CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
| (1774–1799.) | |
|---|---|
| BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. | |
| PAGE | |
| The prevalent taste for pictorial satires—Contributions to the literature and history of caricature—Collectionsof caricatures in national museums—Rowlandson's publishers—Scarcity of his works andthe avidity of collectors—Difficulties in the way of forming a collection of Rowlandson's engravedplates—Rowlandson regarded as an artist in water-colours—Examples of his productions to befound in picture galleries—Establishes himself as a serious artist, 1777 to 1781—His contributionsto the Royal Academy as a portrait-painter in oils—His female likenesses—His versatile acquirementsand imitative fidelity—Rowlandson considered as a landscape artist—As a painter of marinesubjects—George Cruikshank's estimation of Thomas Rowlandson—General review of Rowlandson'scaricatures: Gambling, the Westminster Election, 1784; political struggles between the Whigsand Tories, Pitt and Fox, the King and the Prince, fashions, the clergy, the Bar, usures, doctors,quackery, John Bull, foreigners, cockneys, countrymen, the Universities, collegians, the military,the navy, seaport sketches, amusements of the bon-ton, Vauxhall, the Opera, theatres, card-playing,sharpers, drinking, feasting, sport, fox-hunting, horse-racing, prize-fighting, rural sports, masquerading,picnic revels, fortune-hunters, elopements, Gretna Green, travesties, parodies, and burlesques,trials, scandals, housebreaking, highway robberies, the passions, the Royal Family—Imitationsof the old masters: Female studies, croquis taken in France, Holland, Belgium, Germany,England and Wales, the metropolis—The Regency struggle—Admiral Lord Nelson—The miseriesof human life—The Great French Revolution—Napoleon Buonaparte—The Delicate Investigation—TheRoyal Academy, &c., &c.—Manifold production of drawings—Contributions to book illustration—Portraitsof the caricaturist—The artist and his relatives—His schoolfellows—A student inParis—At the Academy schools—His early friends Bannister and Angelo—Tricks on the RoyalAcademicians—His friends Pyne and John Thomas Smith—Studies of Continental character—BetweenLondon and Paris—Is left a fortune—His passion for the gambling-table—The integrityof his conduct—Successive exhibits at the Royal Academy—Portraits in oil—His travels at homeand abroad; the companions of his excursions; Mitchell the banker and Henry Wigstead the magistrate—Congenialspirits—Vauxhall Gardens—Lord Barrymore—Nocturnal frolics—Play—Successivedrawings of social satires, contributed to the Royal Academy Exhibitions—Rowlandson robbed—Identifiesa thief—Lord Howe's victory—French prisoners—Sketches of the embarkation of theexpedition for La Vendée—Sojourns in Paris with Angelo, John Raphael Smith, Westmacott, andChasemore—Sketching in the Netherlands and Germany with Mitchell—John Bull on his travels—Nightauctions of pictures, drawings, and prints—Old Parsons, 'Antiquity' Smith, Edwin,Greenwood, Hutchins, Heywood—Relaxations of the period—Nights at Mitchell's—Wigsteadand 'Peter Pindar'—Wolcot's stories—Dinners with Weltjé at Hammersmith—The Prince ofWales—Theatrical worthies, Munden, Palmer and Madame Banti—Convivialities—The Prince'sMaître d'Hôtel: his cooking and anecdotes—Excursions in England: views in Cumberland, Cornwall,Devon, Somerset, Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, Hampshire, &c.