Zi f)*^ '7 Jb>i f** ****** '* 
 
RULES 
 
 FOR DRAWING 
 
 CARICATURAS: 
 
 .WITH 
 AN ESSAY ON 
 
 COMIC PAINTING. 
 
 By FRANCIS GROSE, Efq. F. A. S. 
 
 Illuftrated with Twenty-one Copper Plates, Seven- 
 teen of which etched by himfelf. 
 
 The SECOND EDITION. 
 
 L O N D O N: 
 Printed for S. HOOPER, No. 212, High Holborj*. 
 
 M DCC XCI. 
 
 (€ntcrcU at &tmmux&^&lh) 
 
RULES 
 
 FOR DRAWING 
 
 CARICATURAS. 
 
 THE art of drawing Caricaturas is 
 generally confidered as a dangerous ao 
 quifition, tending rather to make the 
 pofleffor feared than efleemed; but it 
 is certainly an unfair mode of reafon- 
 ing, to urge the abufe to which any art 
 is liable, as an argument againft the art 
 itfelf. 
 
 A 2 
 
4 RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 In order to do juftice to the art in 
 queftion, it fhould be confidered, that it 
 is one of the elements of fatirical paint- 
 ing, which, like poetry of the fame de- 
 nomination, may be mofl efficacioufly 
 employed in the caufe of virtue and de- 
 corum, by holding up to public notice 
 many offenders againft both, who are 
 not amenable to any other tribunal; and 
 who, though they contemptuoufly defy 
 all ferious reproof, tremble at the 
 thoughts of feeing their vices or follies 
 attacked by the keen fhafts of ridicule. 
 
 To obtain this art, the ftudent mould 
 begin to draw the human head, from 
 one of thofe drawing-books where the 
 forms and proportions, confiituting 
 beauty, according to the European 
 
CARICATURAS, 5 
 
 idea*, are laid down. Thefe he fhould 
 make himfelf matter of, and endeavour 
 
 * The features of the human face, and the form and 
 proportions of the body and limbs are in particular coun- 
 tries fubjecl: to certain peculiarities; an agreement with, 
 or material deviation from which, conftitutes the local idea 
 of beauty or deformity. I fay local, becaufe it does not 
 appear that there are any fixed or pofitive ideas of either ; 
 if there were, they muft neceflarily be the fame every- 
 where, which is by no means the faft ; for they differ fy 
 greatly in different places, that what is efteemed a perfec- 
 tion in one country, is in another pronounced a defor- 
 mity. 
 
 In China and Morocco, excefflve corpulency is efteem- 
 ed a beauty ; and among the vallies of the Alps, the na- 
 tives return thanks to God for his partiality to them in 
 decorating their necks with the comely goiter or craw, here 
 lately (hewn as an objecl: of the moft (hocking deformity. 
 
 Great eyes and fmall ones, white and black teeth, have 
 each the fanclion of national admiration. Broad and flat 
 nofes are admired in part of Africa ; and the Tartars are fo 
 peculiarly fond of frnall ones, that it is recorded as a circum- 
 
6 RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 to remember, and then proceed to draw 
 from cafts in plaifter of Paris, and, if 
 convenient, from nature. As foon as 
 he has acquired a facility in drawing a 
 
 ftancc of the great beauty of a woman in the feraglio of 
 Tamerlane, that me was entirely without a nofe ; having 
 no mark of that feature, except two fmall apertures thro' 
 which me drew her breath. 
 
 The fculptors of ancient Greece feem to have diligently 
 obferved the forms and proportions conftituting the Euro- 
 pean ideas of beauty ; and upon them to have formed their 
 ftatues. Thefe meafures are to be met with in many draw- 
 ing books; a flight deviation from them, by the predo- 
 minancy of any feature, conflitutes what is called Cha- 
 ra£ier, and ferves to difcriminate the owner thereof, and 
 to fix the idea of identity. This deviation, or peculia- 
 rity, aggraved, forms Caricatura. 
 
