"A monster representing Sir Cecil Wray, or Treachery, lies on his back beside a pond, one elbow in the water. He has a frog's mouth, a naked hairy body with a rat's tail, and wears the peculiar-shaped hat worn by Wray; in his right hand is a dark lantern, emblem of conspiracy, in his right a large key, emblem of the back stairs, cf. British Museum satires 6564, &c. A fox, carrying off a goose, stands over Wray, urinating upon him savagely, and saying: "May you never, never rise! By treachery to gain the prize Thus I treat you with contempt Until pass 'd actions you repent. As I was trusted with the Key I meant to pick their bones quite free But Fox the keenest of his race Has thus o'erturn'd me with disgrace." A gosling lies on its back beside Wray. The goose and gosling appear to represent the Westminster electors (cf. British Museum satires 5843, &c.) whose bones Wray had expected to pick. In the distance (left) is a small cottage, on the roof of which a cock stands crowing."--British Museum catalogue
Alternative Title:
Treachery overthrown
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker identified as W.G. Phillips in British Museum catalogue., Publisher's name erased from plate., Temporary local subject terms: Personifications: Sir Cecil Wray as monster of treachery -- Key to the Back Stairs -- Emblems: Dark lantern of conspiracy -- Emblems: Fox and goose -- Westminster electors as goose and gosling -- Defeats: Wray, 1784 -- Elections: Westminster, 1784 -- Huts., and Mounted to 28 x 33 cm.
Publisher:
[publisher not identified], Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806 and Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805