The rubbish carter

Lord Eldon, dressed as a carter and holding a whip, stands with his back to a two-wheeled cart heaped with rolled documents (petitions), and inscribed 'Old Baggs Carter 160'. He wears a patched coat, an apron, and short gaiters and on his hat is stuck a ticket "No Popery". Behind the cart (right) an old crone, Lady Eldon, stoops to collect in her apron documents that have fallen from the cart. Round her shoulders hangs a small barrel of 'Swipes' [small beer]. Eldon looks at his wife with a melancholy expression, saying, 'This is a hard job; but we must make the best thing we can of it.' She answers: 'Ah! John, if you had kept your last place you'd have been better paid for your dirty work; but these parchments shall not be lost—they'll fetch something." Four of the rolls are inscribed respectively: "Old Lady's Petition"; "Pauper's Petition"; "Felon's Petition"; "Children's Petition". See British Museum online catalogue