"John Palmer (left), striding across a miniature circular tower surrounded by a moat, falls back under the attacks of two men on the other side of the moat. He wears pseudo-Elizabethan dress, with a cloak; his feathered hat falls off. On his arm, in place of a shield, is a document inscribed 'Licence . . . Wild-moat'; he drops from his right hand a paper inscribed 'Tower Privilege'. Cornwallis, saying, "I am down again". Miniature cannon are firing from the tower. Facing him, one foot on an upturned tub inscribed 'For the Use of Cov: Gar. Wardrobe', is a man wearing nightcap, dressing-gown, and slippers, with an apron, who is about to hurl a bar inscribed 'Castile Soap', saying, "I am a Gentleman, you Vagabond"; on his left arm, in place of a shield, is a paper inscribed 'An Act for regulating the Stage'. He is probably George Colman. Beside him, his left arm in a sling, a young man (? Colman the younger) discharges at Palmer a blast from a pistol inscribed 'Breach of Articles'. Three spectators stand close together on the right, saying, "Mr Palmer, we must oppose: we told you so at Christmas!" They are Sheridan and probably his partners, Linley and Dr. Ford. In the background (right) is a building inscribed 'Circus', in front of which a man stands on one toe on the back of a galloping horse, while a monkey stands on its head on the back of a pig; the pig's saddle is inscribed 'Jacko'; from its mouth issues 'ABC', representing Astley's, General Jacko, and the Learned Pig (see BMSat 6715, &c); a scroll issuing in a curve from Astley and Jacko is inscribed 'We shall all Play'. In the moat are frogs and the bodies of two tiny women, Tragedy and Comedy, one holding a cup and dagger, the other a mask."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Series title etched in upper right corner of plate. For another print in the series, see No. 7171 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Sheet trimmed to plate mark on one side., and Temporary local subject terms: Male costume: Pseudo-Elizabethan -- Male costume: night clothes -- Unlicensed theatres: Royalty Theatre -- Allusion to Covent Garden -- Learned pigs -- Castile soap -- Lighting: rushlights -- Slings -- Body of Tragedy -- Body of Comedy -- Moats -- Guns: Pistols -- Miniature cannons -- Stage properties: tub -- Horace Walpole refers to print -- Towers -- Circuses: Astley's Circus -- Performing monkies: General Jacko.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 30, 1787, by S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Palmer, John, 1742?-1798, Astley, Philip, 1742-1814., Cornwallis, Charles Cornwallis, Marquis, 1738-1805., Colman, George, 1732-1794, Colman, George, 1762-1836, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Linley, Thomas, 1733-1795, and Ford, Edward, 1746-1809
"Three handsome young men, stooping slightly, walk languidly arm-in-arm along a pavement in profile to the left. They have a strong family resemblance, with variations in profile and in the size of their whiskers. They are dressed alike, except for differently curving hat-brims, in tail-coats with sleeves gathered at the shoulder, but without the clumsy bulk of the Jean-de-Bry, cf. BMSat 9425, stocks resembling those worn by Skeffington, see BMSat 9557, but less extravagantly swathed, frilled shirts, double-breasted outer waitcoats, riding-breeches, and boots with deep tops. Their long powdered hair is tied, and their coats are thickly frosted with powder, cf. BMSat 8190. They do not carry canes."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Mounted to 38 x 26 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 16th, 1803, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Outside a tavern called The Whirligig, Col. Tarleton brandishes his sword while making a boastful speech about his military exploits. Behind him stands the Prince of Wales, headless, but identifiable by the ostrich plumes which replace his features. Above the tavern door the figure of a prostitute serves as the sign of the house
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Text following title: Vide: Every man in his humour, alter'd from Ben Johnson., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. Augt. 20th, 1782, by Eh. D'Achery, St. James's Street
Subject (Geographic):
England
Subject (Name):
Tarleton, Lieutenant-General 1754-1833 (Banastre), and George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
"In the centre of the design is the Coronation Chair (in Westminster Abbey), raised on four steps. Britannia on the right of the Chair takes the hand of the Prince of Wales, who is on the left, to lead him up to it; each rests a foot on the lowest step, inscribed 'Voice of the People'. The other steps are 'Public Safety', 'Patriotism', 'Virtue'. Britannia points with her left hand at Pitt and three maniacal and screaming Furies on the right whom she is putting to flight. She says: "I have been long deceiv'd by Hypocrisy but have at last discovered an Intention of sacrifising the rights of my people to satisfy a private ambition". Pitt, fleeing terror-struck, turns his head to say: A long farewell to all my greatness. From his pocket protrude papers inscribed 'Shop Tax' and Commutation. The Furies are half-naked hags with writhing serpents for hair; one, whose belt is inscribed 'Falshood', holds in one hand serpents, in the other a flaming torch inscribed 'Rebellion'; 'Envy' tears her hair, shrieking. The British lion, beside Pitt, looks from behind Britannia's shield at his mistress, roaring angrily. The Prince is being ushered to the throne by 'Liberty' and Justice, who are pretty young women carrying their accustomed symbols. Commerce reclines on the extreme left, leaning on a bale inscribed 'Commerce', and looking admiringly up at her two companions. The Lord Mayor, followed by other citizens, advances from the left, carrying the mace; the arms of the City decorate his gown. He says: "Whilst we mourn the occasion we must feel ourselves happy in reflecting that we are blessed by a Prince whose wisdom will protect our liberties, whose Virtues will afford stability to Empire". The background is a wall with Gothic mouldings and windows. A crown is suspended above the Chair."