print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1851,0901.579
- Title
- Object: No Swallow without an Opening
- Description
-
The King, Queen, and three Ministers (right) in profile to the left, lean from the clouds over a stormy sea inscribe 'Bristol Channel'; each plies a pair of bellows to blow back a small three-masted vessel, 'Swallow Packet', which is approaching them in a rough sea. The King is the foremost; he says, "Blast away Billy! Blast away Boys! Now, Charley [Charlotte], gather up all the wind you can and let fly!" Next him is Pitt, saying, "That's my kind master, keep 'em back, or we shan't get forward! Billy's Pipe was never fam'd for doing great things; but now my mistress shall see wonderful execution!" The Queen, whose hair is touselled, is above Pitt; she says, "Heavens, what execution Hobart would do here with her bellows! One blast would Mow this little obstinate devil out of the water!" Below Pitt is Thurlow (right), who says, "Blast me if she shall come in till a day or two before the opening!" Above and behind Thurlow is Dundas, saying, "Hoot awa ye loons! would ye ruin us aw with your expeditions! Tack aboot, tack aboot and gang to the Isle of Sky till we open." Small wings are attached to the shoulders of Pitt and Thurlow. 31 January 1792
Etching with hand-colouring
- Production date
- 1792
- Dimensions
-
Height: 331 millimetres
-
Width: 500 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VI, 1938)
Parliament opened on 31 Jan. Letters from Lord Cornwallis (by the 'Swallow' packet) to Grenville and to the East India Company (printed in 'Cornwallis Corr.' ii. 509-20) were received on the same day and published in an 'Extraordinary Gazette', Feb. 1. 1792. They gave an account of the campaign of 1791, and (correctly) anticipated success in the forthcoming campaign against Tipu Sultan, who was dispirited and anxious for peace. For other attempts to represent the Mysore War as disastrous and humiliating see BMSat 7928, &c.; for the 'Swallow' packet see BMSat 8059.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1851
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1851,0901.579