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Doctor Syntax Sketching the Lake: Thomas Rowlandson, in The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (image by Tony Simpkins, 2009)
You well know what my pen can do,
And I'll employ my pencil too: --
I'll ride and write, and sketch and print,
And thus create a real mint;
I'll prose it here, I'll verse it there,
And picturesque it everywhere.
I'll do what all have done before;
I think I shall -- and somewhat more.
At Doctor Pompous give a look;
He made his fortune by a book:
And if my volume does not beat it,
When I return, I'll fry and eat it.
Doctor Syntax Drawing From Nature; "The Doctor now, with genius big, / First drew a cow, and next a pig": Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax pursued by a bull: “Syntax, still trembling with affright, ,/ Clung to the tree with all his might'": Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax at a card party: “The comely pair by whom he sat, / A lady cheerful in her chat": Thomas Rowlandson, in The Tour of Doctot Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe,Vol. III, The Third Tour ol Doctor Syntax in Search of a Wife, 1821 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax leading a lady to the entrance of a grand mansion: “For while he sojourns he will be / The object of all courtesy": Thomas Rowlandson, in The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, Vol. !!, The Second Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of Consolation, 1820 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax taking wine with a lady in a drawing room, while the daughter of his hostess and her lover exchange caresses on a rustic seat under the verandah: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax unable to pull up at the Land's End -- is fearful of being carried to the World's End: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax thrown off his horse while hunting: “Your sport, my lord, I cannot take, / For I must go and hunt a lake" : Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax gazing at some ruins; a man and boy in attendance: “But now, alas! no more remains / Than will reward the painters' pains": Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax in the Jail; a young fellow and three dogs on the left: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Boarding a Man-of-War: a boat load of people awaiting their turn to ascend a rope ladder, on which a gentleman of the party (Doctor Syntax) is fixed in rather an uncomfortable position: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax frightened by the appearance of a large fish having a form resembling that of a whale; his companion and some fishwives are also greatly alarmed, and a few of them lie sprawling on the ground. Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
A lady repulsing with the poker her guests, consisting of eight gentlemen, among whom is the doctor; her dog by her side appears to be equally pugnacious: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax riding and chatting with a lady, under an avenue of trees; a footman behind them: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax playing at cards with a young lady; an old wooden-legged officer seated near, apparently not in the best of tempers; three other young ladies seated on the sofa take much interest in the game: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax gently opens the door of a garret, and is horrified to find a "woman of the pavé" reclining back in her chair dead; a dog is seen on the left playing with her wig: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax skating and saluting three ladies who stand on the bank of the frozen river: Thomas Rowlandson, design for The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Rev. Alexander Dyce Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, London)
Doctor Syntax Preaching: Thomas Rowlandson, in The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (image by Tony Simpkins, 2009)
Doctor Syntax and the Booksellers: Thomas Rowlandson, in The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Augustana Library)
BOOKSELLER.
"I wish to know, Sir, what you mean,
By kicking up, Sir, such a scene?
And who you are, Sir, and your name,
And on what errand here you came?"
SYNTAX.
"My errand was to bid you look
With care and candour on this Book;
And tell me whether you think fit
To buy, or print, or publish it?
The subject which the work contains
Is Art and Nature's fair domains;
'Tis form'd the curious to allure; --
In short, good-man, it is a Tour..."
The Reverend Doctor Syntax: Thomas Rowlandson, in The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque: A Poem by William Combe, 1812 (Augustana Library)
This post dedicated to Artur
Quotations from The Tour of Doctor Syntax in Search of the Picturesque, text by William Combe, watercolours by Thomas Rowlandson, published by R. Ackermann, London, 1812