"Boswell (left) rises in terror from his bed, at the sight of a headless man in Highland dress, the head replaced by a headsman's axe surmounted by a Scots cap. This spectre, irradiated, advances from the right and draws aside the curtain of the bed. Boswell's nightcap flies upwards from his head ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., One in a series of twenty plates by Rowlandson after S. Collings. See British Museum catalogue, v. 6, page 345., Plate from: Picturesque beauties of Boswell, Part the Second. [London] : [E. Jackson], [1786], Three lines of verse below title: "I had the most elegant room, by there was a fire in it that blazed, And the sea to which my windows looked roared, & the pillows were made of sea fowls feathers ..." Vide Journal p. 110., Sheet trimmed within plate mark, and Temporary local subject terms: Highland dress -- Scots cap -- Bed curtains -- Nightmare -- Headless spectre.
Publisher:
Publish'd May 15th, 1786, by E. Jackson, No. 14 Mary-le-bone Street, Golden Square
Subject (Name):
Boswell, James, 1740-1795 and Boswell, James, 1740-1795.
"The Prince of Wales (left) leads a goat with the head of Mrs. Fitzherbert (right) to the door of the forecourt of a large town-house, held partly open by the Duchess of York. She says, "O Dunder & Wonder! - what Cratur is dat which you are bringing here ? - relation of mine, indeed? - no, no! - me know no Nanny-goat-Princess! - so set off, with your bargain, you poor - Toasted - Cheese! you! - for she sha'nt come in here, to poison the house! - off! - off! - off." The Prince, who wears in his hat a leek, with his motto, 'ich dien', answers, "Not open the Toor ? - Cot-splutter-a-nails - when Nanny is come to see you, herself? - vhy isn't Nanny a Princess too ? - & a Velch Princess? - and hur is come to visit hur Brothers & hur Sisters! - & not to let hur in? why the Voman is mad, sure!" In place of a star he wears a medallion enclosing a pair of goat's horns. He holds his goat by a ribbon wreathed with roses. Mrs. Fitzherbert has goat's horns and wears a coronet with the Prince's feathers; she looks up at him with an expression of dignified surprise. ... The door of the Duke's house is surmounted by a pediment decorated with the Prussian eagle and pairs of doves (an emblem on the Duchess's state-bed, 'Lond. Chronicle', 21 Dec. 1792)"--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Prussian reception
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. July 12th, 1792, by H. Humphrey, N. 18 Old Bond Street
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Frederica Charlotte Ulrica Catherina, Princess, Duchess of York, 1767-1820, and Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837
Subject (Topic):
Emblems, Goats, Lanterns, National emblems, Welsh, and Prussian
"A vulture with the head of Pitt (in profile to the left) grasps in the left claw the Crown and sceptre, in the other (outstretched) the coronet of the Prince of Wales; the latter he crushes under the weight of his powerful talons, while he bites at the Prince's feathers, one of which he has already plucked out. The gorged bird's bulging breast is inscribed 'Treasury'; under the crown lies 'Magna Charta', torn. The spread of the creature's Avmgs and the stretch of its long heck towards the feathers give an impression of savage rapacity."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Temporary local subject terms: Allusion to Treasury -- Birds: vulture -- Magna Charta -- Prince of Wales's coronet -- Crowns -- Sceptres -- Allusion to Regency crisis, 1788., Watermark: fleur-de-lis on crowned shield., and Mounted to 29 x 38 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Jany. 3d, 1789, by H. Humphrey, New Bond St.
