print; satirical print

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Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1851,0901.1272
Title: Object: An Old English-Gentleman pester'd by servants wanting places.
Description: George III stands on a low rectangular platform placed upon a boarded floor and is approached from all sides by applicants for office. He is in back view, but turns his head in profile to the left, to inspect a group through his spy-glass, saying: Well Gentlemen,—I have taken a peep at you all: but I am afraid that you won't do—-for some of you are too Heavy & Broad-Bottom'd for Service; & the rest seem to have no Bottom at all.—So Gentlemen, I think I shall he content with my Old Servants. In the front row (left), bowing low, are three Grenvilles, the Broad-Bottoms par excellence (see No. 10530): Grenville, holding a gold-laced coachman's hat and long whip, says: Does your Honor want a steady Broad-Bottom'd Coachman to drive you; in bowing he has split his tight breeches. His nephew Temple is next him, then the spectacled Buckingham who says: We'll do any Thing; his son (Temple) adds and in any Way! [cf. No. 10721]. Close behind is the emaciated Sidmouth, hat in hand and holding out a bottle labelled Cathartic; he says: Pray your Honor remember Doctor Slop! your Old Apothecary, who Physick'd the French! [see No. 9849]. Next him and nearer the spectator stands Whitbread, dressed as a porter, and mopping his head. His porter's knot is on the ground, inscribed: Saml Froth his Knot—Carries any Weight in any Weather. He supports against his knees a huge rectangular pile of Motions to be brought in the House of Commons. These are inscribed: Motion against Royal Family [cf. No. 11234]; Motion against the Ministry; against the War; against y Judges; against the Church; against Magna Charta; Motion against. He says: If his Honor wants an Honest Porter, I'm his Man! Behind him and on the extreme left Lord Henry Petty capers to a dancing-master's kit which he plays with his fingers; he asks: Does his Honor want a Fidler to play a Jig [see No, 10589]. Behind Petty and Whitbread are two men dressed as chairmen with straps across the shoulder: one is Grattan; the other (?) Ponsonby, asks: Does his Honor want a pair of Irish Chairmen to carry his Honor clean through the Mud? Behind these and in the doorway (left) is a group of three: Cobbett, holding up his hat and a sheaf of Cobbett Political Register, says: Does his Honor want a Patriotic Reformer? Burdett asks: Does his Honor want a Partner in Business!—ask him Townsend. Townsend, the Bow Street officer, holding up his constable's staff, faces the group, saying sternly: Out with you & be damn'd; from the back of his head a label floats towards the Grenvilles: Take care of your Pockets—Gentlemen Broad bottoms. Horne Tooke says: I'm not Bill Soanes [see No. 10708]. All these are on the King's left hand. At right angles to them, and facing the King, though farther from him, Moira, in regimentals, stands between Erskine (right) and Windham (left). He says: I wish that his Honor would but give a Nod this way! Erskine says: Ego [see No. 9246, &c], I have now had my Hat in my hand for this Fortnight in hopes of an opportunity to make a Bow! (They represent the Carlton House interest.) Windham: His Honor dont take any notice of the Civil Speeches, I lately made. The King's own servants stand facing him, one behind the other, on the platform. A greyhound with the head of Grey, but with a curious beak or snout projecting from his profile, fawns on Portland, who is next the King. The latter says: Ha! Ha! Ho!—throw you a Bone!—for what!—a Bone to a poor silly-Grey-hound that can only yelp, & neither Bite nor drive the French Wolf from the Door. Behind Portland stands Perceval, wearing his Chancellor of the Exchequer's gown. He puts up a hand to ward off Tierney who bows humbly, saying, Pray Mr Chanceller P. do speak a Word in our Favor to his Honor. Perceval answers: —a Word in your Favor Mr T.—I fear that I shall not find a Word of that kind in all England. Behind Perceval stands (?) Camden. Sheridan, who is behind Tierney, looks up to three Ministers seated pen in hand in a small gallery (right) in which money-bags inscribed £ are ranged. These are the three Secretaries of State (left to right): Castlereagh, Canning, Liverpool. He addresses Canning, his old friend, cf. No. 9200: Pray Mr Secretary C. has his Honor any wish for our Services? He seems to speak also for the Duke of Norfolk (cf. No. 11214). Canning answers: Not the least wish I believe! In the foreground (right) four other 'Outs' address the King's back. The Duke of Bedford, as a yokel in a smock, holding a pitchfork, bows low, saying, I can look after your Honor's Estates in Ireland [see No. 10531]—or take care of your Farms at Windsor [see No. 9912]. Behind him is Lord St. Vincent in naval uniform, with an expression of senile envy (cf. No. 10762); in his pocket is a Scheme for Crimping . . . Behind him Lord Spencer, dressed as a watchman, with a staff and lantern, and with a sleeve-badge: an Old State Watchman., stands with bent back and closed eye. Behind him is the Duke of Norfolk looking at the King with senile melancholy. 16 May 1809. Hand-coloured etching
Producer name: Print made by: James Gillray; Published by: Hannah Humphrey
School/style
Production date: 1809
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials
Technique: etching; hand-coloured
Dimensions: Height: 263 millimetres; Width: 365 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947) At this time there were hopes of the reconstruction of the Ministry owing to its weakness under the recent attacks, cf. Nos. 11269, 11328. Canning was secretly demanding the resignation of Castlereagh, see No. 11370. Auckland wrote to Grenville, 14 Apr.: 'I have reason to believe from the best authority that it is settled that Lord Castlereagh shall not resign. . . . There is a strong and increasing impression that the Treasury Bench is not strong enough to stand long against the internal and external pressures. I am not of that opinion, but I expect to see all the mischiefs that can result from the duration of a very weak Government in very perilous times.' H.M.C., Dropmore MSS., ix. 304. The position and words of Townsend stress the gulf between two elements in the Opposition, the oligarchic Grenvilles and the demagogic Burdettites. The whole arrangement emphasizes the lack of cohesion in the various groups. Cf. No. 11338. The figure of George III is adapted from that in No. 9019, by Gillray. Grego, Gillray, pp. 363-4 (reproduction). Wright and Evans, No. 355. Reprinted, G.W.G., 1830.
Bibliographic references
Location: Not on display
Subjects
Associated names: Associated with: Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth; Associated with: George Nugent Temple Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham; Associated with: Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet; Associated with: John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford; Associated with: John Jeffreys Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden; Associated with: George Canning; Associated with: Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh and 2nd Marquess of Londonderry; Associated with: William Cobbett; Associated with: Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine; Associated with: George III, King of the United Kingdom; Associated with: Henry Grattan; Associated with: William Wyndham Grenville, Baron Grenville; Associated with: Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey; Associated with: Francis Rawdon Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings and 2nd Earl of Moira; Associated with: Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk; Associated with: Right Hon Spencer Perceval; Associated with: Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne; Associated with: George Ponsonby; Associated with: William, 3rd Duke of Portland; Associated with: John Jervis, Earl of St Vincent; Associated with: Richard Brinsley Sheridan; Associated with: Bill Soanes; Associated with: George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer; Associated with: George Tierney; Associated with: John Horne Tooke; Associated with: Mr Townsend; Associated with: Samuel Whitbread II; Associated with: William Windham; Associated with: Richard Grenville, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1851
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1851,0901.1272

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