The political warrior mowing down the Russian trade

“Pitt runs forward (left to right) to the waterside, a large sabre raised above his head, saying, “The Russian trade down the first”; he threatens a number of stranded ships with broken masts. The blade of his sabre is inscribed: ‘General War in Europe. Hartzberg Cutler Berlin’. In his left hand he holds up a paper: ‘Responsibility Unpd Debts £20,00000 Ditto 3000000 New Taxes . . . Taxes’. Above him is a scroll inscribed: ‘Under the Protection of the Commercial Treaty with France [see British Museum Satires no. 6995], or by the Armed Neutrality improved Trade of Russia carried by French bottoms’. On the right a man stands on a quay inscribed ‘Company of Russia Kay to be let’; he raises in both hands a headsman’s axe, inscribed ‘Hard Steel badly temper’d, to smite the masts of the ships below him’, saying, “Down with it [ ? or its] Poland its as well Vengeance”. Above his head, rays issuing from the upper right corner of the design, inscribed ‘Remote fate, no more wars M–rs [Ministers] ultimatum’, impinge on a semi-circle of cloud inscribed Confidence. On this stand five tiny gibbets, each with its pendent body. On the horizon is the open sea, on which are four French ships in full sail, the nearest flying a tricolour flag inscribed ‘la Nation la loi le Roi’. On the left, next Pitt, stands Thurlow, holding against his left shoulder the mace, which is labelled ‘Prerogative’ and ‘by G–d’ (cf. British Museum Satires no. 7320). In his right hand is a paper: ‘Law Authorities for rendering defensive treatys ofensive’. His Chancellor’s wig, over which is inscribed ‘Geographical Knowledge’, is divided into small sections, each inscribed with the name of a place: immediately surrounding his face are six portions each inscribed ‘Russia’; on his nose is ‘Poland’; above his forehead is ‘England’. Other places in juxtaposition are ‘Oczakow’, ‘Isle of Dogs’, ‘Botany Bay’, ‘Persia’, ‘Jordaine’, ‘Terras incognitas’, ‘Turin’, ‘Constantinople’, and ‘Antwerp’, ‘China’, ‘Swisserland’, ‘Africa’, ‘Nootka’, ‘Germany’, ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Paris’, ‘Pekin’, ‘Patagonia’, ‘France’. In the background on the extreme left is a building: ‘National Assembly’, with the cap of Liberty surmounting a tricolour flag inscribed ‘French liberty benefitted by the blunders from the English M–r’. From the door issues a label inscribed ‘oui oui une adresse de tanks a Mr P–t’. From the Assembly walk two kings, France and Spain; they say (pointing to Pitt): “How he plays our game” and “Bravo! bravo! bravo!””–British Museum online catalogue.

  • TitleThe political warrior mowing down the Russian trade [graphic].
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. by Wm. Holland, No. 50 Oxford St., April 7, 1791.

Catalog Record

791.04.07.01+

Acquired May 2017

Description of the Grand National Jubilee

Letterpress broadside with a description of the Grand National Jubilee of 1814 surrounded by eight woodcut views (clockwise from top): The Temple; The Pagoda on Fire; The Jubilee Balloon; The Enemy on Fire; Sham Fight on the Serpentine; Boarding an American; The Royal Booth; The Castle.

  • TitleDescription of the Grand National Jubilee, held in St. James’s, Hyde, and the Green Parks, on Monday 1st August, 1814.
  • PublicationLondon : Printed and published by John Fairburn, Jun. Fountain Court, Minories, [ca. 1 August 1814]

Catalog Record

814.08.01.04+

Acquired March 2017

Arming John Bull to fight the buggoboos!!!

lwlpr34235 (1024x813)

John Bull, a much overburdened soldier, looks up in angry dismay at a helmet inscribed ‘Glory’ which Pitt (left) is about to place on his head. He says, “O D—-n the Glory I shall never be able to bear it all!” Pitt stands in profile to the right; the large plumed helmet which he holds up in both hands is irradiated. From his pocket hangs a long paper headed ‘List of Ships £5000000’. John Bull, short and stout, stands full face wearing a gorget, with two pistols in his belt, a long sabre suspended horizontally from his waist, its blade inscribed ‘Twenty more Kill em!’ He holds a blunderbuss in his right hand, which fires ‘Pop Pop’ into the air; a large pike in his left hand, a broadsword held in his left arm; a musket and a huge knapsack are slung on his back. In the foreground are ordnance stores: a barrel (left) inscribed ‘Right Richmond double Proof’ with cannon-balls, and (right) a cannon, cannon-balls, drum, and flag. In the background a fleet of ships sails from the shore on which stands a cheering crowd.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • CreatorCollings, Samuel, attributed name.
  • TitleArming John Bull to fight the buggoboos!!! [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : Pub. by S.W. Fores, No. 3 Piccadilly, Aug. 6, 1790.