 On a flight inveftigation it would feem almoft impof- 
 fible, confidering the fmall number of features compofing 
 the human face, and their general fimilarity, to furnifh a 
 fuflicient number of charafterifing diftinclions to difcri- 
 
CARICATURAS. 7 
 
 head, he may amufe himfelf in altering 
 the diftances of the different lines, mark- 
 ing the places of the features, whereby 
 he will produce a'variety of odd faces 
 
 minate one man from another ; but when it is feen what an 
 amazing alteration is produced by enlarging one feature, 
 diminifhing another, encreafing or leffening their diftance, 
 or by any ways varying their proportion, the power of 
 combination will appear infinite. Caricatures mould be 
 careful not to overcharge the peculiarities of their fubyj&s, 
 as they would thereby become hideous inftead of ridicu- 
 lous, and inftead of laughter excite horror. It is there- 
 fore always belt to keep within the bounds of probability. 
 Uglinefs, according to our local idea, may be divided 
 into genteel and vulgar. The difference between thefe 
 kinds of uglinefs feems to be, that the former is pofitive or 
 redundant, the latter wanting or negative. Convex faces, 
 prominent features, and large aquiline nofes, though 
 differing much from beauty, Mill give an air of dignity to 
 their owners ; whereas concave faces, flat, fnub, or broken 
 nofes, always ftamp a meannefs and vulgarity. The one 
 
8 RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 that will both pleafe and furprize him ; 
 and will befides enable him, when he 
 fees a remarkable face in nature, to find 
 wherein its peculiarity confifts. 
 
 In profiles, conceive a line touching 
 the extremities of the forehead, nofe, 
 and chin ; and in clofing the whole face, 
 as in fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. plate I. ob- 
 ferve whether this line is angular, con- 
 
 feems to have paffed through the limits of beauty, the 
 other never to have arrived at them : the ftraight or 
 right-lined face, which was nearly the Grecian character 
 of beauty, being a medium between the negative of vul- 
 gar, and the redundancy of genteel uglinefs. Perhaps 
 this idea may arife from our early impreflions received 
 from the portraits of the famous men of antiquity, moft 
 of whom, except Socrates, are depifted with prominent 
 features, or aquiline nofes. The portraits of the twelve 
 Csefars hav6 caufed the aquiline nofe to be ftyled Roman* 
 
C ARIC ATUR AS. 9 
 
 cave, convex, right lined, or mixed, 
 compounded of any two of them. 
 This line being the general contour, is 
 to be confidered as conftituting the 
 genus, and the accidental variety in the 
 features as forming the fpecies of the 
 human head. 
 
 The different genera of contours may 
 be divided into the angular, as fig. 1 ; 
 the right lined, fig. 2 ; the convex, 
 fig. 3 ; the concave, fig. 4 ; the re£to- 
 convexo, fig. 5 ; the convexo-reclo, as 
 fig. 6 ; the convexo-concavo, fig. 7 ; 
 and the concavo-convexo, fig. 8. It is 
 to be noted, that to prevent confufion 
 in all mixed contours, the figure firft 
 named fhould be placed uppermoft. 
 B 
 
lO RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 Thus, in the convex-concavo, fig. j, 
 the upper part of the head is convex, 
 and the lower concave. 
 
 The nofe may be divided into the an- 
 gular ; the aquiline or Roman ; the par- 
 rot's beak ; the flraight or Grecian ; the 
 bulbous or bottled; the turned up or 
 fnub ; and the mixed or broken. Thcfe 
 are expreffed in plate II. under the num- 
 bers i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Of thefe 
 fpecies there are great and fmall, and 
 alfo fever al varieties of the mixed or 
 broken. 
 
 Mouths may be arranged under four 
 different genera or kinds. Of each of 
 thefe there are feveral fpecies. The 
 under-hung, fig. 9 ; the pouting or blub- 
 
tARICATURAS. 11 
 
 ber, fig. 10 ; the fhark's mouth, fig. 11 ; 
 and the bone box, fig. 12. 
 
