145 C736 771
Acquired November 2023
“Two women …, the Duchess of Gordon and her daughter, weep beside an ornate coffin on trestles decorated with ducal coronets and the arms and crest, ‘Che Sara Sara’, of the Duke of Bedford. The Duchess, grossly fat and much caricatured, her hands on her hips, stands on the left, saying, “You intended to ha’a him my dear if you cauld thats certain or ony of the Family, but ne’er heed it Chiel I’ll take You down to the Abbey [Woburn] and try again.” She wears a Scots cap on a wig with short curls. Lady Georgiana (right) stands with both arms extended, staggering backwards, in uncontrolled despair. A miniature on a velvet ribbon has fallen from one wrist, another is about to fall. She exclaims: “Ah me, a luckless Maid, thus crossed in hope & expectation too. quite lost in both Attempts, the one for ever gone the other far too Cold, to feel the genial warmth of mine and Mothers Love. I’ll take me to my Weeds & shew the World the ne’er was Love like mine.” Her hat and necklace lie on the coffin; her curled wig, flung off by her extravagant gestures, is about to fall on it. Broadside ballads lie on the ground; beside the Duchess: ‘There’s Nae luck about the House’ and ‘We’ll tuck up our petticoats under our arm and over . . .’ Beside her daughter: ‘Wither my Love ah Wither art thou gone’ [cf. British Museum Satires No. 9311] and ‘Mad Bessy of Bedl[am]’.”–British Museum online catalogue.
802.05.09.01+
Acquired June 2024
“Satire on the English: a party of tourists climb into a diligence, with the ship behind from which they have just disembarked.”–British Museum online catalogue.
814.11.00.02
Acquired April 2024
“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.
823.05.00.01+
Acquired June 2024
“Six English sitting round a table in the open air playing assorted instruments, a flute, harp, violin, cello and guitar, while the sixth sings.”–British Museum online catalogue.
814.12.00.01
Acquired April 2024
File 763 800 N532
Acquired April 2024
“The King, plainly dressed in black, tries to hide, ostrich-like, from the two Sheriffs of London, who kneel before him, holding their wands of office. The foremost, on both knees, his hand on his heart, says: We are deputed by the Corporation to wait upon your M—-ty most humbly to know when it will be convenient to receive the dutiful address of your M—-tys ancient and loyal City of London. The second sheriff, less obsequious, says: The Citizens are suprised at yr M—-tys Backwardness, the Corporation looks blue, and the Lord Mayor is in a Brown Study. The King, poised on his toes, stoops over the throne, a plain arm-chair, as if to take cover, looking behind him from the corners of his averted eyes. He says: I’m not at home. An elderly Lord Chamberlain, also in black, leans forward on tiptoe, supporting himself on the back of the throne, one arm held out above the King’s bent back with a gesture of negation to the Sheriffs and protection to the King, saying, He say’s “he’s not at home! The title is centred by two heraldic turtles and the City’s motto: Domini Direge Nos [sic]..”–British Museum online catalogue
827.06.22.01+
Acquired June 2024
“Scene in a bedroom, meanly furnished except for a four-post curtained bed (left) and a carpeted floor; it is lit by a single candle or rush-light. Lady Eldon (right), a lean and ugly virago, assails the ex-Chancellor with a shovel, holding him by the coat. He tries to escape, shrieking, I cou’dn’t in conscience my love, act with them–why, they are all in league with the Devil. Lady Eldon: Conscience, indeed! I’ll conscience you! Aye, aye, Sir, you don’t know your friends from your foes. I’ll make you learn to keep a good place when you’ve got one; you shan’t be idling at home earning nothing. What business is it of your’s who’s who as long as you have got a good place and are well paid for it. Under the bed is a box of Smuggled Goods. On the wall is a picture: Taking leave of the Court of Conscience. In this Eldon leans from a desk holding a handkerchief towards his eyes, facing a group of standing barristers. On the floor is a book: Rule a Husband and have a Husband [parodying the title of Fletcher’s comedy, ‘Rule a wife …].”–British Museum online catalogue
