"John Bull (left), wearing a star centred by a heart: 'Queens Order of Knighthood', furiously kicks Italian witnesses from a quay into the sea, where (right) a boat waits to take them to a packet-boat. His bull-dog is about to bite, and he raises a massive bludgeon, kicking a lean grenadier with an empty sleeve, to whose back is tied a large green bag (see British Museum Satires No. 13735) inscribed 'Infernal Lies from Como' [cf. No. 13857]. On this capers a demon, holding a noose above the Italian's head, and in the left hand a little gibbet from which hangs a tiny effigy of the Grenadier with his bundle. The Italian holds a stiletto and wears a high cap with dangling bell on which are skull and cross-bones. J. B. shouts: "This is Freedom's own Land, 'tis the land of the Queen, Where no hired traducers shall ever be seen, Be off each vile Eunuch--be off high and low or I'll knock you to H--ll with an Englishmans blow!!" The Italian looks back to say: "If thus you pay Italian Spies I'll bring no more Infernal Lies" Another Italian wearing braided livery is knee-deep in the sea, he looks back angrily at John, holding dagger and pistol. A terrified foreigner, ragged but fashionable, leaps towards the water, exclaiming: "Diable!! Jean Anglaise [sic]." A woman with a bunch of keys, in full flight, pours the contents of a 'Pot de Chambre' over a grotesque lawyer (Leach), who is racing down steps to the water with a green bag of 'Lies from Milan'. She says: "Dis Pot contains mine Evidence--do taste it Signor Horse Leach, you vill find very strong proof of Guilt." Leach, looking over his shoulder, says: "This Business smells strong We have kept it too long" A sturdy sailor standing in a boat at the foot of the steps fends him off with a boat-hook, saying: "Shew me a clean bill of health signed Caroline or by G d you sha'nt come on board here."."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Kick from Harwich to Holland
Description:
Title etched below image., Questionably attributed to William Elmes in the British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed within plate mark on left side., "Vivant Regina!!"--Beneath lower right corner of image., Mounted to 58 x 39 cm., Mounted (with one other print) on leaf 41 in volume 1 of the W.E. Gladstone collection of caricatures and broadsides surrounding the "Queen Caroline Affair.", and Typed extract of seven lines from the British Museum catalogue description is pasted opposite (on verso of preceding leaf).
Publisher:
Published July 1820 by J. Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill
Subject (Name):
Caroline, Queen, consort of George IV, King of Great Britain, 1768-1821. and Leach, John, 1760-1834
Subject (Topic):
John Bull (Symbolic character), Witnesses, Ethnic stereotypes, Boats, Dogs, Staffs (Sticks), Demons, Nooses, Gallows, Daggers & swords, Handguns, Keys (Hardware), Bags, Lawyers, Sailors, and British
