"George III, in back view, seated at a writing-table, tries to fend off members of the new Ministry who beset him with conflicting plans and proposals. He exclaims "What, What, What! [his habitual phrase] all Wrong! all Wrong." On his right Fox is seated, but falls back dismayed, his chair collapsing; he holds 'Proposals for a General Peace', saying, "I am certain John Bull will like my plan better than any of them, sign mine." Next him is Ellenborough, in wig and gown, his left hand on the back of Fox's chair, which (perhaps) he is causing to fall; he proffers a 'Plan of a New Mode of Justice', and says: "The only specimen among them of a knowledge of the Subject, Sign this." (The inclusion of the Lord Chief Justice in the Cabinet was much objected to, on constitutional grounds, see 'Ann. Reg.', 1806, pp. 28-33, and BMSat 10563.) Moira, in regimentals, kneeling on a chair on the extreme right., leans forward, one hand on Ellenborough's shoulder, to present a 'Project for improveing of Ordinance'; he says: "By St Patrick now, if you was to put the whole of them together you would not be able to make a bit of sense out of them, this is the only one for John Bull." Windham, next Ellenborough, faces the King, presenting a paper inscribed 'War on the Continent', and saying, "I say nothing more or less than that they are all bad but this". Behind him Tierney stands, profferring a blank paper; he says: "Only look at mine & you'll be convinced its quite the thing." The others are on the King's l. Sheridan, a pendent to Fox, leans forward with his paper: 'Manager of the Finan[ces]'; he says: "Here sign this, this is the only good plan of management, all complete nonsense compared with this" [the hopeless confusion and debt in which the finances of Drury Lane were involved by Sheridan's management are satirized]. He wears, under his laced coat, the chequered waistcoat and breeches of Harlequin, see BMSat 9916. Behind him is Grenville, his partly obscured paper inscribed on the; he says: "This is the only well digested plan pro bona [sic] Publico, you may depend upon it." Petty's paper is blank; he says: "This petty effusion of Ideas you'll find full of weighty argument on every subject I assure you." Erskine (the arch-egotist, see BMSat 9246, &c), in wig and gown, and with the Purse of the Great Seal, leans forward with a blank paper to say: "This is the only learned plan among them, which I have arranged, I' I' I." Sidmouth stands on the extreme left., clutching, but not proffering, a paper; he flinches from we clamouring Ministers, saying, "If this is the Union of Parties, I'll be disunited.""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Principles of democracy too prevalent
Description:
Title from item., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Printseller's announcement following imprint: Folios of caricatures lent out for the evening., Sheet trimmed to edge of plate mark on two sides., and Watermark: Strasburg Lily.
Publisher:
Pubd. March, 1806 by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Tierney, George, 1761-1830, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, and Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844
A torrent of taxes gushes from the mouth of Lord Henry Petty, chancellor of the exchequer, emptying into the "Unfathomable Sea of Taxation" in which John Bull is drowning in full view of greedy cormorants representing members of the Grenville ministry which was formed after the death of William Pitt
Alternative Title:
John Bull swamped in the flood of new taxes
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Williams in the British Museum catalogue., A copy of a print by Gillray. Cf. No. 10564 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8., and With stamp of S.W. Fores in the lower right corner.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 1806 by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
England
Subject (Name):
Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Bedford, John Russell, Duke of, 1766-1839, Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812, Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville, Marquess of, 1753-1813, Lauderdale, James Maitland, Earl of, 1759-1839, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, and Adair, Robert, Sir, 1763-1855
Subject (Topic):
Taxes, John Bull (Symbolic character), Fountains, Cormorants, and Rowboats
"Fox as Abdallah, captain of the thieves, leads his band towards the treasure-cave; he stands in profile to the right., facing the cave where a Chancellor's gown and a Chief Justice's gown are suspended. On a table decorated with the Royal Arms are three coronets; in front of it, two sacks of 'Cash', a mace, large rolls of parchment inscribed 'Places' and 'Pensions'. The thieves all wear jewelled turbans with aigrettes, Turkisn trousers tucked into boots, zouave jackets edged with fur over short sleeves. Each holds a sabre. Fox exclaims "Open Sesame." The thieves are crowded together behind Fox and Sheridan, who points to the cave, turning round to say: "Glorious spoils comrades in this Cavern of Ours, surely there is enoug to satisfy us all, I long to lead a sober steady Life." The other thieves are not characterized, and it is not clear to which