painter of all his said late Majesty's works, as well belonging to his royal palaces or houses as to his great wardrobe, or otherwise to hold the said office to the said William Hogarth during his said late Majesty's pleasure: And by the force of a statute made in the sixth year of the reign of Queen Anne, the said William Hogarth did continue in the said office for the space of six months, computed next after the demise of his said late Majesty, and he the said William Hogarth still continues therein, by or under our royal proclamation, in such behalf issued: And whereas our gracious intentions are to re-grant the said office to the said William Hogarth, our will and pleasure is, that you forthwith prepare a Bill for our royal signature, to pass our Great Seal of Great Britain, to revoke and determine the said recited letters patent of our said late royal grandfather, and to remove and discharge the said William Hogarth from the office whereunto he was thereby appointed; and to contain our grant unto our trusty and well-beloved, the said William Hogarth, of the office of Serjeant Painter of all our works, as well belonging to all our royal palaces or houses as to our great wardrobe, or otherwise, to hold and exercise and enjoy the said office to the said William Hogarth, during our pleasure by himself, or his sufficient deputy or deputies, together with the yearly fee or salary of ten pounds, payable at the receipt of our Exchequer, out of any of our revenues there applicable to the uses of our civil government, unto the said William Hogarth, for the exercise and execution of the said office, and to commence from the time to which he was last paid thereupon, by virtue of or under the letters patent before recited, and to be computed payable and paid from such the commencement thereof by the day, or for the quarter, as the case may require, to and for the then next ensuing usual quarterly day of payment in the year; and from thenceforth quarterly, at the four most usual quarterly days of payment in the year, by even and equal portions during his continuance in the said office; and together with all other fees, liveries, profits, commodities, and advantages to the said office belonging, or in any wise appertaining, and in as full, ample, and beneficial manner and form to all intents and purposes as he the said William Hogarth held, exercised, and enjoyed, or might have held, exercised, and enjoyed in the said office, by virtue of or under the said recited letters patent of our said royal grandfather; and you are to insert in the said Bill all such apt clauses, directions, authorities, and powers as were contained in the said former grant of the said office, and such others as you shall think necessary for our service, and for making our grant hereby intended to the said William Hogarth most firm, valid, and effectual; and for so doing this shall be your warrant.
"Given at our Court at St. James's, the 30th day of October 1761, in the second year of our reign.
"By his Majesty's command,
"Holles Newcastle.
"North.
"James Oswald.
"To our Attorney or Solicitor General.
"William Hogarth, Esq., Serjeant Painter of his Majesty's Works.—Office renewed."