"Alecto, a fantastic hag (as in BMSat 7721), stands outside the Crown and Anchor tavern between a diminutive Sheridan (left), playing a fife, and Fox (right), a burly drummer, both wearing regimentals. She towers above them, holding a long pike surmounted by a cap of 'Liberty' and holding out to John Bull, a yokel (as in BMSat 8141), a handful of 'Assignats'. Hissing serpents form her hair and serpents suck at the pendent breasts which her ragged garments do not cover. She has webbed wings, and wears a French cocked hat with a tricolour cockade inscribed 'Liberty'. ... John Bull stands on the left, scratching his head with a puzzled grin; he wears a smock and very wrinkled gaiters; his hat and a pitchfork are in his left hand. ... Sheridan stands between Alecto and John Bull. ... Fox is much larger than Sheridan, both wear French Grenadier's caps. On his drum is the head of a Medusa (Discord) with snaky locks. He smiles, watching John Bull with a stare of eager calculation. ... Behind him and on the extreme right. Stanhope runs off to the right, stooping as if to conceal himself; in his right hand is a letter: 'To Lord Stanhop[e] from W. Pitt.' ... The door of the Crown & Anchor Tavern is immediately behind Fox and Alecto. From it issue flames and smoke in which imps and demons are flying."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Recruiting sarjeant enlisting John-Bull into the Revolution Service
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark on lower edge., and Watermark: Hall & Taplin 1804.
Publisher:
Pubd. July 4th, 1791, by S.W. Fores, N. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Stanhope, Charles Stanhope, Earl, 1753-1816, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
