View of the hustings in Covent Garden vide the Westminster election, Novr. 1806 / [graphic]

"A section of the hustings extends across the design, bisected by one of the vertical posts supporting the (invisible) roof. On this are two placards: 'Loyal Parishes of St Paul's and St Giles's' and 'State of the Poll - . Paul - Hood - Sheridan'. The base of the design is formed by the heads and raised arms of the mob below. Hood and Sheridan, with their supporters, are on the left of the post, Paull and his supporters on the r. The supporters wear favours (buff and blue on the left) with the names of their candidates. On the extreme left. is a stout man holding a whip. Next, Hood in uniform, with his empty r. sleeve, turns in profile to the left., away from Sheridan, putting his hand to his mouth to cover a smile. Sheridan stares in bewildered an speechless anguish, horrified at the shouts of the mob and at Paull's words Whitbread, standing behind, puts his left hand reassuringly on his shoulder and offers him a foaming tankard inscribed 'Whitbread new Loyal Porter'. His is 'Hood & Sheridan'. On Sheridan's l. a dog, its collar inscribed 'Peter Moore', barks savagely at Paull, who stands hat in hand, r. arm extended towards Sheridan, addressing the crowd: " - the sunk, the lost, the degraded Treasurer" [Sheridan]. On Paull's l. is Burdett; next, and on the extreme right., is Bosville. Between and behind Paull and Burdett stands Cobbett, holding an issue of the 'Political Register' on which the word 'Cobbett' is legible. These three have tickets inscribed 'Paull' in their hats. Behind Paull on the left, and watching him with a sly grin, stands the Duke of Northumberland, Sheridan's enemy, see BMSat 10606. He holds a paper: 'To the Vestry of St Margaret'; in his hat is 'No Coalition' [i.e. between Hood and Sheridan]. Behind these first two rows on the hustings, heads recede until they merge in shadow. Three men behind Sheridan appear to be portraits; two have favours inscribed 'Sheridan' (one probably Lord William Russell, Sheridan's seconder); the third is a fat and grotesque man in uniform wearing a plumed death's head cap and a gorget. He is Downes, an undertaker, and a major in the St. James's Volunteers (of which Sheridan was Colonel): there were shouts of 'no major Downes the undertaker' (see BMSat 9750). See 'Pol. Reg.' x. 810, 836. The rank and file of Sheridan's supporters look anxious, those of Paull are grinning. ..."--British Museum online catalogue