Not another costume drama!

The work of Henry Fielding, author of Tom Jones, is dramatised in a new series City of Vice, starting on Channel 4 tonight (Monday 14th January 2008 9pm). However the drama documentary is not based on his literary work, but covers instead the establishment of the Bow Street Runners, with his half brother John Fielding. The Bow Street Runners were a precursor of the police and the first attempt to bring law and order to the chaos and lawlessness of C18th London.

The C18th is also the subject of a series of lectures at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, starting on 29th January 2008 7.45-9.15pm in the Linbury Room with William Hogarth. See their website for more information and to book tickets. Carriages, Carcases and Caricature: the idiosyncrasies of 18th century British art.