827.04.00.03+
Acquired June 2024
“William IV, as Mars, in Roman armour, stands defiantly in a war-chariot drawn by three galloping horses, ridden by Discord, a virago with serpents for hair, who brandishes a handful of serpents. He holds a shield inscribed ‘Signed Protocols’, and a levelled spear; on his helmet is a dragon with gaping jaws. The chariot advances upon terrified Dutch soldiers (left), who flee; one drops his musket, but one on the extreme left (William I) stands firm beside the muzzle of a cannon and glares at the King with an obstinate scowl. They have high-crowned hats, with a ribbon inscribed ‘Orange’. Facing the chariot-horses (left) are a menacing Russian bear and a Prussian Death’s Head hussar with a levelled blunderbuss. Discord, looking sideways at the Prussian though turning away from him, says: ‘A word in your Ear! there’s nothing meant, its all show just to frighten these Dutchmen a little’. Under the chariot is a document inscribed ‘Treatys’; the wheel is about to collide with a large stone inscribed ‘Ireland’, on which the features of O’Connell are faintly suggested. Behind the chariot are three Furies, with serpents for hair, and holding firebrands and bunches of serpents. Rushing forward, they urge the King on; they are (left to right) Grey, Durham, and Brougham. As a background to the chariot a swarm of countless frogs (French soldiers) is dimly suggested; they rush forward, with a tricolour flag. On the front of the chariot perches a Gallic cock. In the foreground (right) stands John Bull, stout and spectacled; he clutches his ‘Reform Bill’, and gapes up in horror, saying, ‘Hey dey here’s a bobbery, just as I was going to look over my Reform Bill quietly, what do they mean not to go to war sure now,!! after suffering Poland to be annihilated & Germany trampled on, Oh nonsense! Nonsense’.”–British Museum online catalogue.
832.11.01.01+
Acquired June 2024
“A fashionably dressed man rides a stag with the head and bust of a pretty young woman with dark ringlets and roses in her hair. A lean German runs after him, holding out a pair of large antlers, saying, O, ho! my-lor, here de Horn my-lor–she friget [sic] de horn, take dem, A, ha! par-blue, by Gar I vil have de damage. The rider, turning his head in profile, and warding off the gift, answers: No. No. Baron, you may keep them yourself, and welcome, the horns become you; my dear can do without them. The German wears flat fur cap with peak, tight fur-bordered coat. The other wears bell-shaped top-hat, blue frogged coat, and white trousers. His rein is a scarf inscribed £2,500 round his mount’s chest. The animal, its hind-legs splashing the German with mud, reaches a high wall fringed with spikes, inscribed Bancus Regis, resembling that of the King’s Bench prison, but here indicating the Court of King’s Bench. On it, below a large inscription: Hunts Matchless Blacking [see British Museum Satires No. 15150] are many bills: [1] Coy of Sussex stolen or strayed a handsome Doe of the Roebuck breed, with black hair and scut, is supposed to be stolen by some poacher. Her owner a poor foreigner says her value is £10.000–. [2] Just Published–Crim Cram. [3] The Prodigal a New farce. [4] –Theatre, Chip of the Old Block or the Amours of one of the Peers. [5] Richmond Steam Boat the Venus with excellent accomodation & a high Poop:– 16 Horse power. [6] Astley’s, The Dejected Baron after which Mr Ducrow will manage His Celebrated Horse Pegassus. [7] Try Dr Eady [a notorious quack]. [8] Sermons By the Revd Mr Irvine. [9] Just Published, A Moral Lesson, or the Horn Book for the rising generation by a young lady.”–British Museum online catalogue.
“A satire on the suit of crim. con. brought by Michael Henry, Baron de Robeck, against Lord Sussex Lennox (1802-74). His wife, Mary Margaret, 2nd d. of Valentine Browne (who had married him in 1820 when under fifteen), married Lennox, Apr. 1828, on the dissolution of her first marriage.”–Curator’s comments, British Museum online catalogue.
827.07.00.03+
Acquired June 2024