Author: Ebenezer Forrest
Title: An Account of What Seemed Most Remarkable in the Five Days Peregrination of the Five Following Persons, Viz. Messieurs Tothall, Scott, Hogarth, Thornhill, and Forrest. Begun on Saturday, May 27th, 1732, and Finished on the 31st of the Same Month
Description: London, R. Livesay, 1782. First edition. Leather. The first edition of William Hogarth and Ebenezer Forrest's saricial and humorous account of a short and impromptu journey undertaken by the two men alongside three others. Illustrated with nine plates. The first edition of this work. A collection of nine uncoloured aquatint plates from the work 'An Account of What Seemed Most Remarkable in the Five Days Peregrination&apos. The plates are titled 'Hogarth's Tour' by Hogarth, 'A View From Rochester Bridge' by Scott, 'Upnor Castle by Hogarth', 'Breakfasting' by Hogarth, 'The Embarkation' by Scott with figures by Hogarth, 'The Town of Queensborough' by Hogarth, 'The Monument of a Spanish Ambassador in Minister Church, in the Island of Sheppey' by Scott, 'Monument of the Lord Shorland in Minister Church' by Hogarth, 'and 'Tail-Piece' by Hogarth. Text by Ebenezer Forrest. Illustrated by William Hogarth and Samuel Scott. Rebound, all plates loose, but placed in clear plastic jackets within window mounts. ESTC citation number N16436. Collated from Jisc from a copy held at the University of Oxford Libraries, complete. An account of an impromptu journey, recorded in a mock-heroic style, being a parody of contemporary travel literature. The group of men met at their local pub, the Bedford Arms in Covent Garden, London, on Friday 26th May, 1732. At midnight, the met set out, and took a boat to Billingsgate, then went along the Thames to Gravesend. At Gravesend, they had breakfast of coffee, toast, and butter. Then onward on foot to Rochester, where they only paused for 'three pots of beer&apos. There they saw the castle and cathedral, and sat down for a meal at 1pm at the Crown Inn. After that, they ate and drank their way to the Mouth of the Meday, Isle of Grain, Sheerness, and Upnor. The tour showed a typical boisterousness and moments of bad behaviour and high jinks that would be expected from a group of five young men drinking. For example, at one moment Hogarth went to the toilet in the churchyard at Hoo, a notable lack of respect of social niceties. Upon this, Tothall lashed Hogarth's offending area with a bunch of nettles, which led to a fight. However, the fight did not end in bloodshed. At this time, Hogarth was in the midst of his first great success, being thirty-four, the month before his engravings of 'A Harlot's Progress' had been publishing. The writing - and indeed the whole trip - is a parody of the higher strung travel works and journeys of more noble travellers. The trip included John Thornhill, Hogarth's brother-in-law, Samuel Scott, a seascape and scenic painter, William Tothall, and ex-seaman and draper, and Ebenezer Forrest, an English attorney. Hogarth is a well known painter, satirist, and social critic. His art style ranged from realistic portraiture, to satirical comics. He was inspired by French and Italian art, and his work was incredibly popular during his life. HIs best known paintings are 'A Harlot's Progress', 'A Rake's Progress' and 'Marriage A-la-Mode&apos. The first edition of this satirical illustrated travel account. In a quarter niger morocco with cloth to the boards. Externally, generally smart. Some spots to the leather. Minor marks to the boards. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are age-toned with the odd spot, mostly to the text. Loss to the bottom and fore edge of the plate 'The Embarkation', not affecting text or image. Title page and final text leaf chipped and with repaired closed tears, with edgewear to the other leaves. Closed marginal tear in 'Rochester Bridge' and 'Breakfasting' plates. Very Good . Ill.: William Hogarth; Samuel Scott. Very Good .

Keywords: ebenezer forrest william hogarth hogarth five days peregrination william hogarth james thornill topography William Hogarth; Samuel Scott


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