Pl. 1. The fellow 'prentices at their looms

Hogarth, William, 1697-1764 · (c) September 30, 1747

Tom Idle sleeps at his loom beneath a ballad of Moll Flanders, having drunk from a large tankard lettered "Spittle Fields." Francis Goodchild concentrates on his work while light streams through the window on to ballads of "The London Prentice" and "Whitington, Ld Mayor" on the wall above his head. A cat pulls at Idle's shuttle and the master, Mr West, enters bearing a stick.