"Fox and Lord Henry Petty stand at the door of a ramshackle tenement house; a distressed family look down at them from an open casement window over the door. Petty's hand is on the knocker; he holds a large open book and shouts "Taxes! Taxes! Taxes!" Behind his ear a pen. The book, on which Fox puts both hands, is inscribed: 'New Taxes, Property Tax 10 per Cent, Small Beer Tax, Tax on Servant Maids, Iron tax [scored through], new Malt Tax, new Window Tax, new Stamp Tax, Hats, Salt, Tobacco, Shoes, Shirts, stock[ings]'. Between door and window is a board: 'John-Bull, - late Dealer in the Shop-below; - Moved Upstairs: NB - Porter-age done; Shoes clean'd &c.' The angry John, much dishevelled, holds open the window to shout down: "Taxes? - Taxes? - Taxes? - why how am I to get Money to pay them all? - I shall very soon have neither a House, nor Hole to put my head in." Fox answers: " - a house to put your \ "head in? - why what \ "the Devil should you want \ "with a House? - hav'nt \ "you got a first-Floor-Room \ "to live in? - & if that is too \ "dear, can't you move into \ "the Garret or get into the \ "Cellar? - Taxes must \ "be had, Johnny! - come \ "down with your Cash \ "its all for the good \ "of your dear \ "Country!" In Fox's coat pocket is a large money-bag inscribed 'Poundage'. Behind John stands woman holding an infant in each arm, another child gnaws a bone; two others one with a skull-like head, look from the window. On the ground floor (l.) is a shuttered window placarded 'This Shop to Let Enquire of the Tax Gatherer'. The window above it has been bricked up to escape the tax; a lean cat looks from the casement under the eaves. From the window above John Bull (a corner only visible) hang a ragged shirt and stockings. A lamp projectine from the house (a corner one) is broken. Against the wall beside the door (r.) is a pump at which are three ragged children: a little boy pumps, another kneels to put his mouth to the gushing water, while a little girl with a raw turnip eagerly waits her turn. On the pump are two inscriptions: 'New Brewery for the Benefit of the Poor - C.J. F - in ye Chair - Resolved . . .' and 'Erected 1806 C.J Volpone [cf. BMSat 9892, &c.] - Overseer'. By the children lie a hoop-stick and a hoop from a barrel and inscribed 'Whitbreads Entire' [cf. BMSat 10421, &c.]. On the left. are barrels inscribed 'Home-Brew'd Small-Beer Ten Shillings a Barrel Duty'. Across the road (l.) is a pawnshop with the sign of the three balls: 'Broad-bottom Pop-Shop' [see BMSat 10530]. In the upper windows of the prosperous shop are piles of moneybags inscribed 'Pension' and 'Sinecure'."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Friend of the people and his petty new tax gatherer paying John Bull a visit
Description:
Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., and Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice,--Marquess of,--1780-1863--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Pitt stands, in profile to the right, on a fortified tower, or platform, in the crenellations of which are cannon; he looks through a spy-glass, his knees bending with fear, and clutches by the arm a stout John Bull (left), a yokel (as in BMSat 7889), who stands full face, almost equally terrified. He is watching a flight of geese advancing from the right, and says, "There, John! - there! there they are! - I see them - get your Arms ready, John! - they're Rising & coming upon us from all parts; - there! - theres Ten Thousand sans-Culottes now on their passage! - & there! look on the other side, the Scotch have caught the Itch too; and the Wild-Irish have begun to pull off their Breeches! - what will become of us John? - & see, there's Five Hundred Disputing-Clubs, with bloody Mouths; - & Twenty Thousand Bill-stickers with Ca ira pasted on the front of their Red-Caps ! - where's the Lord Mayor John ? - are the Lions safe ? - down with the Book-stalls! - blow up the Gin-shops! - cut off the Printers Ears! - O Lord John! - O Lord! - we're all ruined! - they'l Murder us, and make us into Aristocrat Pyes!" John Bull answers: "Aristocrat Pyes ? - Lord defend us! - Wounds, Measter, you frighten a poor honest simple Fellow out of his wits! - Gin-Shops & Printers-Ears! - & Bloody-Clubs & Lord Mayors! - and Wild-Irishmen without Breeches, & Sans-Culottes! Lord have mercy upon our Wives & Daughters! - And yet, I'll be shot, if I can see any thing myself, but a few Geese, gabbling together - But Lord help my silly head, how should, such a Clod-pole as I, be able to see any thing Right ? - I dont know what occasion for I to see at all, for that matter; - why Measter does all that for I, - my business is only to Fire when & where Measter orders, & to pay for the Gunpowder; - but Measter o' mine, (if I may speak a word,) where's the use of Firing now? - what can us two do against all them Hundreds of Thousands of Millions of Monsters ? - Lord, Measter, had not we better try if they won't shake hands with us, & be Friends ? - for if we should go to fighting with them, & They should Lather Us, what will become of you & I, then, Measter!!!" John Bull, frightened and bemused, holds a musket with a broken bayonet, his left hand is in his coat-pocket, and he wears very wrinkled gaiters. In his hat are two favours, one 'Vive la Liberte', the other 'God save the King'. A pamphlet projects from each waistcoat-pocket: one, Paine's 'Rights of Man' (see BMSat 7867, &c), the other 'Pennyworth of Truth'. This is the pamphlet 'One Pennyworth of Truth, from Thomas Bull to his Brother John' denounced by Grey (17 Dec.) as a libel. 