King William IV dressed as a sailor dances in the centre of a semicircle of ministers who have black bodies and are partially draped. Among the ministers are Peel and Scarlett on the left, Lyndhurst and Wellington on the right both of whom wear nose-rings. Scarlett encircles Ellenborough, who, with Sugden, is behind the King. Their tribal dance celebration alludes to the relief that the ministers must have felt to be able to retain their positions with the new reign. William IV was a popular King and a stark contrast to George IV and was liable to wild bursts of passion as is suggested here. He and the Duke of Wellington (then prime minister) got on very well, hence the retainment of his ministers. He is dressed in sailor garb in reference to his years in the navy. The tribal dress of the ministers refers to the far-flung shores that William visited
Description:
Title etched below image. and Sheet trimmed to plate mark.
Publisher:
Pub. July 19, 1830, by T. McLean, 26 Haymarket
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain. and Great Britian.
Subject (Name):
William IV, King of Great Britain, 1765-1837, Scarlett, James, Sir, 1769-1844, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Lyndhurst, John Singleton Copley, Baron, 1772-1863, Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Sugden, Edward Burtenshaw, 1781-1875, George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830., William IV, King of Great Britain, 1765-1837., Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852., Scarlett, James, Sir, 1769-1844., Peel, Robert, 1788-1850., Lyndhurst, John Singleton Copley, Baron, 1772-1863., and Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818.
"William IV stands, very erect and stern, in profile to the right, holding at arm's length a birch-rod inscribed 'Reform'. Behind him, as ushers, on the extreme left, Brougham and Grey stand in consultation. The King says to a body of discomfited schoolboys (right): 'Get you gone and never let me see your faces again till you are Reformed'. The boys are (left to right) Wellington, wearing a peaked cap and an old, over-large, military coat, and carrying a bag, walks hand in hand with Peel who wears an ill-fitting policeman's tunic and holds a slate on which is scrawled the figure of a policeman (see British Museum satires no. 15768, &c). Beside and behind them are Sadler and Wetherell. In front of Peel walks Twiss with a book under his arm; next him is the small Sugden wearing a pinafore. Taller than the others are Hunt wearing a hunting-cap and holding ajar of his blacking (see British Museum satires no. 16575) and Sir R. Wilson wearing a smock and a cap and holding a slate inscribed 'Bob Wilson'. Wellington to Peel: 'Oh Bobby--Bobby what shall we do now?' Wetherell, looking back, says (as late M.P. for Boroughbridge, cf. British Museum Satires No. 16602): 'I am afraid I shall never be admitted into the school again'. Hunt: 'Who would have thought I should have been Hunt-ed out already'. Wilson: 'Its a shocking bad Job' [cf. British Museum Satires No. 16646]."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Headmaster turning out the incorrigibles
Description:
Title etched below image., Signed with Henry Heath's monogram in lower right corner., and Month of publication from the British Museum catalogue.
Publisher:
Pubd. 1831 by S. Gans, Southampton Street
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
William IV, King of Great Britain, 1765-1837, Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Brougham and Vaux, Henry Brougham, Baron, 1778-1868, Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852, Sadler, Michael Thomas, 1780-1835, Wetherell, Charles, Sir, 1770-1846, Twiss, Horace, 1787-1849, Sugden, Edward Burtenshaw, 1781-1875, Hunt, Henry, 1773-1835, Wilson, Robert, Sir, 1777-1849, and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Reform, Politics and government, Taxation, School principals, School children, and Punishment devices
