"Satire on Robert Walpole at the time of his fall. Extended across a room is a large screen with twenty scenes described metaphorically in the text below. The scenes refer to instances of corruption and maladministration in his career: (1) three soldiers standing outside a prison referring to Walpole's alleged acceptance of a bribe in awarding two forage contracts for the army in Scotland when secretary of war in 1711 for which he was committed to the Tower; (2) a figure stretched across a screen indicating his "screening" of those involved in the South Sea Bubble; (3) a "Strumpet, called Corruption" with mitres and other symbols of office at her feet and Walpole at her side while "Pl[ace]m[e]n and Pensioners" gather around; (4) a snake-haired Fury drives men burdened with "Gin Act Dutys Taxes Debts"; (5) Walpole drives a chaise drawn by men instead of horses referring to the deeply unpopular Excise Scheme of 1733 and the Register Bill proposing the registration of seamen for defence purposes; (6) Walpole cutting in half a child representing the Sinking Fund; (7) Walpole embezzling public funds from chests in a strong room; (8) a hydra-headed Standing Army; (9) Walpole on his knees kissing the bare backside of Cardinal Fleury; (10) the "Mansion House" of the Constitution runs to ruin while (11) Walpole builds the splendid Houghton Hall for himself; (12) with the treaties of Hanover and Seville he inhibits the cause of Maria Theresa to the benefit of France and Spain; (13) "Spanish Depredeantions" of timber and cattle apparently in the Caribbean; (14) the export of "Wool to France"; (15) "Negotiations" with France and Spain in which Walpole frivolously blows bubbles, giving up all demands; (16) the Convention of the Pardo of 1738 which was condemned as making concessions to Spain; (17) the under-resourced War of Jenkins' Ear against Spain; (18) the "Spithead Expedition" of 1740 when the fleet was prevented from leaving port, allegedly by contrary orders rather than by unfavourable winds; (19) "His Flight", i.e. his resignation in February 1742, shown as a colossus cut in two and falling to earth while Walpole throws gold dust in the eyes of pursuers; (20) Walpole's "Trial", then in progress, before a committee of Parliament investigating aspects of his record in office shown here as resulting in his execution and the exposure of his severed head in the manner of a traitor. On either side of the screen large windows reveal a night sky in which, seen on the left, three men fly on a broomstick towards the moon; on the right, four others identify one of them as Walpole, one exclaiming "It must be the Comet", his neighbour, holding a telescope, "No! by Jove, tis Robin Goodfellow from R[i]chm[on]d", the third, "I wish the Telescope was a Gun". The Devil, smiling, peers from behind the screen muttering, "Hah! I shall have business here again." as he observes Walpole advising the king and his supporters, all wearing sashes. The king, sitting by a table on which burn two candles, asks, "What is to be done", to which Walpole replies, "Mix and divide them"; a gentleman responds, "tis good advice", another whose pockets are bulging, says, "I can keep up my Britches no longer"; another remarks, "this was an unlucky Change", to which a bishop replies, ""Yes - but I can change too". the Duke of Argyll and another gentleman approach from the left, the latter asks, "What think you?" to which Argyll replies, "I'll throw up tomorrow", referring to his impending resignation.Engraved inscriptions and title, and with letterpress text below in four columns."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Relapse
Description:
Title from item., 'Price 6 pence'--Lower right corner of plate., Letterpress broadside with etching at top of sheet (plate mark 21 x 35 cm). Letterpress overlaps the lower plate line., Four columns of text entitled "Explanation of the screen": 1. He is sent to gaol for selling oats and hay out of his Lady's stables. Getting at liberty again, he transforms himself ..., Cf. No. 2559 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 3., Bowditch's ms. annotations on the mounting sheet; mounted to 33 x 48 cm., and Watermark.
