Mr. Hayley, in his justly admired Epistle to an Eminent Painter (Mr. Romney), has since expressed himself concerning our artist in terms that confer yet higher honours on his comic excellence:
"Nor, if her favour'd hand may hope to shed
The flowers of glory o'er the skilful dead,
Thy talents, Hogarth! will she leave unsung;
Charm of all eyes, and Theme of every tongue!
A separate province 'twas thy praise to rule;
Self-form'd thy Pencil! yet thy works a School,
Where strongly painted, in gradations nice,
The Pomp of Folly, and the Shame of Vice,
Reach'd thro' the laughing Eye the mended Mind,
And moral Humour sportive Art refin'd.
While fleeting Manners, as minutely shown
As the clear prospect on the mirror thrown;
While Truth of Character, exactly hit,
And drest in all the dyes of comic wit;
While these, in Fielding's page, delights supply,
So long thy Pencil with his Pen shall vie.
Science with grief beheld thy drooping age
Fall the sad victim of a Poet's rage:
But Wit's vindictive spleen, that mocks controul,
Nature's high tax on luxury of soul!
This, both in Bards and Painters, Fame forgives
Their Frailty's buried, but their Genius lives."
Thus far the encomiast, who seeks only for opportunities of bestowing praise. A more impartial narrative will be expected from the biographer.
It may be truly observed of Hogarth, that all his powers of delighting were restrained to his pencil.[74] Having rarely been admitted into polite circles, none of his sharp corners had been rubbed off, so that he continued to the last a gross uncultivated man. The slightest contradiction transported him into rage. To be member of a Club consisting of mechanics, or those not many removes above them, seems to have been the utmost of his social ambition; but even in these assemblies he was oftener sent to Coventry for misbehaviour, than any other person who frequented them. To some confidence in himself he was certainly entitled; for, as a comic painter, he could have claimed no honour that would not most readily have been allowed him;[75] but he was at once unprincipled and variable in his political conduct and attachments. He is also said to have beheld the rising eminence and popularity of Sir Joshua Reynolds with a degree of envy; and, if I am not misinformed, frequently spoke with asperity both of him and his performances. Justice, however, obliges me to add, that our artist was liberal, hospitable, and the most punctual of pay-masters; so that, in spite of the emoluments his works had procured to him, he left but an inconsiderable fortune to his widow. His plates indeed are such resources as may not speedily be exhausted. Some of his domestics had lived many years in his service, a circumstance that always reflects credit on a master. Of most of these he painted strong likenesses on a canvas still in Mrs. Hogarth's possession.
His widow has also a portrait of her husband, and an excellent bust of him by Roubilliac, a strong resemblance; and one of his brother-in-law Mr. Thornhill, much resembling the countenance of Mrs. Hogarth. Several of his portraits also remain in her possession: viz. a finished portrait of Mrs. Mary Lewis; Thomas Coombes of Dorsetshire, aged 108; Lady Thornhill; Mrs. Hogarth herself, &c. &c.
A portrait of Hogarth with his hat on, painted for the late Rev. Mr. Townley by Weltdon, and said to be finished by himself, is in the possession of Mr. James Townley, proctor in Doctors Commons. A mezzotinto print from it will be mentioned under the year 1781 in the [Catalogue].
Mr. Edwards, of Beaufort Buildings, has the portrait of Sir George Hay, The Savoyard Girl, The Bench, and Mary Queen of Scots,[76] by Hogarth.
A conversation-piece by him is likewise at Wanstead in Essex, the seat of Earl Tylney.[77] And Mrs. Hoadly has a scene of Ranger and Clarinda in The Suspicious Husband; and the late Chancellor Hoadly repeating a song to Dr. Greene, for him to compose; both by Hogarth. The first of these is an indifferent picture, and contains very inadequate likenesses of the persons represented.