"Heading to a printed broadside, a parody of Hamlet's soliloquy spoken by George IV, beginning 'To be or not to be? and ending 'I'd rather drink and revel here in secret, | Than fly | Where I might meet her face to face'. The King, much burlesqued, stands with legs astride on the boards of a theatre, framed by curtains patterned with grapes, bottles, glasses, crowns, and antlers. On the back-cloth are crude Chinese figures. He has a huge head, with heavy drink-blotched face crowned by the towering curls of his wig, and holds a full goblet and a bottle of Curaco. With an expression of calculating melancholy he meditates suicide, on account of 'The scorns and satire of an injur'd Nation', but fears to meet his wife's ghost."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title printed in letterpress below image., Date of publication from the British Museum catalogue., Thirty-two lines of letterpress text beneath title, beginning: To be or not to be? That is the question ..., Price statement and publisher's advertisement following imprint: --Price 1s. coloured.--Where may be had "Hush-a-bye baby upon the tree top.", Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted on leaf 36 in volume 1 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Figure of "Geo. IV" identified in black ink below image; letters written in red ink within the blanks in the letterpress text, completing the censored words "York's," "Queen," "royal," and George." Typed extract of three lines from the British Museum catalogue description is pasted beneath print.
Publisher:
Printed and published by I.L. Marks, 37, Prince's Street, Soho
Subject (Name):
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. and George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
Subject (Topic):
Draperies, Bottles, Alcoholic beverages, and Drinking vessels
"Lady Hertford, seated regally on a small sofa, cuts locks from the head of the Regent who reclines against her knees, asleep. The locks already cut are on the ground inscribed respectively 'Sheridan', 'Norfolk', 'Moira', 'Holland', 'Erskine'. She is about to shear off one inscribed 'Grenville'; the last, 'Grey', is still on his head. The Prince, who is conventionally handsome, and wears uniform, holds a paper signed '[Gren]ville / Grey'; his garter, inscribed 'Honi so . . .', is loose, and his left hand hides the star on his breast. Lord Yarmouth (right) stands holding a guttering candle; he points to the uncut lock, saying, "Don't forget that lock laying [on] the shoulder its Grey dy'ye see!" In his pocket is a pamphlet: 'Art of Milling' [see British Museum Satires No. 11842]. To leave no doubt as to his identity, a basket of fish is beside him inscribed '[Y]armouth Herrings'. Lady Hertford is heavily handsome; a small crown, which might pass as a tiara decorates her head; one foot rests regally on a footstool. A pillar and drapery behind her suggest regal state. On the sofa beside her is a rolled document headed 'Road to Hertford from Pall Mall'. On the ground (left) are empty wine-bottles; on a book by the Prince's feet, 'Economy of Human Life', lies a broken bottle from which wine pours. Behind (left) stands Perceval in his Chancellor of the Exchequer's gown, watching from behind a curtain which he holds aside; Castlereagh stands behind him, saying, "By Jasus, but she's as pretty a Barber as ever I clap't my eyes upon." Perceval answers: "Hush! Hush! you'l wake him before they are all cut."."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Delilah depriving Sampson of those locks in which consisted his strength
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed., and Album paper pasted over edge of plate at top.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 1812 by Walker and Knight, No. 7 Cornhill
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Hertford, Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of, 1760-1834, Hertford, Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, Marquess of, 1777-1842, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, Perceval, Spencer, 1762-1812, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823., Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816., Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834., Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815., Holland, Henry Richard Vassall, Baron, 1773-1840., Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826., Samson (Biblical judge), and Delilah (Biblical figure)
"In the foreground are Wellington and Peel as grave-diggers; Eldon, a stout elderly Hamlet wearing a cloak, stands (left) holding a skull, and saying: "Here's fine revolution and [sic] we had the trick to see it." Wellington stands in a grave, in profile to the left, wielding a pickaxe. His shirt-sleeves are rolled up, he wears a small cap; his military coat, cocked hat, and sword lie beside him. He says to Peel: 'Come take off the Orange Peel [see British Museum Satires No. 15683] quickly, I can't get on without you.' Peel, wearing garments of green slashed with orange, is about to take off an orange waistcoat (cf. British Museum Satires No. 15701). He answers 'I'll change my self before you can say Jack Robinson.' On the extreme right are the posterior and left leg of George IV (as in British Museum Satires No. 12803) who is scurrying off to the right, beside a tombstone which serves as sign-post and is inscribed 'To Hanover' [see British Museum Satires No. 15704]. In the middle distance (right) is the funeral procession, the coffin carried by four bearers with a pall inscribed 'Constitution 1829'. On it stand a large crown and mitre with papers: 'Magna Charta' and 'Bill of Rights'. It is followed by one mourner in cloak and scarf (J. B.), who covers his face with a despairing gesture, exclaiming 'Oh! dear! Oh! dear, what will become of Mrs Bull, & all my little Bulls?