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Rowlandson in the British Museum catalogue., Date of publication from British Museum catalogue; a questionable date of 1783 is given by Grego., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830 and Pitt, William, 1759-1806
On the right, John Bull, standing next to a broken anchor, raises his arms in despair saying, "'Tis lost! Irrecoverably lost!" Above his head, a demon flies away with a partially rolled up map of America while a Frenchman standing to his right offers him snuff as consolation. Behind the Frenchman, an angry Spaniard points to the rock of Gibraltar in the background and the exploding ships below it. On the far left, a Dutchman watches the scene in front of him
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted to 28 x 42 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Aprl. 14th, 1783, by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Gibraltar and Great Britain
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Dutch, French, Spanish, History, Foreign relations, Anchors, Demons, and Clothing & dress
"On the right is 'The old Building', an inn of old-fashioned construction with a projecting upper story and attic, representing Great Britain or the Constitution. On the left is the king, apparently asleep, driving off to Hanover in a coach with a crown on its roof. Two men and a barefooted woman who holds up two naked infants kneel beside the coach in attitudes of despairing entreaty. In the upper left corner of the print, above the coach, an eye looks towards the 'Old House' labelled, 'Turn out those Robbers and repair the House'. The robbers in possession are members of the Coalition. The lowest story, stone-built and solid but sinking beneath the weight of the upper floors, is inscribed 'Public Credit', a large padlocked gate being inscribed 'Funds'. Outside it sits Fox, in the form of a fox, on a stone inscribed 'Protector'; he points towards the padlock. A chain attached to his waist is attached to a curving pillar, inscribed 'Coalition', which is the bending support of a balcony. Beside him, seated on a turnstile, is North saying, "Give me my Ease And do as you Please". On the other side of the gateway the crown stands on a block inscribed 'To be Sold'. The first floor is supported by two massive beams or props, one, 'The Lords', being intact (indicating the part taken by the Lords in rejecting the India Bill), the other, 'Prerogative of the Crown', is almost chopped through by one of two lawyers in a first-floor window inscribed 'ye two Lawyers'; he sits with one leg over the sill wielding an axe. Beside him projects from a beam the sign of the house, 'Magna Charta', a torn document with a pendant seal; the signboard is dropping down. He is Lee the Attorney-General, pilloried for his speech on the East India Company's Charter, see British Museum Satires No. 6364, &c. Next him is another lawyer, who shakes his clenched fist towards 'Magna Charta'. He is perhaps James Mansfield (1733-1821) who succeeded Lee as Solicitor-General (Nov. 19) on the death of Wallace. The first-floor balcony, an excrescence on the original structure supported by the pillar Coalition, extends round the corner of the house above Fox and North. It is filled with revellers: a harlequin leans over it, next him is Burke, who blows a long trumpet from which issue the words 'Sheridan Sheridan Sheridan dan Sheridan', pointing towards a group on his left which includes a man (Sheridan?) flourishing a bottle and dressed as a clown or zany (cf. British Museum Satires No. 7273), and two women, one of whom resembles the Duchess of Devonshire. Beside her a large flag projects from the balcony, 'Man of the People'; on it is a fox's brush. On the rails of the balcony is a placard 'Here's the Whore of Babylon the Devil and the Pope'. The wall behind is inscribed 'The old Building'. The projecting windowless attic or cornice is divided, in front of the house into partitions numbered from 1 to 10. Round the corner (right) the wall is inscribed 'The accursed 10 years American War fomented by opposition and misconducted by a timid Minister'. The roof is composed of stones or large irregular slates, on each of which is the word 'Tax', showing that the security of the house is endangered by the weight of taxes. On it sits a bird, probably a raven of ill omen."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
View of the old house in Little Brittain and View of the old house in Little Britain
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Letter "S" in "Strand" in imprint is etched backwards., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted to 29 x 46 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Ian. 23, 1784, by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and England