speaker the different speeches belong. Behind and between Sheridan and Fox is Sidmouth saying: "Blister me [cf. BMSat 9849] if I dont think my exploits deserve that roll of Parchment." Windham (regarded as a war-monger, cf. BMSat 9871), says: "I should like a little cutting and slashing befor I left off Buisiness!" The Marquis of Buckingham, indicated by spectacles, says: "If the Cady will but make me a Viceroy ill give up this buisiness at once." This speech is also connected with Bedford's profile Next the head of the latter is that of the tall Moira. Erskine (1.) says: "I'll take the black gown trim'd with gold, and the valuble [the mace] that belongs to it. for my share". An unappropriated speech must belong to Ellenborough (not discoverable): "Well I'll take the one with the Fur upon it, and some thing to make up for the want of Gold trimming." Others of the band are little Lord Henry Petty looking up at Sheridan and the bulky Grenville with his sabre resting on his shoulder. Profiles suggest Burdett (on the extreme left.) and Grey."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Scene in the Forty Thievs performing at the Theatre Royal and Scene in the Forty Thieves performing at the Theatre Royal
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Publisher in British Museum catalogue: E. Walker active from 1789-1813., Figures identified in ms. annotations along outer margin of print., and Mounted to 32 x 47 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. May, 1806 by Walker, No. 7 Cornhill
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816., Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Lansdowne, William Petty, Marquis of, 1737-1805, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Bedford, John Russell, Duke of, 1766-1839, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville, Marquess of, 1753-1813, and Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818
Title from item., Printmaker from British Museum online catalogue., Three lines of a quotation following title: "You were also Jupiter a swan for the love of Leda omnipotent love! how near the god drew to the complexion of a goose, when gods have hot backs: what shall poor men do? [Merry Wives of Windsor, v. v.], Temporary local subject terms: Lighting: Candlestick -- Mirror -- Female Costume: Night dress -- Furniture: Canopied bed -- Male Costume: Night shirt., Watermark: J. Whatman., and Print numbered '128' with ms. note in modern hand.
Publisher:
Pubd. Decr., 1806 by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Taylor, Michael Angelo, 1757-1834 and George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830
Title from item., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Temporary local subject terms: Land of Promise -- Fishing nets., Watermark: A. Stace 1803., and Mounted to 29 x 39 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. July 25, 1806 by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Lansdowne, William Petty, Marquis of, 1737-1805, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
"Two adjacent designs: on the left Sheridan drink-sodden and blear-eyed, stoops obsequiously, right hand on heart, hat held low, directed to the right. He says, slyly, "Gentlemen, it is with the most unfeigned submission I present myself to Your Notice, most Humbly requesting your kind suffrages to return me (although unworthy) one of Your representatives for the great City of Westminster, and when I consider whom I succeed, I cannot but sincerly [sic] deplore his loss, but much more so my inadequacy to fill his place, and can only most solemnly promise to exert the utmost of my poor abilities to keep my place." On the right Sheridan with legs astride, hands thrust in his breeches pocket, hat on his head, still drink-sodden and sly, but more alert, says, looking to the left: "Electors, I feel a satisfaction in my own bosom (which I cannot refrain from expressing,) that my transcendant Merit fully entitle me to be chosen your representative, and that you have barely done yourselves justice in returnig [sic] me, why you must have been cursed fools if you had not, & as to that Mr Paul & Mr Cobbett, their speeches are so ungentlemanlike that I do not think it worth my while to answer them, why the fellows say I get drunk one half the day, & lie in bed the other, I dont chuse to answer that, they say I don't pay my Debts Fools! what did I want to get into Parliament for, they say I have never signed those measures since I have been in administration which I so strongly declared necessary while out of Office, this shews their Ignorance! why should I propose reform now when all my Friends have got to be served.""--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Canvassing candidate
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark on top edge., Window mounted to 36 x 51 cm., and Mounted opposite page 621 (leaf numbered '58' in pencil) in volume 4 of an extra-illustrated copy of: Moore, T. Memoirs of the life of the Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan.
Publisher:
Pubd. Decr. 1806 by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Cobbett, William, 1763-1835., Paull, James, 1770-1808., and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816.