 Of chins, the moft remarkable are the 
 nut-cracker, fig. 13; the convex ad- 
 vancing, fig. 14 ; the convex retiring, 
 fig. 15 ; the concave advancing, fig. 16; 
 the double, fig. 17 ; and the cucumber, 
 nV. 18. 
 
 Eyes admit of many diftin&ions. 
 The firft are thofe of pofition with 
 refpecl: to right lines drawn through 
 their pupils and corners ; fome lines fo 
 drawn and prolonged, till they meet, 
 form an ande in the forehead, and in 
 others concur in the middle of the 
 nofe. According to Le Brun, moft ani- 
 mals of the brute creation have their 
 B 2 
 
12 RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 eyes placed in the manner laft defcrib- 
 ed, 
 
 Fig. i, plate III. fhews a face with the 
 eyes placed in the ordinary manner ; fo 
 that a right line, drawn through the two 
 pupils, and corners of the eyes, will in- 
 terfecl; the line of the nofe,at right angles. 
 
 Fig. 2, mews the pofition whereby a 
 right line palling through the corners 
 and pupils of the eyes, forms an angle 
 in the forehead. Fig. 3, lines being 
 drawn, as before mentioned, the point 
 ol the angle is formed near the middle 
 of the nofe. 
 
 Another diflintlion in eyes, is that of 
 their diftance from each other, the com- 
 mon proportion being the length of an 
 eye. 
 
CAR1CATURAS. 13 
 
 Eyes themfelves differ exceedingly in 
 fliape as well as magnitude; and alfo 
 in the form of their lids ; fome being 
 globular and projecting, vulgarly called 
 goggles; others fmall and hollow, feem- 
 ing only like narrow flits. The Chinefe 
 and Tartars are commonly reprefented 
 with this kind of eyes. 
 
 Eye-brows differ in fize, diftance, di- 
 rections, and fhape ; fome being arched 
 and raifed high on the forehead, others 
 low and over-hanging the eye, like a 
 pent-houfe. 
 
 The mouth and eye-brows are the 
 features that chiefly exprefs the paflions; 
 thus, an open mouth, with elevated eye- 
 brows, marks aftonifhment and terror. 
 The protruded under-lip, and contracted 
 
34 'RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 eye-brows, exprefs anger ; the corners 
 of the mouth drawn up, laughter ; and 
 drawn down, grief and weeping. 
 
 Peculiarities of the eyes are beft {hewn 
 in a front face • thofe of the nofe, fore- 
 head, or chin, in profile ; for by thefe 
 diftin&ions the different features of a 
 face may be fo defcribed as to convey a 
 pretty accurate idea of it; wherefore 
 when a caricaturift wifhes to delineate 
 any face he may fee in a place where it 
 would be improper or impoffible to 
 draw it, he may commit it to his me- 
 mory, by parfing it in his mind (as the 
 fchool-boys term it) by naming the con- 
 tour and different fpecies of features of 
 which it is conflrucled, as fchool-boys 
 
CARICATURAS. 15 
 
 point out the different parts of fpeech 
 in a Latin fentence. 
 
 For example, the head, fig. 5, 
 plate III. ; the contour is convexo-con- 
 cavo ; nofe fnubbed, mouth blubbered, 
 chin double, eyes goggle, eye-brows 
 pent-houfed. Fig. 4, plate III. the con- 
 tour is compofed angular and right- 
 lined; nofe right-lined ; eyes Chinefe ; 
 eye-brows arched; chin retiring, &c. 
 
 Many human faces have firiking re- 
 femblances to particular animals ; con- 
 fider what are the characleriftic marks 
 of each animal, and procure or make 
 accurate drawings of their hciads and 
 features ; and from them fketch out 
 the human face, retaining, as much as 
 poffible, the leading character of the 
 
l6 RULES FOR DRAWING 
 
 particular animal refembling your fub~ 
 jecl. Many examples of this kind are 
 exhibited in Baptifta Porta's Treatife on 
 Phyfiognomy. Hogarth has alfo given 
 fome inftances of thefe refemblances : 
 One in the gate of Calais, where two 
 old fifh-women are pointing out their 
 likenefs to a flat fifh ; another in the 
 portrait of the Ruffian Hercules, where 
 under the figure of a bear, he has pre- 
 ferved the lineaments of l^is poetical 
 antagonift. 
 
