"In a wheeled car, Louis XVIII careers down a wooden track (as on the Montagnes Russes in Paris), laid on a steep grass slope, towards a monster formed of a guillotine, from which diabolical talons extend, ready to clutch him. The car is partly throne, partly bath-chair; the King has the usual swollen flannelled legs and wears an old-fashioned court-suit. He is blindfolded by a fool's cap with a long peak which streams behind him, showing the rapidity of the descent. In his right hand he holds out a spluttering firebrand, or Holy Candle, in the left is a sword with a serrated blade inscribed Sword of Justice, to which heavy fetters are attached. On the right of the track is a wide doorway, inscribed Chamber of Deputies, whence soldiers with fixed bayonets are pouring out. The two foremost drag between them a deputy, Manuel. The King turns his head to the right, shouting: War! War! war! war with Spain is indispensable. We will carry our measures at home & abroad with the point of the Bayonet, The Bourbons must be absolute monarchs, the people must be slaves!! His car is pushed behind by a band of simian Frenchmen, having the legs of apes, in court-dress with orders, wearing fool's caps like that of the King, the two foremost having their faces completely covered with the caps. The first pair, evidently Villèle and Chateaubriand, shout War! war! war! and War! war! Vive l' Roi. Those behind shout Shove away Shattebrain [cf. BM Satires 12614]; this is a Glorious cause. Vive l' Roi. Manuel, dignified and determined, makes a speech: "Let others seek to debase the National character: they have no doubt a guilty interest in doing so: I will do every thing in my power to preserve it's virtue. I do not expect an act of Justice; it is to one of Vengence [sic] that I resign myself. Sent to this Chamber by the will of those who had the right to send me here, I shall only leave it through the Violence of those who have not the right to exclude me; and if this resolution on my part may draw on my head the gravest dangers, I console myself that the field of Liberty has sometimes been fertilized by generous blood." Soldiers (right) watch the ejection, their hands resting on the barrels of their muskets, the butt ends being on the ground. They differ from the ejectors in wearing bearskins in place of cocked hats, gaiters in place of jack-boots, and they have a flag inscribed National Guard. One (Mercier) says: We will not Obey the Order to expel M. Manuel. Comrades, what say you to the Right about? In the foreground (left) two ghosts emerge from clouds, looking up at the madly careering king. Napoleon, a profile bust portrait, says: Silly Bourbon! Remember the Consequences of my interfereing with Spai. Louis XVI, his neck hidden by cloud, holds out his decollated head; he wears a shirt patterned with fleur-de-lis. He says: O! Brother, Brother, be warned by my unhappy fate!! The guillotine-monster is topped by a cap of Liberty with two tricolour cockades for glaring saucer-eyes. The base of the cap forms a gaping mouth; from it issue the words: What are you at!! what are you a'rter!!! I am really surprised at your Blind Stupidity! My appearance Here, I assure you, is with the most friendly intentions, to warn you of your impending danger. But if you are bent upon your own destruction, why come along!! C'a [sic] ira c'a ira c'a ira."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Hint to the blind and foolish and Bourbon dynasty in danger!
Description:
Title from caption below image. and Purchased with gift funds from Robert Pirie.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 10th 1823 by J. Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, London
Subject (Name):
Louis XVIII, King of France, 1755-1824 and Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
"John Bull sits in a double pair of stocks, his ankles heavily shackled. His wrists are linked by a huge padlock inscribed Million £800 000 000 [National Debt]. He sits on bales of Taxes; to his back is tied a huge bundle of Last Wars Taxes. His clothes are tattered; three pockets hang inside out, inscribed To Let. At his side (left), and in profile to the right, kneels a noble Spaniard, in very theatrical dress, with trunk hose, cloak, and ruff. He has a spear from which hangs a pennant inscribed Libertas. He puts his hands together in a gesture of prayer: I come once again, and on my kneens [sic] to implore your Aid, we are indeed grateful for former Services, and beleive that you fought purely for Spain and not for yourselves--Save us from our pretended Friends they are worse then Enemies--Save us, and the World, from the destruction of Liberty--. John bites his thumbs despairingly; he answers: I pity you, but I can only give you advice, when you came to me before, I was a Strong Man, and free, but I am now exhausted in saving you, and destroying your great Enemy--See how I am fetter'd--! My Creditors enchain me--! look at my Debt and pity me!-- At his feet a heavy pair of leg-irons lies across many papers inscribed Debt and Taxes. He sits under an oak-tree; from a partly-withered bough hang his cartouche-box and bayonet-belt. In the middle distance (right) Louis XVIII sits astride a cannon (cf. British Museum Satires No. 12797), on a gun-carriage drawn rapidly up a slope by the Tsar and the Emperor of Austria. Both wear uniform and crowns, that of the latter topped by a fool's cap. Both cry: War! War!! War! and blood!! Alexander holds a sword in one hand, a bayoneted musket in the other; Francis holds a sword and a pistol, against his shoulder is the shaft of a flag inscribed Holy Alliance. Louis XVIII leans back, flannelled legs extended, two pistols in his belt, a sword in one hand, a musket in the other. Before him on the cannon is a bowl of soup, &c. The Pope walks at his right, holding a string attached to his nose. The King: By the Powers I shall fall, and lose my Balance Stop!! Stop! I say don't pull so hard you'll rupture [your scored through] Eu rope, this is not suited to my Taste [scored through] Gout I am already crippled and cannot bear it Stop!!!-- The Pope, who wears his tiara and holds his crosier against his shoulder, answers: Fear not, I'll let you into Heaven, through the back door my dear Son. Keys hang from his neck. Behind the cannon runs the Devil pushing at the King's posterior with a trident; he says: They cannot go on without me so I bring up the rear!! Beside the cannon run tiny frogs in uniform with muskets, &c. A slightly bigger one holding a sword may represent Angoulême. Cannon fire at them from a fort on a hill."--British Museum online catalogue, description of an earlier state
Alternative Title:
John Bull flourishing in a dignified attitude of strict neutrality
Description:
Title etched below image., Later state, with initials "A.J." added in lower right and the words "with Spain" added to speech bubble immediately to the right of the stocks in center of image. For an earlier state lacking these additions, see no. 14520 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum, v. 10., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 1823 by G. Humphrey, 24 St. James's Street & 74 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Louis XVIII, King of France, 1755-1824, Francis I, Emperor of Austria, 1768-1835, Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, 1777-1825, and Pius VII, Pope, 1742-1823
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Public debt, Taxes, Trees, Rocks, Stocks (Punishment), Forts & fortifications, Cannons, Devil, and Frogs