—Studies in the Universities: viewsof the Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge—Malcolm's 'Historical Sketch of the Art of Caricaturing'—Wright's'History of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and Art'—Rowlandson as an etcherof the works of amateur caricaturists: his own spirit lent to the productions of Wigstead, Nixon,Woodward, Bunbury, Collings, &c.—Sketches of contemporary caricaturists: William HenryBunbury, George Moutard Woodward, Henry Wigstead, the facetious John Nixon—The Beef-steakClub—The 'well-bread man'—Collings, artist and editor of the 'Public Ledger'—CalebWhiteford—'Ephraim Hardcastle'—James Heath—George Morland—James Gillray—Allusionsto Rowlandson in the 'Life of James Gillray, the Caricaturist, with the Story of his Works andTimes'—The position of caricaturists in relation to their contemporaries—Henry Angelo, thefencing master—Personal characteristics of satirists—Rowlandson's publisher, Rudolph Ackermann:sketch of his life—Conversazioni at the 'Repository of Arts'—Special qualities of Rowlandson'sproductions—Esteem in which he was held by contemporaries—His death and funeral | [1] |
| 1774–1781. EARLY PRODUCTIONS. | |
| A Rotation Office—[The Village Doctor]—A Scene at Streatham—[Bozzy and Piozzi]—SpecialPleading—[The Power of Reflection]—[E O, or the Fashionable Vowels]—Gambling Tables—[CharityCovereth a Multitude of Sins]—[Bob Derry]—[Luxury]—Political and social caricaturesfor 1781 | [96] |
| 1782–1783. | |
| [Amputation]—[The Rhedarium]—The Discovery—[Interior of a Clockmaker's Shop]—The Times—Politicaland social caricatures for 1783 | [107] |
| 1784. POLITICAL CARICATURES. | |
| The Pit of Acheron—The Fall of Dagon—The Coalition—Fox and North Ministries—[BritanniaRoused]—The East India Company—[The Apostate Jack Robinson]—The Champion of the People—[MasterBilly's Procession to Grocers' Hall]—The State Auction—The Westminster Election—[TheHanoverian Horse and the British Lion]—The Canvass—The Rival Duchesses—[The Rival Candidates]:Hon. Charles James Fox, Lord Hood, Sir Cecil Gray—[The Devonshire], or most ApprovedManner of Securing Votes—The Poll—Fox, the [Westminster Watchman]—Honest Sam House—[Lordsof the Bedchamber]—The Court Canvass of Madame Blubber—[Wit's Last Stake], or theCobbling Voter and Abject Canvassers—Monsieur Reynard—[The Case is Altered]—The Hustings—[Processionof the Hustings] after a Successful Canvass—Lord Lonsdale—The Westminster Mendicant—[TheWestminster Deserter] Drumm'd out of the Regiment—Court Influence—Preceptorand Pupil—[Secret Influences] Directing the New Parliament—[For the Benefit of the Champion]—ThePetitioning Candidate—Christopher Atkinson, a 'Rogue in Grain'—John Stockdale, the'Bookselling Blacksmith' | [111] |
| SOCIAL CARICATURES. | |
| A Sketch from Nature—[English Curiosity]—[Counsellor and Client]—La Politesse Françoise—1784, orthe Fashions of the Day—The Vicar and Moses—[Money-lenders]—Bookseller and Author—TheHistorian Animating the Mind of a Young Painter—Billingsgate—Illustrations of Conveyances—Rowlandson'simitations of modern drawings | [145] |
| 1785. | |
| The Fall of Achilles—The Golden Apple, or the Modern Paris—[Defeat of the High and Mighty Balissimo]Corbettino and his Famed Cecilian Forces—The Wonderful Pig—The Waterfall—[Comfort in theGout]—Vauxhall Gardens: Vauxhall Characters—Vincent Lunardi: [Aërostation Out at Elbows],or the Itinerant Aëronaut—[Too Many for a Jew]—[An Essay on the Sublime and Beautiful]—TheMaiden Speech—Captain Epilogue—[Col. Topham] Endeavouring with his Squirt to Extinguish theGenius of Holman—Persons and Property Protected by Authority—[Intrusion on Study], or thePainter Disturbed—Courtship—Filial Affection, or a Trip to Gretna Green—[The Reconciliation], orthe Return from Scotland—Lord Eden and Gen. Arnold—[Harmony]—Sympathy—John Gilpin—[TastesDiffer]—[Nap in the Country]—[Nap in Town]—[Sea Amusement], or Commander-in-Chief ofCup and Ball on a Cruise—[Opera Boxes] | [152] |
