hall
Gardens, he contributed much to the improvement of those gardens; and
first suggested the hint of embellishing them with paintings, some of
which were the productions of his own comic pencil. Among the paintings
were "The Four Parts of the Day," either by Hogarth, or after his
designs.

Two years after the publication of his "Harlot's Progress," appeared the
"Rake's Progress," which, Lord Orford remarks, (though perhaps
superior,) "had not so much success, for want of notoriety: nor is the
print of the Arrest equal in merit to the others." The curtain, however,
was now drawn aside, and his genius stood displayed in its full lustre.

The Rake's Progress was followed by several works in series, viz.
"Marriage a-la-Mode, Industry and Idleness, the Stages of Cruelty, and
Election Prints." To these may be added, a great number of single comic
pieces, all of which present a rich source of amusement:--such as, "The
March to Finchley, Modern Midnight Conversation, the Sleeping
Congregation, the Gates of Calais, Gin Lane, Beer Street, Strolling
Players in a Barn, the Lecture, Laughing Audience, Enraged Musician,"
&c. &c. which, being introduced and described in the subsequent part of
this work, it would far exceed the limits, necessarily assigned to these
brief memoirs, _here_ minutely to characterise.

All the works of this original genius are, in fact, lectures of
morality. They are satires of particular vices and follies, expressed
with such strength of character, and such an accumulation of minute and
appropriate circumstances, that they have all the truth of Nature
heightened by the attractions of wit and fancy. Nothing is without a
meaning, but all either conspires to the great end, or forms an addition
to the lively drama of human manners. His single pieces, however, are
rather to be considered as studies, not perhaps for the professional
artist, but for the searcher into life and manners, and for the votaries
of true humour and ridicule. No _furniture_ of the kind can vie with
Hogarth's prints, as a fund of inexhaustible amusement, yet conveying at
the same time lessons of morality.

Not contented, however, with the just reputation which he had acquired
in his proper department, Hogarth attempted to shine in the highest
branch of the art,--serious history-painting. "From a contempt," says
Lord Orford, "of the ignorant virtuosi of the age, and from indignation
at the impudent tricks of picture dealers, whom he sa