"Design in an oval. Fox with a very melancholy expression, standing with folded arms facing three quarter to left outside a closed and padlocked gate repeating Wolsey's soliloquy from Henry the Eighth. The gate fills an archway, its top being of iron spikes, the padlock is inscribed Fast. The stone arch over the gate is inscribed Treasury. On the stone wall of the Treasury building (left) are torn placards. One is a broadside, 'Last Dying Speech' headed by a print of a man hanging from a gibbet; another is headed "Gamester". Beneath the title is inscribed: "Farewell, a long Farewell to all my Greatness! this is the state of Man, to Day he puts forth the tender leaves of hopes, tomorrow Blossoms & bears all his blushing Honours thick upon him: the Third Day comes a Frost a killing Froast [sic], & when he thinks good easy Man full surely his Greatness is a Ripening, nips his Root & then befalls as I do!"--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. Augt. 12th, 1782, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
William Pitt, acting as an auctioneer in the dissoluted Parliament, sells from the rostrum decorated with Royal Arms "useless valuables," such as "Magna Charta." Cornwall, the Speaker sitting below the rostrum, records bids in the "Sundry acts." In front of him stands Thurlow in Chancellor's robes making dismissive comment on "nonsensical bidings of those common fellows," i.e. members of the House of Commons who leave through the door on the left. Last of them, Fox, turns back vowing to bid "with spirit" for lot 1, "rights of the people in 558 vol." held on display by Henry Dundas. A reference to the dissolution of the Parliament by the King on March 25.
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 26th by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain, England, and Westminster
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Cornwall, Charles Wolfran, 1735-1789, and Dundas, Henry, 1742-1811
Subject (Topic):
Great Britain, Politics and government, Political elections, Auctions, and Clothing & dress
"French soldiers, puny simian creatures, are being destroyed or put to flight by the powers of the Second Coalition. In the foreground (right) the British Lion devours a heap of the little creatures; others flee. An ogre in Turkish costume (left), his profile set in a crescent, grips Bonaparte in his left hand, raising a blood-stained scimitar. Bonaparte attempts to strike with a dagger; he drops a paper: 'Organization of Egypt, & Triumph of Buonaparte'. The Russian bear sits grasping and crushing struggling French apes. On the right the Habsburg eagle, clasping a sheaf of thunderbolts, flies off to the right, tearing a bonnet-rouge in beak and claws. A French army is in flight with a tricolour flag inscribed 'Egalite'. Behind Turkey are Frenchmen impaled on spears."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Monkey-race in danger
Description:
Title etched below image. and Temporary local subject terms: Egyptian campaign, 1798-1801 -- Coalitions -- Frenchmen as monkeys -- Sansculottes -- Emblems: Russian bear -- Habsburg eagle -- British Lion -- Turks -- Male costume: Turkish dress -- Impalement.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 20th, 1799, by H. Humphrey, No. 27 St. James's Street
"A lumbering wagon drawn (l. to r.) by eight asses is stuck fast, up to the axles in water; the asses strain hard to drag it up a steep slope to dry land. Its dilapidated tilt is much patched and is labelled 'British State Waggon 1804'. The wagoner, Addington (r.), kneels on an adjacent bank, and shouts to a fat and jovial John Bull, dressed as a volunteer, who stands on the opposite bank of the deeply sunken lane, his bulldog beside him. Addington wears a smock, but his powdered hair is in a black bag. He holds his long whip and his hat in his right. hand, and extends his left. arm, shouting, " - help, Johnny Bull! - help! - my Waggon's stuck fast in the Slough! - help! help." John, who holds his bayoneted musket, looks down at Addington, pointing behind him with outflung r. arm at thirteen horses with human heads above and behind him on rising ground. He answers: " - stuck fast in the Slough! - ay to be sure! - why dost'nt put better Cattle to thy Wain? - look at them there Horses doing o' nothing at all! - what ether they matches in Colour, if they do but drag the Waggon out o' the Mud! - don't