"Courtenay (right), as the chairman of a tavern club, sits at the head of an oblong table, in profile to the left, smoking. He says to George Hanger, who faces him at the foot of the table: "I say, Georgey how do Things look now?" The words issue from his mouth in a cloud of smoke. Hanger answers: "Ax my Grandmother's Muff, pray do!" He holds a pipe, his wine-glass is overturned. His bludgeon is thrust in his top-boot. On Hanger's right sits Fox, leaning back in his chair, registering extravagant amusement and saying "O charming! - charming!" Opposite Fox sits Sheridan, clasping a decanter of 'Brandy' in one hand, a glass in the other. He says, with a sly smile, "Excellent! - damme Georgey, Excellent." Next him, and on Courtenay's right, sits M. A. Taylor, flourishing his pipe and saying, "Bravo! the best Thing I ever heard said, damme." On the table are decanters of 'Mum' and of 'Champaig[n]'. Above Courtenay's head is a picture of a simian creature in a cap of Liberty, squatting on the ground and smoking a pipe. The frame is inscribed 'Juvenal'. The floor is carpeted, the chairs are ornate."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Feast of reason and the flow of soul and Wits of the age setting the table in a roar
Description:
Title etched below image.
Publisher:
H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Courtenay, John,--1738-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Hanger, George,--1751?-1824--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., and Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons.
"French men-of-war are tossed helplessly by huge waves, which are lashed to fury by blasts from the mouths of (left to right) Pitt, Dundas, Grenville, and Windham, whose heads emerge from clouds. Fox is the (realistic) figure-head of 'Le Révolutionaire' (right) which, with broken masts, is about to founder. He receives the full strength of the blasts from Pitt and Dundas, and looks up despairingly, his head against the tricolour stripes which encircle the mast. Playing-cards float in the water by the ship. On the left 'L'Egalité' is wrecked by a blast from Grenville, which shatters a flag-staff, with a flag inscribed 'Vive . . Egalité'. Behind, a vessel disappears in a whirlpool. In the foreground (left) 'The Revolutionary Jolly Boat' is being swamped under the influence of a blast from Windham; the occupants throw up their hands despairingly: Sheridan, standing in the stern, is still unsubmerged; the others (left to right) are Hall the Foxite apothecary, [So Wright and Evans. He has perhaps more resemblance to Dr. Towers.] Erskine, in wig and gown, M. A. Taylor, and Thelwall, washed overboard, with a paper: 'Thelwall's lectures' (see BMSat 8685). [Wright and Evans put Dr. Lawrence's name between that of Sheridan and Erskine; he is not depicted.]."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Destruction of the French Armada
Description:
Another publication line etched in lower left but mostly obscured within margin of image. and Another signature etched in bottom right portion of image: Js. Gy. des. et f.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville,--Baron,--1759-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Melville, Henry Dundas,--Viscount,--1742-1811--Caricatures and cartoons., Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Thelwall, John,--1764-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., and Windham, William,--1750-1810--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Pitt, a colossal figure (cf. BMSat 8980), bestrides the Rotunda of the 'Bank of England'. His arms and legs are very thin, but his body is formed of a (transparent) sack distended with gold coins and inscribed '£'. His elbows are akimbo, his hands grasp the sides of the sack; from the little finger of his left hand hangs a key, 'Key of Public Property'. Round the mouth of the sack is a heavy chain clasped by a padlock inscribed 'Power of securing Public Credit'. From the sack emerges the pipe-like neck down which coins are passing. Pitt looks arrogantly to the right, a blast issues from his closed lips of many paper notes inscribed 'one'. Near his mouth are a few gold coins which he is presumably inhaling. He wears a crown formed of 'one' pound notes; through it project his ass's ears. The near side of the Rotunda is removed, showing a descending shower of paper and an ascending cluster of coins which are being drawn upwards to join those in the sack. Little figures in and around the rotunda, under Pitt's legs, hold up their hands in dismay at the shower of £1 notes. Among them is a John Bull wearing a smock. Two men hold papers inscribed 'Dividend'; a Jew walks off (left) with 'Scrip'. On the left, behind Pitt's right foot, is the sea-shore; large reeds at its edge blow towards him; among these are five heads wearing bonnets-rouges, each with a label issuing from his mouth: 'Midas has Ears'. They are Fox, Sheridan, Erskine, M. A. Taylor, and (?) Grey. They diminish in size from Fox to