"An ugly man in old-fashioned dress stands full-face, toes turned in, squinting, and looking downwards. An 'Address' is in his right hand, his left hand is in his breeches pocket; a document inscribed 'obervation' [sic] protrudes from his coat-pocket. His scanty audience is behind him, on each side of a fireplace, for the most part asleep. A broken candle on the chimney-piece drops wax into the mouth of a sleeping man (right), to the amusement of his neighbour. Over the chimney-piece is a large clock-face, the hands indicating 10.56; above it is a carved owl and the words 'About your business'. Beneath the design: 'Gemtnen At a General Meeting, you impowered me whenever the situation of public affairs ran down & the main spring of good order broke, then Gemmen as I before said you rmpowerd me to call you together; now is your time, & a moment lost belike may never be Regaind, unless you exert yourselves to unhing [sic] that bold Monster Sedition who Stalks abroad in broad day light Gemmen to destroy our glorious Constitution & throw the balance of power from its place & canker our principles with the rust of democracy, Gemmen its unknown the villany thats abroad there are wheels within wheels that regulate the encreasing tide of traitorous measures in this here big Town therefore in order to check this growing evil I have called you together, that we may know how and about it.'
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed mostly within plate mark., Eleven lines of text below image and above title: Gemmen, at the general meeting you impowered [sic] me ..., Publisher's advertisement following imprint: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening., and Watermark: center of sheet.
Publisher:
Pub. Nov. 29, 1795, by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain.
Subject (Topic):
Freedom of speech, Petition, Right of, Sedition, Great Britain, Politics and government, Clocks & watches, City council members, Hearing aids, Sleeping, Public speaking, and Yawning
