A Rake's Progress, 3: The Orgy,
by William HogarthHOGARTH A RAKE'S PROGRESS THE ORGY
PAINTING #3
Sprawled on the carpet of my parent's house in 1968 I am nine years old.
I had the Time-Life book The Ages of Man, The Age of Enlightenment open
and I was looking at a helpless, sotted, man surrounded by women with breasts
spilling out of bodices at a table in Rose's Tavern.
Intrigued and repulsed I took the book to my father lying on the sofa watching the
news and pointed to the picture.
"What does this mean Papa?"
He looked thoughtful at the painting.
"Dissipation, Julia."
"What is that?"
"Drinking, gambling, whoring."
I knew all of these were bad and took the book from him and went back to looking
at the Hogarth painting sitting on the floor in the living room.
I was aroused by the evil man with the idiot look attended by a woman with her
hand resting upon his shoulder.
In 1968 or 1734 immoral folly is still the same and all these years later I remember
when I learned the word dissipation.