"The lady sits facing her reflection in a pier-glass. She wears a plain muslin gown with long sleeves and holds an open book: 'Delphine'. Her hair is cropped; the maid holds the brown wig with tight curls which she is about to place on her mistress's head. The dressing-table has been pushed to the left; the end remaining in view is covered with bottles of 'Honey Water', 'Eau de Cologne', 'Otto de Rose', and 'Esprit de . . .', &c. On a plain table beside the maid (right) are an open box labelled 'Ross's Elastic Wigs' [cf. No. 11597], a bottle of 'Huile Antique', two small combs, and a tiny hair-brush. The doors of the book-case are open showing volumes inscribed 'Tales of Wonder' [see No. 9932], 'Fashionable . . . Me . . .', 'Faublais' [two], 'Uncle Thoma[s]', 'Rosa Matilda'. The picture on the wall is 'Noon', a lady walking with an open parasol. In the foreground are an open coffer with a garment hanging from it, the lap-dog sleeping on a stool, an open music-book, 'Opera Dances', with pan-pipes. On a chair are a cloak and large cylindrical bonnet. Another table stands against the wall, heavy and ornate, supported on pilasters like a chimney-piece. On it is a different vase of flowers from that in No. 11608."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Progress of the toilet : the wig
Description:
Title etched below image, following series title and preceding plate number. and Second of three prints in a series entitled: Progress of the toilet.
Publisher:
Publish'd February 26th, 1810, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
"A tun of 'Wine' lies on solid trestles inscribed 'Treasury Bench'. From its huge bung-hole emerges the naked body of Pitt, as Bacchus, crowned with vine branches. He leans back tipsily, a brimming glass in each hand. Behind him stands Dundas as Silenus, fat, and partly draped in tartan; his right hand grasps Pitt's shoulder, in his left he holds up a brimming glass. He also is crowned with vine branches. Bunches of grapes hang down from a vine above their heads and are indicated as a background to the cask whose trestles are on a dais covered with a fringed carpet. Opposite the tun stands John Bull in profile to the left, looking up at Pitt, hat in hand; in his left hand is a lank purse, under his arm three empty bottles. He is a yokel, with lank hair and hydrocephalic head, wearing a smock and wrinkled gaiters. He says: "Pray Mr Bacchus have a bit of consideration for old John; - you know as how I've emptied my Purse already for you - & its waundedly hard to raise the price of a drop of Comfort, now that one's got no Money left for to pay for it!!!" Pitt says: "Twenty Pounds a T-Tun, ad-additional Duty i-i-if you d-d-don't like it at that, why t-t-t-then Dad & I will keep it all for o-o-our own Drinking, so here g-g-goes old Bu-Bu-Bull & Mouth!!! - "."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Triumph of Bacchus & Silenus and Triumph of Bacchus and Silenus
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Wine duty, 1796 -- Mythology: Bacchus -- Silenus -- Containers: wine casks -- Allusion to Treasury., and Watermark: I Taylor.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 20th, 1796, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, and Dionysus (Greek deity)
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Taxes, Wine, Grapes, Barrels, and Purses
"A semicircle of spectators, seated and standing, crowded one behind the other, watch the performance of the pig, who stands before a row of initial letters, one of which he holds in his mouth. Over the chimney-piece is a placard, 'The Surprising PIG well versed in all Languages, perfect Arethmatician Mathematician & Composer of Musick'. On the right wall of the room hangs a large shoe."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Watermark: Portal & Bridges.
Publisher:
Published by S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly, April 12th, 1785 & F. Clarkson, No. 73 St. Paul's Church Yard
"Two men lie in the small truckle-beds (i.e., trundle bed) of a cheap lodging-house, one (left) asleep. An old woman holding a candle kneels at the foot of the other bed, and tugs at the wooden leg of its occupant. She says: "There is nothing like looking after Servants I always like to see that my lodgers are comfortable. --Aye here's a pretty careless trick--the warming pan left in the gentleman's bed I declare". Its owner, an angry sailor, shouts: "Hollo --Avast heaving Zounds dont pull off my timber--I went to bed half seas over and forgot to stow it alongside the hammock"."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state
Alternative Title:
Careful landlady
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker identified as Rowlandson and artist questionably identified as Woodward in the British Museum catalogue., Reissue of a print apparently first published 10 May 1809; in this reissued state, the day and year of publication in imprint are heavily scored through but still legible. For a later state with beginning of imprint burnished from plate, see no. 11466 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8., and Plate numbered "300" in upper right corner.
