"Whitbread, his body, limbs, and head covered by tubs of varying shapes and sizes, raises a drayman's pole, to which is attached a hooked chain to smite the drooping head of a thistle with the features of Melville, his profile facing the ground; the flower forms a spiky coronet. The stem is inscribed 'Me quisque impune lacerrit' (replacing the 'nemo me impune ...' of the motto of the Order of the Thistle). Whitbread's heavy pole is 'Tenth Report'. The tub on his body is 'Wormwood', those on his legs are 'Quashee' [Quassia] and 'Aloes' (allegations of adulteration against his beer, cf. British Museum Satires No. 10574). He tramples on torn papers: 'Trial by Peers' and 'Magna Charta'. Another torn paper is 'Criminal Prosecution by the Atty General'. A large intact paper is: 'New Law Inquisition Committees Torture Question Thumb Screw Peine forte [et dure]'. On the right is a ruinous ale-house, before the door of which Fox sits astride on a large cask. He holds a big frothing tankard and watches Whitbread with cynical satisfaction. The head of the cask is inscribed 'Old Hollan[ds] For Ullage Cas[k] defict . . . Millions.' (An allusion to his father, Lord Holland, as the 'public defaulter of unaccounted millions', a gibe recurring over a long period, referring to the City Petition of 1769, cf. British Museum Satires No. 9739, &c.) Beside him a man in Highland dress, resembling Lauderdale, leans against the building, watching the outrage with frank pleasure. From a broken first-floor window leans Wilberforce, a sour sectary in a steeple-crowned hat inscribed 'Puritanism'. His hands are clasped; he says: "I say. Amen to all Cantwell." Above his head is a placard: 'Hymns & Spiritual Songs on the Slave Trade by St Wilber.' From his window projects a sign-board with a bust profile portrait of St. Vincent, hunch-backed and wearing a ribbon, inscribed 'System of Terror' and 'Hoc Signo non Vincent.' [Parodying the often-quoted in 'hoc signo vinces', the inscription on a vision of a fiery cross, to which legend attributed the conversion of Constantine. The 'non' is added inconspicuously with a caret.] On the building is a torn placard: 'performed The Tragedy Timon of [Athens] Lord Timon Mr Melville Lucullus a false friend & Kinsman Mr Kinhard [Kinnaird] little more than Kin and less than kind Scotch Reel &c.' Facing the ale-house, and on the extreme left, is the corner of the poop of a ship, the Romney. From this projects a hand aiming a blunderbuss inscribed 'Pophams Defence' at the sign-board; a blast of flame and smoke issues from it. On the ship is a board inscribed 'Wanted Supply of naval Stores Inquire within'. Below her is a faint wraith-like ship, 'Melville Castle', whose poop and (unrigged) masts are behind the drooping thistle."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Signed with the monogram of James Sayers., Six line of verse below title: Sansterre [sic] forsook his malt and grains, to mash and batter nobles brains, by lev'lling rancour led; Our brewer quits brown stout and washey, his malt his mash tub and his quashee, to mash a thistle's head., and Mounted to 48 x 34 cm.
Publisher:
Published by H. Humphrey, St. James's St.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Whitbread, Samuel, 1764-1815, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833, and Popham, Home Riggs, 1762-1820
Subject (Topic):
Barrels, Thistles, Taverns (Inns), Signs (Notices), and Ships
Fox and North stand on the left side of a broken bridge, while on the other side the King is bent over displaying his posterior in their direction, holding his crown out between his legs. The road that Fox and North stand on is labelled "Road to Preferment" and the broken timbers of the bridge are inscribed "War Office", "Treasury", "Admiralty", etc. St. James's Palace is partly visible on the right
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted to 28 x 39 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the act directs, Jany. 17 1784, by J. Smith & sold at No. 2 Pedlars Acre Westr. Bridge
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820., Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., and North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792.
