New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-12-04
SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
MIR. Thackerny's Fifth Lecture.

10 listen TO 0Anckeray's Lecture on Uogarth SmOl-
let, and Fielding. In the opening of his lecture Mr..
ThsCkeray described the scenes in Hogarths pictures
Marriage ia Mode The Raks's Progress and The Tls
and Industrious apprentice, remarkng their great
value as illustrations of the of England hun
dred years ago They bring before the peer in vel
vet and gold lacc-the fashionable lady with renuc
Of foreign singers in chamber Enthusiastically adorned
the church OF quaint old architecture with the parson
in big wig and the beadle with his cane-the York
shire wagon rolling into the inn yard with some hon
est prototype Of Parson Adams in JACK boots and cas-,
sock-or a strolling company OF players in barn
pretty milkmaid singing under the window
/ Of the enraged musician, and noble black
/ legs brawliug and betting in the cock pit
Whs, kind OF man was he who executed these por.
traits with such admirable fidelity We could still see
his honest face the bright blue eyes, the keen bright
look with which William Hogarth regarded the world
jovial honest London citizen; stout and sturdy,
hearty and plain spoken man. who loved his friend his
glass and his roast beef of Old England having proper
/ contempt Tor French frogs and "mounsecrs,' and
| wooden shoes in general, for foreign fddlers aud
singers and above ALL for foreign painters, whom he
locked upon with the most thorough contempt After
touching upon his quarrels with Wilkes and Churchill,
the lecturer gave some account OF jolly expedition OF
Hogarth, together with party OF friends, who Qike
Mr. Pckwick and his friends, but hundred years be-
iore) took excursion toward Gravesend aud Roches
ter enjoying themselves freely the London trademen
did in a way not very refined, but honest ond merry
! and ike John Bull. lie then came to Smoctt, and
sxempfed the sort OF life and associates he had, by
referring to the account he gives himself OF them,
/ in one of Humphrey Cinkers letters. Smolet's
manly, kindly and honest though irascble nature;
worn and battered by the struggles Of hard life get
ting but nggard pay after being reviewer critic medi
cal writer poet and pampheteer, his brain ever busy
with hundred schemes in his age sickness and pow
erty he had a courage that never sank His novels
we've rather recoectons OF his own adventures and
his own character and he made queer
quaintsnces in the Glasgow college the country apo
thecarys shop, and the gunroom Of q man-of war in
which he served he did not invent much but he
had the keenest pcrcepve faculty and described what
ever he saw with wonderful relish and humor The
! novel Of Humphrey Clinker" he thought was the
most aughable story that had been written, since
/ the goody ar of novel writing began. Fielding also,
from the circumstances of his birth hi official post and
lis good and evil fortunes aerward had more than or
binary opportunities for becoming acquainted with the
varieties Of human life and he was himself in some
degree the hero OF his books az least he able 10 be-
with his healthy robust constitution his wild cxuber
ant spirits and joyful humor partakng heartily Of life
~ men devour the meats and liquors Of that Homeric
meal--a college breakfast. Ye, h could not hope 10
make hero ofFieldng nor would he try to hide bis
faults cloud Of paraphrases. II was better to show
him as he wss--no In classic drspery Of perfection
but wearing his nky ruf'cs with their stains Of wine
and the marks fwine aud OF excess with those Of
care and good lelowsbip IN his noble face. But he
retained some OF the most splendid qualities watch
have endowed human nafuro, admirable natural
onftf.o Fls-fa ofL -pr
and the hsppiest sotirca gift Of laughing it
He wit was wonderfully keen and detective flashing
uTon rogue and lighting up rasoa liSe Polieemsrs
lantern He respected female innocence and nfsntne
tenderness az sach generous great, and courageous
sonI would be sure to DO lie was always open TO
Ity-would nyc swey b. purse TO anybody. lie
might have low tastes, but not mean mind admiTing
al good and vrtuous men he never stopped 70 hattery
nor bore rancor toward any one be did hi public
duty bTGyey fondly loved b. biz family, aud died
n his work. The lecturer then noticed feelings
principal works udcrously contrasting their vigorous
end oya spirit with the testabie commentaries Of
Richardson for which he felt such thorough contempt
After noticing the different opinions Ci Horace Wa.
pole Johnson, and Gib0On, a. regarded Fielding, M
Thsckersy expressed hs admiration OF the wisdom
the humor and the ingenuity o. construction, which
he observed in Tom Jones But sgains, the charss
.
Il had been huey said BY Charlie Lamb tina. one
hearty hugh RON Tom Jones would clear tie cir
But that was crly in IN state Of tie stmospherc
Il would clear the sE, VIXEN sucl persOnsge Bial
and Lady Bellsston poisoning bat tie ar was
also rather tainted with Mr JOues tobaccO and rum
punch Il showed now the grehi hunorss moral
sense Lad beer bluLted by M life It wa G'greai
e4ror, both il ethics and IL art Il Il wa right
70 hare acre for tie novel whom we should admire
lei us a least take h. vac admirable
but Il a. was hclieved 10y some (Which would be an
unfortunate thing for novests there did exist IN life
nc sucL beng a. hero and II therefore In novels, a.
the ricrure Of life there .houd be such character
tlcn NJ Jone, would become 40 admissible person.
aud We could then exaraine bis defects and ns good
ouflties a. We could those q Psgson Thwackum and
Molly sesgrinn. But hero with s fawed reputation
suoncine on hls mend for dinner or guinea one
who did 20, ray biz landlord and lei bic honor ot TO
/ h.-e-ssch character was sbsnEd and un;ensble lie
tLerere rrocstcd against Jones holding sgch rank a.
an lie rrotested against Jones being than ordi
nary youne fellow rudy checked Oiglegged and fond
ofpea.use IN .let lie hoGgh,a pretty long aryunlen.
might ne sustained question 70 which Of toe
TWO characters Joues or Blia Charles sursee OF Jo
serh surface ives the worst member OF society aadthe
most deseryins cur eensure lie tier criticised the
characters in amelia, looking On Captain Be0th-
though sad scamp, tipping aud gambling and neglect.
Ing the besf q wives &c, betrer han Jones,
because he huInbly sorry for his rascsiies, and
prayed be forgiven or The sske Of that pure heart
who 90 loved him. AmeliA he took 10 be the most
besafif female character presented in fiction not
excepting Desdemona CT any one in shakspere He
honorsd Fielding for having invented that eharac-
ter to have done so was rot only triumph Of art
u q HH 4 aaI