"John Bull (left), a stout countryman wearing jack-boots, rides (right to left) through a wood on a wretched hack, ready to fall under his weight. Pitt kneels on the ground (right) in profile to the left, aiming a blunderbuss (which is supported on crossed sticks) point-blank at John; it is inscribed 'Standing Army'. He masquerades as a beggar: his dress is tattered, on the ground is his hat, containing coins; he says: "Good Sir, for Charity's sake \ "have Pity upon a poor ruin'd Man; - \ "drop if you please, a few bits of \ "Money into the Hat, & you shall \ "be rewarded hereafter -" From his coat-pocket project a cocked pistol and a paper: 'Forced Loan in reserve'. He points to a document on the ground beside him: 'Humble Petition, for Voluntary - Contribution Subscriptions & new Taxes, to save the Distres'd from taking worse Courses.' John Bull has dropped his righteins and holds his hat, full of guineas; he looks with melancholy distrust at Pitt, but drops guineas into his hat. His horse, disfigured with sores, is evidently the white horse of Hanover, its head-band is red and blue, the Windsor uniform (cf. BMSat 8691, &c). From the bushes behind Pitt emerge the heads and shoulders of (right to left) Dundas, Grenville, and Burke, each with a pistol levelled at John Bull. Dundas wears Highland dress, Grenville peer's robes and a grenadier's cap with the letters 'Wm R' (cf. BMSats 7479, 7494, &c.): he looks down reflectively at Pitt instead of at his victim, implying that he is his cousin's henchman; Burke has a pen in his hat. On the left is a signpost pointing (right) 'From Constitution Hill' (cf. BMSat 8287) and (left) 'To Slavery Slough by Beggary Corner.'"--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
John Bull escaping a forced loan
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Highwaymen -- Beggars -- Weapons: blunderbuss -- Pistols -- Petitions -- Reference to Loyaly Loan -- Symbols: White Horse of Hanover -- Coins: guineas -- Signposts., and Mounted to 32 x 48 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Decr. 10th, 1796, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, and Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834
"Burke (left), a very thin 'lay porter', addresses Thurlow (right), who is very obese and holds in his left a heart inscribed 'Humanity', from which a piece has been broken. He is Father Paul in Sheridan's 'Duenna' (III. v). They face each other in profile. Burke is dressed as a monk (cf. BMSat 6026), a rosary with a cross inscribed 'Impeachment' hangs from his girdle. In his hand is a paper inscribed 'Account of expences attending a Trial. . . Esqr.' He says, "We ask no more than is needfull, and so little have we had, that we are almost starved". Thurlow answers, "It's false; you feast and Gormandize, whilst we are wasting". (The words are adapted from 'The Duenna'.) On his goblet, inscribed 'Pleasure', is a scene of persons being sabred, while a body hangs from a gibbet. Behind Burke and Thurlow is a curtain which cuts off part of the room. Above it (centre) is the top of a jewelled turban, as worn by Hastings in caricature, surmounted by feathers inscribed 'Treasury Warrants'. From it ascends vertically a sword to whose blade are attached horizontal bunches of leaves; from these hang four hats inscribed respectively 'Middlet[on]', 'Impey', 'Holt', 'Ben'. A man (? Burges) looks through the curtain at Burke; in his hand are two scrolls: 'Profus[ion]', 'Oeconomy'. On the wall (left) is a picture of a bull inscribed: 'Decided either way Poor John is sure to pay.' His blood gushes out in a copious fountain into a pit inscribed 'Private Defence', while from another wound it merely drips into a hole inscribed 'Public Prosecution'. The frame is inscribed 'John Bull. Paymaster'. On the right is a placard, inscribed 'Good Entertainment Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays' (cf. BMSats 7313, 7314) and surmounted by a crown."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Father Paul and the lay porter and Particular state of particular expences
Description:
Title from item., Text following title: Published according to act of parliament., Printmaker from Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum., Temporary local subject terms: Altered quotation from literature: Richard Brinsley's The Duenna, Act III -- Richard Brinsley: 1751-1816 -- Debate on expenses -- Pictures amplifying subject., and Mounted to 37 x 25 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd, as the act directs by W. Dent, May 26th, 1788 ; sold by W. Dickie, opposite Exeter change Strand & W. Morre, N. 48 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Hastings, Warren, 1732-1818, Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, and Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797
