A satire of a Gretna Green marriage, taking place in front of smithy's shop. Erskine, disguised in woman's dress with a huge feathered bonnet over a barrister's wig, holds the right hand of a demure-looking woman, modishly dressed and apparently pregnant. He holds a paper: 'Breach of Promise'. With them are three young children. The smith wears Highland dress; he holds a red-hot bar on the anvil and raises his hammer, saying, "I shall make a good thing of this Piece at last." Erskine says: "I have bother'd the Courts in London many times, I'll now try my hand at the Scotch Bar--as to Miss C-- she may do her worst since I have got my Letters back." The woman says: "Now who dare say, Blacks the White of my Eye." In the background (right) a young woman rushes down a slope towards the smithy, shouting, "Oh Stop Stop Stop, false Man, I will yet seek redress tho you have got back your letters--" Beside her is a sign-post pointing 'To Gretna Green'. A little boy with Erskine's features, wearing tartan trousers, stands on tip-toe to watch the smith; on the ground beside him is a toy (or emblem), a cock on a pair of breeches. A little girl stands by her mother nursing a doll fashionably dressed as a woman, but with Erskine's profile. Another boy with a toy horse on a string stands in back view watching 'Miss C'. Behind the smith is the furnace; on the wall hang many rings: 'Rings to fit all Hands.'
Alternative Title:
More legitimates
Description:
Title etched below image. and Printed on paper watermarked "1818".
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 4th, 1819, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly & 312 Oxford Street
Subject (Geographic):
Scotland, Gretna Green, Gretna Green (Scotland), and Gretna Green.
Subject (Name):
Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Erskine, Sarah Buck, Baroness, -1825, and Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823.
Subject (Topic):
Elopement, Breach of promise, Elopements, Ethnic stereotypes, Forge shops, Metalworking, Furnaces, Anvils, and Hammers
"Lady Hertford, seated regally on a small sofa, cuts locks from the head of the Regent who reclines against her knees, asleep. The locks already cut are on the ground inscribed respectively 'Sheridan', 'Norfolk', 'Moira', 'Holland', 'Erskine'. She is about to shear off one inscribed 'Grenville'; the last, 'Grey', is still on his head. The Prince, who is conventionally handsome, and wears uniform, holds a paper signed '[Gren]ville / Grey'; his garter, inscribed 'Honi so . . .', is loose, and his left hand hides the star on his breast. Lord Yarmouth (right) stands holding a guttering candle; he points to the uncut lock, saying, "Don't forget that lock laying [on] the shoulder its Grey dy'ye see!" In his pocket is a pamphlet: 'Art of Milling' [see British Museum Satires No. 11842]. To leave no doubt as to his identity, a basket of fish is beside him inscribed '[Y]armouth Herrings'. Lady Hertford is heavily handsome; a small crown, which might pass as a tiara decorates her head; one foot rests regally on a footstool. A pillar and drapery behind her suggest regal state. On the sofa beside her is a rolled document headed 'Road to Hertford from Pall Mall'. On the ground (left) are empty wine-bottles; on a book by the Prince's feet, 'Economy of Human Life', lies a broken bottle from which wine pours. Behind (left) stands Perceval in his Chancellor of the Exchequer's gown, watching from behind a curtain which he holds aside; Castlereagh stands behind him, saying, "By Jasus, but she's as pretty a Barber as ever I clap't my eyes upon." Perceval answers: "Hush! Hush! you'l wake him before they are all cut."."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Delilah depriving Sampson of those locks in which consisted his strength
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed., and Album paper pasted over edge of plate at top.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 1812 by Walker and Knight, No. 7 Cornhill
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Hertford, Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of, 1760-1834, Hertford, Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, Marquess of, 1777-1842, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, Perceval, Spencer, 1762-1812, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823., Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816., Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834., Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815., Holland, Henry Richard Vassall, Baron, 1773-1840., Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826., Samson (Biblical judge), and Delilah (Biblical figure)
"Burke, writing as he walks, advances towards the door of the 'Crown & Anchor' tavern, over which is inscribed 'British Inquisition'. He wears a skull-cap and long legal robe, from his waist hangs a bag like that of the Great Seal, on which the royal arms are replaced by a crown and anchor and having a skull at each corner. His head is in profile to the left and he scowls with fiercely protruding lips. He holds up a large sheaf of paper headed 'Black List', his pen touching the last word of the inscription (a parody of Richard III): 'Beware of N--rf--k! --P--tl--d loves us not! - The R--ss--l's will not join us The Man of the People [Fox] has lived too long for us! The Friends of the People must be blasted by us! Sherridan, Ersk[ine].' On one of the door-posts is a narrow slit inscribed 'Anonymous - Letter Box'. The door of the famous tavern appears to be correctly depicted, but its lamps are surmounted by royal crowns."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Part of imprint scored through with an etched line., and Temporary local subject terms: Societies: Crown & Anchor -- Architectural details: doorway -- Lighting: tavern lamps -- Male costume: legal robes -- Literature: parody of Shakespeare's Richard III, i.3 -- Letter-boxes -- Travesties -- Propaganda -- Inquisitions: British inquisition -- Taverns: Crown & Anchor -- Lists: black lists -- Great Seal: travesty of the Great Seal -- Allusion to the 3rd Duke of Portland -- Allusion to the Russell family -- Allusion to the Friends of People.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 19th 1793 by H. Humphrey, N. 18 Old Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Crown & Anchor Soc, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823., Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., Norfolk, Charles Howard, Duke of, 1746-1815., and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816.
In a cave with Westminster Bridge visible in the background at left, three witches stand around their cauldron, from which flames ascend, together with the heads of Fox, North, and Burke. The witches add other ingredients to the cauldron, including a paper marked rebellion, while one hag opens a sack from which emerge Thomas Erskine, and John Lee in the shape of a snake. An attack on the Coalition and the India Bill. Initials FN in lower right of image probably refer to Fox-North coalition
Alternative Title:
Birth of the plagues of England
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Printmaker and date from British Museum catalogue.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792., Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797., Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823., and Lee, John, 1733-1793.
