John Robinson, the former Secretary to the Treasury, shown on his hands and knees in a room full of rats with human faces, is baiting one of them with a strip of paper inscribed, "pension." On his back is a cage baited with a coronet and "places" and two rats inside. Other rats group mostly around the coins spread on the floor and look at Robinson expectantly. On the wall hangs a list of "rats of note," i.e., the members of Parliament Robinson already bribed against Charles Fox
Alternative Title:
Apostate Jack Robinson
Description:
Title etched below image; the letter "s" in "apostate" is etched backwards., Printmaker and date of publication from British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Robinson, John, 1727-1802
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Rats, Animal traps, and Coins
"Pitt stands in front of the throne to which he points with a hand holding a number of threads attached to the noses of his supporters, who advance through a doorway, the foremost kneeling or prostrating themselves. Across his forehead is a placard inscribed 'Interest'; he says, "Approach & Salute the Broad Bottom of Royalty!!" He holds a large flag inscribed 'Standard of venality' on which are a large earl's coronet indicating Lonsdale (see British Museum Satires No. 6579), two duke's coronets, a mitre, a baron's and a viscount's coronet, and three money-bags, each inscribed 'Cole' (cf. British Museum Satires No. 6213), followed by the words 'to be Given Away'. On the ground at Pitt's feet are the words, 'Road to Preferment'. The king kneels on the throne exposing his 'broad bottom' to the Pittites; it is irradiated and to it are attached a pair of small wings; it is further adorned with Garter star and ribbon inscribed 'Honi Soit qui mal...'. He bends forward, his body in a horizontal position, so that his head and shoulders are hidden by a curtain (left) inscribed 'Secret Influence Drying Clouts! Nursing Making toast [cf. British Museum Satires No. 7923] Rocking the Cradle, &c. &c. &c.' The crowd of Pittites advances through a doorway surmounted by a large royal crown flanked by a birch-rod and a sword. Across the doorway is inscribed 'Hall of Prerogative 1784', and over the heads of the members, 'Majority of ye New P------T We are your Devoted Slaves'. Their heads are crudely drawn and few can be identified: a man in the forefront in tartan is evidently Dundas. A man full-face in the centre of the crowd who is inscribed 'Rat Catcher' and has a rat on his forehead is John (or Jack) Robinson, see British Museum Satires No. 6427, &c. Thurlow in wig and gown kneels in profile to the left, and a man on the extreme right resembles Barré. A parson in the foreground is probably Mason, cf. British Museum Satires No. 6485."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
First levee of the new Parliament
Description:
Title from item., Temporary local subject terms: Parliamentary levees -- Secret influence -- Members of Parliament as slaves -- Royal prerogative -- Homage -- 'Broad Bottom'., Watermark in center of sheet: J Whatman., and Mounted to 29 x 46 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the act directs, May 29, 1784, by T. Hardy, Strand
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Lonsdale, James Lowther, Earl of, 1736-1802, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Robinson, John, 1727-1802, Barré, Isaac, 1726-1802, and Mason, William, 1725-1797
Subject (Topic):
Thrones, Buttocks, Legislators, Kneeling, Crowns, Flags, and Bribery
"Fox as Dr. Busby birches Pitt and his supporters in a lofty hall with stone walls. Fox (left) sits under a statue of Justice which is in an alcove above his head, a birch-rod in her right hand, in the left, her scales evenly balanced. Pitt lies across Fox's knee, his posteriors scarred; he says, "O pardon me & I'll promise you on my honor that I will Honestly & boldly endeavour a reform!" Fox, his birch-rod raised to smite, says, "That's all Twaddle! - so here's for your India Task! there! there! there! & there's for blocking up the old Womens Windows & making them drink Tea in the dark! - there! there! & there's for------O I've a a a hundred accounts to settle - there! there! there! there! there! there." Those who have been already chastised are borne off (right), a sea of heads, on the backs of the Foxite party ..."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Dr. Busby settling accounts with Master Billy and his playmates
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Two lines of quoted verse below title: "Illustrious burns, might merit more regard ...", Sheet trimmed to plate mark., Mounted to 41 x 29 cm., and Watermark in center of sheet.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 4th, 1785, by J. Ridgeway, Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Robinson, John, 1727-1802, Hill, Richard, Sir, 1733-1808, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792, and Pitt, William, 1759-1806
Subject (Topic):
Sculpture, Justice, Scales, Buttocks, Chamber pots, and Spanking