-- We shall have nothing but the Popes Bulls. Oh my--' Behind are (left) St. Paul's and (right) York Minster. The pediment of the former is inscribed 'St Pauls now St Patricks' [cf. British Museum Satires No. 11898]. On the steps, about to enter, is the Pope, rollicking indecently between a monk (left) and O'Connell (right) in wig and gown. The Pope: 'Och! my darling you have done the job. fal lal la!!' O'Connell: 'Huzza! Huzza! Ould Ireland for ever! Huzza!!!' Behind them (left) capers a ragged Irishman, playing bagpipes and shouting 'St Patrick day in the morning!! Och! my Darlings!' An Irish crowd is indicated in the background. Farther from the spectator is York Minster, blazing furiously, flames and smoke covering the sky; an incendiary with a firebrand (Martin, see British Museum Satires No. 15658) rushes from the building, striding across a paper inscribed 'Blanco [scored through] Black is White'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Robert Cruikshank in the British Museum catalogue., Text beneath lower right corner of image: Hamlet, Act Vth, Scene a church-yard. Enter two clowns with spades., and Laid in James Sayers's Folio album of 144 caricatures.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 1829 by T. McLean, Haymarket
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
St. Paul's Cathedral (London, England),, York Minster,, Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616., Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Leo XII, Pope, 1760-1829, and O'Connell, Daniel, 1775-1847
Heading to printed verses. George IV has just come ashore, with a boat seen on the coast behind him and the royal yacht out in the water beyond; he carries a scepter in his right hand a large green bag on his back, the ties of which resemble antlers or horns above his head. A group of men with donkey ears greet him on the left; one man holds a flag showing two cows, and another a long document with the heading "Cows." Behind the King, on the right edge of the design, three men in uniform look on.
Description:
Title printed in letterpress below image., Date from manuscript annotation beneath lower right corner of image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Eight stanzas of verse in three columns below title, in letterpress: Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose gilded yacht has borne him to your shore ..., Four lines of text, printed in italics, at bottom of third column: The above stanzas were lately picked up on the shore near Cowes. The lines that are left out were illegible, apparently from the manuscript, which was torn, having been used in keeping a pair of refractory whiskers in good order., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum., Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted (with one other print) on leaf 75 in volume 2 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Figure of "George IV" identified in pencil below image; date "1821" written in ink beneath lower right corner of image.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, and Moss, Thomas, 1738 or 1739-1808.
Subject (Topic):
Adultery, Arrivals & departures, Scepters, Bags, Boats, Yachts, Flags, and Military uniforms
"George IV as Midas in O'Hara's burletta dances a pas seul, holding up his hands. He wears old-fashioned dress, with long flowered waistcoat and a large wig which falls back, revealing his own curled toupet. He sings, the words adapted from Midas's song (II. i), as in British Museum Satires No. 14241: 'Oh! what pleasures will abound, Now my Wife is laid in ground, Strange Earth does cover her. I can't dance over her. Never mind, she's laid in Ground! Oh! how happy I shall be When a young Nisy pigs with me, How I'll mumble her; Touze and tumble her; Sixty is not sixty three!!' In the middle distance (right) Eldon, in wig and gown, and Sidmouth as Pan dance together, the latter holding up a frothing tankard. Sidmouth has a bare torso, goat-skin breeches, and cloven-hoof shoes, but not the wreath of vine-leaves and grapes of Pan in the play. Eldon has dropped the mace and the purse of the Great Seal; he sings: 'Oh! how happy I should be Was but this the case with me Oh what prancery! I'd cut Chancery! What comfort then at home for me. How gloriously you then shall dine, Fish, Flesh, Fowl, wash'd down with Wine No more thinking, But keep drinking, Peace to her Soul with 9 times 9.' In the background (left) Castlereagh (Londonderry) and Sidmouth sit at a table outside a rustic Irish inn, with the sign of the Crown and the word Whisky on the lintel. The hostess brings a bowl of punch, saying to Liverpool: You have got the Old Gentleman in good humour at last. He answers: Yes and now we must get him a young wife to keep him so. Castlereagh holds a scourge, cf. British Museum Satires No. 14135."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attribution to Charles Williams and approximate date of publication from the British Museum catalogue., Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted on leaf 103 in volume 2 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Figures of "George IV" and "Sidmouth" identified in pencil below image; date "21 Aug. 1821" written in ink in lower right corner. Typed extract of eleven lines from the British Museum catalogue description is pasted beneath print.