| 1786. | |
| [Box Lobby Loungers]—Love and Learning—Sketch of Politics in Europe, January 1786—Uncle Toby(the Duke of Richmond)—[An Ordnance Dream], or Planning Fortifications—[Luxury]—[Misery]—[TheMorning Dram]—[Count Boruwloski] (the Polish Dwarf) Performing before the Grand Seigneur—[Brewers'Drays]—[Youth and Age]—[Sailors Carousing]—A Theatrical Chymist—[The Return fromSport]—A Box Lobby Hero—Werter—[Covent Garden Theatre]—Illustrations to the poems of'Peter Pindar' (Dr. Wolcot)—'Picturesque Beauties of Boswell' | [180] |
| 1787. | |
| Uncle George and Black Dick—Illustration to Peter Pindar's poems, '[The Lousiad],' '[Peter's Pension],'['Odes for the New Year']—[The Triumph of Sentiment]—[The Triumph of Hypocrisy]—Transplantingof Teeth (Baron Ron)—[The Village Forge]—[A Brewer's Dray]—[A Posting Inn]—[A RuralHalt]—[Haymakers]—[A Sailor's Family]—[A College Scene], or a Fruitless Attempt on the Purseof Old Squaretoes—[Tragedy Spectators]—[Comedy Spectators]—[Love in the East]—[The Art ofScaling]—[Modish]—[Prudent]—Cribbage Players | [199] |
| 1788. | |
| Hunting Series—[The Meet]—[The Humours of St. Giles's]—Warren Hastings—[Ague and Fever]—LordHood—The School for Scandal—The King's Illness—Filial Piety—The Prospect before us—TheRegency Struggle—The Restrictions—The Addresses—The Word-Eater—Blue and Buff Loyalty—[Housebreakers]—[Loveand Dust]—[Luxury and Desire]—[Lust and Avarice]—[Stage Coach andBasket]—[An Epicure]—[A Comfortable Nap] in a Post-chaise—[A Fencing Match]—[The Pea-Cart]—APrint Sale | [223] |
| 1789. | |
| The Regency Restrictions—The Modern Egbert, or the King of Kings—The Pittfall—The Propagationof a Truth—Loose Principles—State Butchers—[A New Speaker]—Britannia's Support, or theConspirators Defeated—Going in State to the House of Peers—A Sweating for Opposition—IrishAmbassadors Extraordinary—Address from the Parliament of Ireland to the Prince of Wales—ThePrince's Answer—The King's Recovery—Irish Ambassador's Return—Rochester Address—GrandProcession to St. Paul's on St. George's Day, 1798—Sergeant Kite (Duke of Orleans) Recruitingat Billingsgate—[Grog on Board]—[Tea on Shore]—[Interruption], or Inconvenience of aLodging House—[A Sufferer for Decency]—[The Start]—[The Betting Post]—[The Course]—[The Mount]—Bay of Biscay—Chelsea Reach—La Place des Victoires, Paris—[A Dull Husband] | [242] |
| 1790. | |
| [Tythe Pig]—[A Roadside Inn]—Frog-Hunting—[A Butcher]—[Repeal of the Test Act]—A French Family—Kick-upat a Hazard Table—Who Tells First for a Crown—Philip Thicknesse—'An Excursionto Brighthelmstone, made in the year 1789'—[Saloon at the Pavilion, Brighton]—[Waiting for Dinner]—[AtDinner]—[After Dinner]—[Preparing for Supper]—Four o'clock in Town—Four o'clock in theCountry—[Fox-Hunters Relaxing]—John Nichols—Miniature groups and scenes | [268] |
| 1791. | |
| The Pantheon—The Prospect before us, Nos. [1] and [2]—[Chaos is Come Again]—Sheets of picturesqueetchings—The Attack—Bardolph Badgered—An Imperial Stride—[The Grand Battle between theFamous English Cock and the Russian Hen]—[A Little Tighter]—A Little Bigger—[Damp Sheets]—[EnglishBarracks]—French Barracks—[Slugs in a Sawpit]—The Prince's jockey, Chiffney—Howto Escape Winning—How to Escape Losing—Angelo's Fencing Rooms—Notorious Fencers—The[Inn-yard on Fire]—A Squall in Hyde Park—Illustrations to Fielding's 'Tom Jones'—Smollett's'Adventures of Peregrine Pickle'—'Délices de la Grande Bretagne' | [283] |
| 1792. | |
