Ireland, John: Hogarth illustrated (Band 2,3): Nature (London, 1793)

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PLATE II.

" Although bare merit might in Rome appear
** The strongest plea for favour,—'tis not here;
" We form our judgment in another way,
" And he will best succeed, who best can pay."

The centre group in this print presents a
rustic freeholder between two inn-keepers, each
of whom, as agents for their respective parties,
are dropping money into his hands. From the
arch and significant cast of his eye, we, see that,
though interest induces him to take all that either
of them will give, conscience obliges him to vote
for the best paymaster.* One of the candidates,
considering how necessary it is to conciliate the
favour of the fair, is purchasing trinkets from a
Jew pedlar for two ladies who express their virtu-
ous wishes, in a balcony. Though neither of them
have votes, their interest may be very extensive.
By the direction of a letter, which a porter, in
the hope of more liberal gratuity, delivers with

• Under the portrait of a Mr. Cholmottdely, of Yak Royal.

in Cheshire, engraved about the same time with these prints,

art the following quaint lines:

" In this plain girb a-senator is shewn,

" Who never bought a vote, nor sold his own."