'Parl. Hist.' xxx. 138 ff. It attacked Price and Priestley and was by the Rev. William Jones. 'Hist. MSS. Comm., Kenyon MSS.', p. 536. Pitt's hair rises on his head, and his face is blotched with drink."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Geese alarming the Capitol and John Bull bothered
Description:
In upper right corner of plate: Price 3 shills., the engraving not having been paid for by the Associations for vending two-penny scurrilities., Title etched below image., and Two lines of text following title: Thus on the rock, heroic Manlius stood, spy'd out the geese, & prov'd Rome's guardian god.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., and Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons.
Subject (Topic):
Cannons., Fortifications., and John Bull (Symbolic character)
"Four designs, each with a title, the plate divided into four quarters. [1] 'John Bull Happy'. A cottage interior: John Bull, a stout countryman with wrinkled gaiters as in BMSat 7889, 8141, dozes serenely in an arm-chair before a blazing fire, holding a pitcher on his knee. Behind (left), his wife sits spinning; two little boys feed a bird in a wicker cage. A pretty young woman approaches the open door with a milk-pail on her head. Brass utensils are ranged on the chimney-piece, beside which is a roasting-jack with wheel and chain. A well-fed cat and dog sleep amicably by the fire. [2] 'John Bull going to the Wars'. John Bull has enlisted and marches off (left to right) beside a file of soldiers with drawn sabres, the man next him blowing a bugle. He marches with awkward energy, gazing proudly in profile to the right, not to see his wife and children (left), who cling to him, weeping. He holds a musket and is dressed as in [1], with the addition of a grenadier's cap and bandolier. Behind (left) is a corner of his cottage. [3] 'John Bull's Property in danger'. John Bull's wife, followed by her three children, approaches the stone gateway of the Treasury, its iron gate open, the three balls of a pawnbroker above it, the inscription 'Money Lent by Authority'. Beside it are two bills: 'Wanted a Number of Recruits to serve abroad' and 'List of Bankrupts John Bull'. The woman carries her spinning-wheel and a bundle of household goods; the smallest boy, holding his mother's petticoat, carries the bird-cage; the girl carries the churn and a bowl. The elder boy carries spade, rake, and pitchfork (a kettle slung to the prongs) and leads a pig. [4] 'John Bull's glorious Return'. A gaunt, one-legged, and one-eyed soldier (right), in tattered uniform, limps on crutches into a miserable hovel in which his starving family crouch over a fire lit on the hearth. The little boy clutches a bare bone; onions and a broken dish are on the floor (cf. BMSat 8145). Mother and sons are ragged and emaciated, the daughter has a certain youthful grace. They look with frightened astonishment at their almost unrecognizable father."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
John Bull going to the wars, John Bull happy, John Bull's glorious return, and John Bull's property in danger
Description:
Four designs on one plate, each with a caption title. and Title etched below images.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Subject (Topic):
Cats., Dogs., Fireplaces., and John Bull (Symbolic character)
"A more elaborate version of British Museum satire no. 5611 drawn with more freedom. A joint of beef hangs on the wall behind John Bull; a bundle of frogs behind the Frenchman. The Frenchman holds an open snuff-box instead of a bowl of soup; a laced hat is under his arm; he wears a bag-wig. John Bull's tankard is inscribed "John Bull the Buttock of Beef. . ." Beneath the design is etched: "With Porter Roast Beef & Plumb Pudding well cram'd, Jack English declares that Monsr may be D------d. The Soup Meagre Frenchman such Language dont suit, So he Grins Indignation & calls him a Brute.""--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Another publication line, "Pubd. by J. Aitken, No. 14 Castle Street, London," has been nearly obliterated at bottom of plate by several etched lines forming the lower border., Approximate date of publication from British Museum online catalogue., CtY-LW, Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
H. Humphrey, St. James's Street
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), National characteristics, English., and National characteristics, French.
