"The two members for Middlesex simultaneously address a meeting of freeholders from a hustings against a building (The Mermaid, at Hackney) which forms a background. Both lean forward in profile to the right. Byng (left), thin and elegant, gesticulates with clenched fist, right arm above his head. He frowns, while Mainwaring (right) grimaces insinuatingly, his hands held out deprecatingly. From Byng's pocket issues a paper: 'Treatise on the use of Cocoa'. On the extreme left, behind Byng, stands Fox, holding Byng's hat. The other men on the platform, all wearing hats, are freely sketched. On the wooden barrier of the hustings are two bills, the lower part of which is concealed by the heads of the spectators, which reach across the lower edge of the design: 'Mermaid Hackney Meeting of the Freeholders for obtaining a Repeal of the odious, detestable, obnoxious, unconstitutional oppressive treasonable . . .' and 'Address to his Majesty by the Freeholders.'"--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Hustings -- Reference to Treasonable Activities and Seditious Meetings bills., Possibly an impression from a worn plate; publisher's street address is lightly printed and barely legible., and Mounted to 42 x 31 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 1st, 1796, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Byng, George, 1764-1847, and Mainwaring, William, 1735-1821
"The candidates for Middlesex and their supporters race (right to left) to Brentford. The foremost rider is Wilkes on a horse wearing a royal crown (indicating George III); he holds up the cap of 'Liberty' on its staff. Half a length behind, and nearer the spectator, is Mainwaring, holding up a sword whose blade is inscribed 'Justice'. His horse's human head is blindfolded, in its mouth is a pair of scales; in one balance is 'Byng Dunston', in the other and heavier, 'Wilkes Manwaring'. The horse probably represents Justice, its rider was a well-known Middlesex Justice and chairman of the Middlesex Sessions. Behind Wilkes, his horse's head hidden, is a rider not identified, he has lost his stirrups and clutches his saddle with both hands. Behind these three and in the centre of the design is George Byng, the friend of Fox and the Prince of Wales, M.P. for Middlesex since 1780. He rides a pair of horses (representing the Coalition), standing with one foot on the saddle of each; the near horse has the head of Fox, the other that of North; the tail of the near horse is a fox's brush inscribed 'Grace'. The fore legs of the pair touch a paper inscribed 'Test'. Byng's whip is inscribed 'Coalition' and he is saying, "Spur them up behind Doctor, or I shall lose the race", addressing Hall, the Westminster apothecary, who rides like a hobby horse a pair of crutches tied with a ribbon; in place of a hat he wears a mortar inscribed 'All [sic] Blue and Buff'; he holds up his pestle as if it were a whip. Behind Byng, Jeffery Dunstan rides an ass with long ears and the head of Sam House; he looks round to address the Duchess of Devonshire who is the last of the cavalcade. The Duchess (right) rides astride, her bunched-up skirt showing spurred half-boots. Her horse has the head of the Earl of Surrey; she says, "Byng for ever - and may the Hearty Cock ever stand stout in our sarvice". Dunstan says, "Well said my Dutchess - Charly's Whipper-in for ever. Huzza". The Duchess wears a heavily trimmed hat in which is a large election favour and four fox's tails, each inscribed 'Byng'. On the extreme left is a sign-post pointing 'To Brentford'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Mounted to 27 x 36 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the act directs, by J. Brown, Rathbone Place
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain, Middlesex (England), and England.
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Wilkes, John, 1725-1797, Mainwaring, William, 1735-1821, Byng, George, ca. 1735-1789, Dunstan, Jeffery, 1759?-1797, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792, Hall, Edward, active 1784-1793, House, Samuel, -1785, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815, and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Elections, 1784, Politics and government, Elections, Crutches, Donkeys, Hobby horses, Horse racing, Horses, Justice, Liberty cap, Pharmacists, Political elections, Scales, Symbols, and Traffic signs & signals
