"The two parts of curves next to 71, served for the old woman and her partner at the farther end of the room. The curve and two strait lines at right angles gave the hint for the fat man's sprawling posture. I next resolved to keep a figure within the bounds of a circle, which produced the upper part of the fat woman between the fat man and the aukward one in a bag-wig, for whom I had made a sort of an X. The prim lady, his partner, in the riding habit, by pecking back her elbows, as they call it, from the waist upwards, made a tolerable D, with a straight line under it, to signify the scanty stiffness of her petticoat; and a Z stood for the singular position the body makes with the legs and thighs of the affected fellow in the tye-wig; the upper part of his plump partner was confined to an O, and this, changed into a P, served as a hint for the straight lines behind.[2] The uniform diamond of a card was filled by the flying dress, &c. of the little capering fellow in the Spencer wig; whilst a double L marked the parallel position of his poking partner's hands and arms [N. B. This figure was copied from that of an uncouth young female whom Hogarth met with at Isleworth assembly]: and, lastly, the two waving lines were drawn for the more genteel turns of the two figures at the hither end.
"The drawing-room is also ornamented purposely with such statues and pictures as may serve to a farther illustration. Henry VIII. [Fig. 72. P. 2] makes a perfect X with his legs and arms; and the position of Charles [Fig. 51. P. 2.] is composed of less-varied lines than the statue of Edward VI. [Fig. 73. P. 2.]; and the medal over his head is in the like kind of lines; but that over Q. Elizabeth, as well as her figure, is in the contrary; so are also the two other wooden figures at the end. Likewise the comical posture of astonishment expressed by following the direction of one plain curve, as the dotted line in a French print of Sancho, where Don Quixote demolishes the puppet-show [Fig. 75. R. P. 2], is a good contrast to the effect of the serpentine lines in the fine turn of the Samaritan woman [Fig. 75. L. p. 2.] taken from one of the best pictures Annibal Carache ever painted."
Respecting the plate numbered I. there are no variations. In its companion the changes repeatedly made as to the two principal figures are more numerous than I had at first observed. It may, however, be sufficient for me to point out some single circumstance in each, that may serve as a mark of distinction. In the first, the principal female has scarce any string to her necklace; in the second it is lengthened; and still more considerably increased in the third. In the first and second editions also of this plate, between the young lord and his partner (and just under the figure of the man who is pointing out the stateliness of some of K. Henry VIIIth's proportions to a lady), is a vacant easy chair. In the third impression this chair is occupied by a person asleep. I have lately been assured that this country-dance was originally meant to have formed one of the scenes in the Happy Marriage. The old gentleman hastening away his daughter, while the servant is putting on his spatter-dashes, seems to countenance the supposition; and having since examined the original sketch in oil, which is in Mr. Ireland's possession, I observe that the dancing-room is terminated by a large old-fashioned bow-window, a circumstance perfectly consistent with the scenery of the wedding described in p. [46], &c.
I may add, that in this picture, the couple designed for specimens of grace, appear, not where they stand in the print, but at the upper end of the room: and so little versed was our painter in the etiquette of a wedding-ball, that he has represented the bride dancing with the bridegroom.[3]
When Hogarth shewed the original painting, from which this dance has been engraved, to my informant, he desired him to observe a pile of hats in the corner, all so characteristic of their respective owners, that they might with ease be picked out, and given to the parties for whom they were designed.
[1] Anecdotes of Painting, 8vo. vol. IV. p. 166.
[2] The idea of making human figures conform to the shape of capital letters, is by no means new. Several alphabets of this kind were engraved above 150 years ago.
[3] As different fashions, however, prevail at different times, this observation may be wrong.
3. The Political Clyster. Nahtanoi Tfiws.[1] Dr. O'Gearth sculp. Nll Mrrg. Cht Nf. ndw Lps ec ple &c. &c. shd b. Prgd. See Gulliver's Speech to the Honble. House of Vulgaria in Lilliput.
This was originally published about 1727, or 1728, under the title of "The punishment inflicted on Lemuel Gulliver, by applying a Lilypucian Fire Engine to his posteriors for his urinal profanation of the Royal Pallace at Mildendo; which was intended as a Frontispiece to his first volume, but omitted. HogEarth sculp." The superiority of the impressions thus inscribed is considerable.[2]