ANECDOTE OF HOGARTH.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 197, 6 December 1872, Page 3

ANECDOTE OF HOGARTH.

The following story is going the round of the English, papers; it is amusing; and may. be true.- We have heard a similar story related of George Morlaiid; the painter, who painted a red lion for a publican at a very lowfigure, and which was washed out by j the first shower of rain. Hogarth, the celebrated artist; was once applied to by an exceedingly - wealthy but very penurious old nobleman, to paint the main hall of a new mansion with an historical piece—a style of embellishment much in yogue among the aristocracy, of the period. Hogarth was open to the proposition, and was asked what he would .charge to paint upon the walls of the halloa representation of the Passage of rhe Children" of 1 srael across the' Ked Sea. pursued by Pharoah and his host/ The painter viewed the hall, and replied that he woulh do it for 100 guineas. The miserly old nabob turned up his iioseiu amazement at the enormous charge. He woutl '*ive 20 guineas for the work ; and that was more than he deemed it worth. -Hogarth, as may well be supposed, was both vexed and mortified by this estimate of the value of his labor ; y but he nodded, and held back his" tern-' per, and finally said, if*the sum were paid to him in advance he would iin-

dertake the job. The close-fisted . nobleman consented to tliis f arrangement, and not repressLoa «.*hue«kle of inwitrd satisfaction in -view of'his grand bargain as he paid over jpie money. ijogarth pocketed the 2U gold pieces, and promised t that.he \rould commence the work on the morrow, * * Bright and early on the followiua imorhing the artist* appeared at the mansion, accompanied by ..a -stout -assistant who bore a huge bucket of rcommon red paint, and at once they proceeded to daub the walls of the Ball and the panels liberally thei {glaring red pigment. * An hour before noon, just as the nobleman was getting up from his bed, lipgarth knocked at his door, announcing when the host appeared. .."" : "Well, sir the work is done."

" Dtftie" !^'^cnei^%hV j ai>is- J »4»^afc:«i>ii^£h«'ifer4s^iaii^U^ AVhv, the pai,uting..of vour hall, < sir.- - - -. . .... . • what to -mike' of thi* ma^ye] r , * hushaste, the o'd threw oh his dressing gown, and-went. down to vi- w ; t'te result of fie artist's labors, and his eonsternatip.ii .can, .be; be.tter. than (U 4 uihb'roken and unrelieved brick-red hue that covered walls, cornice aiid ; wainscot. ''" What'in "the name of wonder "is this ?" he cried, rubbing'his eves, and gaziiu-.from the daub t,» tl\e .dauber. : '• That, sir," replied Hogarth, with a low bow and serious look, "is the liedisea\" - ■- ■ i-'-- . ' :. : "The ; rtel Sea!, But—but--vhere are Pliarpah and'his host?" *" ''• • • : " Why, sir, they are' all drowned !„ replied Hogarth. i " Well, and where are; the, children, of Israel?" " They," said the .painter, with, .an assuring no 1, "have all crossel over on the ot'ier sideV? . ' * ; ; . The old ,niiri;?ird' found it vain 'to com plains and for producing the hosts of LVypt and the Israelites. Hogarth finally received his hundred guineas