Trade card for the Dawbarn family grocery warehouse, situated in Aldermanbury, London. It shows a man wearing typical Chinese dress, sitting on boxes on the banks of a river. Behind him looms a large pagoda, and to his right a box, an urn, and a basket overflowing with goods.
File 66 816 F198
Acquired November 2021
“Napoleon, pushing an officer before him through a pillared doorway, looks back to speak to a monk and a sansculotte, shackled together, who drag a car in which is an imperial crown. They hold a large scroll inscribed: ‘Most religious Sovereign – the benefactor of the church – the patron of liberty – the scourge of tyrants, and the defender of our most holy religion; may you long fill the Imperial Chair, and diffuse over a free and happy people all the blessings of your auspicious government.’ Demons fly round a tricolour flag which floats from the car. Napoleon holds out a scroll headed: ‘Address, &c. &c. &c. The Legions of France congratu – ‘, saying, “This token of your gratitude, my dear subjects will ever stimulate me to protect your liberties – to promote your happiness – and to preserve my empire from the ravages of war, tyranny and oppression.” The officer, with a cynical smile, says: “Patron of Liberty – Defender of our most holy Religion – free and happy People – Ha! ha! ha! – What may we not expect? – Has he not got them under excellent subjection?” On the left is Napoleon’s ‘Secret Chamber’: a table is covered with maps and plans; a large map, partly unrolled, shows Europe from ‘[En]gland to [Tur]key’, including the ‘Black Sea’; another map shows ‘Suez’ and the ‘Red Sea’. A demon under the table holds up a large pile of papers: ‘Plans against England’; on the floor are similar piles: ‘Religion’ and ‘Treaties’. There are also ‘Plans against Germany and Turkey’, and a paper: ‘Mem. the chance of the conquest of England is worth the sacrifice of one third of the people of France. Item. As Charlemaine not only conquered Italy, but the whole of Germany, and left the Imperial dignity hereditary in the Sovereigns of France, it is indispensably necessary to obtain possession of Germany, in order to support the dignity of the Gallic empire.’ On the wall are three pictures: ‘Sacking of Rome’, ‘Dissolution of the National Assembly’ [see British Museum Satires No. 9426, &c], and ‘View of Cairo’ [see British Museum Satires No. 9358, &c.]. Below the design: ‘Explanation. The two figures bringing the Imperial crown . . . represent . . . the bitter Enemies of Aristocracy, and the staunch Supporters of the late Monarchial Government, tackled to the National Machine, and reduced to the most abject State of Slavery by the Influence of the Military, whose congratulatory Address Bonaparte has received at the Hand of an Officer, and is introducing him into his Secret Chamber to receive Instructions. The Demons hovering over the Imperial Crown denote Five Years of Destruction; during which Period Bonaparte will overrun and ravage the greater Part of the Continent of Europe, be the Means of nearly depopulating Turkey, and finally be slain with the Sword, be cast out as an abominable Branch, and be left as Dung to rot on the Face of the Earth.”–British Museum online catalogue.
804.08.13.01+
Acquired May 2021
“Prince Leopold (right), in uniform, puts his head through a glassless aperture in a window in the door of his ‘Grecian Establish[ment]–Co[burg]’, to look intently at a fat Turk who stands in profile to the right, elaborately dressed and holding a long pipe with smoking bowl. The door, partly cut off by the right margin, is flanked by a Corinthian pillar and set in a wall on which are placards: ‘This . Shop!!! will shortly open under entire new Management–Vivant [sic] Rex’; a Union Jack poster (partly covered); the Russian eagle, and a fleur-de-lis, the two last inscribed ‘Loan’. The Turk: ‘What have you taken the Shop? well if you take my advice you will not give Your Customers too much Credit for I can tell you they are a queer set to deal with by the bye they nearly ruined me–and mind that you look sharp after your Shopmen’.”–British Museum online catalogue.