Publisher:
Publish'd April 12, 1742, by J. Huggonson, in Sword-and-Buckler Court, on Ludgate Hill
Subject (Name):
George II, King of Great Britain, 1683-1760, Caroline, Queen, consort of George II, King of Great Britain, 1683-1737, Walpole, Robert, Earl of Orford, 1676-1745, Fleury, André Hercule de, 1653-1743, and Argyle, John Campbell, Duke of, 1680-1743
"A 'hieroglyphic letter' or rebus in answer to the foregoing. America (l.), as a Red Indian woman, seated and leaning to the left.; she holds a flag with thirteen vertical stripes in her left hand, in her right. she holds out a fleur-de-lys. Beside her is an oval shield on which are thirteen stars."(America) (toe) her (Miss)taken (Moth)er. (Yew) s(eye)lly (old woman) t(hat) (yew) have sent a (lure) (toe) us is very (plane) (toe) draw our at(ten)-t(eye)on from our re(awl) (eye)ntrests (butt) we are determ(eye)n'd (toe) ab(eye)de by our own ways of th(eye)nk(eye)ng (Ewer) [your] 5 (child)ren (yew) have sent (toe) us sh(awl) (bee) treated as V(eye)s(eye)tors, & safely sent home aga(eye)n (yew) may [? carved bracket] t them & adm(eye)re them, (butt) (yew) must (knot) (X)pect I of (ewer) (puppet)s w(eye)ll (comb) [come] home (toe) (yew) as sweet as (yew) sent h(eye)m, twas cruel toe send so pretty a (man) so many 1000 miles & (toe) have the fat(eye)gue of re[t](urn)ing back after (spike?)(eye)ng h(eye)s (coat) & d(eye)rt(eye)ng [dirting] t[hose] red (heel) (shoes) (eye)f (yew) are w(eyes) follow (ewer) own ad(vice) (yew) gave (toe) me take home ewer (ships) sold(eye)(ears) [soldiers] guard (well) (ewer) own tr(eye)fl(eye)(ling ?) [a fish]. & leave me (toe) my self as (eye) am at age (toe) know my own (eye)ntrests. w(eye)thout (ewer) (fool)(eye)sh ad(vice) & know t(hat) (eye) sh(awl) (awl)ways regard (yew) & my Brothers as relat(eye)ons (butt) (knot) as fr(eye)nds. (Eye) (am) (ewer) (grate)fy (eye)njured Daughter Amer(eye)k.""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
America to her mistaken mother
Description:
Title from first line of text., A letter in form of rebus. The following words within title are represented by a rebus: America by a figure of an American Indian ; to by a toe ; 'mis' in 'mistaken' by an image of a girl ; 'moth' in 'mother' by an image of a moth., Reissue of a print originally published on 11 May 1778 by M. Darly. Cf. No. 5475 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 5., Watermark: Strasburg bend with initials G R below., and '9' in publication year erased and changed in contemporary hand to '8'.
Publisher:
Published 12th May 1794 by Laurie & Whittle, No. 53 Fleet Street, London
Subject (Topic):
Indians of North America, Correspondence, and Hieroglyphics
A writing sheet engraved with vignettes and the large interior space left blank. At the top is a scene with a throne on a platform in the center at the top of a pie-shaped set of stairs with angels standing along the edges on both the right and the left. Behind the line of angels are crowds of people, with the group from the left seemingly walking towards the right. Along the base of the design is a banner held at either end by cherubs blowing horns, inscribed are the words "Come unto me; ye blessed!" Many of the figures in the crowds wear crowns, one holds a harp and another a censer on a chain. The back of the throne is decorated with three connected triangles, points down and with a crown above the oval head rest, rays of light emanating from all sides. On the left margin are vignettes entitled "The birth" and "The wedding" and on the right "The christening" and "The burial". At the foot of the plate is an image of a dragon-like beast from whose mouth streams a banner bearing the engraved text: “There shall be weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth". A large oval shape on the dragon's body is left blank
Alternative Title:
Come unto me, ye blessed!
Description:
Title devised by cataloger., Place and date of publication based on manuscript note at foot of sheet., Lewis Walpole Library impression: Center blank space is filled in with three manuscript poems in black ink entitled 'On resurrection', 'On mortality', and 'On death'. The document is signed in the blank oval on the side of the dragon, "William Lea Yoxall's Christmas piece, December 16th, 1798, Chester"., With three poems entitled “On the Resurrection", "On mortality", and "On death” written in ink at center of sheet., and For further information, consult library staff.
Title devised by cataloger., Questionable date of publication based on watermarks from this print and another in the series at The Lewis Walpole Library., Six designs on one plate, each with a letter etched above and a word and its definition etched below., Description based on imperfect impression; probable plate number has been erased from upper right corner of sheet., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., and Watermark: T. Edmonds 1825.