"The Ministry defend 'The Citadel of Office' behind a high stone wall against different Opposition groups. The chief defence is by the tiny Perceval who fires a cannon from whose muzzle issue three heads intended for Wellesley, Ryder, and Melville. In the centre the wall is breached, and Eldon looks from the gap, weeping; behind him is the Woolsack, inscribed 'Wool'. Lord Grey, on tiptoe, reaches up to seize his gown, while he flourishes a paper: 'Report of Physicians 1804'. Erskine, quite bald and with his (former) Chancellor's gown over his arm, reaches up to tug at the Chancellor's wig. Seated on the wall at the lowest point of the breach is Yorke in back view; in his pocket is a 'List of my Friends Cambridge' [see No. 11535]. He hands down a large seal bearing an anchor to Whitbread who straddles a cask floating in water which adjoins the 'Citadel' on the right. Whitbread takes this emblem of the Admiralty, flourishing a tankard (cf. No. 10414). On the left of the breach Sir Vicary Gibbs, brandishing a rolled document inscribed 'Law of Libel', defends himself vigorously against Romilly, who drags at his gown and has a similar weapon inscribed 'New Statutes'. In Romilly's pocket is a paper: 'New Bankrupt Laws'. Farther to the left the three Grenvilles, Lord Temple, the Marquis of Buckingham, and Lord Grenville, level a battering-ram against the wall. The ram has a ram's head, as in heraldry, but with a human face, and is intended for Ponsonby, leader of the Opposition in the Commons. On one horn is spiked a paper: 'Catholic Emancipation'. Between them and Romilly, little Lord Lansdowne (Petty) sits on the ground squirting a large syringe over his shoulder at the wall. Next the ram Moira, stiff and aloof, holds up a fox with the head of Lord Holland (nephew and political heir of Fox), whose fore-paws, holding a paper of 'Resolutions', have reached the top of the wall but are caught in a trap. On the extreme left. Tierney bestrides a wooden horse whose hind-legs are broken off; it is inscribed 'Finance'. A bundle inscribed 'New Budget for 1811' is strapped to his back; he fires a pistol inscribed 'Bullion Report', but he is about to be thrown, so that the pistol points backwards over his head. Between Tierney and the wall are Burdett and Wardle. The former is flinging mud at the defenders, at Moira, and at Tierney. ..."--British Museum online catalogue.
Alternative Title:
Which has it?
Description:
Plate from: The Scourge, or, Monthly expositor of imposture and folly. London: W. Jones, v. 1 ( March 1811), p. 175., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Title etched below image.
Publisher:
M. Jones, 5 Newgate St.
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., Dundas, Henry,--1742-1811--Caricatures and cartoons., Eldon, John Scott,--Earl of,--1751-1838--Caricatures and cartoons., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Gibbs, Vicary,--Sir,--1751-1820--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., Lansdowne, Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice,--Marquess of,--1780-1863--Caricatures and cartoons., Perceval, Spencer,--1762-1812--Caricatures and cartoons., Ponsonby, George,--1755-1817--Caricatures and cartoons., Romilly, Samuel,--1757-1818--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Sidmouth, Henry Addington,--Viscount,--1757-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Tierney, George,--1761-1830--Caricatures and cartoons., Wardle, Gwyllym Lloyd,--1762?-1833--Caricatures and cartoons., Wellesley, Richard Wellesley,--Marquess,--1760-1842--Caricatures and cartoons., Whitbread, Samuel,--1764-1815--Caricatures and cartoons., and Yorke, Charles Philip,--1764-1834--Caricatures and cartoons.