"John Bull's head and shoulders emerge from a gigantic coffee-mill. He is being ground by Pitt into guineas which pour from the spout of the machine into the inverted coronet of the Prince of Wales, held out by the Prince (left). John Bull, his hands clasped, shrieks "Murder! Murder!" Pitt (right), both hands on the handle, is working hard, stripped to his shirt. His coat lies across an enormous heap of guineas on which he rests his left knee. He says: "God save great George our Ki . . ." Behind him, and in the upper right corner of the design, is the crown, the centre of a sun whose rays extend behind Pitt's head, with the words: "Grind away! grind away grind away Billy! never mind his bawling! grind away." Other words from the crown are directed towards the victim: "What! - What! - what! Murder hay? why, you poor Stupe, is it not for the good of your Country? hay? hay". Between Pitt and the post of the mill Dundas and Burke are grovelling for guineas: Burke, frowning, uses both hands; Dundas, who wears a plaid, fills his Scots cap. Behind the post Loughborough grovels, his elongated judge's wig turned in back view (cf. BMSat 6796). The Prince (right) wearing a Garter ribbon, with the letters 'G.P' on the jewel, kneels on one knee, his head turned in back view; he points out his harvest of coins to a row of creditors. These stand in a row on the left: a jockey, probably Chifney (given a pension by the Prince, see BMSat 7918), holds out a paper: 'Debts of Honor'. Next, a bearded Jew holds out a paper headed 'Money Lent at £500 pr Cent'. Next is Mrs. Fitzherbert (caricatured) and another woman (? Mrs. Crouch); others are indicated. Behind this group is part of the colonnade and façade of Carlton House."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched at bottom of image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Temporary local subject terms: Coffee-mills -- Taxation -- Debts: Prince of Wales's debts -- Buildings: Carlton House -- Creditors -- Jews -- Pensions: pension for Samuel Chifney, the jockey -- George III as sun -- Crowns -- Emblems: Prince of Wales's feathers., and Mounted to 34 x 48 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 1st, 1795, by H. Humphrey, N. 37 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, and Fitzherbert, Maria Anne, 1756-1837
"Pitt (right) stands stiffly in profile to the left, holding open a large sack-like wallet inscribed 'Requisition Budget'. He addresses John Bull, the central figure, a stout yokel, who holds out his breeches in his left hand to Pitt, while he touches his hat. The budget and the breeches pockets are full of guineas. Pitt says: "More Money, John! - more Money! to defend you from the Bloody, the Cannibal French - They're a coming! - why they'll Strip you to the very Skin - more Money. John! - They're a coming - They're a coming." Dundas, Grenville, and Burke kneel on the right, bending towards the 'Budget', each with his left hand in an opening in a vertical seam, eagerly grabbing guineas. Behind them is the stone archway of the 'Treasury', with its high spiked gate. Dundas, the most prominent, wears Highland dress and holds a Scots cap full of coins. Grenville wears a peer's robe; Burke is behind. They echo Pitt: Dundas says "Ay! Ay! They're a coming! They're a coming!" Grenville: "Yes! Yes, They're a coming." Burke: "Ay They're a coming." John says: " - a coming? - are they? - nay then, take all I've got, at once, Measter Billy! - vor its much better for I to ge ye all I have in the World to save my Bacon, - than to stay & be Strip'd stark naked by Charley, & the plundering French Invasioners, as you say". His coat and waistcoat are sound, but the pockets hang inside out, empty. His lank hair, knotted kerchief, and wrinkled gaiters denote the small farmer. Behind (left), on the shore, stands Fox looking across the water towards the fortress of 'Brest' flying a tricolour flag. He hails it with upraised arms, shouting: "What! more Money ? - O the Aristocrat Plunderer! - Vite Citoyens! - vite! - vite! depechez vous! - or we shall be too late to come inn for any Snacks of the I'argant! - vite Citoyens! vite! vite!""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
John Bull giving his breeches to save his bacon
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed to plate mark on left and bottom edges., and Temporary local subject terms: Yokels -- Money: guineas -- Treasury -- Male dress: Highland dress -- Budgets: Pitt's speech, Dec. 7, 1796
Publisher:
Pubd. Novr. 7th, 1796, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, and Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797
"John Bull, a fat 'cit', is seated beside a writing-table (right) holding up a large book. On the left hand page is inscribed 'Vote of Thanks respecting the Expedition to Copenhagen'; John's pen rests on the last word, but he turns in horror to gaze at the ghosts of (left to right) Fox, Pitt, and Burke. These wear shrouds and stand on clouds; all point a menacing forefinger. Fox says: "Erase those lines from your Journal"; Pitt and Burke say "Erase". Burke wears spectacles and a Jesuit's biretta (cf. British Museum Satires No. 6026), and holds a large book inscribed 'Sublime & Beautiful' [cf., e.g., British Museum Satires No. 6361]. John wears glasses, his hair rises on his head, pushing up his ill-fitting wig. He says: "Why dont you come then and transact the business yourselves? - it is impossible I can please every body. - it is come to such a pitch now that I have no peace either with the living or the dead!!!""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Spectres visiting John Bull
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., and Sheet trimmed to plate mark leaving thread margins.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 23, 1808, by Walker, No. 7 Cornhill
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and Denmark.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, and Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797
Subject (Topic):
Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815, Foreign relations, John Bull (Symbolic character), Ghosts, and Writing materials