"The Foxites rise from their chairs at a club-meeting to sing the National Anthem in the manner of a catch, each repeating a different line. The chairman is Fox, who stands at the head of the table (l.) holding up a punch-bowl and ladle. He sings with upturned eyes, "God save great George our King". Sheridan and Norfolk are on his right. and left hand; both gaze at him intently; Norfolk sings "Long live our Noble King". Sheridan echoes "God save the King"; he holds up the music, inscribed with the same words. From his pocket hangs a playbill, only the words 'Vivant Rex et Regina' being visible. On the farther side of the table, next Norfolk, stands Moira, in regimentals, taller than the others and holding out his cocked hat. He says "Send him Victorious Happy and Glorious", and is followed by little Lord Derby, opposite, who stands with one foot on his chair, the other on the table, singing "Long to Reign over us \ God save the King." Lord Henry Petty, very small, leans against the back of Derby's chair, his right. arm round the waist of Erskine, who rests his left. arm on Petty's shoulder. Both wear their Chancellor's gowns, Erskine also his wig; the mace leans head downwards against his chair. They sing respectively: "O Lord our God arise" and "Scatter our Enimies". Opposite them stands Whitbread; he holds up a frothing tankard of 'Whitbre[ad's] Entire' [see BMSat 10421], singing "And make them Fall". On the extreme right., partly cut off by the margin, less ecstatic than the others, Grey [Identified by Miss Banks as Windham, but quite unlike him.] sings: "Confound their Politicks \ Frustrate their Knaveish tricks \ On thee our hopes we fix, God save us all." The Royal Arms decorate Fox's ornate armchair. From the back of Sheridan's overturned chair it appears that the other chairs are similarly decorated."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title engraved above image., Imprint, publication date, and artist from British Museum catalogue., Description based on imperfect impression; sheet trimmed within plate mark resulting in loss of imprint and printmaker., and Mounted to 30 x 41 cm; ms. annotations in modern hand, identifying subjects in print.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 1805 by Walker, No. 7 Cornhill
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815, George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, and Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863