830.04.10.01+
Acquired November 2020
“Prince Leopold sits enthroned, flanked by his new subjects; he wears uniform with a crown, and sits on a two-tiered circular dais in a chair of state, the seat of which is covered with giant thorns. Punctured and frightened, he grasps the arms of his chair with crisped fingers; his toes are drawn back, touching the ground, and he looks towards a savage-looking Greek (right) who kneels before him with a long knife held behind his back. A similar ruffian kneels on the left; others approach menacingly from the left, one smoking a long pipe and grasping a knife. They wear Greek costume with embroidered jackets and full white breeches. On the right are long-robed ecclesiastics, headed by a bearded patriarch with a cross in one hand, a knife in the other.”–British Museum online catalogue.
830.03.06.01+
Acquired November 2020
“A magician stands full face with uplifted sabre held over the heads of two figures from the past whom he has called up, and who stand within a magic circle. He displays them to their modern descendants, a tall stout Frenchman plainly dressed, wearing cocked hat and military boots, who stands with his arm on the shoulder of a thin, wretched, shambling, Englishman, small, ugly, and foppish, his hand thrust through an empty pocket. The magician has a beard, but features, cocked hat, consular dress, and sabre indicate Napoleon. He asks: “Are you satisfied Gentlemen?” The apparitions (left) are a grossly obese Englishman in old-fashioned dress, a cane hanging from his right wrist, and an ugly, tall, cadaverous, and foppish Frenchman holding a snuffbox. They say, respectively: “Is that my Grandson Jack? what a skeleton!!!”; “Ah mon Cousin, vat you eat de Beef & Plum Pudding!!” Their surprised successors exclaim: “Bless me! why I am a mere Stump of a man to him!!! and viable my Cousin look like de Frog & John Bull look like de Ox but Grace a Dieu times are Changed!!” Beside the magician are symbols of his art: a globe, a crocodile, a scroll, a skull. Within the circle and beside the French apparition is a frog.”–British Museum online catalogue.
803.03.09.01+
Acquired March 2021
“Piracy of plate IV of Hogarth’s Rake’s Progress with considerable differences: a scene in St James’s Street with the Rake (here named Ramble) emerging from a sedan-chair to be arrested for debt; figures in the foreground include a Welshman, probably the creditor, honouring St David’s day (March 1st) with a leek in his hat, “Nanny” offering a handful of money to reprieve her former lover, and a lamp-lighter carelessly spilling oil on the Rake’s coat; in the distance to left, a group of street-boys point to “Taffy”, a mannikin, perched on a lamp-post, and beyond the gate of St James’s Palace.”–British Museum online catalogue.
Hogarth 735.00.00.20+ Box 200
Acquired January 2021
“A huge bull, snorting fire, rushes with lowered head towards a French fort (left) from which cannon-balls descend upon him. Beneath the fort sansculottes on one knee fire at the bull while standing French soldiers, correctly dressed, also fire. On the fortress stand Frenchmen, firing and waving their hats; they shout: “Vive la republic, Blood & plunder, no Quarter to John Bull!” A huge tricolour flag has a staff surmounted by a skull. To the bull’s back is strapped a bundle inscribed ‘Debt Debt’. One horn has been shot off and lies on the ground. To his left hind leg is chained a heavy weight inscribed ‘Subsidies’. Nevertheless, he cries: “Now my brave Allies let us all stand firm together & make a bold push, & I’ll be Answerable for the Event.” But behind him (right) his allies have all turned their backs and are departing in directions indicated by signposts. A fat Dutchman smoking a pipe goes ‘To Amsterdam’, saying, “I care not who beats, I’ll join the Strongest Party”. Frederick William II (father-in-law of the Duke of York) walks off ‘To Berlin’, saying, “I’ve fingerd the Cash from both Sides, & will now employ it to Secure the Partition of Poland”; “Negociate with Robertspierre privately & then – Damn Relationship!!!” Next, a Spanish don, Charles IV, goes ‘To Madrid’, saying, “Whats the Bourbon Family to me when they Impede my Interest. Hush!! I am now treating for a Separate peace with that Blackguard Roberspere to Secure my own Crown – I must enlarge the Powers of the Inquisition”. On the extreme right Francis II and Mack in a two-wheeled gig, on which is the Habsburg eagle, are driving off ‘To Vienna’. The Emperor says: “Well Mack we have made a Glorious Campaign of it; of what use are the Low Countries without they continue to fill my Coffers? As for John Bull, let him settle the business as he can he loves to be meddling”.”–British Museum online catalogue.