"Ministerial rats with human heads scamper about a barn, searching for food. John Bull, a yokel in a smock and holding a pitchfork, holds open one leaf of the door facing the spectator, to watch their antics with amusement. George III, in profile to the right., puts a hand his shoulder, and says: "What! What! looking for Grain, eh! looking for grain; it's all gone, all gone all gone, quite Empty." John answers: "Why, these Hungry Rats thought to have had some fine pickings, I warrant, but egad they'll he woundedly mistaken, tho'f they seem to want it nationly; but that dom'd Scotchman [Melville] carried off a rare lot of it & as to poor Billy the Butler [Pitt] why he was so fond of a drop of Black Snap, [Perjorative for thick, sweet port. Partridge, 'Slang Dict.', 1938.] that when he and his friends, not at it, d'ye see, the rest of the Servants did as they pleased, poor Rogues I'se afraid they'll Undermine the Barn they're so main Hungry." The rats are on a smaller scale. On the extreme left., Lord Derby peeps from a bin inscribed 'Treasury', saying, "Why I suppose the Old Rat Died because there was nothing to feed upon." Moira climbs down a tilted sieve, Grenville sniffs at an upturned '[T]reasury' tub on which Lord Ellenborough sulkily reposes. Grey scampers towards an empty lantern but Windham has dragged out its candle and is nibbling at it. Sheridan races towards the candle from the r. Behind him is Erskine, looking sly. A bulky animal wearing a garter ribbon, probably the Marquis of Buckingham, lies with its head inside an empty '[T]reasury' sack. Fox and Bedford nibble at a pile of tattered and folded sacks on which is Lord Spencer, looking down at them. In the background are three other rightats, whose heads are less characterized: those on the left may be Sidmouth and Lauderdale; one nibbling a bundle of straw (r.) resembles Burdett."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Printseller's announcement following imprint: Folios of caricatures lent out for the evening., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Watermark: Strasburg Lily., and Mounted to 31 x 42 cm..
Publisher:
Pubd. March, 1806 by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, Lansdowne, William Petty, Marquis of, 1737-1805, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, and Bedford, John Russell, Duke of, 1766-1839
Title from item., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Reduced copy of a print originally published by S.W. Fores in 1801., Plate is part of a series of reduced copies of prints published by Fores in 1806 and etched primarily by Charles Williams., and Printmaker from British Museum catalogue.
"John Bull, a plebeian, stout and dishevelled, lies on his back on a tangle of large roses with vicious thorns. These are on a heap of stones and under the stump of a decayed oak tree (left). He exclaims: "Oh Lord! Oh Lord! if this be the Bed of Roses they make such a noise about I'd sooner lye with the Old Sow and her Farrow in the Dog Days! - My Dame will roar woundidly when she comes to bed! Ecod it's as bad as lying on a Harrow upside down." The stones (left to right) are 'Expedition to Holland' [1799, see British Museum Satires No. 9412, &c], 'Expedition to Ferrol', 'Jobs and Contracts', 'Pension List', 'Indemnity for the past & Security for the Future', 'No Peace possible with the child and Champion of Jacobinism', 'Places', 'Subsidies'. The roses are: 'Candle Tax', 'Hair Powder Tax', 'Hat Tax', 'Paper Tax', 'Snuff Tax', 'Game Tax', 'Wine Tax', 'Property Tax', 'Salt Tax', 'Land Tax', 'Stamp Tax', 'Assessed Taxes', 'Income Tax', 'Table Beer Tax', 'House Tax', 'Window Tax', 'Excise Duty', 'Horse Tax', 'Tobacco Tax', 'Soap Tax', 'Servant Tax', 'Malt Tax', 'Hop Tax', 'Sugar Tax', 'Legacy Tax', 'Tea Tax', 'Cyder Tax'. On the two extremities of the 'bed' are clusters of thorny buds; these are inscribed '1807', '1808', and [once] '1809', those on the left being labelled 'National Debt'. In the distance St. Paul's is indicated. Bushes on the right are wind-swept."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
John Bull on a bed of roses
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed to plate mark leaving thread margins., and Watermark: 181[0?].
Publisher:
Pubd. July 1806 by Wm. Holland, Cockspur Street
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Topic):
Taxation, John Bull (Symbolic character), Roses, Thorns, and Taxes