At the top of a ladder placed against the House of Commons and inscribed, "back stairs," stands a female figure of Folly in a fool's cap, with a flag signed "aristocracy." Below her, a man attempts to pull down a stone from the frieze with a grappling hook. Behind him, a smiling Pitt with one foot on a rung, "new mi[nister]," encourages his supporters to follow. Next climbs Lord Temple carrying a conspirator's lantern and a flag, "omnipot[ent] anarc[hy]." Under the ladder, others demolish the wall. On the left, Lord North and Charles Fox try to support the loosened "SPQB" frieze with a beam inscribed, "constitutional advice." An indignant-looking female figure of Wisdom advises Pitt and his followers to reconsider their action."
Alternative Title:
Demolition of St. Stephs. Chapel and Demolition of St. Stephen's Chapel
Description:
Title from item. and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pub. March 4, 1784, by W. Wells, N. 132 Fleet Street
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806., Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792., and Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville, Marquess of, 1753-1813.
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Fools' caps, Liberty cap, Ladders, Demolition, and Cobblestone streets
"An election-procession marches (right to left) towards the hustings which are indicated by a corner of the pediment of St. Paul's Church and a crowd. A band of butchers, with marrow-bones and cleavers, heads the procession. Next walks the Duchess of Devonshire, holding up on a pole a pair of breeches inscribed 'Man of the People', and surmounted by a crowing cock. She is followed by a lady holding up on a pole a placard with 'Fox (a fox) and the Rights of the Commons'. A third lady holds up on a pole a mob-cap and apron inscribed 'No Tax on Maid Servants'. They are followed by sturdy-looking citizens wearing 'Fox' favours, one of whom carries a fourth standard: a key tied in a hoop and inscribed 'Key of the Back Stairs', [This emblem appears to have been first used on 14 Feb., during Fox's procession to Devonshire House (see British Museum Satires No. 6421, &c), when 'at Lord Temple's, a wag held up a flag tied to a stick, hung round with crape, which he called 'the Secret Influence Key in Mourning'. Full and Authentic Account of the Proceedings in Westminster Hall', 1784, pp. 26-7 n.] in allusion to the 'secret influence' which favoured Pitt, cf. British Museum Satires No. 6417. &c, 6557, 6592, 7139, 7325, 7339, 7372, 7634, 8102. House is seen between the first two ladies, waving his hat and wildly cheering the procession; other spectators do the same. See British Museum Satires No. 6475, &c. The Duchess is more characterized than her two companions, who are probably her sister Lady Duncannon and perhaps Mrs. Crewe, cf. British Museum Satires No. 6493, &c. All three wear the ostrich plumes and fox's brush which were worn as emblems of the Prince of Wales and of Fox."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Reissue, with altered publication line, of a print originally issued with the imprint "London, Published April 30th, 1784, by G. Humphrey, No. 48 Long Acre." Cf. No. 6564 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6., Temporary local subject terms: Emblems: Prince of Wales's feathers -- Election standards -- Election emblems -- Electors' parade to the Hustings, Westminster, 1784 -- Marrowbones -- Cleavers -- Taxes: Proposed tax on maidservants, 1784 -- Key of the Back Stairs -- Election favors -- St. Paul's facade, Covent Garden., Watermark in center of sheet., and Mounted to 30 x 39 cm.
Publisher:
Published April 30th, 1784, by G. Humphrey, Printseller, & Dealer in Natural Curiosities, No. 48 Long Acre
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Bessborough, Henrietta Frances Spencer Ponsonby, Countess of, 1761-1821, Crewe, Frances Anne Greville Crewe, Lady, 1748-1818, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, House, Samuel, -1785, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830., and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Elections, 1784, Politics and government, Butchers, and Parades & processions
Charles Fox is shown making opposing statements depending on his audience or situation. In the first pair of images he proclaims his opposition to any additional taxes in front of a cheering crowd that includes Sam House, the Wardour Street publican and Fox's staunch supporter in the Westminster elections, and the Duchess of Devonshire, while in the corresponding image he encourages Lord Cavendish to increase taxation. In the second set of images he speaks both for and against the war for American independence. In the last set he assures Lord North of his sincere friendship only to deny it in the last image
Description:
Title from item., Publication date from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Mounted to 29 x 41 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the act directs 178[...] by B. Pownall, No. 6 Pall Mall
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792., Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806., Cavendish, John, Lord, 1732-1796., and House, Samuel, d. 1785.
