A torrent of taxes gushes from the mouth of Lord Henry Petty, chancellor of the exchequer, emptying into the "Unfathomable Sea of Taxation" in which John Bull is drowning in full view of greedy cormorants representing members of the Grenville ministry which was formed after the death of William Pitt
Alternative Title:
John Bull swamped in the flood of new taxes
Description:
Title etched below image., Attributed to Williams in the British Museum catalogue., A copy of a print by Gillray. Cf. No. 10564 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 8., 1 print : etching on laid paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 25.0 x 35.4 cm, on sheet 25.9 x 36.5 cm., and Mounted on leaf 23 of volume 6 of 12.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 1806 by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly
Subject (Geographic):
England
Subject (Name):
Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, Marquess of, 1780-1863, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of, 1754-1826, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Grey, Charles Grey, Earl, 1764-1845, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Bedford, John Russell, Duke of, 1766-1839, Tooke, John Horne, 1736-1812, Burdett, Francis, 1770-1844, Ellenborough, Edward Law, Baron, 1750-1818, Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville, Marquess of, 1753-1813, Lauderdale, James Maitland, Earl of, 1759-1839, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, and Adair, Robert, Sir, 1763-1855
Subject (Topic):
Taxes, John Bull (Symbolic character), Fountains, Cormorants, and Rowboats
"John Bull sits in a double pair of stocks, his ankles heavily shackled. His wrists are linked by a huge padlock inscribed Million £800 000 000 [National Debt]. He sits on bales of Taxes; to his back is tied a huge bundle of Last Wars Taxes. His clothes are tattered; three pockets hang inside out, inscribed To Let. At his side (left), and in profile to the right, kneels a noble Spaniard, in very theatrical dress, with trunk hose, cloak, and ruff. He has a spear from which hangs a pennant inscribed Libertas. He puts his hands together in a gesture of prayer: I come once again, and on my kneens [sic] to implore your Aid, we are indeed grateful for former Services, and beleive that you fought purely for Spain and not for yourselves--Save us from our pretended Friends they are worse then Enemies--Save us, and the World, from the destruction of Liberty--. John bites his thumbs despairingly; he answers: I pity you, but I can only give you advice, when you came to me before, I was a Strong Man, and free, but I am now exhausted in saving you, and destroying your great Enemy--See how I am fetter'd--! My Creditors enchain me--! look at my Debt and pity me!-- At his feet a heavy pair of leg-irons lies across many papers inscribed Debt and Taxes. He sits under an oak-tree; from a partly-withered bough hang his cartouche-box and bayonet-belt. In the middle distance (right) Louis XVIII sits astride a cannon (cf. British Museum Satires No. 12797), on a gun-carriage drawn rapidly up a slope by the Tsar and the Emperor of Austria. Both wear uniform and crowns, that of the latter topped by a fool's cap. Both cry: War! War!! War! and blood!! Alexander holds a sword in one hand, a bayoneted musket in the other; Francis holds a sword and a pistol, against his shoulder is the shaft of a flag inscribed Holy Alliance. Louis XVIII leans back, flannelled legs extended, two pistols in his belt, a sword in one hand, a musket in the other. Before him on the cannon is a bowl of soup, &c. The Pope walks at his right, holding a string attached to his nose. The King: By the Powers I shall fall, and lose my Balance Stop!! Stop! I say don't pull so hard you'll rupture [your scored through] Eu rope, this is not suited to my Taste [scored through] Gout I am already crippled and cannot bear it Stop!!!-- The Pope, who wears his tiara and holds his crosier against his shoulder, answers: Fear not, I'll let you into Heaven, through the back door my dear Son. Keys hang from his neck. Behind the cannon runs the Devil pushing at the King's posterior with a trident; he says: They cannot go on without me so I bring up the rear!! Beside the cannon run tiny frogs in uniform with muskets, &c. A slightly bigger one holding a sword may represent Angoulême. Cannon fire at them from a fort on a hill."--British Museum online catalogue, description of an earlier state
Alternative Title:
John Bull flourishing in a dignified attitude of strict neutrality
Description:
Title etched below image., Later state, with initials "A.J." added in lower right and the words "with Spain" added to speech bubble immediately to the right of the stocks in center of image. For an earlier state lacking these additions, see no. 14520 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum, v. 10., and Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 1823 by G. Humphrey, 24 St. James's Street & 74 New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Louis XVIII, King of France, 1755-1824, Francis I, Emperor of Austria, 1768-1835, Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, 1777-1825, and Pius VII, Pope, 1742-1823
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Public debt, Taxes, Trees, Rocks, Stocks (Punishment), Forts & fortifications, Cannons, Devil, and Frogs
"John Bull stands full-face on the pavement outside a shop window, holding on his head a red cap (i.e., bonnet rouge) trimmed with fur of quasi-military, quasi-libertarian shape. He is the yokel with wrinkled gaiters ... with a tattered great-coat held together by a military belt. In his left hand is a ragged hat. He says, with a broad grin: "Wounds, when Master Billy sees I in a Red-Cap, how he will stare! - egad; I thinks I shall cook em at last. - well if I could but once get a Cockade to my Red Cap, & a bit of a Gun - why, I thinks I should make a good stockey Soldier!" The shop is that of 'Billy-Black-Soul [Pitt], Hatter, & Sword-cutler \ Licenced to deal in Hats and Swords.' Above the door (right) are the royal arms and 'Stamp-Office' (the tax on hats being levied by a stamp). Within the window are crossed swords and military cocked hats with a number of stamps bearing the royal arms. In the foreground (left) is a pile of dead cats with a paper: 'List of Cats Killed for making skin caps 20000 Red 5000 Tabb ...'"--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
John Bull evading the hat tax
Description:
Title etched below image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., 1 print : etching with stipple on laid paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 36.3 x 26.0 cm, on sheet 40.2 x 29.5 cm., and Mounted on leaf 25 of volume 4 of 12.
