The First Interview, or Happiness Sacrifised to Riches, Robert Dighton, 1784

The interior of a well-furnished room. A young woman turns aside with a gesture of disgust from a young man of simian appearance who is grinning sheepishly. Her father stands behind her with outstretched arms, pleading desperately for her acceptance of the man. The suitor, holding his hat in both hands, turns away from the lady with an imbecile grin, but is being pushed towards her by a third man, probably his father. Through two sash-windows (left) appear houses and the steeple of a church. Between them is an oval mirror in a carved frame. A landscape hangs on the other wall (right). The floor is carpeted. 1784 hand-coloured mezzotint. Date: 1784. Dimensions: Height: 351 mm; Width: 249 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. The First Interview, or Happiness Sacrifised to Riches (BM 1935,0522.1.136)