 In addition to what has been fuid in 
 behalf of this art, it may be obferved, 
 that the fludy of it, on the principles 
 here laid down, may be fmgularly ufe- 
 ful to portrait painters, by accuftoming 
 them to difcover what conflitutes the 
 
CARICATURAS. If 
 
 peculiar character of each perfon they 
 are employed to paint. 
 
 In like manner the contour of the 
 body, and fhapes of the limbs, may be 
 confidered and arranged. Hogarth, in 
 his Analyfis of Beauty, has given an 
 admirable method of fetching the 
 forms and attitudes of different figures, 
 in what may be ftyled a fhort-hand de- 
 lineation of his country-dance. 
 
 To conclude ; the author of this little 
 piece begs it may be underflood, that 
 the fketches given in the different plates 
 are not to be confidered in any other 
 light than as mathematical diagrams, 
 illuftrating the principles here laid 
 down. 
 
 C AN 
 
AN ESSAY 
 
 O N 
 
 COMIC PAINTING. 
 
 Various have been the opinions 
 refpe&ing the caufe of laughter ; I mean 
 that fpecies arifing from the contem- 
 plation of fome ludicrous idea or object 
 prefented to the mental or corporeal 
 eye. . Mr. Hobbs attributed it to a firp- 
 
 C 2 i 
 
20 AN tSSAY ON 
 
 pofed confcioufnefs of fuperiority in 
 the laugher to the objecl: laughed at. 
 Hutchifon feems to think that it is occa- 
 fioned by a contrail or oppofition of 
 dignity and meannefs ; and Mr. Beatie 
 fays, " that quality in things, which 
 makes them provoke that pleafing emo- 
 tion of fentiment, whereof laughter is 
 the external fign, is an uncommon mix- 
 ture of relation and contrariety, exhi- 
 bited or fuppofed to be united in the 
 fame affemblage. And again, (adds he) 
 if it be afked whether fuch a mixture 
 will always provoke laughter, my an- 
 fwer is, it always will, or for the mod 
 part, excite the rifible emotion ; unlefs 
 wken the perception of it is attended 
 
 I 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 21 
 
 \^ith fome emotion of greater autho- 
 rcty. 
 
 This fyftem clearly points out a very 
 fmiple though general rule, applicable 
 to all compofitions of the ludicrous kind 
 in painting — a rule comprized in thefe 
 few words : Let the employments and 
 properties or qualities of all the objects 
 be incompatible ; that is, let every per- 
 fon and thing reprefented, be employed 
 in that office or bufmefs, for which by 
 age, fize, profeffion, conftru&ion, or 
 fome other accident, they are totally 
 unfit. And if the perfons ridiculed are 
 alfo guilty of any trilling breach of 
 morality or propriety, the effeft will be 
 the more complete, and will (land the 
 tell of criticifm. J fay trifling, for 
 
22 AN ESSAY ON 
 
 great crimes excite indignation, and 
 tend to make us groan rather than 
 laugh. Thus a cowardly foldier, a deaf 
 mufician, a bandy-legged dancing* 
 matter, a corpulent or gouty running- 
 footman, an antiquated fop or coquet, 
 a methodift in a brothel, a drunken 
 juftice making a riot, or a taylor on a 
 managed horfe, are all ludicrous ob- 
 jects ; and if the methodift has his poc- 
 ket picked, or is (tripped, the juftice 
 is drawrt with a broken head, and the 
 taylor appears juft falling off into the 
 kennel, we confider it as a kind of 
 poetical juftice, or due punifhment, 
 for their acling out of their proper 
 fpheres : Though in reprefenting thefe 
 kinds of accident, care fhould be taken 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 23 
 
 to (hew, that the fufferers are not greatly 
 hurt, otherwife it ceafes to become lu- 
 dicrous ; as few perfons will laugh at a 
 broken arm, or a fra&ured fcull ; this 
 is an overfight of which the managers 
 of our theatres are fometimes guilty 
 in their pantomimical reprefentations ; 
 where, among the tricks put upon the 
 do&or and Pierrot by Harlequin, I have 
 feen fuch a bloody head given to the 
 clown, by a fuppofed kick of the ftatue 
 of a horfe, that many of the fpe&ators, 
 particularly thofe of the fair fex, have 
 exprelfed great horror at the fight. 
 