Publisher:
Pub. April 5th, 1797, by H. Humphrey, New Bond & St. James's Street
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain and Great Britain.
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806.
Subject (Topic):
Taxation, Taxation of articles of consumption, Law and legislation, John Bull (Symbolic character), Cats, Hats, Millinery, Slaughtering, Swords, Taxes, Show displays, and Window displays
A satire on the impeachment of Lord Melville, with politicans heads on dogs bodies
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker from unverified data from local card catalog record., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 24.7 x 34.7 cm, on sheet 25.9 x 35.9 cm., and Mounted on leaf 40 of volume 8 of 14 volumes.
Publisher:
Pubd. June 23rd, 1806, by T. Rowlandson, No. 1 James St., Adelphi
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844, Smith-Stanley, Edward, 1752-1834, Whitbread, Samuel, 1764-1815, Windham, William, 1750-1810, Grenville, William Wyndham Grenville, Baron, 1759-1834, Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816, and Erskine, Thomas Erskine, Baron, 1750-1823
"A tun of 'Wine' lies on solid trestles inscribed 'Treasury Bench'. From its huge bung-hole emerges the naked body of Pitt, as Bacchus, crowned with vine branches. He leans back tipsily, a brimming glass in each hand. Behind him stands Dundas as Silenus, fat, and partly draped in tartan; his right hand grasps Pitt's shoulder, in his left he holds up a brimming glass. He also is crowned with vine branches. Bunches of grapes hang down from a vine above their heads and are indicated as a background to the cask whose trestles are on a dais covered with a fringed carpet. Opposite the tun stands John Bull in profile to the left, looking up at Pitt, hat in hand; in his left hand is a lank purse, under his arm three empty bottles. He is a yokel, with lank hair and hydrocephalic head, wearing a smock and wrinkled gaiters. He says: "Pray Mr Bacchus have a bit of consideration for old John; - you know as how I've emptied my Purse already for you - & its waundedly hard to raise the price of a drop of Comfort, now that one's got no Money left for to pay for it!!!" Pitt says: "Twenty Pounds a T-Tun, ad-additional Duty i-i-if you d-d-don't like it at that, why t-t-t-then Dad & I will keep it all for o-o-our own Drinking, so here g-g-goes old Bu-Bu-Bull & Mouth!!! - "."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Triumph of Bacchus & Silenus and Triumph of Bacchus and Silenus
Description:
Title etched below image., Temporary local subject terms: Wine duty, 1796 -- Mythology: Bacchus -- Silenus -- Containers: wine casks -- Allusion to Treasury., 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 35.1 x 24.8 cm, on sheet 39.0 x 28.2 cm., and Mounted on leaf 7 of volume 4 of 12.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 20th, 1796, by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806, Melville, Henry Dundas, Viscount, 1742-1811, and Dionysus (Greek deity)
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Taxes, Wine, Grapes, Barrels, and Purses
"George IV sits in a four-wheeled light cart, inscribed Goods, drawn by loyal Hanoverians; it is covered by a canopy supported on poles. He sits on a high seat with his back to the shafts, scattering gold coins, which Londonderry (Castlereagh), who faces him on a lower seat, ladles into his lap. In the cart, besides a pile of coins, are packages and a basket of bottles of Brandy. The King: We have got the Means of Replenishing behind, throw away--Hurrah my Lads, we'll make Soldiers of you & take a few thousands in to our pay. The 'means' are the heavy burdens on the back of John Bull, an emaciated bull, marked I.B, tied to the cart, and weighed down with enormous bundles of taxes inscribed: Leather Tax Soap, Salt Tax; Candles Tax Beer Malt Light; Ale &c &c &c &c &c; Taxes Taxes Taxes. The bull plods along, with broken knees, shedding tears. The cheering Hanoverians catch the golden shower in their hats; the most prominent wears smart but mended German uniform of hussar type. One says: He is indeed a Hanoverian at Heart; another answers: No, He is an Irish Man he says [cf. British Museum Satires No. 14246, &c]. A third: Why some Years ago he said he & his Brother William were the only ones in the Family who were not Germans. The King wears a coat of foreign cut, with a round (Teutonic) cap, and smokes a long German pipe with covered bowl. A little ragged boy collects coins in an apron. A peasant woman (right) with an apronful of coins, holds one up, shouting Aye this is a proof of the excessive Riches of England."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched below image., Tentative attribution to William Heath from the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Window mounted to 21.9 x 37.9 cm, the whole then mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted (with one other print) on leaf 106 in volume 2 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Figures of "Geo. IV" and "Londondery [sic]" identified in ink below image; date "15 Nov. 1821" written in lower right corner. Typed extract of seventeen lines from the British Museum catalogue description is pasted opposite (on verso of preceding leaf).
Publisher:
Pub. Nov. 15th, 1821, by S.W. Fores, 50 Picadilly [sic]
Subject (Name):
George IV, King of Great Britain, 1762-1830, Castlereagh, Robert Stewart, Viscount, 1769-1822, and William IV, King of Great Britain, 1765-1837.
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Ethnic stereotypes, Carts & wagons, Coins, Alcoholic beverages, Bulls, Taxes, Hats, Military uniforms, German, Pipes (Smoking), Crowds, and Cheering
