The old bachelor’s thermometer

description below

The image at top shows an old man sitting in an armchair on the right, his gouty foot resting on a footstool, a crutch seen leaning against a stool beside him. He looks up at a younger woman on the left, who wears a bonnet and apron and is looking down and away from him. Draperies and a framed picture of Cupid shooting an arrow decorate the wall behind them. The text below, in two columns with an age listed at the beginning of each line, tells the humorous tale of the consequences of a man putting off marriage for prideful reasons from age “16 – incipient palpitations towards the young ladies”, through the ages of “29 – rails against the fair sex”, “37 – indulge in every kind of dissipation”, and “48 – thinks living alone quite irksome …”. Eventually, he resolves to have a prudent young woman as housekeeper and companion, gradually feeling some attachment to her and becoming completely under her influence. At age 60, as he begins to feel ill, and “grows rapidly worse, has his will made in her favour, and makes an exit.”

  • Title: The old bachelor’s thermometer. The old maid’s thermometer [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Published by S. and J. Fuller, 34, Rathbone-Place, [between 1809 and 1839]
  • Manufacture: [London] : Printed by L. Harrison, 373, Strand.

Catalog Record

809.00.00.64

Acquired March 2020

The blessed effects of a united cabinet

description below

“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.

 

  • Printmaker: Jones, Thomas Howell, active 1823-1848, printmaker.
  • Title: The blessed effects of a united cabinet, or, The glorious march of intellect [graphic] / T. Jones fect.
  • Publication: London : Pubd. April 1829 by S.W. Fores, 41 Piccadilly, [April 1829]

Catalog Record

829.04.00.17+

Acquired December 2020

The gout

A man sits in an armchair facing right, resting his gouty left foot on a footrest; a cane rests between his legs. He rings a bell and looks over his right shoulder at a young servant who is leaving the room through a door on the left. A hill is visible through a window on the right.

  • Title: The gout [graphic].
  • Publication: [Alnwick] : Printed and published by W. Davison, Alnwick, [between 1812 and 1817]

Catalog Record 

812.00.00.104

Acquired September 2019

I wish you the same madam with all my heart!!

An obese, angry-faced man in a night cap sits in a chair in glaring out the window, his two gouty feet propped up on a pillow and his arms both also bandaged and the right arm in a sling. He is wearing a night cap and a heavy, lined robe; a cane rests against the arm of his upholstered chair. On the table to his right and on the floor to his left are many bottles of medicine with labels. Behind him on the wall is a framed picture of a volcano. decorating three panes of glass are sprigs of holly (?) with red berries.

  • TitleI wish you the same madam with all my heart!! [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : Published Decr. 1832 by O. Hodgson, Cloth Fair, Smithfield, [December 1832]

Catalog Record 

832.12.00.01

Acquired March 2018

John Bulls belly and its members

lwlpr32391 (683x1024)

“John Bull, grossly obese, sits in an armchair directed to the right, smoking and holding a goblet inscribed ‘For the Belly’ in his left hand. His paunch overweights his legs; from below it projects a bunch of four big seals, shaped like mitres, two inscribed ‘Dublin’ and ‘Armagh’. These dangle against his left leg which is bare except for a tattered green cloth and rests on straw. On the other leg, which has gouty misshapen toes, are a neat stocking and shoe. From the left foot rise the words: ‘Arrah, now Mr Belly don’t be after thinking I’m satisfied–if all the rest are, Och! bother your talk, about dispersing the good things you receive sure none of them come towards me lower than your watch chain: have’nt I been neglected, Och, its withering I am–& tho’ some of your bowels yearn over me & say I might be cured, don’t part of your hard heart wish me Cut down to the bare bone–but Oh, honey if you get into a row, won’t you do better with two stout legs than only one of them–.’ John stares down towards the bare toe, which is only just in his range of vision; his words are in the cloud of smoke issuing from his pipe: ‘Never mind my poor little limb,–as to the belly Clothed in scarlet & fine lawn I smoke its selfishness, & as its head & Governor will see you righted.'”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Seymour, Robert, 1798-1836, printmaker.
  • TitleJohn Bulls belly and its members [graphic] / Esop fecit.
  • PublishedLondon : Published by Thos. McLean, 26 Haymarket, 1829.

Catalog Record

829.00.00.109

Acquired January 2015

Visiting the sick

Click for larger image

  • Printmaker: Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker.
  • Title: Visiting the sick [graphic] / J. Gillray fec[i]t.
  • Published:[London] : Pubd. July 28th, 1806, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James’s Street, [1806]

Catalog Record  & Digital Collection

806.07.28.01.1+

Acquired May 2007