"Fox (three quarter length), very obese, stands (left) blowing soap-bubbles from a long pipe, with an expression of calculating complacency; these contain heads of Lord John Townshend and other Foxites. He stands beside a tub of soap-suds (right), inscribed 'Coalition Washing Tub', in which are two heads with closed eyes, one (left) is North, the other is (?) Burke. It stands on a block of masonry inscribed 'Portland Stone' (Portland being the nominal leader of the Coalition). Beside the tub are piles of guineas, some arranged on a paper inscribed 'Devonshire Sope'. The head contained in the bubble which is leaving the bowl of the pipe is exploding; the smoke and flames are inscribed 'Towns End' showing that he is Lord John Townshend. The largest bubble contains a head of the Prince of Wales and is inscribed 'Ich dien'. Between this and Townshend's bubble are six others, containing the heads of Burke, the Duke of Portland, the Duke of Norfolk, Sheridan, Lord Stormont, and Hanger. In the upper left corner is another bubble containing the head of (?) Windham, while a bubble, the lower part only of which is visible, contains a mouth and cheek resembling those of Lord Carlisle in caricature."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Publisher's name, faintly visible at end of imprint but illegible, appears to have been burnished from plate., "Price 1 s.", Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted on leaf 43 of volume 2 of 12.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Townshend, John, 1757-1833, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Portland, William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Duke of, 1738-1809, Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815, Mansfield, David Murray, Earl of, 1727-1796, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, and Hanger, George, 1751?-1824
John Bull frightened out of his money and John Bull frightened out of his wits
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., The word "money" in the title has been scored through and replaced by the word "wits"., Printseller's announcement following publication statement: Folios of caricatures lent out for the evening., Temporary local subject terms: Telegraphs -- Coins: guineas -- Reference to French invasion., and Watermark: Strasburg bend.
Publisher:
Pub. by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, and Lauderdale, James Maitland, Earl of, 1759-1839
"An election mob in which Townshend and his supporters, as butchers, are violently attacking the populace with cleavers and marrow-bones. They wear aprons with butchers' steels dangling from the waist. George Hanger (right), his hat decorated with three ostrich feathers and the coronet of the Prince of Wales, raises a cleaver in both hands and threatens two constables with staves who fall backwards, wounded or terrified. He is in violent action, one foot rests on the unconscious body of a sailor whose face is gashed and bleeding. In the sailor's hand is a flag with a ship and the words 'Royal Navy'; on this Townshend, who uses his marrow-bone and cleaver as a musical instrument, not as weapons, is trampling. Behind Hanger, Fox, climbing above the crowd, is violently smashing the sign of 'The King's Head' (a bust portrait of the King) which is over a door inscribed 'Martin'. In the foreground a woman half-lying on the ground tries to protect her screaming infant from a cleaver and bone brandished by Sheridan. On the extreme left Lord Derby attacks a kneeling sailor with a wooden leg. Behind Sheridan, Burke raises a cleaver in both hands, and behind him the Duke of Norfolk waves a flag inscribed 'Townsend and Liberty'. Behind is a dense crowd brandishing cleavers and bones, while others attempt to escape. On the right are houses inscribed 'James Str[eet]', the houses of Covent Garden are indicated on the left."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Text right of title: Price 1 s., and Mounted to 32 x 44 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. July [...]th. by H. Humphrey, New Bond St.
Subject (Geographic):
England and Westminster
Subject (Name):
Hanger, George, 1751?-1824, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Coleraine, George Hanger, Baron, 1751?-1824, and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Elections, 1788, Axes, Butchers, Crowds, Political elections, Riots, Sailors, British, Signs (Notices), and Taverns (Inns)
Title from caption etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Printseller's announcement follows imprint: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening., Temporary local subject terms: Pineapple -- Decanters -- Candleabra -- Opposition., and Modern ms. annotations on mount identifies most figures in print; mounted to 31 x 45 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 12th, 1804 by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville, Marquess of, 1753-1813, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
"The beam of a pair of scales is suspended from a vertical bar terminating in a ring which encircles one of many solid rays from a large sun (l.) surmounted by the Prince of Wales' coronet and feathers. The 'Rising-Sun' (see BMSat 10258) is partly obscured by dark clouds, but its rays extend across the design and illuminate especially Sidmouth and Ellenborough. The former is poised triumphantly on the cross-beam, depressing the r. scale with his foot, while he holds on his shoulders Ellenborough in judge's wig and gown, who manipulates the scale in the same direction. This lower scale contains the 'Broad-Bottomites' ie the Grenvillites, or New Opposition, the other, the 'No-Bottomites', i.e. the Foxites, or Old Opposition. In the latter (l.) the occupants hold the ropes with expressions of anxiety; the inscription suggests that they lack 'bottom' or endurance (a pugilistic phrase). Fox is the most prominent, between Erskine (l.), in Chancellor's wig and gown and with the Purse of the Great Seal, and Grey (r.). Moira, in cocked hat and regimentals, stands stiffly behind. Fox and Grey have bonnets rouges but do not wear them. The other bowl contains Grenville, one hand on his fat nephew Lord Temple; the heavy posteriors for which the family were noted take up much of the bowl. Windham waves his hat triumphantly. Of two other partly obscured occupants one resembles Lord Henry Petty. The scales are suspended above the curve of the globe on which Great Britain and the Continent are indicated. Behind the North Pole (r.) is a setting sun containing a royal crown; its feeble rays are outshone by the heavy beams of the rising sun (or son). Above it, among clouds, flies the ghost of Pitt, weeping."