"The Tower of Babel is represented by a vast pile of bundles of documents tied by tricolour ribbon, culminating in the allegations of Mrs. Clarke against the Duke of York. It is being destroyed by the Speaker, Abbot, who swoops down upon it from a cloud with uplifted and irradiated mace, and holding up a long scroll: Justice Triumphant-- Decisions of the Rt Honble The House of Commons--Majority against the Evidence of a Prostitute--Majority against the Machinations of Republicans & Levellers--. The tower totters sideways under blasts from the mouths of Canning, Castlereagh, and (below) Perceval, who lean forward from clouds on the left of the design. Between the two clouds appears part of a curving band, on which is a sign of the Zodiac, the Scales, evenly balanced to show that they are an emblem of Justice (cf. No. 10972). The leaders of the 'Republicans' fall headlong from the tower (right) as it topples, and are also struck down by a copious stream of water from the sky inscribed Royal-Water-Spout. Mrs. Clarke receives its full impact. She is astride the shoulders of Wardle who is falling downwards from the summit. Her large muff (see No. 11225), inscribed Mrs A. Clarke's Old Conjuring Muff, To be sold to the best Bidder, flies from her hand. In her hair are the serpents of Discord. To her belt of Ingratitude is attached a bag of Plunder. Wardle wears regimentals; in his pocket is a paper: Wardle Private Reas[ons]. Just below him Lord Folkestone is falling; he drops Patriotic Harangues by Fid Fad Folkstone and a large bundle of papers inscribed Motions for Kicking up a Row in the House of Commons. In his pocket are papers: Cobbetts Hints. Just below him is Whitbread who has fallen on a (falling) ladder, breaking it in half; he sprawls across the broken fragment, struck down by one of his own barrels, inscribed Barrel of Mischief. Its frothing contents pour over his head, inscribed Quassia [see No. 10574], Cocus Indicus, Opium [see No. 10795]; the falling barrel-head is Whitbreads Entire Butt [see No. 10421]. He drops a paper: Essay upon Political Brewing without Malt or Hops, and an open book: Political Divinity by Sam Froth--The Wicked shall be caught in the work of their own Hands. The ladder which he has broken is the Broad-Bottom Ladder of Ambition [cf. No. 10530]. The vast Lord Temple has broken the lower rungs and lies on his back, his legs in the air, the ladder on top of him. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Three lines of quoted text following title: "And they said, go to, let us build to us a city and a tower, whose top may reach to heavens, and let us make us a name!" ... and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Abbot, Charles,--Baron Colchester,--1757-1829--Caricatures and cartoons., Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos,--Duke of,--1776-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., Burdett, Francis,--1770-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Canning, George,--1770-1827--Caricatures and cartoons., Castlereagh, Robert Stewart,--Viscount,--1769-1822--Caricatures and cartoons., Clarke, Mary Anne Thompson,--1776-1852--Caricatures and cartoons., Cobbett, William,--1763-1835--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice,--Marquess of,--1780-1863--Caricatures and cartoons., Perceval, Spencer,--1762-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., Radnor, William Pleydell-Bouverie,--Earl of,--1779-1869--Caricatures and cartoons., Tooke, John Horne,--1736-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., Wardle, Gwyllym Lloyd,--1762?-1833--Caricatures and cartoons., and Whitbread, Samuel,--1764-1815--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Mrs. Clarke stands behind the bar of the House of Commons holding up a flower-pot-shaped vessel (the pan of a commode) inscribed Opposition Stink Box. In her right hand she holds up its lid: Cover of Infamy. From this 'box' issue flames, smoke, and fanged serpents which dart towards and obscure the Royal Arms above the Speaker's chair. The House is seen from the left so that only a corner of the front bench is visible on the Ministerial side of the House, while the Opposition benches with a corner of the gallery above form the greater part of the background (right). Members of the Government hold their noses in disgust while the Opposition listen with avid delight, and the back-benchers wave their hats ecstatically. Only three Ministerialists are characterized: (left to right) Castlereagh, wearing a cocked hat, Canning, Perceval. On the right the four in the front rows to the right of Mrs. Clarke and closest to her are Petty, clasping his hat, Whitbread and Burdett behind him, and (behind Whitbread) Sheridan. Wilberforce (?) stands, waving his hat, Windham is in the second row. The serpents issuing from the 'box' are Calumny, Lies, Ingratitude, Deceit, Revenge, Forgery, Perjury. The commode (left) stands open, cylindrical and ornate, inscribed: Broad Bottom Reservoir. Round it bundles of documents are heaped: Forged Letters & Forged Answers from the Duke; Forged Orders; Forged Appointments; Scheme to destroy the House of Brunswick [see No. 11234]; Commissions & Appointments for Sale to the best Bidder, Agents to conduct the Sale--Frome, Sanden, Dowler, Kennet, Donnovan, Corri; Love Letters from Mr Waddle [Wardle], Mr Finnerty, Gen Clamering [Clavering], Mr Maltby, Major Hogan; Private Communications from his Excell. The Morrocco Ambassador; Prices of Commissions in the Army, A Clarke Secy; List of Mrs Clarkes Pension[s] £1000 . . . Mrs. Clarke's dress is approximately correct (cf. No. 11225), but her (white) hat is coloured blue, the length of the veil is exaggerated; her (profile) features are made coarser and bolder, and a patch (signifying disreputability) is added to her cheek."