The night visit, or, The relapse : with the pranks of Bob Fox the Jugler, while steward to Lady Brit, display'd on the screen

"Satire on Robert Walpole at the time of his fall. Extended across a room is a large screen with twenty scenes described metaphorically in the text below. The scenes refer to instances of corruption and maladministration in his career: (1) three soldiers standing outside a prison referring to Walpole's alleged acceptance of a bribe in awarding two forage contracts for the army in Scotland when secretary of war in 1711 for which he was committed to the Tower; (2) a figure stretched across a screen indicating his "screening" of those involved in the South Sea Bubble; (3) a "Strumpet, called Corruption" with mitres and other symbols of office at her feet and Walpole at her side while "Pl[ace]m[e]n and Pensioners" gather around; (4) a snake-haired Fury drives men burdened with "Gin Act Dutys Taxes Debts"; (5) Walpole drives a chaise drawn by men instead of horses referring to the deeply unpopular Excise Scheme of 1733 and the Register Bill proposing the registration of seamen for defence purposes; (6) Walpole cutting in half a child representing the Sinking Fund; (7) Walpole embezzling public funds from chests in a strong room; (8) a hydra-headed Standing Army; (9) Walpole on his knees kissing the bare backside of Cardinal Fleury; (10) the "Mansion House" of the Constitution runs to ruin while (11) Walpole builds the splendid Houghton Hall for himself; (12) with the treaties of Hanover and Seville he inhibits the cause of Maria Theresa to the benefit of France and Spain; (13) "Spanish Depredeantions" of timber and cattle apparently in the Caribbean; (14) the export of "Wool to France"; (15) "Negotiations" with France and Spain in which Walpole frivolously blows bubbles, giving up all demands; (16) the Convention of the Pardo of 1738 which was condemned as making concessions to Spain; (17) the under-resourced War of Jenkins' Ear against Spain; (18) the "Spithead Expedition" of 1740 when the fleet was prevented from leaving port, allegedly by contrary orders rather than by unfavourable winds; (19) "His Flight", i.e. his resignation in February 1742, shown as a colossus cut in two and falling to earth while Walpole throws gold dust in the eyes of pursuers; (20) Walpole's "Trial", then in progress, before a committee of Parliament investigating aspects of his record in office shown here as resulting in his execution and the exposure of his severed head in the manner of a traitor. On either side of the screen large windows reveal a night sky in which, seen on the left, three men fly on a broomstick towards the moon; on the right, four others identify one of them as Walpole, one exclaiming "It must be the Comet", his neighbour, holding a telescope, "No! by Jove, tis Robin Goodfellow from R[i]chm[on]d", the third, "I wish the Telescope was a Gun". The Devil, smiling, peers from behind the screen muttering, "Hah! I shall have business here again." as he observes Walpole advising the king and his supporters, all wearing sashes. The king, sitting by a table on which burn two candles, asks, "What is to be done", to which Walpole replies, "Mix and divide them"; a gentleman responds, "tis good advice", another whose pockets are bulging, says, "I can keep up my Britches no longer"; another remarks, "this was an unlucky Change", to which a bishop replies, ""Yes - but I can change too". the Duke of Argyll and another gentleman approach from the left, the latter asks, "What think you?" to which Argyll replies, "I'll throw up tomorrow", referring to his impending resignation.Engraved inscriptions and title, and with letterpress text below in four columns."--British Museum online catalogue