An apothecary praying for a host of illnesses to descend on his customers so that he can make more money and "A lean and sour-looking apothecary kneels in profile to the left at a stuffed high-backed elbow-chair, his tricorne hat and gold-headed cane beside him. Behind him (right) are a huge pestle and mortar standing on a block. He prays to 'mighty Esculapius!' to send 'a few smart. Fevers and some obstinate Catarrhs', calls down curses on the 'new-invented waterproof (the earliest instance of the word in the 'O.E.D.' is an advertisement of Jan. 1799), asks for compassion to his book of bad debts, and pins his hopes on the squire's lady having an heir which he may 'bring handsomely into the world ...'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title printed in letterpress below image., Nineteen lines of letterpress text below title: O mighty Esculapius! hear a poor little man overwhelm'd with misfortunes ..., and One of a series of broadsides. For information on the series, see page 51 in v. 8. of the the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
Publisher:
Pubd. 30 July 1801 by R. Ackermann, No. 101 Strand and Spragg, printer, 27, Bow-Street, Covent-Garden
