The modern Hercules, cleansing the Augean stable [graphic].Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, printmaker[23 April 1805]eng"The interior of a stable. On the right are horses with human heads ; behind, in a niche and partly cut off by the left margin, stands a mitred abbot. He is 'The Abbot of Saint Stephen' (the Speaker). In the foreground (left) stands Whitbread, a brawny and handsome Hercules, with bare legs and arms ; he flings the contents of a huge tankard of 'Whitbreads Intire' [see No. 10421] at the heels of the nearest horse. This clumsy animal has the head and wig of Melville ; he kicks, saying, 'What the Deel is the is the man a boot.' Under his forelegs is a broom inscribed 'Will force's [Wilberforce's] Broom for Suppression of Vice.' Behind Melville appear the head and four legs of Trotter, who says apprehensively : 'Attack the Gallopers I am only a poor Trotter.' Behind him is Pitt, a very lean horse, saying, 'I am afraid we shall be all drench'd in turn.' Behind him is a crown of barely differentiated ministerialists, the foremost has some resemblance to Castlereagh ; behind him is (?) Canning, who exclaimes : 'Who could have expected this.' Beside Melville, and on the extreme right, is a large chest : 'Private Chest for Stray provendor' ; on it stand money bags. Along the wall over the heads of the horses is a rack with partitions inscribed : 'Treasury Stall, Army Stall, Navy Stall'; these are heaped with money-bags. Below the title: 'Augeus a King of Elis, had a stable, which was not cleansed for thirty years-yet Hurcules cleaned it, in one day. Vid Heathen Mythology."--British Museum catalogueTitle etched below image.Attributed to Rowlandson by Grego.Sheet trimmed within plate mark.Mounted on leaf 23 of volume 8 of 14 volumes.