A Huntsman

Although this sketch may derive from Walpole's Greek studies at Eton from 1727 to 1734, he was later to confess to Sir Horace Mann, "I scarce understand anything less than Greek and physic; the little I knew of the first I have almost forgot, and the other thank God! I never had any occasion to know."

Caricature of a Man on the Back of a Playing Card

It was a fashionable practice in Walpole's day to draw caricatures on the backs of playing cards. Here, the extreme height of the man's hair at the back of his head is offset by the broad expanse of his baldpate in front.

Clotworthy Skeffington, 2d Earl of Massareene (1743-1805)

This full-length profile of Lord Massereene on tiptoe satirizes the noted fop and gambler whom Walpole had met in Paris during the season of 1765-66. At a ball given by Masserene in January 1766, Walpole noted, "I went at seven; found four or five English, no Lord Massareen; was told he was not up, at least was at his toilette. Gentlemen arrived, ladies arrived. . . .still no Lord Massareen. . . .the chimneys smoked so much, that we were forced to put out the fires and open the windows. . . .my athletic part of the British Constitution bore it for an hour, and then I came away, before Adonis himself made an appearance."