ambrian is not ill portrayed;
who is chiefly introduced to settle the chronology of the story.--In
pose of grace, we have nothing striking. Hogarth might have
introduced a degree of it in the female figure: at least he might
have contrived to vary the heavy and unpleasing form of her
drapery.--The perspective is good, and makes an agreeable shape."

[Illustration: THE RAKE'S PROGRESS.

PLATE 4.

ARRESTED FOR DEBT AS GOING TO COURT.]

PLATE V.

MARRIES AN OLD MAID.

"New to the school of hard _mishap_,
Driven from the ease of fortune's lap.
What schemes will nature not embrace
T' avoid less shame of drear distress?
_Gold_ can the charms of youth bestow,
And mask deformity with shew:
Gold can avert the sting of shame,
In Winter's arms create a flame:
Can couple youth with hoary age,
And make antipathies engage."

To be thus degraded by the rude enforcement of the law, and relieved
from an exigence by one whom he had injured, would have wounded,
humbled, I had almost said reclaimed, any man who had either feeling or
elevation of mind; but, to mark the progression of vice, we here see
this depraved, lost character, hypocritically violating every natural
feeling of the soul, to recruit his exhausted finances, and marrying an
old and withered Sybil, at the sight of whom nature must recoil.

The ceremony passes in the old church, Mary-le-bone, which was then
considered at such a distance from London, as to become the usual resort
of those who wished to be privately married; that such was the view of
this prostituted young man, may be fairly inferred from a glance at the
object of his choice. Her charms are heightened by the affectation of an
amorous leer, which she directs to her youthful husband, in grateful
return for a similar compliment which she supposes paid to herself. This
gives her face much meaning, but meaning of such a sort, that an
observer being ask, "_How dreadful must be this creature's hatred?_"
would naturally reply, "_How hateful must be her love!_"

In his demeanor we discover an attempt to appear at the altar with
becoming decorum: but internal perturbation darts through assumed
tranquillity, for though he is _plighting his troth_ to the old woman,
his eyes are fixed on the young girl who kneels behind her.

The parson and clerk seem made for each other; a sleepy, stupid
solemnity marks every muscle of the divine, and the n