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

790.08.06.01+

Acquired May 2016

The Flushing phantasmagoria, or, Kings conjurors amusing John Bull

lwlpr34626 (1024x775)

“A ‘conjuror’ or magician displays to John Bull on a screen four scenes, one below the other, representing the expedition to Flushing. He wears a conical hat with a wide fur brim, and his magician’s robe resembles that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, indicating Perceval; he holds a long staff or wand topped by a little head, that of Portland, grinning; it is labelled The Old One. John stoops to look through a telescope inscribed Patent directed at the screen, the vision on which is projected by a small dark-lantern held by Perceval. John is a yokel in a smock; beside him lies his cudgel inscribed Oak. He is highly delighted at what he sees, namely: [1] a fleet leaving England, tiny figures being indicated on the shore. [2] Ships bombarding and soldiers attacking a fortified town which is on fire. [3] The garrison of the town surrendering to British officers, with grenadiers drawn up at attention. A French officer holds out the keys of the town to Chatham, one of whose staff is in Highland uniform. Two tricolour flags are being laid down by fat Dutchmen in French uniforms. [4] British troops being landed from a man-of-war; wounded soldiers are being carried up the beach.” –British Museum online catalogue

  • PrintmakerWilliams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
  • TitleThe Flushing phantasmagoria, or, Kings conjurors amusing John Bull [graphic] / Heath.
  • Publication[London : Pubd. Septr. 1809 by Walker, No. 7 Cornhill, September 1809]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

809.09.00.01+

Acquired May 2016

 

The flowing cann

lwlpr33262 (682x1024)

In two columns with the title in a ribbon atop a woodcut below stanza one. Stanzas 2 and 3 below image. A sailor at a seaside tavern (Jack Ocum) dances with a young woman as he holds his tankard. The fiddle music is played by a man who stands beside a woman in the tavern doorway. In the distance on the right is a sailing ship and along the shore, two men in a row boat.

  • Author: Dibdin, Charles, 1745-1814.
  • Uniform Title[Oddities. Song]
  • TitleThe flowing cann.
  • Published[London : Sold by J. Pitts, Great Saint Andrew St. ; Sold by C. Sheppard, Lambert Hill, Doctors Commons, Publish’d Septr. 18th. 1790?]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

790.09.18.01

Acquired October 2015

 

The new South Sea fishery

lwlpr33264 (1024x703)

A satire ridiculing the first Nootka Convention in which Spain conceded England’s right to maintain outposts in Nootka Sound and engage in whaling outside a “ten-league line” off the Northwest coast of North America. In a small row boat on the Pacific and facing the west coast of North American, Pitt stands fishing with a rod baited with a sack labelled “3 million genl. elc”. Beside him in the boat is Henry Dundas holding another sack labelled “million gen. elec” and beside him in the back of the boat, a third sack also labelled “million gen elec”. Selected points along the shore from the Sea of Kamtschatka and Bristol Bay (north) to New Mexico are identified with no attempt at try scale: Nortons Sound, Alaska, Cooks River, Ps. William Sound, Spanish Land, Nootka or King Georges Sound, New Albion, California. Off the coast of Alaska are shown the islands Arako and Foxes Is. Whales surface above the water inside the buoys with flags reading “10 leagues”. In the upper left is a galley “Convention”. Pitt says “I fear Harry the fishing will never answer.” Dundas replies, “Never mind tha Billy the gudgeons we have caught in England will pay for all.”

  • PrintmakerCruikshank, Isaac, 1756?-1811?, printmaker.
  • TitleThe new South Sea fishery, or, A cheap way to catch whales [graphic] / J. Cruikshanks fect.
  • PublicationLondon : Pub. Jany. 4, 1791, by H. Humphries, N. 18 Old Bond St., [4 January 1791]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

791.01.04.01++

Acquired October 2015

 

The French King’s scheme for an invasion

CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE: The French King's scheme for an invasion

An engraving showing the head of Louis XV in the image of the coast of France with the ports of Dunkirk and Boulogne shown. From his mouth come the words: “O! O! O! me d’ Pompedour.” The French navy is shown towing small forts across the Channel towards England. Flanking the French fleet are three British ships. Two on the left labelled Anson and one on the right labelled Hawk.

  • Title: The French King’s scheme for an invasion
  • Published: [London] : Sold in May’s Buildings, colour’d 1756

Catalog record & Digital Collection

756.02.00.01

Acquired December 2012