With the Tower of London visible in the background, a quack doctor on a platform holds up a bottle of medicine before a small crowd of city folk, as his assistant passes out handbills. Among the crowd is a carter with his whip, a chimney sweep's boy, and an obese woman. On the platform behind the doctor are several invalids, including a man with a crutch. A sign attached to the platform reads "Doctor Van Cheatall."
Description:
Title from item. and Artist and publisher from British Museum catalogue.
Publisher:
William Allen
Subject (Geographic):
England and London
Subject (Name):
Tower of London (London, England),
Subject (Topic):
Quacks and quackery, Patent medicines, Sick persons, Quacks, Clothing & dress, Crowds, and City & town life
"An altered copy of British Museum number 3764 (circa 1792), a mezzotint after Dighton. The dress of the two non-barristers has been modernized, one or two background heads have been omitted. The principal barrister has been altered from a grotesque to a portrait of MacNally, adapted, in reverse, from No. 11409. It is he who holds out his hand for coins to a melancholy countryman, and has a large brief inscribed 'Gaffer Flatscull agt Ralph Clodpole'. This and all other inscriptions are as in No. 3764. The attorney (right), who stands in profile to the left holding a pamphlet: 'Practic'[sic] of petty Fogging', wears a top-hat and has short cropped hair, and is better characterized than in the original and may be a portrait."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Devil among the lawyers
Description:
Title from caption below image., Place and date of publication from British Museum online catalogue., Quotation below title: "The lawyers are met, a terrible shew.", Sheet trimmed within plate mark at bottom., and Annotations and drawing (offset) on verso.
Publisher:
Pub'd by T. O'Callaghan, 11 Bride St., one door from Ross Lane