| St. James's and St. Giles's—Work for Doctors' Commons—Six Stages of Marring a Face—Six Stagesof Mending a Face—Ruins of the Pantheon—Hogarthian Novelist: 'Adventures of RoderickRandom'—Philosophy Run Mad—[On her Last Legs]—[Studious Gluttons]—Cold Broth andCalamity—[An Italian Family]—The Hypochondriac—[Benevolence]—The Contrast: which isBest? British Liberty, or French Liberty? | [306] |
| 1793. | |
| Reform Advised: Reform Begun: Reform Complete—New Shoes—Illustrations to Smollett's novels—Illustrationsto a 'Narrative of the War'—Illustrations to Fielding's novels | [319] |
| 1794. | |
| [The Grandpapa]—The Foreigner Stared out of Countenance—[Traffic]—The Invasion Scare: VillageCavalry Practising in a Farmyard—[A Visit to the Uncle]—A Visit to the Aunt—Bad News uponthe Stock Exchange | [321] |
| 1795. | |
| Harmony: Effects of Harmony: Discord—[A Master of the Ceremonies Introducing a Partner] | [326] |
| 1796. | |
| Sir Alan Gardiner—Portraits—An Impartial Narrative of the War | [327] |
| 1797. | |
| Theatrical Candidate—Views in the Netherlands—'Tiens bien ton Bonnet, et toi, defends ta Queue'—Cupid'sMagic Lanthorn | [330] |
| 1798. | |
| The Hunt Dinner—Illustrations to the '[Comforts of Bath],' in twelve plates—'The New Bath Guide, orMemoirs of the Blunderhead Family; in a series of poetical epistles,' by Christopher Anstey—Viewsof London—The Invasion Panic: Volunteers and Recruiting—The Hungarian andHighland Broadsword Exercise—The Glorious Victory obtained over the French Fleet off theNile, August 1, 1798, by the gallant Admiral Lord Nelson of the Nile—High Fun for John Bull,or the Republicans put to their Last Shift—The Discovery—'Annals of Horsemanship'—TheAcademy for Grown Horsemen—'Love in Caricature' | [333] |
| 1799. | |
| [Cries of London]—[A Charm for a Democracy]—An Artist Travelling in Wales—Nautical Characters—[An Irish howl]—Etchings after the old masters—[St. Giles's Courtship]—St. James's Courtship—Connoisseurs—HorseAccomplishments—Comforts of the City—[Procession of a Country Corporation]—Forgetand Forgive—A Note of Hand—Legerdemain—[A Bankrupt Cart], or the Road toRuin in the East—Subjects engraved after designs by Bunbury—[Distress]—Hungarian and HighlandBroadsword Exercise—Loyal Volunteers of London and the Environs | [354] |
ROWLANDSON THE CARICATURIST.
Buyers and readers of books, all admirers of pictures, drawings, and engravings—in a word, the intelligent, and, let us hope, larger proportion of the community—are well aware, if they are inclined to search for information in respect to the celebrities of art, or would inquire into the personal careers of the renowned pioneers and practitioners of the serious branches of the profession, of whatever period, school, or nationality, that numerous sources of reference, tolerably easy of access, are open to the seeker without being driven far abroad in his quest.
There exist, as we are all thoroughly aware, abundant lives of artists, dictionaries of painters, and other prolific sources of information upon the practisers of the sober walks of pictorial art, with rich collections of engravings from their works, in fact, a complete library of delightful literature, which goes far towards proving that the world at least acknowledges a slight interest in individuals as well as works, and that people care to learn some particulars of the men who spent their industrious existences, and devoted the gifts of their admitted genius and application to the humanising walks of life, and to the fitting illustration of the world's universal passions and history, or to the delineation of the ever-varying beauties of nature under picturesque aspects.