"Britannia, terrified, faint, and dishevelled sits on the ground supported by Addington and Hawkesbury, and defended by Sheridan, a Silenus-like and ragged Harlequin. They are on the coast towards which are advancing many rowing-boats filled with little French soldiers. Napoleon stands with drawn sword in the foremost boat, a tiny figure with a large head and no body, to show that he is Nobody, as in BMSat 5570, &c. The distant French coast (right) is covered with troops marching towards the shore. Clouds of smoke rise from the beach, which is concealed by the foreground. Britannia, wearing Roman dress with cothurnes, raises her arms, and shrieks (parodying Hamlet): "Doctors & Ministers of dis grace defend me!" The 'dis' is scored through but conspicuously legible. Addington holds a bottle of Gunpowder to her nose, and looks in alarm at the approaching army. He says: "Do not be alarm'd my dear lady! the Buggabo's (the Honest Gentlemen, I mean,) are avowedly directed to Colonial service, - they can have nothing to do Here - my Lady! - nothing to do with Us! - do take a Sniff or two, to raise your Spirits, and try to stand, if it is only upon One Leg!" Hawkesbury looks down with deep melancholy, supporting her (cracked) shield, and holding her (damaged) spear. He says: "Yes my Lady, you must try to Stand up, or we shall never be able to "March to Paris"". Sheridan holds Harlequin's wooden sword of 'Dramatic-Loyalty' in his right hand (cf. BMSat 9916). On his left arm is a shield with Medusa's head, the snaky locks inscribed: 'Abuse', 'Bouncing', 'Puffing', 'Detraction', 'Stolen Jests', 'Malevolence', 'Stale Wit', 'Envy'. He wears a hat turned up in front with a tricolour cockade; its crown is a fool's cap with two ears and a bell. Round his paunch is a tricolour sash through which is thrust a paper: 'Ways and Means to get a Living'. He shouts in defiance at the distant army: "Let 'em come! - dam'me!!! - where are the French Buggabo's? - single handed I'd beat forty of 'em!!! dam'me, I'd pay 'em like Renter Shares, sconce off their half Crowns!!! - mulct them out of their Benefits, & come ye Drury Lane Slang over 'em!" Behind, between Addington and Sheridan, is the head of Fox, holding his hat before his eyes; he says: "Dear me - what can be the reason of the Old Lady being awak'd in such a Fright? - I declare I can't see any thing of the Buggabo's!" In the foreground lies a long torn scroll, headed 'Treaty of Peace.'"--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Britannia recover'd from a trance and Britannia recovered from a trance
Description:
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue. and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Liverpool, Robert Banks Jenkinson,--Earl of,--1770-1828--Caricatures and cartoons., Napoleon--I,--Emperor of the French,--1769-1821--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., and Sidmouth, Henry Addington,--Viscount,--1757-1844--Caricatures and cartoons.
"A pair of breeches, formerly belonging to Fox, much inflated and forming two merging and transparent globes with projecting legs, is poised (at the seat) on three ostrich feathers, erect in a round bed of (ministerial) roses (see BMSat 10558, &c). Within these globes members of the Ministry sit at a round table, devouring loaves and fishes. The nearest ones are in back view, and have the heavy posteriors characteristic of the Grenvilles (cf. BMSat 10530). Lord Grenville, a fish in each hand, with Lord Ellenborough on his right, Buckingham on his left., and, next the latter, Lord Temple. They sit on a cushioned bench like those of Parliament, which follows the curve of the breeches. The others, left to right from Temple, are Spencer, Windham, Erskine, Petty, Lord Holland, [Identified by his own note.] Moira, who sits full face opposite Grenville, Lauderdale, Sheridan, Howick; Sidmouth on Ellenborough's right completes the circle. All are gormandizing on fish in different degrees, except Spencer and Holland who eat normally. Before Grenville is a dish containing two large fish: 'Treasury' and 'Exchequer', see BMSat 10543, &c. A dog, its collar inscribed 'Tierney', puts its forefeet on the bench, yapping at Grenville's back (cf. BMSats 10128, &c., 10603). On the ground beside him are three cats eating fish in a dish inscribed 'Tabbeys'; their collars are inscribed 'Bet Fox', 'Fitz', and 'Jordan'. Rats surround a dish inscribed 'Scribblers' [ministerial journalists and pamphleteers]. Larger rats in the Ministerial rose-bed gnaw at the feathers which support the breeches. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Political mathematicians shaking the broad bottomed hemispheres
Description:
Title etched below image., Two lines of quoted text following title, preceded by a curly bracket: "Mr. Paull is fixed upon a rock, and be assured he will prove the fulcrum by means of which the present Broadbottomites will be overset." Sir F. Burdett's speech., and Two lines of text near top margin of image: To that last hope of the country, "the New Opposition," this representation of "Charley's Old Breeches in Danger" is respectfuly [sic] submited [sic].
