a vivid picture of 18th-century life. At the start of this collection, the reader is introduced to William Hogarth’s early life, detailing his modest beginnings, family lineage, and eventual apprenticeship as a silversmith, which honed his engraving skills. The narrative transitions into several anecdotes illustrating Hogarth's burgeoning talents, his marriage, and his initial struggles as an artist. By highlighting the formative experiences and social observations that influenced his artistic development, Trusler sets the stage for an exploration of Hogarth’s major series of engravings, including "The Harlot’s Progress" and "The Rake’s Progress," which serve as moral tales warning against vice and folly. Each subsequent section promises to unravel the complexities of Hogarth's visual storytelling, providing insight into the societal themes that continue to resonate today. (This is an automatically generated summary.)