A fragment of the history of John Bull

book, printed text

  • Author: Ettrick, William, 1756 or 1757-1847.
  • Title: A fragment of the history of John Bull : with the birth, parentage, education, and humours of Jack Radical : with incidental remards upon ancient and modern radicalism / by Horace Hombergh, Esq. of the Middle Temple, London [i.e. William Ettrick].
  • Publication: London : Printed for Thomas Wilkie, 57, Paternoster-Row; and sold by Akenhead, Charnley, and Finlay, Newcastle upon Tyne; Renney, Sunderland; and Andrews, Durham, 1820.
  • Manufacture: London : T. Davison, Lombard Street, Whitefriars, [1820]

Catalog Record

63 820 Et85

Acquired April 2021

Majority one against the boroughmongers

lwlpr33540 (1024x751)

A satire on the electoral Reform Bill of 1831, which was passed soon after this print was issued. Grant shows the figure of blind Justice leaning out from a mass of billowing clouds and holding her scales labelled “Reform 1813”. The load on the left side labeled “People’, though containing fewer documents — Magna Carta, Economy & Retrenchment, Peace of Plenty, Extension of the Electi[c] Franchise, Cheap Government — is heavier than the other plate “Oligarchy” which is weighted down by: Bribes, Corruption, Six Acts, Corn Law, Church, Rotten Boroughs, Corporation Charters, Law & Iniquity, Taxes, Imposts, Holy Alliance, [F?]onal Debt. A group of four men in the left foreground include a judge; the one man says “Behold! a mere feather turns the ballance in our favour and saves us from revolution & disgrace.” Just beyond them in the middle distance the King stands firmly and says “The triumph of this great & vital cause will fix my crown more firm upon my head.” On the right a group of over six men including a clergyman who wipes his brow and cries “The draft is in their favor. Our cause is lost. Oh dictatorium, dictatorium, dic-“. Another gentleman behind him cries “They may vainly recken on a paltry unit, we have yet power to rent it peicemeal [sic].” In the distance a crowd cheers, and some hold signs for “Reform” and “Support the King & his ministers”, etc.

  • PrintmakerGrant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852.
  • TitleMajority one against the boroughmongers [graphic] / C.J. Grant.
  • Publication[London] : Pub. by John Fairburn, Broadway, Ludgate Hill, March 26th, 1831.

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

831.03.26.01+

Acquired January 2016

 

A general retreat

lwlpr32192 (1024x784)

Political satire: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) leading his Tory government ministers in flight from its attack on the castle of ‘Reform’ (as inscribed to the Tricolore flag of liberty that flies from the tower).

  • PrintmakerGrant, C. J. (Charles Jameson), active 1830-1852, printmaker.
  • TitleA general retreat [graphic] / CJG.
  • Published[London : Pub. Nov. 18, 1830, by S. Gans, Southampton St., Strand, 18 November 1830]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

830.11.18.01+

Acquired September 2014

The Persian strip’d of his disguise

lwlacq000111a

  • Title: The Persian strip’d of his disguise, or, Remarks on a late libel, intitled, letters from a Persian in England to his friends at Ispahan.
  • Published: London : Printed for T. Cooper, at the Globe in Pater-noster Row, MDCCXXXV [1735]

Catalog Record

53 A2 735P

Acquired July 2013

Britannia between death and the doctor’s

Click for larger image

A satire of Pitt’s return to office in 1804. Pitt is shown in the chamber of Britannia. Britannia sits listlessly on a bed, holding a sword in one hand. Next to her, leaning against the bed, is her shield and olive branches. Pitt holds aloft a bottle labelled “Constitutional Restorative” as he kicks another man, a caricature of Addington, through the door. Addington is in the process of dropping a bottle labelled “Composing Draft”. With his other foot, Pitt steps on the face of a flailing and prostrate Fox, who holds a bottle labelled “Rebublican Balsam” towards Britannia. From Fox’s pocket dice and a dice container labelled “Whig Pills” have fallen. Emerging from behind the bed curtains, the figure of Death, a skeleton with the face and plumed bicorne of Napoleon, overturns a table and upsets bottles of medicine and points his sword toward the unsuspecting Britannia.

  • Printmaker: Gillray, James, 1756-1815, printmaker, artist.
  • Title: Britannia between death and the doctor’s [sic] [graphic] : “Death may decide when doctor’s [sic] disagree” / Js. Gillray inv. et fect.
  • Published: [London] : Publish’d May 20th 1804 by H. Humphrey, [20 May 1804]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

804.05.20.02+

Acquired November 2013

Deputy Pendulum’s motion for an address

Click for larger image

Eleven lines of text below image and above title: Gemmen, at the general meeting you impowered [sic] me …

Publisher’s advertisement following imprint: Folios of caracatures [sic] lent out for the evening.

  • Printmaker: Cruikshank, Isaac, 1756?-1811?, printmaker.
  • Title: Deputy Pendulum’s motion for an address [graphic] / IC.
  • Published: Lond. [i.e. London] : Pub. Nov. 29, 1795, by S.W. Fores, No. 50 Piccadilly, [29 November 1795]

Catalog record & Digital collection

795.11.29.01 Impression 2

Acquired May 2013

Notebook of Lord Eldon, ca. 1829

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

An unfinished manuscript notebook containing Lord Eldon’s comments on the first 38 caricatures in James Sayers’s album containing his own copies of his caricatures. (James Sayers’ Folio Album of 144 Caricatures, Lewis Walpole Library Folio 75 Sa85 810).

  • Author: Eldon, John Scott, Earl of, 1751-1838.
  • Title: Notebook of Lord Eldon, circa 1829.

Catalog record

LWL Mss Vol. 202

Acquired June 2012

Folio album of 144 caricatures

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Note on front pastedown: This book contains the caricatures published by Sayers during his life. This was his own copy and was presented to me after his death. [Signed] Eldon.
With his bookplate.
Bequethed by James Sayers to his sister and later given to Lord Eldon. Purchased at auction June 2012 with Lord Eldon’s notebook.
Accompanied by Lord Eldon’s notebook (LWL Mss Vol. 202) in which he comments on the caricatures.

  • Creator: Sayers, James, 1748-1823, printmaker.
  • Title: Folio album of 144 caricatures [graphic].
  • Published: [London, between 1782 and 1810]

Catalog record

Folio 75 Sa85 810

Acquired July 2012

A draught of the pillar found in the rubbish of Whitehall

Click for larger imageQuote below title: Take away the wicked, from before the King, and his throne shall be establish’d in righteousness. Prov. 25, v. 5.
Latin inscription in image: In perpetuam infamiae memoriam Thomae Wolsaei …

  • Title: A draught of the pillar found in the rubbish of Whitehall [graphic] : humbly inscribed to the Norfolk steward
  • Published: [London? : s.n., circa 1742]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

742.00.00.17

Acquired July 2012