"Three men sit, singing a catch, with a round table between them. A British officer (perhaps Cotton), wearing a cocked hat, sits in profile to the right, facing Dalrymple who sits (right) with tightly closed mouth, his hands on his knees. Between them, but with his chair from Dalrymple, sits a man in Spanish (here Portuguese) dress, wearing a feathered hat. The British officer sings: T'was You Sir-Hew - Twas Hew. that let the French Escape, That makes you look so blue Sir-Hew Sir Hew! He and the Portuguese (perhaps Freire) point minatory hands at Dalrymple, whose face is painted lead colour. On the wall are two pictures: (above the Portuguese) 'A correct representation of the French Plunderers stopt in their progress by the Spanish Patriots.' [at Baylen] and (above Dalrymple): 'A Correct representation of the French Plunderers quitting Portugal for France - under a British Escort.' In one a long train of wagons is stopped by armed men, in the other are ships in full sail. On the table are glasses and decanters of 'Port and Calcavella'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., and Watermark: E& P.
Publisher:
Pubd. Octr. 1808 by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
Spain. and Portugal.
Subject (Name):
Cotton, Charles, Sir, 1753-1812 and Dalrymple, Hew Whiteford, Sir, 1750-1830
Subject (Topic):
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815, Campaigns, Generals, British, Military officers, Singing, Wine, Drinking vessels, and Pictures
"A stout and comely lady stands at the door of an ornamentally rustic cottage, shaking a cloth from which tiny officers leap out, holding money-bags. The cloth is inscribed in large letters 'Pin Money instead of Allowance'. She says: "This is a profitable Plan of his and pays me a Devilish deal better than he can, besides the Patronage!!" Five elderly officers of normal size (right) watch their pigmy rivals with consternation. One looks through his glass, saying, "To waste ones health in unwholesome Climates an then fail of promotion because we cannot fee ****** or Army Agents Agents.!!" Another says: "Mother Careys Chickens by - then we shall have a storm indeed!" A third exclaims: "What to spend our lives in the service of our Country, and to be thus degraded by a parcel of Boys!!" He has a wooden leg and a patch over one eye. Another had lost his right arm, and the group seem hardly fit for active service. The 'boys' wear fashionable crescent-shaped cocked hats with plumes, the others old-fashioned hats with cockade, loop, and button. Over the door is inscribed in large letters '... mus Cottage'. It has the ornamental Gothic windows with leaded panes and thatched roof of fashionable rusticity. Beside it is a weeping willow. Below the title: 'NB these Birds have lately been seen hovering about the Horse Guards'. Below the design: 'a Storm Finch, or stormy petterel (the Mother Careys Chickens of the Sailors). Procellaria Pelagica of Linnaeus. is seldom or never seen but in the great Ocean, and then when observed flying near a Ship, is the sure prognostication of a Storm, the analagy [sic] of effect has induced modern Naturalists to class these, with the Pelagica of Linnaeus, tho differing in plumage'."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Imprint statement etched within upper portion of image., and Watermark: Ruse & Turners. Small tears along the right edge.
Publisher:
Pubd. Novr. 1808 by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Frederick Augustus, Prince, Duke of York and Albany, 1763-1827., Great Britain. Army, and Great Britain. Royal Navy
Subject (Topic):
Officers, Promotions, Recruiting, enlistment, etc, Military officers, British, Amputees, Dwellings, Doors & doorways, Eye patches, Mistresses, Peg legs, and Uniforms
"Napoleon, John Bull (a 'cit'), a British general wearing a star, and the Duke of Portland sit in conference, each holding a large double paper covered with type or script. Napoleon sits on the left, pointing to the text of his paper and saying to his neighbour, "You see Mr Bull the case is simply this If you do so, I'll do so!" John, much disconcerted, stares at the Emperor, exclaiming "O! O!" The general also looks at Napoleon, perturbed. Portland (right), who sits in an armchair facing the Emperor, with frank dismay says: "If he says O! O! I'm afraid t'is but so! so!"."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Sounding the opinions of John Bull
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Later state, with imprint statement burnished from plate. For an earlier state with the imprint "Pubd. March 1808 by Walker & C., No. 7 Cornhill", see no. 10971 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8., "March 1808" written in brown ink in lower right, over the remnants of the burnished imprint statement. Formerly mounted on a blue sheet, remnants visible on back., and Watermark, partially trimmed: 1811.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 and Portland, William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, Duke of, 1738-1809
Subject (Topic):
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815, John Bull (Symbolic character), Generals, British, Sitting, and Meetings