"Pitt (right), as a butcher, stands arrogantly behind his block, holding up a leg of mutton to a hungry, lean, and dismayed John Bull, who stands with bent knees (left), his right hand groping in his breeches pocket. Pitt says: "A Crown, - take it, or leave't". His cleaver lies on his blood-stained block, on the front of which are two placards side by side: 'Prices of Provision. 1795 Journeymans Wages - 1795 Mutton 10 1/2d £b. Carpenters 12sh pr Week Lamb 11 D° Shoemakers 10sh D° Veal 11 1/2 D° Bakers 9sh D° Beef 12 D° Gardeners 8sh D° Small Beer - 2d pr Quart Smiths 8sh D° Bread 12d Husbandmen 7sh D° pr Quarter Loaf God save the King'. Behind Pitt is the pent-house roof of the shop or stall from the front of which hang joints of meat and pieces of offal. The lower story of a house forms a background (left). John Bull wears the dress and wrinkled gaiters of a yokel. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Four lines of verse, titled Billy the Butcher's Advice to John Bull, etched on a separate plate that is printed below the plate with the image: Since bread is so dear, (and you say you must eat) ... and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., and Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Pitt (left), as a toreador, rides a rearing white horse (of Hanover) with a spear directed horizontally against a buil (John Bull) snorting fire and bleeding from many wounds. He wears a short tunic and sash; his saddle-cloth is a leopard-skin on which is a crest: the white horse of Hanover enclosed in a Garter ribbon inscribed 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', and surmounted by a crown. He looks alarmed and spurs his horse viciously. Two tiers of spectators in an arc of the arena are freely sketched. In the upper row George III looking through a glass is in the centre, on his left is the Queen, on his right Loughborough. The man next the Queen is (?) Grenville. In the lower tier Fox is conspicuous with (?) the Prince of Wales on his left; Sheridan stands behind them. The other spectators are members of the Opposition or ragamuffins. Those who can be identified are (right to left): Stanhope, Derby, Grafton, Lansdowne. A chimney-sweep applauds with brush and shovel. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Three lines of text beginning to the left of title and continuing below it: Description from the royal bull fight of 1795. Then entered a bull of the true British breed ... and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Charlotte,--consort of George III, King of Great Britain,--1744-1818--Caricatures and cartoons., Derby, Edward Smith Stanley,--Earl of,--1752-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., George--III,--King of Great Britain,--1738-1820--Caricatures and cartoons., George--IV,--King of Great Britain,--1762-1830--Caricatures and cartoons., Grafton, Augustus Henry Fitzroy,--Duke of,--1735-1811--Caricatures and cartoons., Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville,--Baron,--1759-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Lansdowne, William Petty,--Marquis of,--1737-1805--Caricatures and cartoons., Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Rosslyn, Alexander Wedderburn,--Earl of,--1733-1805--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., and Stanhope, Charles Stanhope,--Earl,--1753-1816--Caricatures and cartoons.