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Buckingham and Chandos, Richard Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos,--Duke of,--1776-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., Buckingham, George Nugent Temple Grenville,--Marquess of,--1753-1813--Caricatures and cartoons., Burdett, Francis,--1770-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Canning, George,--1770-1827--Caricatures and cartoons., Castlereagh, Robert Stewart,--Viscount,--1769-1822--Caricatures and cartoons., Cobbett, William,--1763-1835--Caricatures and cartoons., Ellenborough, Edward Law,--Baron,--1750-1818--Caricatures and cartoons., 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., Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings,--Marquess of,--1754-1826--Caricatures and cartoons., Holland, Henry Richard Vassall,--Baron,--1773-1840--Caricatures and cartoons., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher., Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice,--Marquess of,--1780-1863--Caricatures and cartoons., Lauderdale, James Maitland,--Earl of,--1759-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., Liverpool, Robert Banks Jenkinson,--Earl of,--1770-1828--Caricatures and cartoons., Napoleon--I,--Emperor of the French,--1769-1821--Caricatures and cartoons., Paull, James,--1770-1808--Caricatures and cartoons., Perceval, Spencer,--1762-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Rose, George,--1744-1818--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Sidmouth, Henry Addington,--Viscount,--1757-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Spencer, George John Spencer,--Earl,--1758-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Tooke, John Horne,--1736-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., and Windham, William,--1750-1810--Caricatures and cartoons.
"Britannia, massive, but childlike, sleeps in a large wicker cradle, rocked by Addington, dressed as an elderly woman, who is seated on a low stool (right). Hawkesbury, a thin and spinsterish nursemaid, (left) approaches the foot of the cradle holding out an ornate child's commode, inscribed 'French C . . k . . g Chair'. Behind the cradle appear the head and shoulders of Fox, looking furtively towards Britannia and Addington, while he hangs out napkins to dry on a cord stretched across the fireplace; one is 'French Cambrick'. Britannia sleeps with her thumb in her mouth, her right arm across the coverlet, holding her shield and spear; her uncovered shoulder shows that she is wearing a Roman corslet. The head of the cradle is inscribed: 'Requiescat in Pace'. Addington sings: "o, By - my Baby, my Baby, - o, By - in Peace! my dearee! - For such a sweet Nap as This, You never had, far nor nearee! - so. By - my Baby, my dearee!' On the ground is a casserole of 'French Pap'; on the plain chimney-piece are a bottle labelled 'Composing Draught' and a box of 'Opiate Pills'. Above it is a print of 'Buonaparte' playing a fiddle and capering ecstatically. On the wall (left) are a broadside: 'Rule Britannia . . . Britons never will be - ['slaves' torn off] and (right) a birch-rod tied with tricolour ribbon. Addington, Hawkesbury, and Fox all wear their hair in their accustomed manner with the addition of tricolour ribbons. The first two look anxious, Fox registers calculating satisfaction."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Gillray, James, 1756-1815 publisher., Gillray, James, 1756-1815, artist., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Napoleon--I,--Emperor of the French,--1769-1821--Caricatures and cartoons., and Sidmouth, Henry Addington,--Viscount,--1757-1844--Caricatures and cartoons.