ye see how the very thoughts o' being put into Harness makes 'em all love and nubble one another?" The horses, [The identifications (most being self-evident) are those of Miss Banks, the alternatives in brackets being those of E. Hawkins. Wright and Evans arrange them differently and omit Spencer and Lansdowne.] though close together, are in groups. On the extreme left., and rather behind the others, Lord Spencer (or Carlisle) rubs noses with Carlisle (or Lauderdale), Erskine (in wig and bands) with Wilberforce. In front of this group the bulky Lansdowne (or Norfolk) lies on the ground, asleep, his back to the others. Next, Grey turns his head towards the haughty Buckingham, who wears spectacles and a Garter ribbon. Their backs are turned to the main group of four: Fox, with a foreleg placed on Grenville's shoulder looks up affectionately at the latter, who responds with a complacent smile. Pitt watches the pair with haughty benignity; Canning, behind, watches them intently. On the extreme right. Sheridan (a plump piebald), scowling fiercely, kicks up his heels at Windham, who retorts with a blast of excrement, his head turned towards Fox and Grenville. In the foreground (l.) is the stage-wagon (the slowest form of transit), drawn by its eight undifferentiated asses. The tilt is open at the back, showing it crammed with bundles, &c. The centre-piece is a bulging sack: 'Budget for 1804', from which project papers inscribed 'Taxes'. A treasure-chest is inscribed 'Treasury'; coins pour from a hole in its side. It is flanked by two bundles: 'Secret Service Money' and 'Family Pickings'. A bundle of 'Pensions' consists of bulky papers inscribed 'Sinecure'. Large volumes tied together are 'New Acts of Parliament'. Other papers are 'Defence against Invasion'; 'State of Ireland'; 'East Indies'. A bundle of 'Loans for / 84' [sic] contains 'Navy Bills' and 'Exchequer Bills'. There are also three tiny barrels of 'Gun Powder' and a bundle of muskets inscribed 'Volunteers'. From the side of the wagon hangs a basket of 'Family Medicine' containing two bottles labelled 'Broth[er] Bra[gge]' and 'Brother Hiley'."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
State wagoner and John Bull, Waggon too much for the donkeys!, and Wagon too much for the donkeys!
Description:
Title etched in upper left corner of image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark with loss of imprint. Imprint from British Museum catalogue., Mounted to 37 x 56 cm., and Collector's annotations on mount.
Publisher:
Publish'd March 14th, 1804, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street, London
Subject (Name):
Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Carlisle, Frederick Howard, Earl of, 1748-1825, Spencer, George John Spencer, Earl, 1758-1834, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Wilberforce, William, 1759-1833, Lansdowne, William Petty, Marquis of, 1737-1805, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville, Marquess of, 1753-1813, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Windham, William, 1750-1810, and Canning, George, 1770-1827
"A circular design. George III (or Lord North) asleep on a sofa. He is in profile to the left, his head falling forwards, his right arm resting on the back of the sofa, his right leg extended on the sofa, his left leg on the ground. Behind the sofa stand two figures: Britannia (left) holding the cap of liberty on its staff, while her right hand rests on the back of the sofa. An oval medallion ornamented with a St. George's cross hangs from her wrist, probably respresenting the arms of the City of London. She says "Am I thus Protected?" A small man leans on the back of the sofa saying "Hollo Neighbour! what are you asleep"."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
State watchman discovered by the genius of Britain studying plans for the reduction of America
Description:
Title from item., Attributed to Rowlandson in the British Museum catalogue., Place of publication from British Museum catalogue, which identifies the publisher as J. Jones of 103 Wardour Street, Soho., and Sheet trimmed to plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. by I. Jones
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain, America., United States, and England
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820 and North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792.
