"A satire on the peace negotiations and on Windham's Training Act. The scene is outside the 'Treasury', the lower part of its façade forming the background. Ministers and their supporters as 'Corporal and Conscripts' obey the orders of their 'Drill-Serjeant' Napoleon, who stands on the extreme left., his jack-boots firmly planted on cannon-balls him height. He extends his sword with an arrogant gesture, and fiercely orders: "Ground - Arms!" Next him, and in back view, but looking up at him, is Fox seated in an invalid's wheeled chair on the back of which are the coronet and feathers of the Prince of Wales. He is 'Grand Double Drums' and is vigorously beating a pair of kettle-drums, one inscribed 'GR' and crown, the other 'N' and crown. He wears a dressing-gown and bonnet rouge, and his enormously distended legs are straddled outside his drums. On Fox's r. is the 'Flugel Man', Grenville, going through the movement as a pattern to the other privates. He kneels on the left knee and grounds his musket, putting up his hand to shield his eyes; his bayonet is broken, as is its sheath. The 'Corporal & Conscripts' drawn up (r.) facing Napoleon attempt the movement with extreme awkwardness and obsequious haste, not excepting Windham the corporal, the end man (r.) of the front rank. Next him is Lord Holland, on both knees, with an amiable smile. Then Sheridan, very bulky and awkward, but unlike the others directing his musket towards Napoleon. Petty, on both knees, flings down his musket with an obsequious gesture. Next him Lord Temple grovels displaying spherical posteriors. Next, at the end of the line, and close to the gate of the Treasury, kneels Erskine, in wig and gown, raising his hat. In the second rank, behind Windham, is Howick, First Lord, deferentially raising a naval cocked hat; Sidmouth staggers back, throwing up his arms and dropping his musket which lands on his face. Next are Spencer, clumsily lifting his musket, and Ellenborough in wig and gown, with a blunderbuss which he seems about to dash violently on the ground. Behind him is Moira, stiff and tall, in uniform with cocked hat, holding up a musket exploding at lock and barrel. Behind and in shadow are (l. to r.) St. Vincent, Hanger, and the Duke of Clarence, all holding up the muskets which the next rank prevents them from grounding. Most of the 'conscripts' wear civilian dress with crossed bandoleers, and are in most unsoldierly confusion. By the Treasury gate and facing Erskine stands the 'Constable of the Corps', Talleyrand, holding a long constable's staff, crowned, his left. arm extended in a gesture of command; one twisted leg is supported by a stilt under the shoe. As ex-Bishop of Autun (see BMSat 8088) he wears a hat whose crown is a mitre, a long gown and bands over his coat, and a rosary. In his mouth is a pen. Above his head a bird with webbed wings and the head of Lauderdale flies towards Fox, clutching a paper: 'Terms of Peace'. In his mouth is a completely are olive branch. He wears a bonnet rouge, and his body is covered with tartan."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched at top of image., Series of mocking military are etched below image and correspond with figures in the design: Drill-Serjeant [Napolean], Constable of the Corps [Talleyrand-Périgord], Grand Double-Drums [Fox], Flugel Man [Grenville], Corporal & Conscripts [remaining figures]., Figures identified by ms. annotations in modern hand throughout outer margin of print., and Mounted to 35 x 46 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Septr. 1st, 1806, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. Jamess [sic] Street
Subject (Name):
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Holland, Henry Richard Vassall, Baron, 1773-1840, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863, Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos, Duke of, 1776-1839, Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Spencer, George John Spencer, Earl, 1758-1834, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, St. Vincent, John Jervis, Viscount, 1735-1823, Hanger, George, 1751?-1824, William IV, King of Great Britain, 1765-1837, Talleyrand-Périgord, Charles Maurice de, prince de Bénévent, 1754-1838, and Lauderdale, James Maitland, Earl of, 1759-1839
"Pitt sits astride a huge pile of bundles strapped to the back of a bull (John Bull); he is about to enter a high archway inscribed 'Trea[sury]'. His pose and expression combine jauntiness with dignity. His head is in profile to the right, his right hand on his hip, he wears a large bag to his wig, and while pressing his hat under his left arm holds the (slack) reins of the bull; his long thin leg hangs considerably above the bull's back, owing to the height of the bundles. The sturdy bull, though with downcast head and closed eyes, is not weighed down with his burden. Dundas (right), in Highland dress, marches grinning in front of the bull, playing the bagpipes which are inscribed 'Union Pipes' and have a transparent bag filled with coins. The bull's burden consists of ten superimposed bundles, inscribed with figures relating to the Loyalty Loan. Some of these are '50 000!, 30 000!, East India Company 2 000 000!!!, Duke of Queensbury 100-000!, 100 000!, Pit[t] D. dass 10000 [partly obscured by Pitt's foot], 50000, Duke of Bridgewater 100 000!, Corporation of London 100 000!' Behind the bull and on the extreme left are crowded together four British Jacobins, much caricatured, wearing bonnets-rouges and looking up at Pitt with anger and dismay. Their heads rise vertically one behind the other; the foremost and lowest is Fox, clenching his fist, next Sheridan in profile; then Stanhope, the fourth a mere scrawl."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Watermark: Strasburg bend with date 1798?, and Mounted to 42 x 29 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. by W. Holland, Oxford St.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain. and Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Stanhope, Charles Stanhope, Earl, 1753-1816, Bridgewater, Francis Egerton, Duke of, 1736-1803., and East India Company.
Subject (Topic):
Finance, Public, Economic conditions, John Bull (Symbolic character), Debts, Public, Loyalty Loan, and Musical instruments