WILLIAM HOGARTH'S

PROGRESS OF CRUELTY.

These prints were engraved with the hope of in some degree correcting that barbarous treatment of animals, the very sight of which renders the streets of our metropolis so distressing to every feeling mind. If they have that effect in checking the progress of cruelty, I am more proud of being their author than I should be of having painted Raphael's Cartoons! Hogarth.

[The explanations are altered from those of John Trusler. A few additions to the plates are marked by brackets.]

The temperance and abolition people and presses have essayed to move earth and heaven by all sorts of means and appeals except one; they seem studiously to have avoided a thought or a sentence on the connection of their principles with the condition of the inferior animals. But do not these suffer as well as the human race from man's drunkenness, and from starvation, blows and all ill-treatment, except perhaps the consciousness of the degradation of their slavery, and deprivation of the Bible. Of what use is liberty but as the handmaid of humanity? Six pages are here annexed, exhibiting the progress of cruelty from infancy to maturity, from its infliction on the lowest animals to the most aggravated crimes towards the human species. They are from the "Spirit of Humanity."

The First Stage of Cruelty. Here are seen children of various ages, engaged in different barbarous diversions; some solitary, some in groups. The wretch on the right hand corner in front, is tying a bone to a dog's tail, in order to hurry it through the streets and enjoy its terror and pain. Next to him is a lad setting two cocks to fight; a refined amusement practised by full-grown children. On the left corner a dog is urged to worry and tear to pieces, one of the tabby kind, by a young tyrant. A nero of a fellow has deprived his dog of its ears, and is about cutting off its tail with his shears. A youth returning from school, intercedes in behalf of the maimed, suffering creature, and even offers the other a book as a present, if he will release the dog. This shows not only the necessity of general instruction, but also that general humanity should always be an essential constituent of education, without which, both boys and men would be little better than savages and brutes.

The Second Stage.-The spirit of inhumanity exhibited in the first plate as growing up in youth, is in this ripened to manhood. The base nero of our piece has become a hackney coachman, a profession which affords him an opportunity of displaying his brutal disposition. He is here shown cruelly beating one of his horses. The lean, galled, and starved appearance of the afflicted creature, is manifest proof of the habitual unkindness of its master. Pity it is, that such barbarous wretches should be suffered to live at large, or at all events, to have any control over sentient beings. On the right is seen one of those inhuman wretches, who are so often permitted to drive cattle to and from the slanghter-house and market. He has beaten a tender overdriven lamb with a club stick for not going on, and the poor faint creature is dying with the fatigue and blows.

The Third Stage.-His notorious barbarity as a hackney coachman, was attended with discharge from his place. His recklessness of moral principles led him to highway robbery. He next deceived and betrayed a young woman, for baseness and duplicity are a common form of cruelty. He consummates his crimes by her murder; but is arrested, and the cruel oppressor who had no feeling for others is compelled at last to feel for himself!

EARLY FRIENDSHIP.

The great old House Dog in whose face Rough worth and all that's good had place, With paw so broad and velvet drooping jowls, Stretched in the sun would roll for me, With his rude love and awkward glee, Half closed his laughing eye with merry growls.

At length weigh'd down, and grey with years, The guard no more that still'd my fears As through the wood, at eve, I trudg'd alone: Chang'd was his hazel eye of fire,

And dim the ray that could inspire

My little heart with boldness not its own.

Yet still he crawl'd to lick my feet, And choose his bed beside my seat, Look'd up, and wagged his tail when I was by; And when quite blind, with lifted ears,

Soon as the well known voice he hears, He told ('twas all he could) his friend was nigh!

Poor faithful brute! thy love so true Ne'er waned, as human friendships do; Not e'en unkindness could thy zeal repress, For did one smile but beam on thee Forgot was ever injury

All, all o'erpaid, and lost in one caress!