"John Bull stands full-face, supporting a monstrous burden; he is short in proportion to his breadth by reason of the weight which presses on him, drops fall down his face; his breeches pockets, inscribed 'Empty', hang inside out. On his shoulders sits Pitt, his slim ankles crossed under John's chin. On his back, behind Pitt and extending far beyond his shoulders, is a vast burden inscribed (left): 'Subsidies - Taxes!! Taxes - More Taxes!! More Taxes!!!!'; and right: 'Subsidies - Taxes - Debt- More Money!!' On one end (left) sits Dundas, looking to the left, in Highland dress; on the other sits a schoolboy, evidently intended for Canning. On the top of the burden stand seven men, all wearing ribbons and evidently representing placemen and pensioners; they support on their hands and heads a long treasure-chest, heavily padlocked and inscribed: 'Benefices - Candle ends and Cheese Parings.' On the right and left of this sit jauntily two corpulent parsons, hands on hips. Between them, a hand on the head of each, stands, full-face, a stout and grinning bishop, with inflated lawn sleeves. His mitre forms the apex of the monstrous pyramid. Pitt turns his head in profile to the left, he and Dundas have expressions of concern; all the others appear complacent or pleased."--British Museum online catalogue
"Pitt sits astride a huge pile of bundles strapped to the back of a bull (John Bull); he is about to enter a high archway inscribed 'Trea[sury]'. His pose and expression combine jauntiness with dignity. His head is in profile to the right, his right hand on his hip, he wears a large bag to his wig, and while pressing his hat under his left arm holds the (slack) reins of the bull; his long thin leg hangs considerably above the bull's back, owing to the height of the bundles. The sturdy bull, though with downcast head and closed eyes, is not weighed down with his burden. Dundas (right), in Highland dress, marches grinning in front of the bull, playing the bagpipes which are inscribed 'Union Pipes' and have a transparent bag filled with coins. The bull's burden consists of ten superimposed bundles, inscribed with figures relating to the Loyalty Loan. Some of these are '50 000!, 30 000!, East India Company 2 000 000!!!, Duke of Queensbury 100-000!, 100 000!, Pit[t] D. dass 10000 [partly obscured by Pitt's foot], 50000, Duke of Bridgewater 100 000!, Corporation of London 100 000!' Behind the bull and on the extreme left are crowded together four British Jacobins, much caricatured, wearing bonnets-rouges and looking up at Pitt with anger and dismay. Their heads rise vertically one behind the other; the foremost and lowest is Fox, clenching his fist, next Sheridan in profile; then Stanhope, the fourth a mere scrawl."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Watermark: Strasburg bend with date 1798?, and Mounted to 42 x 29 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. by W. Holland, Oxford St.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain. and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Stanhope, Charles Stanhope, Earl, 1753-1816, Bridgewater, Francis Egerton, Duke of, 1736-1803., and East India Company.
Subject (Topic):
Finance, Public, Economic conditions, John Bull (Symbolic character), Debts, Public, Loyalty Loan, and Musical instruments