Articles liés à The Complete Works of William Hogarth: In a Series...
The Complete Works of William Hogarth: In a Series of one Hundred and Fifty Steel Engravings From the Original Pictures - Couverture rigide
Présentation de l'éditeur
What is true of nearly all great men, is especially true of great satirists; the world arrives but slowly at a right appreciation of their highest qualities, and does them imperfect justice till long after their time. The satirist to his contemporaries is firstly and mainly an amusing man. Few care to inquire what kind of face lies behind the comic mask, or what sort of heart prompts the indignant tongue. They laugh with, and are influenced by him, unconsciously, without comprehending his relation to the society and movement of their age. We may be sure that it would be difficult to explain to an ordinary Athenian play-goer the importance which Aristophanes bears in the eyes of modern critics; or to a Roman of Augustus sreign the value of Horace as a painter of moral lessons and scenes. Rabelais, if Rabelais were to be estimated by tradition, would rank amongst us as a buffoon. Perhaps there is something in the very commonness and universality of laughter which robs it of its own dignity and depth in the eyes of the vulgar. Certainly it has generally required the criticism of very great and serious men, indeed, to induce the herd to respect properly a genius who has amused them. What Boileau sgood word had to do for Moliere, was first properly done for Hogarth by Coleridge. His talent, and the solidity of his talent, were, indeed, amply recognised by Walpole. But Coleridge, and Lamb, who was a disciple as much as a friend of Coleridge s, rendered to the painter the serious homage that he deserved; pointed out the poetic and moral greatness in his genius. The popularity of a man does not necessarily imply any general recognition of this element in him; some are popular without it; some miss popularity, who, notwithstanding, possess it. But the union of the two qualities, of that which delights the many, with that which it requires the few to discern, constitu
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
Présentation de l'éditeur
Little Boy Hogarth. THEL ife and Adventures of William Hogarth, that would be a taking title, indeed! To do for the great painter of manners that which Mr. Forster has done for their great describer, would be a captivating task ;and, successfully accomplished, might entitle a man to wear some little sprig of laurel in his cap, and rest, thenceforth, on his oars. It is not my fortune to have the means of writing such a book; and, for many reasons, this performance musf be limited to a series of Essays upon the genius and character of the MAN Hogarth ;upon the WORK he was permitted, by a healthful, sanguine constitution, and by great powers of will and self-reliance backboning an unflagging industry, to get through in his appointed span here below; and upon the curious quaint TIME in which he lived and did his work.
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
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