DOI chapter:
Chapter XI
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62095#0136
Eighteenth-Century Colour-Prints 107
manner of the Royal Princesses, the first of which appeared in 1789, have not been
reproduced. These were after Ramberg, and included “ Charlotte Augusta,” “ Augusta
Sophia,” “Elizabeth,” “Sophia,” and “Amelia.” Of the five, “ Augusta ” is by far the
prettiest ; she is sitting on a garden seat plucking a bough from a tree. A poor
impression of this plate was sold in 1896 by public sale for ^16 : 10s. After Ramberg
also, are the two popular prints “Temptation” and “Reflection”; the latter, in proof
state, is lettered as “ Private Amusement.” Other stipple-prints by Ward are “ The
Minstrel,” after Opie ; a circle with a quotation from Beattie’s poem, dated 1784, and
a much engraved “ Annette and Lubin ” from Marmontel’s Moral Tales.
Plates XLV. and XLVI. Constancy ; Variety.—“ Variety ” is said to be a portrait
of Mrs. Morland, “Constancy” of Mrs. William Ward. The two married couples lived
for a short time in the same house in High Street, Marylebone, but, as the German proverb
says, “ no roof is large enough to cover two families.” The two ladies found ample cause
for dispute in their respective husbands’ accomplishments : one was a sober man of talent,
the other a drunken genius, and constant reiteration of these facts seems to have produced
dissensions, leading to a disruption of the family partnership, after about three months.
They then separated, when Mrs. Morland had all the “ variety ” that she could possibly
require in George Morland’s transitions between profligacy, drunkenness, repentance, and
fresh outbreaks ; and Maria enjoyed not only her own “ constancy ” but that of her
excellent husband.
The two prints in their second state have respectively these execrable verses :—
Variety.
Crowded scenes or lonely roads
My fickle mind by turn approves,
Come then my votaries, follow me
The charm of life’s variety.
Constancy.
Firm as the rock on which I lean
My mind is fixed and cannot rove,
Though foaming billows roll between
I’ll ne’er forsake the youth I love.
The original picture of “ Constancy ” is, or was, in the possession of Thomas J.
Barratt, Bell Moor, Hampstead Heath, but how it has become separated from its pair, for
what has become of “ Variety” I have not been able to discover.
There are two states of these prints : the first before all letters ; the second with
the artist’s names, title, verse, and line of publication, “ London, Publish’d Sepr. 4th,
1788, by W. Dickinson, Engraver, 158 New Bond Street”; the second is printed in
colour. The plates, with 49 plain and 11 coloured impressions, were sold at Dickinson’s
sale in 1794 f°r eight guineas. A fine pair in colours will to-day realise close upon
^100. These plates were re-engraved with the signature “ Bartolotti,” and a would-be
purchaser must be careful to avoid purchasing the very poor second pair.
manner of the Royal Princesses, the first of which appeared in 1789, have not been
reproduced. These were after Ramberg, and included “ Charlotte Augusta,” “ Augusta
Sophia,” “Elizabeth,” “Sophia,” and “Amelia.” Of the five, “ Augusta ” is by far the
prettiest ; she is sitting on a garden seat plucking a bough from a tree. A poor
impression of this plate was sold in 1896 by public sale for ^16 : 10s. After Ramberg
also, are the two popular prints “Temptation” and “Reflection”; the latter, in proof
state, is lettered as “ Private Amusement.” Other stipple-prints by Ward are “ The
Minstrel,” after Opie ; a circle with a quotation from Beattie’s poem, dated 1784, and
a much engraved “ Annette and Lubin ” from Marmontel’s Moral Tales.
Plates XLV. and XLVI. Constancy ; Variety.—“ Variety ” is said to be a portrait
of Mrs. Morland, “Constancy” of Mrs. William Ward. The two married couples lived
for a short time in the same house in High Street, Marylebone, but, as the German proverb
says, “ no roof is large enough to cover two families.” The two ladies found ample cause
for dispute in their respective husbands’ accomplishments : one was a sober man of talent,
the other a drunken genius, and constant reiteration of these facts seems to have produced
dissensions, leading to a disruption of the family partnership, after about three months.
They then separated, when Mrs. Morland had all the “ variety ” that she could possibly
require in George Morland’s transitions between profligacy, drunkenness, repentance, and
fresh outbreaks ; and Maria enjoyed not only her own “ constancy ” but that of her
excellent husband.
The two prints in their second state have respectively these execrable verses :—
Variety.
Crowded scenes or lonely roads
My fickle mind by turn approves,
Come then my votaries, follow me
The charm of life’s variety.
Constancy.
Firm as the rock on which I lean
My mind is fixed and cannot rove,
Though foaming billows roll between
I’ll ne’er forsake the youth I love.
The original picture of “ Constancy ” is, or was, in the possession of Thomas J.
Barratt, Bell Moor, Hampstead Heath, but how it has become separated from its pair, for
what has become of “ Variety” I have not been able to discover.
There are two states of these prints : the first before all letters ; the second with
the artist’s names, title, verse, and line of publication, “ London, Publish’d Sepr. 4th,
1788, by W. Dickinson, Engraver, 158 New Bond Street”; the second is printed in
colour. The plates, with 49 plain and 11 coloured impressions, were sold at Dickinson’s
sale in 1794 f°r eight guineas. A fine pair in colours will to-day realise close upon
^100. These plates were re-engraved with the signature “ Bartolotti,” and a would-be
purchaser must be careful to avoid purchasing the very poor second pair.