 Of all the different artifts who have 
 attempted this flyle of painting, Ho- 
 garth and Coypel feem to have been 
 the moft fuccefsful ; the works of the 
 
24 AN ESSAY ON 
 
 firft fland unrivalled for invention, 
 expreffion, and diverfity of characters. 
 The ludicrous performances of Coypel 
 are confined to the hiftory of Don 
 Quixote. Moft of the Dutch painters 
 in this walk of painting, have miftaken 
 indecency, naftinefs, and brutality, for 
 wit and humour. 
 
 On examining divers of Hogarth's 
 defigns, we find he ftrongly adopted 
 the principle here laid down. For ex- 
 ample, let us confider the Prifon Scene 
 in the Rake's Progrefs. How incom- 
 patible is it for a man who poffefTes 
 wings, and the art of flying, to be de- 
 tained within the walls of a goal ! and 
 equally contradictory is the idea of one 
 fuffering imprifonment for the non-pay- 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 25 
 
 ment of his own debts, who has the 
 fecret of difcharging thofe of the na- 
 tion ! 
 
 In the four times of the day, what can 
 be more truly confonant with thefe prin- 
 ciples, than the fcene near Iflington, 
 where in the fultry heat of fummer, a 
 number of fat citizens are crouded toge- 
 ther in a fmall room, by the fide of a 
 dufty road, fmoaking their pipes, in 
 order to enjoy the refrefhment of coun- 
 try air ? In the gate of Calais, how fine- 
 ly does the fat friar's perfon and enthu- 
 fiaftic admiration of the huge hrloin, 
 mark that fenfuality fo incompatible 
 with his profeffion ; the fundamental 
 principles of which dictate abflinence 
 and mortification ? In that admirable 
 D 
 
26 AN ESSAY ON 
 
 comic print, the Enraged Mufician, the 
 humour lies folely in the incompatible 
 fituation of the fon of Apollo, whofe 
 ear trained to melodious and harmonic 
 founds, is thereby rendered extremely 
 unfit to bear the tintimarre, or confu- 
 fion of difcordant noifes with which the 
 painter has fo ludicroufly and ingeni- 
 oufly furrounded him. 
 
 The picture of Grown Gentlemen 
 learning to Dance, painted by Collet, 
 was well conceived ; and tho' infinitely 
 fhort of Hogarth's execution, had a 
 very pleafing effect, both on the canvas 
 and on the fiage, where it was intro- 
 duced into a pantomime. In this piece 
 every perfon was by form, or age, total- 
 ly unfit for the part he was afting. 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 27 
 
 In addition to the rule here men- 
 tioned, there are other inferior confi- 
 derations not unworthy the notice of 
 an artift ; contrail alone will fometimes 
 produce a ludicrous effect^ although 
 nothing ridiculous exifts feparately in 
 either of the fubjefts ; for inftance, fup- 
 pofe two men both well made, one very 
 tall, and the other extremely fhort, 
 were to walk down a ftreet together, I 
 will anfwer for it, they would not efcape 
 the jokes of the mobility, although alone 
 either of them might have pafTed unno- 
 ticed. Another kind of laughable con- 
 trail, is that vulgarly ftyled a Woman 
 and her Hujband, this is a large maf- 
 culine woman, and a fmall effeminate 
 D 2 
 
28 AN ESSAY ON 
 
 man ; but the ridicule here chiefly arifes 
 from the incompatible ; the man Teem- 
 ing more likely to receive protection 
 from the woman, than to be able to 
 afford it to her. 
 