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Public speaking, and Taxes
Depicts Charles James Fox in 3 pairs of caricatures which satirize his contradictory pronouncements on several matters of policy. In the top image of left pair he speaks to a crowd, expressing his opposition to new taxes, while beneath he is shown seated at a table with Cavendish and saying "Tax away Ld. C---h, let the plebians pay the piper I say." Other images reflect similar inconsistencies with regard to making peace and Lord North
Alternative Title:
Proteus the 2d in several among his many public characters and Proteus the second in several among his many public characters
Description:
Title from item., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Numbered in lower left of plate: No. 5., and A later state of no. 6265 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires / Mary Dorothy George, v. 5.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the Act directs, 12 Jan., 1784 by G. Humphrey No. 48 Long Acre
George III, submerged in water, his head and hands raised in supplication above the waves, is being pulled out by four men standing in "Victory's Boat." They are, from left to right, Admiral Keppel, Lord Shelburne, John Dunning, and the Duke of Richmond. A "Diving Bell" with a head of a judge, possibly Thurlow, is attached to the boat by another rope. Watching from the shore are Charles James Fox, with a fox's head, and Edmund Burke. Fox comments that "As maligrida [Shelburne] now does reign / all their labour is in vain," to which Burke adds, "if boreas was here he would much swell / and prevent the efects of the Diving Bell." 'Boreas,' the fictitious designer of this print is Lord North. The printmaker Twitcher is Lord Sandwich. The title alludes to the loss of the warship "Royal George" during repairs in Portsmouth in 1782
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to John Nixon. See British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Mounted to 32 x 43 cm.
Publisher:
Pub. 21st. Jan. 1783, by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
England., England, and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820., Lansdowne, William Petty, Marquis of, 1737-1805., Keppel, Augustus Keppel, Viscount, 1725-1786., Dunning, John, Baron Ashburton, 1731-1783., Richmond, Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of, 1735-1806., Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797., Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806., and Royal George (Ship)
Subject (Topic):
Diving bells, Shipwrecks, Boats, Ropes, Drowning, Crowns, Clothing & dress, and Politics and government
Dent, William, active 1783-1793, printmaker, publisher
Published / Created:
[January 1789]
Call Number:
789.01.00.02
Image Count:
1
Resource Type:
still image
Abstract:
"A fox, wearing a coat, hangs in profile to the right from a very high gibbet. His large brush is inscribed 'Hereditary Right' (cf. British Museum Satires 7381); he is excreting, the ordure being inscribed 'Run my Mead'. Above the gibbet is a scroll: 'The Man of the People High in Office'. Three women caper delightedly round the foot of the gallows: Justice (with the head of Thurlow) (left), with her scales evenly balanced, but with her bandage pushed up so that she can see, and holding her sword against her shoulder, its blade inscribed 'Household' continued; she sings, "Let's joyful Dance and merry Sing". Britannia (right) sings "for Ch--l--y [Fox] is quite the thing"; her shield is inscribed 'No Peers No Pensions', an allusion to the Regency Restrictions. Her profile appears to be intended for that of Pitt. Liberty, with the head of Wilkes, squinting violently, who is between the other two, cries "Huzza". The cap of Liberty (on its staff) is inscribed with the City arms and the motto 'Address', in reference to the City address of thanks to Pitt and the Ministry for maintaining the right of Parliament in the establishment of a regency."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Date at end of imprint statement is illegible; date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark., and Removed from backing with remnants of blue paper on verso.
Publisher:
Pub. by W. Dent and Sold by W. Moore, Oxford St.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain. and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Great Britain. Parliament., Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., Pitt, William, 1759-1806., Wilkes, John, 1725-1797, and Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806
Subject (Topic):
Britannia (Symbolic character), Regency, Politics and government, Gallows, Justice, and Liberty
A fox runs away holding in its mouth the embroided bag with the Great Seal. Thurlow, in the Chancellor's robes leans out the window on the right crying, "stop thief." A reference to the theft of the Seal from the Chancellor's house on the eve of the dissolution of the Parliament, attributed to Charles Fox and his friends
Description:
Title from item., Sheet trimmed mostly within plate mark., and Mounted to 29 x 38 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. March 25, 1784 by J Wallis N 16 Ludgate Street
Subject (Geographic):
England, London, Ormond Street., and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806. and Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806.
Subject (Topic):
Streets, Politics and government, Foxes, and Robberies
Lord North, carrying a large sack labelled "budget, small beer, soap, tobacco, insurance, carriages, tea", references to his proposed taxes of 1782. The Devil stands behind helping support the sack, as North approaches an open window at which a fox (Charles James Fox) is standing
Description:
Title from item., Attributed to Colley in the British Museum catalogue., and Mounted to 30 x 37 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 10th, 1782 by W. Humphrey No. 227 Strand
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and England
Subject (Name):
North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792. and Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806.
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Economic conditions, Lifting & carrying, Devil, and Clothing & dress
Charles Fox, shown with webbed dark wings attached to his back, rises from flames. An unrolled scroll on the left reads, "a method to dethrone the King A.D. 1784." Below the image are etched lines from Milton's Paradise lost
Description:
Title from item., Publication date from British Museum catalogue., and Mounted to 37 x 28 cm.