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Burdett, Francis,--1770-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Canning, George,--1770-1827--Caricatures and cartoons., Castlereagh, Robert Stewart,--Viscount,--1769-1822--Caricatures and cartoons., Clarke, Mary Anne Thompson,--1776-1852--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice,--Marquess of,--1780-1863--Caricatures and cartoons., Perceval, Spencer,--1762-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Whitbread, Samuel,--1764-1815--Caricatures and cartoons., and Windham, William,--1750-1810--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Sheridan (left) and the Duke of Norfolk, bloated and senile, stagger tipsily on the pavement of St. James's Street, walking from the door of 'Brooks's' (right) which they have just left. Lamps light the façade of the club, part of which is visible with three (lighted) windows on the first floor. Sheridan holds the Duke's right arm, and raises his right fist in a rhetorical gesture, saying, "And now, have at the Ministry, Damme!"; in his pocket are papers: 'Motions for to Badger Ministry'. The Duke says: "and Now for the Majesty of the People!" From his coat-pocket projects a bottle of 'Port'."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Text below title, in lower right: Three o'clock & a cloudy morning. and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Norfolk, Charles Howard,--Duke of,--1746-1815--Caricatures and cartoons., and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Interior of the Great Room in the Adelphi, during a meeting; a presentation taking place; large paintings cover walls of the room."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Plate from: Microcosm of London. London : R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, No. 101 Strand, [1808-1810?], v. 3, opposite page 67., Plate numbered in upper right, above image: Plate 71., The Lewis Walpole Library: From the Topographical Prints collection., and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
R. Ackermann's Repository of the Arts, 101 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
London (England)--Pictorial works.
Subject (Name):
Ackermann, Rudolph, 1764-1834, publisher., Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Bluck, John (Printmaker), printmaker., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Pugin, Augustus, 1762-1832, artist., and Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (Great Britain)
Subject (Topic):
Conference rooms--England--London., Interiors--England--London., and Meetings--England--London.
Attributed to Rowlandson by Grego., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., Text below title, with the heading "Copy of the letter," begins: My Dearest Dear, I received your sweet dear little letter, and with them the leather breeches and blessed be the fair hand that sewed on the buttons ..., and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Tegg, Thomas, 1776-1845, publisher.
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character)--Caricatures and cartoons.
"View of the repository, near Hyde Park Corner, at time of sale; a horse is paraded in front of a row of gentlemen on the right."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Plate from: Microcosm of London. London : R. Ackermann's Repository of Arts, No. 101 Strand, [1808-1810?], v. 3, opposite page 172., Plate numbered in upper right, above image: Plate 83., and Title etched below image.
"The words are framed by a curtain, held back at the sides by 'Mrs Clarke' (left) and 'Colonel Wardle' (right), who stand on low round pedestals, as if flanking a proscenium. Both point to the inscription. The curtain is centred above by a group composed of the Duke's cocked hat and sword, with mitre and crosier (see British Museum Satires No. 11227) on a scale larger than the two figures. On the ground, between the curtains, the space is filled by a large open book: 'Thou shalt not commit Adultery' and by papers inscribed 'Dearest Dear' and 'My Darling.', with inkpot and pen."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Probably the title page to a series of prints., Three lines of text below title: "Out of evil cometh good." Learn to be wise from others harm, and thou shall do full well., Title continues: ... and the circumstances arising from the investigation of the conduct of His Royal Highness the Duke of York before the House of Commons, 1809., and Title from text in center of image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Clarke, Mary Anne Thompson,--1776-1852--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Tegg, Thomas, 1776-1845, publisher., and Wardle, Gwyllym Lloyd,--1762?-1833--Caricatures and cartoons.
Attributed to Rowlandson by curator., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., Plate numbered "80" in upper left corner., Title etched below image., and Two lines of text etched below title: This club in respect to costume differs very little from the Whip Club ...
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Tegg, Thomas, 1776-1845, publisher.
"The Duke of York and Wardle in a rowing boat, 'The Clarke Cutter', with Mrs Clarke, barebreasted, as a figurehead, rowing to right on a rough sea, the 'Sea of Disapprobation', tossed by the 'Storm of Public Opinion', from which they are fleeing; the boat is lettered 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' and is stashed with papers, lettered 'Love letters / Mrs. Clarkes Establishment / Cobbetts Hum-bugs / Bills for Furniture'. Behind the figure of Mrs Clarke, a 'Gold Vase' and bags lettered 'Popularity / Votes of thanks'. At right are gathering fish, 'Gudgeons', and perhaps a seal, identified variously as 'Wright / Sandon / Clavering / O Meira [?]'. The duke says, 'Pull on - pull on Mess-mate here is a devil of a storm coming on - little did I think I should row in the same Boat with you.' Wardle replies, 'Would it not be the best way to throw the cargo overboard brother Tug?'"--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Rowing in the same boat
Description:
Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., Numbered "101" in upper left corner of design., Printmaker from British Museum online catalogue., and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Clarke, Mary Anne Thompson,--1776-1852--Caricatures and cartoons., Frederick Augustus,--Prince, Duke of York and Albany,--1763-1827--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Tegg, Thomas, 1776-1845, publisher., and Wardle, Gwyllym Lloyd,--1762?-1833--Caricatures and cartoons.