Publisher:
Pubd. May [10th, 1809, by] Thos. Tegg, No. 111 Cheapside
"Fox stands in the House of Commons, making a speech; in his right hand he holds out a paper: 'Speech on the 'Rights of the P------'; in his left is an 'Explanation of that Speech'. He faces the table on which are piled large folios: 'Statutes at Large', 'Magna Charta', 'Principles of the Constitution', 'Rights of the People'. He says, "all these I'll devour next". Behind him on the ground are two open books: 'Jus Divinum of Kings' and 'Principles of Toryism &c.' The benches behind him are packed with intent listeners, some dismayed, some admiring. North, a bandage over his eyes, sits on the extreme right, next him is Burke. The end of the gallery (left) is visible; listeners hang over to watch Fox."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Rowlandson in the British Museum catalogue., Five lines of text below title: Advertisment extraordinary. This is to inform the public ..., and Mounted to 27 x 40 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Dec. 30th 1788, by S. Fores No. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons., Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, and North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792
"Fox stands on a dais at the head of a rough table, the seat from which he has risen is magnificent, above it is the inscription 'Vive la Libertè' surmounted by a bonnet-rouge. He is held up (left) by Combe, the Lord Mayor, a pompous figure in gown and chain, and (right) by Erskine. The former holds a 'Petition to ye Throne; - or a new way to Combe the Ministers Wig'; the latter grasps a bottle of 'Brand[y]'. Fox is melancholy, and his swollen legs cannot support unaided his vast bulk. Before him is a frothing pot of 'Whitbread's Entire' (cf. BMSat 8638). Only the guests on Fox's right and left are visible; they are Grey (or perhaps Byng), [Incorrectly identified in Wright and Evans as Sir J. Sinclair. Identifications of Grey by Lord Holland appear conclusive, but he is identified in 'London und Paris' as Byng, M.P. for Middlesex, and he resembles the Byng of BMSat 8782.] turning to watch his chief, and Tierney, looking gloomily before him. Behind Tierney are the heads of a butcher, with marrow-bone and cleaver, and a chimney-sweep with brush and shovel. All listen intently to Fox, who says: "Gentlemen, you see I'm grown quite an Old Man in your Service! Twenty Years I've served you, & always upon the same Principles; - I rejoic'd at the Success of our Enemies in the American War! - & the War against the Virtuous French Republic has always met with my most determined opposition! - but the Infamous Ministry will not make Peace with our Enemies, & are determin'd to keep Me out of their Councils & out of Place! - therefore Gentlemen! as their Principles are quite different from mine, & as I am now too Old to form myself according to their Systems, my attendance in Parliament is useless: - & to say the truth, I feel that my season of action is past, & I must leave to younger Men to Act, for alas! my failings & weaknesses will not let me now recognise what is for the best!""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Last dying speech of the Westminster representative ...
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed to plate mark at the top and bottom., Temporary local subject terms: Speeches: C.J. Fox's speech, October 10, 1800 -- Allusion to the War of American Independence -- Allusion to Napoleonic wars-- Taverns: Shakespeare Tavern, London -- Lord Mayor of London -- Chairs: thrones -- Emblems: cap of liberty as bonnet rouge -- Dishes: tankards -- Beverages: Whitbread's Entire (beer) -- Reference to Samuel Whitbread, 1758-1815 -- Petitions: London Livery's petition -- Furniture: chairs -- Spirits: brandy -- Harvey Christian Combe, 1752-1818., and Mounted to 48 x 30 cm.
Publisher:
Publishd. October 13th, 1800, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Tierney, George, 1761-1830, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, and Byng, George, 1764-1847