794.07.17.01+
Acquired January 2021
Engraving of William Hogarth’s 1748 painting ‘O the Roast Beef of Old England’ (London, Tate Britain), which he had himself published as a print. The scene is set at the Gate of Calais (after the painting in the Tate Gallery) with a fat monk prodding a large sirloin of beef carried by a cook, on either side are two French soldiers, one of whom spills his bowl of thin soup as he gazes in amazement at the beef; on the left, three market women with crosses hanging from their necks admire a skate in a basket of fish; on the right, two ragged men carry a large pot of soup while another drinks from a bowl, and a Scottish soldier cowers beneath an archway; in the middle distance, to left, Hogarth himself is seen sketching at the moment when a soldier’s hand takes him by the shoulder; beyond, through the gate, is a religious procession.
Hogarth 766.00.00.03+ Box 200
Acquired March 2020
“George IV, seated on the throne, watches a display of jovial fraternization between John Bull and Pat, who dance, holding hands, each holding up a hat decorated respectively by rose and shamrock. A lanky garland of (thornless) roses and giant shamrocks drapes the crown on the back of the throne; one end is held up by Wellington (right), on the King’s left, the other by Peel on his right, so that the King is framed by it. J. B. is an obese and drink-blotched “cit”, with a snuff-box inscribed ‘Irish’ in his waistcoat pocket. Pat is a ragged Irish peasant, his bare legs swathed by twisted straw; his shillelagh lies on the ground; he looks with a broad but appraising grin at J. B., who sings: “Together reared together grown, Oh! let us now unite in one, Let friendship rivet the decree, Nor bigots sever Pat and Me!!!” Two discomfited ‘bigots’ depart on the left; one is a gouty parson using a crutch, with a ‘Petition against Concession’ hanging from his pocket, cf. British Museum Satires No. 15661, &c. The other is a Catholic bishop in robe and mitre. They say: ‘It’s time for us to be off.’ Above their heads flies a figure of Discord, her hair consisting of snakes which spit flame towards J. B. The King, with extended arm, says: ‘No more let Bigotry distract the Nation, Nor Priestcraft nurture lawless passion, Henceforth let rage and tumult cease, As brothers live and die in peace!!!'”–British Museum online catalogue.
829.04.00.17+
Acquired December 2020
An illustrated manuscript leaf in an 18th-century hand. In the upper portion of the recto side is a large vignette of a man in traditional Jewish garb, seated at a table, weighing coins as they spill from two cornucopias, one to each side and held by a cherub whose faces are turned away; the table is covered with coins. The prose text below is captioned “Covetousness” and consists of seven lines beginning: “Every step that a man makes beyond a moderate & reasonable Provision, is taking so much from the worthiness of his own spirit. …” This quote is taken from an popular 18th-century British courtesy book that appeared in many editions but was first published in 1715.: The Gentleman’s Library, containing rules for conduct in all parts of life. The scribe writes using Gothic lettering in pen and brown ink and decorates the perimeter of the the text and image with billowing flourishes. Printed above in a ribbon banner is a saying from Horace, “certum voto pete finem”–“set a definite limit to your desire.” On the verso written in pencil by a contemporary hand : Mind the noblest, he the law of Kings The noble mind distinguishes perfection It aids & strengthens virtue where it meets her ‘Tis not to be sported with.
LWL Mss File 152+
Acquired June 2020