In Plate II. we meet with a fresh proof of our artist's inattention to orthography; Party-tool (used as a proper name) being here spelt parti-tool. This plate was engraved by C. Grignion, and has been retouched, as the upper-row of the lion's teeth are quite obliterated in the second impression.
Plate III. The militia (or, as Hogarth spells it, milicia) bill appearing out of the pocket of the maimed voter, is only found in the second impression. This print was engraved by Hogarth and Le Cave.[6]
The dead man, whom they are bringing up as a voter, alludes to an event of the same kind that happened during the contested election between Bosworth and Selwyn. "Why," says one of the clerks, "you have brought us here a dead man."—"Dead!" cries the bringer; "dead as you suppose him, you shall soon hear him vote for Bosworth." On this, a thump was given to the body, which, being full of wind, emitted a sound that was immediately affirmed to be a distinct, audible, and good vote for the candidate already mentioned.—This circumstance, however, might have reference to the behaviour of the late Dr. Barrowby, who persuaded a dying patient he was so much better, that he might venture with him in his chariot to go and poll for Sir George Vandeput in Covent-Garden. The unhappy voter took his physician's advice, but expired in an hour after his return from the hustings. "If Hogarth," says Mr. Walpole, "had an emblematic thought, he expressed it with wit, rather than by a symbol. Such is that of the whore setting fire to the world in The Rake's Progress. Once indeed he descended to use an allegoric personage, and was not happy in it. In one of his Election prints [plate III.] Britannia's chariot breaks down, while the coachman and footman are playing at cards on the box."
In the second impressions of Plate IV.[7] (which was engraved by W. Hogarth and F. Aviline) the shadow on the sun-dial, denoting the hour, and the word indintur (commonly spelt indenture) on the scroll hanging out at the attorney's window, are both added. The fire from the gun is also continued farther; the bars of the church-gate are darkened; and the upper sprigs of a tree, which were bare at first, are covered with leaves.
By these marks, the unskilful purchaser may distinguish the early from the later impressions. I forbear therefore to dwell on more minute variations. The ruined house adjoining to the attorney's, intimating that nothing can thrive in the neighbourhood of such vermin, is a stroke of satire that should not be overlooked.
The publick were so impatient for this set of prints, that Hogarth was perpetually hastening his coadjutors, changing some, and quarrelling with others. Three of the plates therefore were slightly executed, and soon needed the reparations they have since received.
The following curious address appeared in the Public Advertiser of Feb. 28, 1757.
"Mr. Hogarth is obliged to inform the subscribers to his Election Prints, that the three last cannot be published till about Christmas next, which delay is entirely owing to the difficulties he has met with to procure able hands to engrave the plates; but that he neither may have any more apologies to make on such an account, nor trespass any further on the indulgence of the public by encreasing a collection already sufficiently large, he intends to employ the rest of his time in portrait-painting; chiefly this notice seems more necessary, as several spurious and scandalous prints[8] have lately been published in his name.
"All Mr. Hogarth's engraved works are to be had at his house in Leicester-fields, separate or together; as also his Analysis of Beauty, in 4to. with two explanatory prints, price 15s. With which will be delivered gratis, an eighteen-penny pamphlet published by A. Miller, called The Investigator, written in opposition to the principles laid down in the above Analysis of Beauty, by A. R.,[9] a friend to Mr. Hogarth, an eminent portrait-painter now of Rome."
The foregoing advertisement appears to have been written during the influence of a fit of spleen or disappointment, for nothing else could have dictated to our artist so absurd a resolution as that of quitting a walk he had trod without a rival, to re-enter another in which he had by no means distinguished himself from the herd of common painters.