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Two lines of text following title: NB. The representation of the astonishing strength & influence of the rays from the rising-sun is taken from Sir Isaac Newtons theory of light., and Mounted to 45 x 32 cm.; figures identified by ms. annotations in modern hand along lower margin of print.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 16th, 1806, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos, Duke of, 1776-1839, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863, and Pitt, William, 1759-1806
"The beam of a pair of scales is suspended from a vertical bar terminating in a ring which encircles one of many solid rays from a large sun (l.) surmounted by the Prince of Wales' coronet and feathers. The 'Rising-Sun' (see BMSat 10258) is partly obscured by dark clouds, but its rays extend across the design and illuminate especially Sidmouth and Ellenborough. The former is poised triumphantly on the cross-beam, depressing the r. scale with his foot, while he holds on his shoulders Ellenborough in judge's wig and gown, who manipulates the scale in the same direction. This lower scale contains the 'Broad-Bottomites' ie the Grenvillites, or New Opposition, the other, the 'No-Bottomites', i.e. the Foxites, or Old Opposition. In the latter (l.) the occupants hold the ropes with expressions of anxiety; the inscription suggests that they lack 'bottom' or endurance (a pugilistic phrase). Fox is the most prominent, between Erskine (l.), in Chancellor's wig and gown and with the Purse of the Great Seal, and Grey (r.). Moira, in cocked hat and regimentals, stands stiffly behind. Fox and Grey have bonnets rouges but do not wear them. The other bowl contains Grenville, one hand on his fat nephew Lord Temple; the heavy posteriors for which the family were noted take up much of the bowl. Windham waves his hat triumphantly. Of two other partly obscured occupants one resembles Lord Henry Petty. The scales are suspended above the curve of the globe on which Great Britain and the Continent are indicated. Behind the North Pole (r.) is a setting sun containing a royal crown; its feeble rays are outshone by the heavy beams of the rising sun (or son). Above it, among clouds, flies the ghost of Pitt, weeping."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Two lines of text following title: NB. The representation of the astonishing strength & influence of the rays from the rising-sun is taken from Sir Isaac Newtons theory of light., 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 35.4 x 25.0 cm, on sheet 39.1 x 27.9 cm., Watermark: J. Whatman 1813., and Mounted on leaf 14 of volume 6 of 12.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 16th, 1806, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos, Duke of, 1776-1839, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863, and Pitt, William, 1759-1806
"George III stands passively in profile to the right while members of the new ministry fix shackles to his wrists and ankles. He is saying, "Oh! my misguided People". Rockingham is walking off (right) holding the crown in his right hand, saying "Dispose of these Jewels for the Publick Use". He wears trunk hose and cross-hilted sword, a long robe trails on the ground behind him. The Duke of Richmond, in profile to the left, is fixing a shackle to the king's left wrist; he says, "I Command the Ordnance". (On 30 Mar. he was appointed Master General of the Ordnance.) In front of him a thin man kneeling on one knee, in profile to the left, is adjusting a fetter on the king's left ankle; he is probably Lord John Cavendish. On the king's left Fox kneels attaching a fetter to his right leg; he has the head of a fox and is saying, "I Command the Mob". Behind him, holding the chain which the king holds in his right hand, is Admiral Keppel in naval uniform, saying, "I Command the Fleet". He had been made a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty on 30 Mar., the Admiralty being put in commission. On his right stands General Conway in military uniform, clasping his hands, and looking to his right; he says "Which way shall I turn? How can I decide?" He had been made Commander-in-Chief on 30 Mar.; in spite of his famous resolution of 22 Feb. (see BMSat 5963) he was not a whole-hearted supporter of the new ministry. On the extreme left stands Burke, looking to the right but taking no part in the proceedings. He holds a paper inscribed "Pay Master", and is saying "The best of Ministers The best of K..." A reference to Burke's eulogy, on 15 April, of the king's message recommending the "effectual Plan of OEconomy", his words being, "It was the best of messages to the best of people from the best of kings". 'Parl. Hist.' xxii. 1269. See also Walpole, 'Last Journals', 1910, ii. 440-1; 'Camb. Mod. Hist.' vi. 460."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Liberty run mad
Description:
Title etched below image., Questionable month of publication from British Museum catalogue., and Mounted on leaf 15 of volume 1 of 12.
Publisher:
Pubd. 23d [April?] 1782 by Eliz. D'Achery, St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Rockingham, Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of, 1730-1782, Richmond and Lennox, Charles Lennox, Duke of, 1735-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Keppel, Augustus Keppel, Viscount, 1725-1786, Conway, Henry Seymour, 1721-1795, and Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797