"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)
"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.