"Pitt, very thin and elongated, poises on one toe on a tight-rope; he holds a long balancing-pole in both hands, on one end (left) sits the Sultan, on the other (right) Catherine II. The Turk, whose end of the pole is slightly the lower, clutches it desperately, saying, "My dear Billy, do help me to make another push, & I'll give you - half of my Seraglio". The fat Empress sits with her hands on her hips; she wears a crown, in her right hand is a sceptre, in her left a paper inscribed 'New Russian Conquests'. She says "Both Billy - the Flat, & yourself may do your worst you circumcised dog! get me down if you can! - I'll match you all, & swallow Thousands more!" Pitt stands with his head raised arrogantly in profile to the right; he says, "The old Hag cannot move me, & Seraglios cannot bribe me: - I have nothing to do with these matters - my Pole will always remain level - ". On the ground beneath the rope stands a dwarfish Sheridan (right) in profile to the left, grotesquely caricatured as a clown; he wears trousers and long sleeves which cover his hands and hang down. He says: "O! the Devil! the Devil! The Cow leaps over the Moon! And if I could once get up on the Rope, Lord! I'd fill my Pockets soon: - I mean, I would soon bring her down: fol der lol, fol der ol"."--British Museum online catalogue, description of an earlier state
Alternative Title:
Posterity of the immortal Chatham turned posture master
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from description of earlier state in the British Museum catalogue., Reissue, with added plate numbering. Cf. No. 7846 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Date of printing based on that of Bohn's Suppressed plates., Plate probably from: Bohn, ii, 8, Suppressed plates., Text following title: Vide Sherridans speech., Sheet trimmed to plate mark, and the number "8" has likely been erased from sheet., and Temporary local subject terms: Circus performances: walking on rope -- Allusion to Russian conquests -- Clowns -- Allusion to Sheridan's speech in the House of Commons, 15 April, 1791 -- Allusion to William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778.
Publisher:
Publishd. April 21st, 1791, by H. Humphrey, N. 18 Old Bond St.
Subject (Name):
Catherine II, Empress of Russia, 1729-1796, Selim III, Sultan of the Turks, 1761-1808, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