 Anachronifms have likewife a very 
 laughable effect. King Solomon in all 
 his glory delineated in a tie or bag-wig, 
 laced cravat, long ruffles, and a full 
 dreffed fuit, will always caufe a fmile ; 
 as would alio the Siege of Jerufalem, 
 wherein the Emperor Titus, and his 
 aids-de-camps, fhould be reprefented in 
 the fore ground, dreiTed in great wigs 
 and jack boots, their horfes decorated 
 with laced furniture, holders, and pif- 
 tols: In the diilance, a view of the 
 town, amidft the fire of cannons and 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 29 
 
 mortars. Our theatrical reprefenta- 
 tions afford plenty of thefe ridiculous 
 abfurdities, where we frequently fee the 
 chamber of Cleopatra furnifhed with 
 a table clock and a harpfichord, or a 
 piano-forte ; or the hall of Marc An- 
 tony with a large chimney garnilhed 
 with mulkets, blunderbuffes, fowling- 
 pieces, &c. and a piclure of the taking 
 of Porto-Bello, by the brave Admiral 
 Vernon, 
 
 Nothing affords greater fcope for 
 ludicrous reprefentations than the uni- 
 verfal rage with which particular faflrions 
 of drefs are followed by perfons of all 
 ranks, ages, fizes, and makes, without 
 the leaft attention to their figures or 
 Mations. Habiliments alfo, not ridi- 
 
30 AN- ESSAY ON 
 
 culoiis in themfelves, become fo by be- 
 ing worn by improper perfons, or at 
 improper places. Thus, though the 
 full-bottomed wig adds dignity to a 
 venerable judge, we mould laugh at it 
 on the head of a boyifh counfcl ; and 
 though a tye-wig lends gravity to the 
 appearance of a counfellor or phyfi- 
 cian, it contributes greatly to the lu- 
 dicrous equipment of a mountebank, a 
 little chimney-fweeper dancing round 
 the May-day garland, or one of the 
 candidates for the borough of Garret in 
 the proceffion to that election : a high 
 head, and a large hoop worn in a ftage- 
 coach, or a full-dreffed fuit and a fword 
 at a horfe-race, are equally objects of 
 ridicule. 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 31 
 
 Refpeaable characters, unworthily 
 employed, are obje&s for the ludicrous 
 pencil. Such would be a lord mayor 
 or an alderman in his gold chain, danc- 
 ing a hornpipe ; or a ferjeant at law, in 
 his coif, band, and fpeclacles, Handing 
 up at a reel or cotillon. Employments 
 accidentally improper, may make a 
 charafter ridiculous, and that for thofe 
 very circumftances which in another 
 fituation render it refpeaable ; thus, a 
 military or naval officer dancing a mi- 
 nuet with a wooden leg, exhibits a 
 truly ludicrous appearance; confider 
 the fame perfon walking or Handing, 
 and his wooden leg makes him an ob- 
 jea of refpea, as a fufferer in the caufe 
 of his country. 
 
3 2 AN ESSAY ON 
 
 Befides thefe general fubje&s, there 
 are others which, like the ftage tricks, 
 will always enfure the fuffrages of the 
 vulgar ; among them are national jokes, 
 as an Irifhman on horfeback, carrying 
 a heavy portmanteau on his head, to 
 eafe his horfe of its weight ; a Welch- 
 man with his goat, leek, hay-boots, and 
 long' pedigree; a Scotchman with his 
 fcrubbing-poft, and a meagre French- 
 man in his laced jacket and bag, having 
 long ruffles to his fleeves, without a 
 fhirt. Of this kind are profeffional al- 
 lufions; a phyfician and apothecary 
 are lawful game by prefcription, a tay- 
 lor by trade, and a mayor, alderman, 
 or churchwarden, 'ex officio. 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 33 
 
 Vehicles, figns, utenfils, and other 
 inanimate accompaniments, may be 
 made auxiliaries to ludicrous pictures, 
 with great fuccefs ; for example, a heavy 
 overloaded flage-coach, dragged by four 
 miferable jades, and dignified with the 
 title of the Flying Coach ; the (locks 
 ferving as a prop or fupport to a drunk- 
 en conftable ; a mif-ipelt board or fign 
 over the gate of an academy. 
 
