Hear, Hear, but why gradually? Its the obvious conclusion! WH did love animals, though. We've recently installed replicas of 2 pet memorials long lost from Hogarth's House garden - the oldest one (1760), probably originally WH's work, was for Dick the Drake. Fairholt sketch 1853
Gradually coming to the conclusion that the most consequential figure in British art history was this fellow. (Hogarth, not the dog.)