Taylor. Across the sea is 'Brest', from which a fleet is setting out. Behind it are black clouds, and an explosion rises from them in which are swarms of tiny figures holding daggers and wearing bonnets-rouges. This spreads behind Pitt's head who appears unconscious of it. He looks down towards three almost naked winged figures: Grenville (left) and Dundas (right) hold up between them a scroll: 'Prosperous state of British Finances. & the new Plan for diminishing the National Debt - with Hints on the increase of Commerce'. Between and above them is Windham, Secretary-at-War, a pen behind his ear. He waves his cocked hat, Grenville his coronet, and Dundas his Scots cap. Beneath the title: 'History of Midas, - The great Midas having dedicated himself to Bacchus [cf. BMSat 8651], obtained from that Deity, the Power of changing all he Touched - Apollo fixed Asses-Ears upon his head, for his Ignorance - & although he tried to hide his disgrace with a Regal Cap, yet the very Sedges which grew from the Mud of the Pactolus, whisper'd out his Infamy, whenever they were agitated by the Wind from the opposite Shore - Vide Ovid's Metamorposes.'"--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Midas transmuting all into paper
Description:
Title etched below image. 'Gold' in title scored through.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Bank of England., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville,--Baron,--1759-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Grey, Charles Grey,--Earl,--1764-1845--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Melville, Henry Dundas,--Viscount,--1742-1811--Caricatures and cartoons., Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., and Windham, William,--1750-1810--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Through the folding doors of the House of Commons rats are seen fleeing from the Opposition benches and leaping from the gallery above. In the foreground, scampering down steps leading to the lobby, are rats with human faces: Fox and 'Grey' (collar so inscribed) are first, followed by Sheridan and Erskine and little M. A. Taylor. The Speaker and the two Clerks look astounded. Pitt is speaking; he holds a paper: 'Rights of Parliamt'. Next him on the front bench sits the bulky Dundas in Highland dress, and next Dundas the tiny Wilberforce. These three, though on a small scale, are fully characterized. Behind them are the serried ranks of the Government, holding up their hands in astonishment, as do others in the gallery. A few members of the Opposition, not transformed into rats, stand behind the Speaker's chair (right). The wall of the House is damaged by rats, some of whom are escaping through holes they have made. On the wall beside the door (left) are bills: 'Virtue Triumphant or the Expulsion of Vice and Opposition Silenced.'"--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Opposition-rats leaving the House they have undermined
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Grey, Charles Grey,--Earl,--1764-1845--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Melville, Henry Dundas,--Viscount,--1742-1811--Caricatures and cartoons., Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., and Wilberforce, William,--1759-1833--Caricatures and cartoons.
"The Tree of Liberty (cf. BMSat 9214), often (in fact) a pole surmounted by a bonnet-rouge, is here a pike on which is the bleeding head of Fox, the eyes covered by a cap inscribed 'Libertas'. Round the base of the pike and on a grassy mound are heaped the heads of the Foxites. The six heads at the base of the pile are (left to right): Thelwall, a little apart from the others; beside him is a paper: 'Lectures upon the Fall of the Republic by J. Thelwall' (see BMSat 8685); against his head lies the blade of a headsman's axe; Derby (in 'profil perdu'), Lauderdale, Stanhope, M. A. Taylor, and Hanger. The two central heads are Erskine and Sheridan; next the latter is Horne Tooke. Behind, and forming the apex of the pile, are the head of (?) Grey [Incorrectly identified in Wright and Evans as Wilkes. It is possible that the head here identified as Grey is Byng, and that identified as Bedford is Grey.] in profile to the left and the handsome head of (?) Bedford. In the background are clouds, and below (right) the top of a hill."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Bedford, Francis Russell,--Duke of,--1765-1802--Caricatures and cartoons., Derby, Edward Smith Stanley,--Earl of,--1752-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Grey, Charles Grey,--Earl,--1764-1845--Caricatures and cartoons., Hanger, George,--1751?-1824--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Lauderdale, James Maitland,--Earl of,--1759-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Stanhope, Charles Stanhope,--Earl,--1753-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Thelwall, John,--1764-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., and Tooke, John Horne,--1736-1812--Caricatures and cartoons.