 Injudicious reprefentations of fublime 
 or ferious fubje&s, have often uninten- 
 tionally been productive of pictures 
 highly ludicrous ; of this a ftriking in- 
 flance occurs in a Hiftory of the Bible, 
 adorned with plates, in one of which the 
 following text of the 7th chapter of St. 
 E 
 
g£ AH ESSAY ON 
 
 Matthew, verfe the third, is illuftratcd : 
 M And why beholdeft thou the mote 
 st that is in thy brother's eye, but confi- 
 " dereft not the beam that is in thine 
 S! own eye ?" The ftate of thefe two 
 men is thus delineated by the artift : one 
 of them has in his eye a complete cattle, 
 with a moate and its appurtenances, 
 and in the eye of the other fticks a large 
 beam like the girder of a houfe. 
 
 Another picture ftill more ridiculous 
 was, it is faid, to be feen not long ago 
 in a church near Haerlem, in Holland; 
 the fubjea was Abraham offering up his 
 fon Iiaac, where that patriarch was 
 drawn prefenting a large horfe piftol, 
 which he has juft fnapt at the devoted 
 viclim, kneeling on a pile of wood he- 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 35 
 
 fore him ; but the cataftrophe is pre- 
 vented by an angel, who flying over his 
 head moiftens the prime by a copious 
 ftream produced in the fame manner as 
 that wherewith Gulliver extinguimed 
 the fire in the palace of the Emperor of 
 Lilliput. 
 
 We meet with another inftance of 
 this fort of unintentionally ridiculous 
 compofition, in the Military State of the 
 Ottoman Empire, written by the Count 
 de Marfigli, member of the Royal Aca- 
 demies of Paris and Montpelier, and of 
 the Royal Society of London. 
 
 That gentleman, defirous of convey- 
 ing the idea that he had thoroughly in. 
 vcftigatedhis fubjea, by the commoa 
 E 2 
 
3^ AN ESSAY ON 
 
 metaphor of having fifted it to the bot- 
 tom, his artift has endeavoured in a vis- 
 nette, literally to exprefs it by delineat- 
 ing that operation ; and has reprefented 
 the Count in a full-dreffed coat, hat, and 
 feather, tye-wig and jack-boots, making 
 thro' a fmall fieve, fupported by a tri- 
 angle, little Turkifh foldiers of all deno- 
 minations, many of whom appear on 
 the ground in a confufed heap ; camels, 
 horfes, and their riders, cannons and 
 cannon balls, all tumbling promifcu- 
 oufly one over the other. On the other 
 fide of the piclure are fome foldiers and 
 periwigged officers looking on, as at an 
 ordinary occurrence. 
 
 To conclude the inftances of theft 
 accidentally ludicrous pictures, I mall 
 
COMIC PAINTING. 37 
 
 juft mention one which a gentleman of 
 veracity allured me he faw at the Expo- 
 fition de Tableaux at Paris. The Tub- 
 jeer was the death of the late Dauphin, 
 which the painter had treated in the 
 manner following :•— ori a field bed, de- 
 corated with all thofe fluttering orna- 
 ments of which the French are fo pecu- 
 liarly fond, lay the Dauphin, pale and 
 emaciated ; by it flood the Dauphi- 
 nefs, weeping over him in the arFecled 
 attitude of an opera dancer. She was 
 attended by her living children ; and in 
 the clouds hovering over them, were 
 the Duke of Burgundy, their deceafed 
 fon, and two embryos, the product of 
 as many mifcarriages ; the angel duke 
 
38 AN ESSAY ON, &C. 
 
 was quite naked, except that the order 
 of the Saint Efprit was thrown crofs 
 his fhouiders. 
 
 T HE EN D. 
 
GETTY CENTER LIBRARY