Lord North, sitting on a large roll inscribed "Budget" offers Charles Fox a spoonful of broth from a bowl in his lap. He warns Fox to "... Be cautious! - a little of my Broth goes a great way ..." Fox, with a fox's head, sits on "Pandora's Box," his right arm round North's shoulder, saying, " ... give me a sup of your soup ..." To the right, a devil squatting on a low stool in front of a fireplace blows bellows at the fire under a large cauldron with more broth in it. A large coalition medal (cf. BMSat 6183) with the likenesses of North and Fox hangs above the mantel.
Alternative Title:
Devil is the best of the bunch and Devil's the best of the bunch
Description:
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue. and Title from item.
Publisher:
W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain--Politics and government--1760-1789.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, William, approximately 1740-approximately 1810, publisher., North, Frederick,--Lord,--1732-1792--Caricatures and cartoons., and Pether, Thomas, active 1772-1781, artist.
Subject (Topic):
Bellows., Cauldrons., Devil., Fireplaces., and Pandora's box.
The political and humourous works of Thomas Rowlandson, 1774-1825
Container / Volume:
Vol. 1 (Box 2 of 2) | Folder I-42
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
Prints & Photographs
Abstract:
"The interior of a witches' cave, three witches round a blazing cauldron; through the mouth of the cave, and in the upper right corner, appears Westminster Bridge, leading to the houses and towers of Lambeth, showing that the cave is in Westminster, evidently the House of Commons. From the flames ascending from the cauldron emerge the heads of Fox, North, and Burke. Other emblems also ascend: a rosary and cross (indicating the popery ascribed to Burke, cf. British Museum Satires No. 6026), a small pig, labels inscribed 'Deceit', 'Pride', 'Corrupt par ...' [liament] (in reverse), 'Loane Lottery'. The witches, whose three broomsticks (left) lean against the side of the cave, are bringing more ingredients to the pot which disseminates the plagues of England: a hag (right) stands about to drop a paper inscribed 'Rebellion' into the cauldron; she says, "Well sister, what hast thou got, for the ingredients of our Charmd Pot". Another witch (left), crouching over a bag from which emerge two men, one of whom is a serpent from the waist downwards, answers, "A Beast from Scotland, tis call'dan Er--skin, famous for Duplicity low Art & Cunning - the other a Monster who'd spurn even at Charters Rights'. Erskine, who is leaping from the sack, says, "I am like a Proteus can turn to any Shape from a Sailor to a Lawyer, and always lean to the Strongest Side". Erskine, first entering Parliament in 1783, see British Museum Satires No. 6369 (8), was one of Fox's martyrs. The serpent-man says: 'Over the Water and over the Lee, Thro Hell I woud follow my Charlee'."--British Museum online catalogue, description of a later state.
Alternative Title:
Birth of the plagues of England
Description:
Apparent signature "FN: 1784" in lower right corner perhaps stands for the coalition of Fox and North. See British Museum catalogue., Cf. Grego, J. Rowlandson the caricaturist, v. 1, pages 111-2., CtY-BR, For a later state with imprint burnished from plate and the title re-etched in a single line, see no. 6364 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Printmaker from description of later state in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
W. Humphry, no. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain--Politics and government--1760-1789.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Burke, Edmund,--1729-1797--Caricatures and cartoons., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, William, approximately 1740-approximately 1810, publisher., Lee, John,--1733-1793--Caricatures and cartoons., North, Frederick,--Lord,--1732-1792--Caricatures and cartoons., and Riviere & Son Binding.
