Finding of arms, or, A midnight domiciliary visit to the boarding school [graphic].

"Scene in a dormitory in which curtained four-post beds are ranged on each side of the room receding in perspective. Three school-mistresses encourage resistance to a police-officer with a warrant. The pupils are mature young women in plain décolletée nightgowns with short sleeves, and closely fitting caps. The governesses are distinguished by more elaborate caps, and one, 'Mademoiselle', wears a frilled dressing-jacket. She scratches the officer's face, saying, "Ah you come for de Arms! I give you de Hands and de Nails in de bargain you great big Villaine." He holds a constable's staff and a warrant ending '. . . shall be your Warrant,' but makes no resistance; on the ground are his hat and the Information: 'To Peter Pry Police Officer, you will find several pairs of Arms conceald under the bed cloaths every night at Mrs Bounces boarding school in Gunpowder lane.' He shouts: "Murder! I am come to search for Arms! I was informed you had some concealed under the bed cloaths every night, look at my warrant!" He is assailed from behind by a strapping governess holding a candle and a large poker. She stands just inside the open door (left), kicking him, and says: "He shall have Arms, Legs and the poker too, I had just got into my first sleep." Another woman, probably Mrs. Bounce, runs up from the right holding up a candle. She exclaims: "Thats right Mademoiselle Mark him well that we may know him again by day light." The officer has two assistants; one, attempting to search a bed, receives in the face the contents of a chamber-pot from a girl kneeling on the bed; she says: "There some eye water to make you see clear." The third ransacks a trunk in the right foreground; its arched top is marked in nails 'J. Manlo[ve]'. He has thrown out two books: 'Aristotle Ma[sterpiece]' and 'Juvenile Indiscretions a Novel in 4 Vols.' and holds up 'Ovids Art of Love'. The owner grasps his short pigtail and raises a slipper to smite, saying, "I'll teach you to ransack my trunk in this manner you impudent fellow let my books of instruction alone." He answers: "Indeed Miss I won't take one away I would rather help to explain them!" Two pupils say: "Oh dear he is takeing Miss Manlove's pretty books, that she read of a Night to us," and "I'll tear his eyes out if he comes to my box." A stout girl runs forward from the right with raised arms and crisped fingers, saying, "Governess I can scratch rarely let me help you"."--British Museum online catalogue