A satire on governmental policy towards America, depicting the deck of a sailing ship, with George III at the helm between 2 large masts. Behind him is the tartan-clad Earl of Bute, and at the rail the Devil casts the lead, announcing "no bottom." The King is depicted as saying "I trust all to you Sawney for I cannot see twice the length of my nose," while Bute reponds "Steady boy, steady and never fear while I am at the cun & my trusty friend at the lead, my dog vane is infallable." On the right of the print near a mast, a sailor warns another Scotsman that the ship is about to strike "the breakers of America" to which the latter replies "Hold your peace man; my Lord has provided cork jackets for all of his party as soon as this damned ship is wreck'd."
Alternative Title:
Royal George's cruise in the year two thousand seven hundred seventy-seven
Description:
Title from item., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Mounted to 27 x 37 cm., and Ownership mark, a rubber-stamped Tudor rose below image on right; pencilled annotations in lower margin.
Publisher:
Pubd. by J. Williams bookseller, near the Mitre Tavern Fleet Street
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and America.
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820. and Bute, John Stuart, Earl of, 1713-1792.
Subject (Topic):
Colonies, Sailing ships, Helms, Devil, and Sailors
Illustration to William Combe's satirical poem of the same title. An elderly Devil crowns his successor (Simon Luttrell, Lord Irnham) who mounts the throne on the left. Behind Irnham are 5 unsuccessful contenders for the Devil's office, including at far right, Charles Fox as Volpone with the head of a fox. In the background stands a distraught man in chains, while dragons and demons fly overhead and to the side
Description:
Title etched above image., Sheet trimmed into plate mark., In plate above image, upper right: Lond. Mag. March 1777., Quotation from Milton in plate below image: "To reign is worth ambition, tho' in Hell.", An illustration from the London Magazine, vol. 46 p. 152., and Mounted to 23 x 29 cm.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806. and Carhampton, Simon Luttrell, Earl of, 1713-1787.
