Three older ladies and one gentleman in military uniform sit at a table playing cards. Speech balloons from the ladies berate him for his lack of card playing skills
Description:
Title etched below image., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., and Watermark: W Elgar.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 10, 1802, by T. Williamson, No. 20 Strand, London
A minister, possibly the Chancellor, holds out a large magnifying glass in his right and and gestures with his left hand. He is wearing a long coat and a long powdered wig. He addresses John Bull: Look through this glass Mr Bull and behold your future prosperity, looking towards a cloud within which the future is foretold. In the cloud John Bull is depicted in seven different scenarios: drinking unadulterated porter, free from taxes, smoking Trinidad tobacco, talking French & grown quite a fine gentleman, eating cinnamon from Ceylon, free from care, and with bread at 6d the quarter loaf. John Bull says: 'what be all those people I see. Mercy on us so many good things will be more than I can bear'. His companion replies: 'Look through this glass Mr. Bull & behold your future prosperity, it magnifies but very little I assure you'.
Alternative Title:
John Bull peeping into futurity
Description:
Title etched below image., Date of publication inferred from dates given in the British Museum catalogue for other prints after Woodward that were likewise etched and published by Roberts. Cf. Nos. 9729, 9850, and 9965 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires.
Publisher:
Pubd. by P. Roberts, 28 Middle Row, Holborn
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838
Subject (Topic):
National characteristics, English, Colonies, John Bull (Symbolic character), Hand lenses, and Ethnic stereotypes
"Members of the Opposition in a row, talk in couples, except for the arch-egotist Erskine (see British Museum satires no. 9246) on the extreme left, who exclaims: "Peace - and I not consulted 'tis very strange, by Gad". Sheridan (left), seated in profile to the right, reads the 'Gazzette Extraordina[ry] Peace! Peace!' with an expression of dismay. He says: "It is here, sure enough, I can scarcely believe my eyes, then all my fine speeches respecting the continuance of the War is dish'd, its no farce." Burdett stands with legs astride looking down at him; he says: "O it can't be true depend upon it." The centre pair, Fox and Bedford, face each other in profile. Fox says: "This is a curious kind of business. I heard of it at the Crown and Anchor." Bedford, in top-boots, and a riding whip under his arm, answers: "I heard of it in Bedfordshire." On the right little Lord Derby turns to Tierney, asking, "Pray who is this Peace Maker - this Mr A- Ad, Ad, what's his name, I never can think of it dam my Wig" [he is almost bald, with a tiny pigtail]. Tierney, looking down morosely, his arms folded, answers: "I really cannot immediately recollect, but I know he is not one of us - however we can find it in the Red Book"."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Politicians puzzled
Description:
Title etched below image., Approximate date of publication from the British Museum catalogue., With publisher's watercolor., and Watermark: W. Elgar 1797.
Publisher:
Pubd. by P. Roberts, 28 Middle-Row, Holborn
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Bedford, Francis Russell, Duke of, 1765-1802, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, Tierney, George, 1761-1830, and Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844
Subject (Topic):
Whig Club (London, England), Whig Party (Great Britain), and Politics and government
