WILLIAM HOGARTH. 391 
excellent lawyer determined, that no assignee, claiming under an 
assigtjmentfrom the original inventor, couldtake any benefit by if. 
Hogarth, immediately after the passing of the act, published a small 
print with emblematical devices, and an inscription expressing hi^ 
gratitude to the three branches of the legislature. Small copies of 
the “Rake’s Progress” were published by his permission. In 1745, 
finding that, however great the success of the prints might be, the 
public were not inclined to take his pictures off his hands, he was 
induced to offer some of them, and those of the best he had then 
produced, for disposal by way of auction ; but after a plan of his 
own, viz. by keeping open a book to receive biddings, from the first 
day of February to the last day of the same month, at twelve o’clock. 
The ticket of admission to his sale was his print of “ The Battle of 
the Pictures,” a humorous production, in which he ingeniously upheld 
his assertions concerning the preference so unfairly given to old pic- 
tures, and the tricks of the dealers in them. The pictures thus 
disposed of were : £. s. d. 
The Six for the Harlot’s Progress, for- - - - 88 4 0 
Eight of the Rake’s Progress- ----- -184 16 0 
Morning- - -- -- -- -- -- - 21 00 
Noon - - - - - - - - - - - -38 17 0 
Evening- - - - -- -- -- -- - 39 18 0 
Night - - - 27 6 0 
Strolling Players dressing in a Barn - - - - 7 6 0 
In the same year he acquired additional reputation by the six prints 
of “ Marriage-^-la-Mode, which may be regarded as the groundwork 
of a novel called “ The Marriage Act,” by Dr. Shebbeare, and of 
“ The Clandestine Marriage.” 
Hogarth had projected a “ Happy Marriage,” by way of counter- 
part to his “ Marriage-a-la-Mode.” A design for the first of his 
intended six plates he had sketched out in colours ; and the following 
is as accurate an account of it as could be furnished by a gentlemaa 
who long ago only enjoyed a few minute’s sight of so great a curiosity. 
The time supposed was immediately after the return of the parties 
from church. The scene lay in a hall of an antiquated country manr 
sion. On one side the marriage couple were represented, sitting. 
Behind them was a group of their young friends of both sexes, in the 
act of breaking bridecake over their heads. In front appeared the 
father of a young lady, grasping a bumper, and drinking with a seem- 
ing roar of exultation, to the future happiness of her and her husband. 
By his side was a table covered with refreshments. Jollity rather 
than politeness was the designation of his character. Under the 
screen of the hall, several rustic musicians, in grotesque attitudesj, 
together with servants, tenants &c. were arranged. Through the 
arch by which the room was entered, the eye was led along a passage 
into the kitchen, which afforded a glimpse of sacerdotal luxury. Be- 
fore the dripping-pan stood a well-fed divine, in his gown and cassock, 
with his watch in his hand, giving directions to a cook, dressed all 
in white,' who was employed in basting a haunch of venison. Among 
the faces of the principal figures, no one but that of the young lady 
