1735.
1. The Rake's Progress, in eight plates.
Extract from the London Daily Post, May 14, 1735:
"The nine prints from the paintings of Mr. Hogarth, one representing a Fair, and the others a Rake's Progress, are now printing off, and will be ready to be delivered on the 25th of June next.
"Subscriptions will be taken at Mr. Hogarth's, the Golden-Head, in Leicester-fields, till the 23d of June, and no longer, at half a guinea to be paid on subscribing, and half a guinea more on delivery of the prints at the price above-mentioned, after which the price will be two guineas.
"N. B. Mr. Hogarth was, and is, obliged to defer the publication and delivery of the abovesaid prints till the 25th of June next, in order to secure his property, pursuant to an act lately passed both houses of parliament, now waiting for the royal assent, to secure all new invented prints that shall be published after the 24th of June next, from being copied without consent of the proprietor, and thereby preventing a scandalous and unjust custom (hitherto practised with impunity) of making and vending base copies of original prints, to the manifest injury of the author, and the great discouragement of the arts of painting and engraving."
In The Craftsman, soon afterwards, appeared the following advertisement:
"Pursuant to an agreement with the subscribers to the Rake's Progress, not to sell them for less than two guineas each set after publication thereof, the said original prints are to be had at Mr. Hogarth's, the Golden-Head, in Leicester-fields; and at Tho. Bakewell's, print-seller, next Johnson's Court, in Fleet-street, where all other print-sellers may be supplied.