print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1862,1217.391
- Title
- Object: Extermination. Or buying up and burning shame
- Description
-
A huge fire burns in a printing-house, the flames concealing grate and chimney-piece. Into this books are being flung. On the wall is a placard: Clarkes Printing Office. The Duke of York, in regimentals and cocked hat, sweeps up a pile of books; he says: Huzza Huzza! Burn Old Mother Clarke & all her Books. I hope I shall hear no more of her now—£10,000 Pounds and 400 a Year who cares—Soon in Office again. One book is open at: Love letters To his Clark [see No. 11228, &c.]. A fashionably dressed man uses a long shovel, saying, Ten Thousand Copies to be burnt we shall never have done. The books are being flung on the fire by a man in shirt-sleeves, who says, What a hard bargain I had with the Jade—I thought she would not have taken less than Twenty Thousand Pounds—all done now—burn away burn away my Boys. On the right Mrs. Clarke holds out a bag inscribed The Old Pocket, towards Perceval who sits beside a desk on which are piles of Secret Service Money and a long scroll: Articles of Agreement between the------& Mrs Clarke —Know all Men &c —That in consequence of Ten Thousand Pounds and £400 a year it is agreed I that the Life & Adventures of my self shall be burn'd by the Crown Lawyers 2 None of the Family Secrets to be told 3 all the Love Letters to be given up & nothing done to prevent my speedy return to Office Signed— Deceiveal Yk & C°. Perceval puts money-bags into Mrs. Clarke's bag, saying, You'll never tell an other word Mrs Clarke. She answers: Oh no Mr Deceivall I am quite satisfied—I'll never tell the secrets of the Family which I know perfectly well. Behind Perceval stands a bishop wearing a mitre and holding a crosier; he holds out an open book, Letter Dear Duck, and says: Most abominable. O shocking. shocking indecent, indecent such letters to be written by a P------ fit onely to be burned by the hangman. A man looks round the door on the extreme left to say: what a pity to burn so many good books I am sure the Ladies would have been much pleased with them. Near him are a compositor's table and a forme; a little ragged boy carries a pile of books towards the fire, while on the extreme right a man in apron and over-sleeves takes down copies of the book from shelves. Sheets of the book are hanging to dry from beams under the roof: The Life & Adventures of A Clarke; oh how I long for the Day; Letters from Portland [see No. 11300]; To clasp my; O bless those pretty toes; My Dearest Dearest Darling; Private Account of; Sonnets on my Angel; Preaching befor R[oyalty] a farce [see No. 11258, &c.]; list for Promotions in the Bed [see No. 11227, &c.]; Satires on the Army; Gen. C [Clavering] must remain where he is for the Present; Letters from Lord—and Lady; Price of Majority one Thousd Pounds; List of Promotions on the Bed; Love Letter to Darling; Family Secrets &c &c &c; Copy of Verses on a Handkerchief; Poems on Love; More Patronage than a Q------n; Verse on her shoes.
April 1809.
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1809
- Dimensions
-
Height: 245 millimetres
-
Width: 351 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947)
See No. 11315, &c. The transaction was not carried out by Perceval. According to the sheets of the book displayed, there was little that was new in it, the 'Family Secrets' and indiscretions supposed to be contained in the burnt letters excepted. These are suggested in Nos. 11320, 11386. Their supposed nature may be guessed from the allusion to Ramus in No. 11023.
Reid, No. 72.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1862
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1862,1217.391