"Sheridan (l.) sits in an arm-chair at his writing-table, pen in hand. He slouches forward, peering at a large playbill in his left hand. 'Tom Hickathrift \ and the \ Giants \ a new Growlo Drama \ with \ Wittington \ and his \ Cat \ a Pur-letta \ in which a real \ Cat and Mice \ will be Introduced \ - Due Notice will be given \ of Mr Carlo's next \ Performance.' He says: "Now I have got my head down Water I am determined to go on Swimmingly." The Newfoundland dog 'Carlo' (his massive padlocked collar so inscribed) who played in 'The Caravan', faces Sheridan holding in his mouth a basket labelled 'Raw Materials for New Subjects'; these are rolled MSS. inscribed: 'Dog-Matical Essays', 'Bark-shire Poems', 'Bones to Pick'. Fox (r.), immensely fat stands beside Carlo, in profile to the left., r. hand on the dog's head, l. in his coat-pocket. He says: "You are a very good Dog Namesake - a very good Dog indeed - I wish you would Spin me a little Money thes hard times - it would be very acceptable." Behind Sheridan are book-shelves; from a shelf inscribed 'Glass Slippers as good as New' two slippers dangle. The titles of the (bulky) books are: 'Jack the Giant Killer', 'Goody Two Shoes', 'little Red Riding Hood', 'Tom Thumb', 'Seven Champions [of Christendom]'; actually these tales were best known in penny chap-books"--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Preparations for next season
Description:
Title from item., Sheet trimmed to plate mark on two sides., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., Printseller's announcement following imprint: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening., and Mounted to 29 x 40 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. Feby. 6th, 1804 by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806 and Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
"Mr. and Mrs. Bull are in their breakfast parlour; she sits beside a table on which is a tray with coffee-pot, &c, he stands booted and spurred, impatient to set off. Through an open doorway (right) a groom is seen holding a saddle-horse. Behind are the houses of a London street. Mrs. Bull reads with dismay the '[M]orning Post'; she cries: "Here Mr Bull here's the Speech of that fellow on the Corn Bill - You must stop and hear this - The Price of Corn is yet Far Below the Price which is universally allowed to be Necessary!!!! why we shall all be starved Mr Bull." He shouts, with outstretched arms: "D------n the Corn Bill! I have not time to think of any thing till the Election is over. - why Liberty and Independence is at stak [sic] - What is Starving to that Mrs Bull!" Both are very fat, and evidently prosperous."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Corn bill, or, John Bull and his hobby, Iohn Bull and his hobby, and John Bull and his hobby
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue., "Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening"--Below image, lower right., Printseller's stamp in lower right of sheet: S.W.F., and Counter watermark in center of sheet: A.
Publisher:
Pubd. Augt. 20th, 1804, by S.W. Fores, 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Corn laws (Great Britain), Breakfast rooms, Coffeepots, Doors & doorways, Newspapers, and Obesity