"Grenville (left) stands in St. James's Park in profile to the right, firing a gun with a wide barrel at a group of winged money-bags, &c, flying in the upper right corner of the design, rising on smoke issuing from the chimneys of 'Buckingham House'. A pen in his round hat indicates his Secretaryship. Dead game hangs from his person: a hare whose body is a money-bag inscribed 'Secretaryship of State £7000 pr Ann.', a goose, whose similar body is inscribed 'Sinecures £9000pr Ann.', and two goslings, respectively 'Private Pension £4000' and '£3000 pr Ann.' The central bird at which he fires at close range is a winged document: 'Ranger of the Park'; winged bags are '75000 pr Ann', '3000 pr Ann', and '7000 pr Ann'. All these he hits. A winged ducal coronet is flying up towards the line of fire. A group of dogs with human faces surrounds him; they lick his boots, look up at him expectantly, or watch the shot; one has a collar inscribed 'Whitehall'. The southern part of the east front of Buckingham House fills the right part of the design. Behind Grenville are trees. ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Billy Ranger the Game Keeper in a fine sporting country
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Three lines of text below title: He shoots a good shot; it will do a mans heart good to see him; he will charge you & discharge you ..., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Temporary local subject terms: Dogs: hounds -- Ministers as hounds -- Buildings: Buckingham House -- Sinecures -- Lord Grenville's sinecures as Ranger and Keeper of St. James's and Hyde Parks -- Bags of money -- Hunting: bird shooting., and Watermark: Armorial shield with fleur de lis above and initials G R below.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 1st, 1792, by H. Humphrey, N. 18 Old Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834
