"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
"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
"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