"The interior of a witches' cave, three witches round a blazing cauldron; through the mouth of the cave, and in the upper right corner, appears Westminster Bridge, leading to the houses and towers of Lambeth, showing that the cave is in Westminster, evidently the House of Commons. From the flames ascending from the cauldron emerge the heads of Fox, North, and Burke. Other emblems also ascend: a rosary and cross (indicating the popery ascribed to Burke, cf. British Museum Satires No. 6026), a small pig, labels inscribed 'Deceit', 'Pride', 'Corrupt par ...' [liament] (in reverse), 'Loane Lottery'. The witches, whose three broomsticks (left) lean against the side of the cave, are bringing more ingredients to the pot which disseminates the plagues of England: a hag (right) stands about to drop a paper inscribed 'Rebellion' into the cauldron; she says, "Well sister, what hast thou got, for the ingredients of our Charmd Pot". Another witch (left), crouching over a bag from which emerge two men, one of whom is a serpent from the waist downwards, answers, "A Beast from Scotland, tis call'dan Er--skin, famous for Duplicity low Art & Cunning - the other a Monster who'd spurn even at Charters Rights'. Erskine, who is leaping from the sack, says, "I am like a Proteus can turn to any Shape from a Sailor to a Lawyer, and always lean to the Strongest Side". Erskine, first entering Parliament in 1783, see British Museum Satires No. 6369 (8), was one of Fox's martyrs. The serpent-man says: 'Over the Water and over the Lee, Thro Hell I woud follow my Charlee'."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state
Alternative Title:
Birth of the plagues of England
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from description of later state in the British Museum catalogue., Apparent signature "FN: 1784" in lower right corner perhaps stands for the coalition of Fox and North. See British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., For a later state with imprint burnished from plate and the title re-etched in a single line, see no. 6364 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Cf. Grego, J. Rowlandson the caricaturist, v. 1, pages 111-2., and Formerly mounted on leaf 42 of volume 1 of 14 volumes.
Publisher:
Pubd. Jany. 28th, 1784, by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, and Lee, John, 1733-1793
In a cave with Westminster Bridge visible in the background at left, three witches stand around their cauldron, from which flames ascend, together with the heads of Fox, North, and Burke. The witches add other ingredients to the cauldron, including a paper marked rebellion, while one hag opens a sack from which emerge Thomas Erskine, and John Lee in the shape of a snake. An attack on the Coalition and the India Bill. Initials FN in lower right of image probably refer to Fox-North coalition
Alternative Title:
Birth of the plagues of England
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Printmaker and date from British Museum catalogue.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792., Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797., Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823., and Lee, John, 1733-1793.