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Lee, John, 1733-1793, Mansfield, James, Sir, 1733-1821, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, and Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Taverns (Inns), Foxes, Clowns, and Carriages & coaches
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark with loss of imprint statement; imprint from Beinecke Library impression., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires. For later version etched by Rowlandson, see no. 9681, v. 7., and Temporary local subjects: Gout -- Food -- Suckling pig -- Pluralists.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 25, 1786, by H. Brookes, Coventry Street
Subject (Geographic):
England. and England
Subject (Topic):
Tithes, Church of England, Gout, Clergy, and Swine
Toothache, or, Torment and torture, Torment & torture, and Torment and torture
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
Publisher:
Published August 1, 1823, by John Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill
Subject (Topic):
Toothache, Dentistry, Quacks and quackery, Dental equipment & supplies, Pain, Birdcages, Wigs, and Dogs
"Round a bare and decayed oak-tree is twined a serpent with the head of Fox; he has scaly arms with human hands and holds out a damaged apple inscribed 'Reform', saying, "nice Apple, Johnny! - nice Apple". John Bull (left) is a fat and squat yokel, wearing the Windsor uniform of blue coat with red collar and cuffs. The pockets of his coat and waistcoat bulge with round golden apples. His back is to Fox, towards whom he looks out of the corners of his eyes, saying: "Very nice N'apple indeed! - but my Pokes are all full of Pippins from off t'other Tree: & besides, I hates Medlars, they're so domn'd rotten! that I'se afraid they'll gie me the Guts-ach for all their vine looks!" Fox's scaly tail is coiled round the upper branches; its tip issues from a large cap of 'Liberté', decorated with tricolour cockade and ribbons, which is poised on a branch. The trunk of the tree is 'Opposition'; its roots are: 'Envy', 'Ambition', 'Disappointment'. The main branches are 'Rights of Man' (see BMSat 7867, &c.) and 'Profligacy'. Each rotten apple or medlar has an inscription: 'Democracy.', 'Treason.', 'Slavery.', 'Atheism.', 'Blasphemy.', 'Plunder.', 'Murder.', 'Whig Club', 'Impiety', 'Revolution', 'Conspiracy', 'Corresponding Society', 'Deism', 'Age of Reason' (Paine's deistic book). In the background (right) is an oak in full leaf: its trunk is 'Justice', the roots 'Commons', 'King', 'Lords', the branches 'Laws' and 'Religion'. From it hangs a crown surrounded by 'pippins', some inscribed 'Freedom', 'Happiness', 'Security'. (Cf. BMSat 8287, &c.)."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Liberty: tree of liberty -- Uniforms: Windsor uniform -- Literature: Thomas Paine's Rights of Man -- Vices -- Cap of liberty as bonnet rouge -- Serpents -- Reforms., and Watermark: 1794.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 23d, 1798, by H. Humphrey, No. 27 St. Jamess [sic] Street, London
"The triumphal procession (l. to r.) of a hideous negress symbolizing Quassia, a drug obtained from the Quassia tree, which is supposed to have supplanted hops in brewing. She sits astride a drayman's pole (as in BMSat 10580, &c), from which is suspended horizontally a cask inscribed 'True Quassia Free from Taxation'; the pole is supported on the shoulders of two brewers, Whitbread (r.), and Combe (l.). She holds up in one hand a branch of the noxious tree, with a (tricolour) scroll: 'Kill-Devil [rum] for ever', and in the other a frothing tankard inscribed 'Quos-sia'. This is irradiated, the rays being inscribed 'Apoplexy', 'Palsy', 'Consumption', 'Debility', 'Colic', 'Stupor', 'Dropsy', 'Scurvy', 'Dysentery', 'Hæmorrhoids', 'Hydrophobia', 'Idiotism'. A third brewer, the very corpulent George Barclay, follows on the extreme left., waving his hat. He holds up a (tricolour) standard: 'Pro bono Publico - Quassia for Ever, - No Hops! no Malt! Down with all the Private Breweries! - Kill-Devil and Quassia for Ever!' From his apron projects a book: 'Receipts to make a Cauliflour Head'. In front of the procession is a dray-horse, with dangling chains which show that the barrel has been detached from them; its head is cut off by the r. margin. On its back sits the bulky Grenville between Fox and Petty who clings to his waist. All are in court dress, and exultingly wave their cocked hats, which, like the hats of the brewers, are decorated with large tricolour favours inscribed 'Quassia for Ever'. On the horse is a pannier with a (tricolour) label: 'Grains from the Quassia Breweries for the New Piggery' [cf. BMSat 10540]; this, like the riders' pockets, is overflowing with guineas. From Petty's hat fall two bundles of papers: 'Tax upon Private Brewer[ies]' and 'Tax upon Maid-Servants'. Whitbread, who looks round at the spectator, has a favour in his hat larger than the others and having the additional inscription. 'No Private Breweries - Impeachment of Malt & Hops! No Scotch Barley', indicating his charges against Melville (see BMSat 10576, &c). On the groun lie broken hop-poles, with hop-vines still attached to them. Behind are conical stacks of hop-poles 'To be Sold for Fire-Wood'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image. and Mounted to 31 x 39 cm.; annotations in modern hand along lower margin of sheet and mount.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 10th, 1806, by H. Humphrey, St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863, Whitbread, Samuel, 1764-1815, and Combe, Harvey Christian, 1752-1818