"The members of the Secret Committee of the Commons are seated round a table examining the documents relating to the United Irishmen and other revolutionary societies. A lamp on the table illuminates a large framed transparency [The transparency, a large pictorial design lit from behind, was a popular form of street illumination. On 5 Nov. 1813 (for the battle of Leipzig) Ackermann displayed on the façade of his 'Repository' Rowlandson's 'The Two Kings of terror, afterwards published as a print. Broadley, i. 338.] divided into four equal sections which hangs from the ceiling and conceals the heads of the Committee ; the four scenes depict the supposed intentions of the revolutionaries. The transparency is irradiated, throwing into deep shadow members of the Opposition in the foreground (right), who flee from the room in a body, terror-struck. The nearest (three-quarter length) are Erskine, clutching a brief-bag, Fox, M. A. Taylor, and Norfolk. Behind these are Tierney, Sheridan, and Nicholls; in the last row are Sir J. Sinclair, Burdett, Moira, Bedford. The two most prominent members, though in back view with heads obscured, suggest Pitt (left) and Dundas (right); they read papers inscribed 'Scheme to Overthrow the British Constitution, & to seize on all public Property and Invitation to the French Republic'. Over the edge of the table hang the bulky 'Reports of the Secret Committee of the House of Commons.' On the floor are four papers: 'Names of Traitors now sufferd to remain at large'; 'Oath of the Members of the Society of the United Irishmen in London'; 'Account of ye Lodge of United Englishmen, & of the Monks of St Ann's Shrine' [see BMSat 9217]; 'Proceedings of the London Corresponding Society with a list of all the Members.' [See BMSat 9189, &c] The transparency is suspended on tricolour ribbons. Titles are engraved on the frame: [1] 'Plundering the Bank'. A scene in the Rotunda; tiny figures hasten off with sacks of gold, the most prominent being Tierney with '£10000'. Sir William Pulteney (identified from his resemblance to BMSat 9212) staggers off to the left with two sacks; the poker-like Moira has a sack on his head; two men dispute over a sack, one being Walpole with his huge cocked hat, the other resembling Jekyll; Sheridan (right) slouches off with two sacks. Proletarians exult over small money-bags. [2] 'Assassinating the Parliament'. The interior of the House of Commons is realistically depicted; the Opposition violently attack the occupants of the Government benches, daggers being the chief weapon. Erskine (left) is about to murder Dundas; Fox strikes at Pitt, holding him by the throat, while Sheridan is about to stab Pitt in the back. The puny Walpole tries to drag the Speaker from his chair, while Burdett raises the mace to smite him. Sir John Sinclair raises a broadsword to smite a man held down by little M. A. Taylor. Volumes of 'Acts and Statutes' fall to the floor. [3] 'Seizing the Crown. \ Scene the Tower'. Exulting plunderers emerge from the gate of the Tower on to the drawbridge. Bedford, dressed as a jockey (cf. BMSat 9380), walks ahead with two sacks: 'New Coinage' and 'New Guineas'; Fox, [Identified by Grego as Lansdowne.] smiling, holds the crown; Lauderdale, wearing a kilt, carries the sceptre. Just behind is Sir George Shuckburgh. Stanhope (or Grattan) carries a sack, 'Regalia of E[ngland]'. On the right a chimney-sweep and others dance round a bonfire in which 'Records' are burning. Cf. BMSat 7354, where Fox carries off the crown from the Tower. [4] 'Establishing the French Government. \ St James s Palace'. French troops march with arrogant goose-step and fixed bayonets into the gateway of the palace; their large tricolour flag is inscribed 'Vive la Republique Français'. In the foreground is planted a tall spear surmounted by a bonnet-rouge (a tree of Liberty, cf. BMSat 9214, &c.); at its base are decollated heads wearing coronets and a mitre. They are cheered by spectators (right): Grattan holding 'Grattans Address', Norfolk holding his staff, Lord Derby in hunting-dress standing on an overturned sentry-box, Moira standing like a ramrod. ...."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Title etched below image. and Two lines of text below title: Representing the Secret-Committee throwing a light upon the dark sketches of a revolution found among the papers of the Jacobin societies lately apprehended ...
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Bedford, Francis Russell,--Duke of,--1765-1802--Caricatures and cartoons., Burdett, Francis,--1770-1844--Caricatures and cartoons., Dundas, Henry,--1742-1811--Caricatures and cartoons., Erskine, Thomas Erskine,--Baron,--1750-1823--Caricatures and cartoons., Fox, Charles James,--1749-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Gillray, James, 1756-1815, artist. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50033402, Grattan, Henry,--1746-1820--Caricatures and cartoons., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., Hastings, Francis Rawdon-Hastings,--Marquess of,--1754-1826--Caricatures and cartoons., Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n97861435, Jekyll, Joseph,--1754-1837--Caricatures and cartoons., Lauderdale, James Maitland,--Earl of,--1759-1839--Caricatures and cartoons., Nicholls, John,--1745?-1832--Caricatures and cartoons., Norfolk, Charles Howard,--Duke of,--1746-1815--Caricatures and cartoons., Pitt, William,--1759-1806--Caricatures and cartoons., Pulteney, William--Caricatures and cartoons., Sheridan, Richard Brinsley,--1751-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Shuckburgh-Evelyn, George Augustus William,--Sir,--1751-1804--Caricatures and cartoons., Sinclair, John,--Sir,--1754-1835--Caricatures and cartoons., Smith-Stanley, Edward,--1752-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Stanhope, Charles Stanhope,--Earl,--1753-1816--Caricatures and cartoons., Taylor, Michael Angelo,--1757-1834--Caricatures and cartoons., Tierney, George,--1761-1830--Caricatures and cartoons., and Walpole, George,--1761-1830--Caricatures and cartoons.