William Pitt, acting as an auctioneer in the dissoluted Parliament, sells from the rostrum decorated with Royal Arms "useless valuables," such as "Magna Charta." Cornwall, the Speaker sitting below the rostrum, records bids in the "Sundry acts." In front of him stands Thurlow in Chancellor's robes making dismissive comment on "nonsensical bidings of those common fellows," i.e. members of the House of Commons who leave through the door on the left. Last of them, Fox, turns back vowing to bid "with spirit" for lot 1, "rights of the people in 558 vol." held on display by Henry Dundas. A reference to the dissolution of the Parliament by the King on March 25.
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 26th by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain, England, and Westminster
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Cornwall, Charles Wolfran, 1735-1789, and Dundas, Henry, 1742-1811
Subject (Topic):
Great Britain, Politics and government, Political elections, Auctions, and Clothing & dress
"Hastings stands holding one end of a large pie in his left hand; in his right he raises a knife to cut the pie. On the left are Managers of his impeachment; on the right are Thurlow and the Devil: both drag at Hastings and at the pie, but the latter party appear to be gaining. Small demons or imps emerge from the pie which personifies Impey. Burke clutches Hastings's coat and right arm; a scroll issuing from his mouth extends above his assistants and is inscribed 'For the sake of Injured Millions, I and my worthy Friends and Colleagues demand these Wretches as Victims to Publick Justice'. Fox clutches Burke, another man (? Sheridan) clutches Fox, his arm being linked in that of the man (? Windham) on the extreme left. A fifth man in back view clutches with both hands at the pie; a paper protrudes from his pocket inscribed 'Sr Elijah's Impeachment', showing that he is Sir Gilbert Elliot who was entrusted with the case against Impey. Thurlow drags at Hastings's left arm and clutches two large money-bags; a scroll issues from his mouth, forming a pendant to that of Burke: 'And - for the sake of Consigned Millions, I - with the assistance of my old Friend and Colleague here am resolved to protect these worthy Gentlemen'. He wears his Chancellor's wig and gown; one hairy leg terminates in a cloven hoof. The Devil clutches Hastings's wrist and the pie; he is a ferocious muscular creature with webbed wings and scaly barbed tail. Hastings as usual wears oriental dress with a jewelled turban."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Struggle for a Bengal butcher and an Impey
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Law -- Horace Walpole refers to subject of print., and Watermark.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 18 1788 for J. Doughty and Co., No. 19 Holborn, London
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Hastings, Warren, 1732-1818, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Minto, Gilbert Elliot, Earl of, 1751-1814, and Windham, William, 1750-1810
JH identified as monogram for James Hook. See British Museum catalogue., Title from item., Sheet trimmed to plate mark at top., and Temporary local subject terms: Allusion to William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: iii.3.21; iv.1.206 -- Trials of Warren Hastings -- India.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 17th 1788 by S.W. Fores, N. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Hastings, Warren, 1732-1818, George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Plumer, Thomas, Sir, 1753-1824, Dallas, Robert, Sir, 1756-1824, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, and Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818
JH identified as monogram for James Hook. See British Museum catalogue., Title from item., Sheet trimmed to plate mark at top., Temporary local subject terms: Allusion to William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice: iii.3.21; iv.1.206 -- Trials of Warren Hastings -- India., 1 print on laid paper : etching ; sheet 40 x 56 cm., folded and mounted to 37 x 56 cm., and Sheet trimmed to and within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 17th 1788 by S.W. Fores, N. 3 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Hastings, Warren, 1732-1818, George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Plumer, Thomas, Sir, 1753-1824, Dallas, Robert, Sir, 1756-1824, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, and Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818
"Thurlow as Balaam, riding (right to left) on an ass with the head of Pitt, is confronted by Fox (left) holding a sword with a serpentine blade and the shield of Britannia. The ass says, "Am not I thy Pitt=ifull Ass; upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine". Thurlow, on a larger scale than Fox and the ass, which is much overweighted, wears his Chancellor's wig and gown and holds his mace against his right shoulder; he looks fixedly at Fox. A low and irregular stone wall forms a background. Beneath the design is etched: 'And they came unto Balaam and said unto him, thus saith Balak the Templeite, let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me, for I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore I pray thee, curse me this People. Balaam rose up in the Morning and saddled his Ass, and went with the Lords of the Bed-Chamber, now the Man of the People stood in the way for an adversary against him, and when the Ass saw the Man of the People, he fell down under Balaam and Balaam's anger was kindled; and he smote the Ass with the Mace.'"--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Watermark in center of sheet: fleur-de-lis with initials G R., and Mounted to 28 x 39 cm.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, and Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806