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He again offered to salute the female part of the family
Artist: Thomas Stothard
1792
Copper-engraving
11.7 cm high by 8.8 cm wide
Source: Oliver Goldsmith, The Vicar of Wakefield, facing page 22.
Stothard provided six monochrome copper-plate engravings for the 214-page octavo; the pages for the plates are unnumbered, there is no index of plates, and the illustrations have no captions.
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Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
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It was about the beginning of autumn, on a holiday, for I kept such as intervals of relaxation from labour, that I had drawn out my family to our usual place of amusement, and our young musicians began their usual concert. As we were thus engaged, we saw a stag bound nimbly by, within about twenty paces of where we were sitting, and by its panting, it seemed prest by the hunters. We had not much time to reflect upon the poor animal’s distress, when we perceived the dogs and horsemen come sweeping along at some distance behind, and making the very path it had taken. I was instantly for returning in with my family; but either curiosity or surprize, or some more hidden motive, held my wife and daughters to their seats. The huntsman, who rode foremost, past us with great swiftness, followed by four or five persons more, who seemed in equal haste. At last, a young gentleman of a more genteel appearance than the rest, came forward, and for a while regarding us, instead of pursuing the chace, stopt short, and giving his horse to a servant who attended, approached us with a careless superior air. He seemed to want no introduction, but was going to salute my daughters as one certain of a kind reception; but they had early learnt the lesson of looking presumption out of countenance. Upon which he let us know that his name was Thornhill, and that he was owner of the estate that lay for some extent round us. He again, therefore, offered to salute the female part of the family, and such was the power of fortune and fine cloaths, that he found no second repulse. As his address, though confident, was easy, we soon became more familiar; and perceiving musical instruments lying near, he begged to be favoured with a song. As I did not approve of such disproportioned acquaintances, I winked upon my daughters in order to prevent their compliance; but my hint was counteracted by one from their mother; so that with a chearful air they gave us, a favourite song of Dryden’s. Mr Thornhill seemed highly delighted with their performance and choice, and then took up the guitar himself. He played but very indifferently; however, my eldest daughter repaid his former applause with interest, and assured him that his tones were louder than even those of her master. At this compliment he bowed, which she returned with a curtesy. He praised her taste, and she commended his understanding: an age could not have made them better acquainted. While the fond mother too, equally happy, insisted upon her landlord’s stepping in, and tasting a glass of her gooseberry. The whole family seemed earnest to please him: my girls attempted to entertain him with topics they thought most modern, while Moses, on the contrary, gave him a question or two from the ancients, for which he had the satisfaction of being laughed at: my little ones were no less busy, and fondly stuck close to the stranger. All my endeavours could scarce keep their dirty fingers from handling and tarnishing the lace on his cloaths, and lifting up the flaps of his pocket holes, to see what was there. At the approach of evening he took leave; but not till he had requested permission to renew his visit, which, as he was our landlord, we most readily agreed to. [Chapter V, "A New and Great Acquaintance Introduced. What We Place Most Hopes Upon Generally Proves Most Fatal," pp. 22-23]
Mrs. Primrose, thoroughly impressed with the attention that the young squire in the dress of a huntsman is paying Olivia, does nothing to interfere, although looks askance at such behaviour. The outdoor bower seems idyllic, but a serpent has just entered this edenic spot, as Goldsmith's chapter title suggests. This physical contact is very different from that of Mr. Burchell (in reality, Sir William Thornhill) in the previous copperplate engraving. He, too, clasps the girl in Regency dress determinedly, but his motivation was not in the least sexual. This, on the other hand, is a Thornhill of a very different nature: duplicitous, exploitative, and inclined to use the arbitrary powers conferred upon him by law and tradition to take advantage of young women such as Primrose's elder daughter, Olivia. For all his honest simplicity, Dr. Primrose is not as impressed as his social-climbing wife by Harry's fine horse (right) and elegant huntsman's attire. Wisely, Olivia after he has departed labels his conduct "extremely impudent and familiar" (24), although she concedes that he plays the guitar (not described by Stothard) well. The younger daughter, who has taken an instant dislike to him. in Stothard's illustration pretends not to notice his forward manner with her sister.
Goldsmith, Dr. [Oliver]. The Vicar of Wakefield. A Tale. Illustrated by Thomas Stothard. London: Sammells and Ritchie for E. Harding, Fleet-Street; and J. Good, New Bond-Street, 1792.
Peter Nahum at The Leicester Galleries. "William Mulready RA (1786-1863). Collection of 19 drawings & 9 etchings for Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield (England, c. 1840)." http://www.leicestergalleries.com/19th-20th-century-paintings/d/william-mulready/48046
Last modified 26 March 2018