Subject (Topic):
Colonies, History, Britannia (Symbolic character), Sleeping, and Clothing & dress
"The Duke of York, in uniform and wearing his cocked hat, but without a sword, stands in back view on a low rectangular pedestal facing the corner of Mrs. Clarke's house in 'Gloucester Place' [cf. British Museum Satires No. 11222, &c.]. The door is partly visible on the extreme left with a door-plate inscribed '[Cla]rke'. On the wall facing the Duke is a placard: 'The Statue on the outside having been thorougly repaired and white Wash'd is to be sold by private Contract-for farther particulars enquire within'. On the right a billposter is putting up a second placard: 'Johnstons Cheap Caricature Warehouse N° 101 Cheapside A New Caricature on Mrs C------ke every Day Price One Shilling & Two each'. Beside him a newsboy blows his horn."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Temporary local subject terms: Bill poster -- Street light., and Mounted to 44 x 29 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 12, 1809, by Thos. Tegg, No. 111 Cheapside
Subject (Name):
Frederick Augustus, Prince, Duke of York and Albany, 1763-1827
"A young woman stands in profile to the left, at a dressing-table, while a buxom ladies' maid laces a pair of long stays. She wears a boudoir cap tied under the chin, and holds a flat ruler-shaped stick under the stays in front to regulate the operation. The stays fit closely over a pair of plain knickerbockers, cf. No. 9608. The dressing-room is luxuriously furnished. The dressing-table is draped in muslin and has a swing-mirror. On it are toilet-articles, bottles (two inscribed 'Milk of Roses' and 'Esprit de Lavande'), a rosary, a mask, a ticket inscribed 'Masquerade Argyll Street', and a lap-dog, looking at itself in the mirror. The furniture is ornamented with ormolu. A small hanging book-case with curtained glass doors hangs on the wall. A picture of a woman draped in a cloak, walking, with a landscape background, is inscribed 'Morning'. On a console table is a Chinese vase with a bouquet of roses. Jug, basin, &c, are on the ground beside a chair on which are boxes for toilet appliances. Heavy fringed curtains cover the window (left)."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Progress of the toilet : the stays
Description:
Title etched below image, following series title and preceding plate number., First of three prints in a series entitled: Progress of the toilet., and Temporary local subject terms: Corset -- Pin cushion.
Publisher:
Publish'd February 26th, 1810, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
"A man in old-fashioned dress kneels in profile to the right at a high-backed elbow-chair, clutching a bundle of 'Bank Notes'. He addresses the 'Adorable and ancient Lady of Thread-needle Street', asking for wealth, for success to the conductors of the new buildings of the Stock Exchange, and for 'prosperity to the little man in the brown bob wig [? John Bull], for he has much money and little wit, therefore fair game for . . . my profession'. He also prays that he may never be a Lame Duck (a defaulter, cf. BMSat 6273)."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from letterpress text printed on same sheet as plate. and Three paragraphs of text below title: Adorable and ancient Lady of Thread-Needle-Street, have pity on thy admirer, bless him with thy solid charms, in Bullion, or stamped gold, or if it best pleases thee, let the light texture of thy paper garments float before his enraptured fancy, and animate him to pursue the path that leads to riches in abundance ...
Publisher:
Pubd. August 1st, 1801, by R. Ackermann, No. 101 Strand
"The windlass (right) is turned by Bedford, in profile to the left, Fox, in back view but looking to the raft (left), Sheridan, in profile to the right, and Tierney, coming towards the spectator. From Bedford's pocket hangs a paper: '£1400 Fined, for False Entry of Servants'. All are running, but it is clear that huge waves raised by Pitt will swamp the raft before it reaches shore. All wear coats except Fox, whose coat lies on the ground beside a paper: 'List of the New Republican Ministry. Citizen Volpone, Premier..'.. Fox's shirt is tattered, his hair is tied by a tricolour ribbon. Pitt's profile emerges from clouds in the upper (right) corner; his blast spreads as it reaches the raft, developing into flashes of lightning ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Republican flotilla in danger
Description:
Title etched below image. and Sheet trimmed within plate mark on right and left edges.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 1st, 1798, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Tierney, George, 1761-1830, Bedford, Francis Russell, Duke of, 1765-1802, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, and Pitt, William, 1759-1806