Publisher:
Pubd. by J. Johnston, 98 Cheapside, London
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821, Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838, Liverpool, Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of, 1770-1828, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, O'Hara, Kane, 1714?-1782., and Pan (Greek deity)
Subject (Topic):
Death and burial, Dance, Wigs, Drinking vessels, Ceremonial maces, Taverns (Inns), and Whips
"The Regent, as Macheath, wearing military uniform and heavily shackled, stands between Mrs. Fitzherbert, who kneels at his feet (left) removing his leg-irons, and Lady Hertford (right), who stands beside him taking the fetters from his wrists (inscribed 'Restri[ctions]'), He sings "How happy could I be with either." Mrs. Fitzherbert, a long rosary dangling from her waist, says: "The Benediction of His Holiness light on the Defender of Our Faith." Lady Hertford, sultana-like in a jewelled turban, says: "You heard of the Row & the Rowly Powly Song before Our house the Other Night?!!" Behind and on the right Eldon stands full-face between Perceval and McMahon, who face each other in profile. Perceval, in his Chancellor of the Exchequer's gown, and holding a brief-bag, says: "The Greys won't move without their own Coachman tho the Brewer [Whitbread] has offerd his black to do the dirty Work." Eldon, in a huge wig, holds the Purse of the Great Seal; he says: "We must hire Jobs for the Night Work but we are Pro' Rogued." McMahon, in military uniform, has a number of ribbons and stars hanging over his arm; he says: "These Garters & Ribbonds are all returned." On the wall are two pictures: George Hanger, bestriding his pony (as in No. 8889) with a burly bailiff seated behind him, rides in the direction of a sign-post, with a noose hanging from it, pointing 'To the Kings Bench'. This is 'George & his Hanger On, takeing a ride together to a Lodging in Surry'. The other is Sheridan as Bacchus, but dressed as Harlequin (cf. British Museum Satires No. 9916), bestriding a cask of 'Old Sherry'."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Polly & Lucy taking off the restrictions, Polly and Lucy takeing off the restrictions, and Polly and Lucy taking off the restrictions
Description:
Title etched below image. and Watermark: J. Whatman.
