Bruin in his boat, or, The manager in distress [graphic]

"Melville, protected by Justice, stands on the 'Rock of Innocence' (l.) firing two cannon at a man-of-war, 'The Impeachment', which has already foundered on the 'Rocks of Honor and Justice'. In the foreground (l.) a bear, Whitbread (not Fox as Wright and Evans say), stands despairingly in his boat which is about to be swamped. It is in the form of a shallow tub (a brewing utensil), and is 'The Vanity-Cooler'. A pennant, 'Vanity', streams from the mast. The tattered sail is formed of papers patched together and inscribed 'Ist Report' ['. . . 2nd', '3d', &c] to '10th Report'. Whitbread's broken oar, inscribed 'Popular Clamour', falls from his paw. The boat will founder despite the efforts of three winds to fill the sail and take it into calmer water. These are heads with butterfly wings (l.) and are (l. to r.) Stanhope, Wilberforce, and Derby. Melville, in profile to the right., a stalwart figure in Highland dress with thistles in his feathered bonnet, holds a flaming torch in each hand, one 'Truth', the other 'Reason', and puts them to the touch-holes of two cannon, 'Adam' and 'Plomer'. He is lit by rays which descend from behind a swirling cloud, taking the form of wings, from which two arms emerge: in the r. hand is a pair of scales inscribed 'Impartiality'; a paper inscribed 'Integrity' outweighs 'Defamation'; on the left arm is a shield inscribed 'Justice' which is held over Melville. The blasts from the cannon are striking the battered ship; she heels over, still flying a tattered tricolour flag of 'Faction' [repeated thrice]. Two of the crew are in the water: Sidmouth, in the foreground (r.), clings to a 'Broad-Bottomd Goose-Coop' [cf. BMSat 10530], from which three cackling geese thrust their heads; it has a (tricolour) label inscribed (?) 'C. J Fox [scored through] Downing . . . [Street]'. Behind him Lauderdale's head and arms emerge from a wave, desperately trying to reach a floating barrel of 'East India Roupees'. In the foreground the waves are menacing; toward the horizon (r.) the sea is calm. A sun inscribed 'Posterity' is rising and irradiates the sky; other rightays descend from a point behind a cloud, forming a pyramid whose base is the irradiated horizon; across this is the word 'Pitt' in large letters."--British Museum online catalogue