Publisher:
Published March 1812 by J. Jonhston, 98 Cheapside
Subject (Name):
Gay, John, 1685-1732., George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Hertford, Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of, 1760-1834, Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837, Perceval, Spencer, 1762-1812, Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838, McMahon, John, approximately 1754-1817, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Hanger, George, 1751?-1824, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845., Whitbread, Samuel, 1764-1815., and Dionysus (Greek deity),
Subject (Topic):
Harlequin (Fictitious character), Military uniforms, British, Shackles, Religious articles, Turbans, Wigs, Bags, and Pictures
"The three witches of Macbeth, hooded and cloaked, each holding a broom, are Liverpool (left), Sidmouth and Castlereagh (right). They surround a huge cauldron inscribed 'Cast--gh & C° Brass Manufacturers Fecit.', each adding something to the flames which tower up from it, surrounded by heavy smoke. A winged Devil at the apex of the design empties into the cauldron the contents of an 'Infernal Green Bag'; from it fall a dagger, a leech, tiny figures, manacles, a razor, an antlered animal's head, many legal papers docketed 'Lies'. Others are contributed by the witches; papers inscribed: 'Divorce', 'Reports', 'Leach', and 'Cooke'. There are also flames under the pot, which, are tended by two naked demons, one with the head of Canning who uses bellows inscribed 'Mother Hunn' [see British Museum Satires No. 13617]; the other with the head of Wellington, who uses a red-hot 'Waterloo Poker'. The Canning-demon sits on the back of a naked female demon (? his mother) who is blowing the flames. On the extreme left and right, each attended by a 'Blue Devil' (cf. British Museum Satires No. 14598), stand George IV and the Duke of York. The King, his arms raised, exclaims: "Tell me ye d--n'd infernal Hags of Night, shall Fr--k reign?" [i.e. shall he get a divorce, remarry, and block his brother's succession, see No. 13789]. He stretches across the crown and sceptre which are on the ground. His Blue Devil, touching the George which is suspended from his neck, and his gartered leg ('Honi So[it]'), says: "All hail Macbeth! thou'rt now the cause of Laughter." The Duke of York, in uniform and holding a naked sword inscribed 'the Army', says: "I'll do!--I'll do!--I'll do!--" His attendant Blue Devil: "All hail Macduff!! that shall be K--g hereafter--." The witches chant their parodies. Liverpool: "In the Cauldron first we'll mingle, What shall make great Macbeth single; Oath of an Italian Slave-- Earth of Snuffy [Queen Charlotte] from the grave-- Blood of Radicals--and last In let the Divorce be cast, Hubble, bubble,Toil and trouble, Fire blase and Cauldron bubble!!--" Castlereagh: "Put in C--ke of Lincolns Inn, All that's evil, all that's sin, L--ch's honor--and Britain's shame, Put them in, and fan the flame, Now the broth is good and strong, Macbeth shall again be young." Sidmouth: "Cats, that draw the Soldiers blood, Chains, that bind the brave and good, Tongue of slander, Eye of hate, Mix--and now our charm's complete." He holds a scourge, the attribute of Castlereagh, cf. British Museum Satires No. 14135."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Shakespeare travestie and Shakespeare travesty
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted (with one other print) on leaf 54 in volume 1 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Figures of "George IV," "Liverpool," "Sidmouth," "Londonderry," "Wellington," and "Duke of York" identified in pencil at bottom of sheet; name of "Canning" added in pencil on mounting sheet, beneath his depiction in the print. Date "Aug. 1820" written in ink in lower right. Typed extract of two lines from the British Museum catalogue description is pasted beneath print.
Publisher:
Published August 1820 by John Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821., George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Liverpool, Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of, 1770-1828, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, Canning, George, 1770-1827, Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Frederick Augustus, Prince, Duke of York and Albany, 1763-1827, Leach, John, 1760-1834., and Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616.
Subject (Topic):
Politicians, Witches, Cauldrons, Capes (Clothing), Brooms & brushes, Fire, Bags, Devil, Daggers & swords, Worms, Demons, Whips, Divorce, Crowns, Scepters, Military uniforms, and British
Two stout ladies, dressed in long gowns, confront each other. Mrs. Fitzherbert (left) with her second the Prince of Wales faces in a confident manner the scowling and clumsy Mrs. Schwellenberg whose second, Pitt offers her a lemon. The furious German woman holds a massive sceptre in both her hands raised above her head ready to strick her opponent. All the figures have speech bubbles above their heads referencing the rights of the people, the Prince's morganatic marriage, Catholics, and the issue of money going to Germany
Alternative Title:
Political heat for Rege & Grege and Political heat for Rege and Grege
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Later state with the Prince's speech censored., Temporary local subject terms: Morganatic marriages: Prince of Wales's to Mrs. Fitzherbert -- Ficticious duels: Mrs. Fitzherbert and Mrs. Schwellenberg -- Allusion to Regency crisis, 1788 -- Lemons -- Literature: travesty of Nathaniel Lee's The rival queens., Watermark: Portal & Bridges., and Mounted to 27 x 38 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby 1, 1789, by S.W. Fores, N. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692., George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837, and Schwellenberg, Elizabeth Juliana, ca 1728-1797
Subject (Topic):
Marriage, Regency, Censorship, Crucifixes, Fighting, Lemons, Royal marriages, British, and Scepters
