- Museum number
- 1865,1111.894-906
- Description
-
Political pamphlet of 28 pages entitled , “The loyal man in the moon.” Lettered below the title: “With Thirteen Cuts, By the Author of the Constitutional House that Jack Built.” The pamphlet is a parody of George Cruikshank and William Hone’s satire, “The Man in the Moon” BM Satires No. 13508, 1865, 1111, 404-413, taking an anti-radical stance. The illustrations have been attributed to I.R. Cruikshank.
1. Frontispiece, BM Satires 13648. Henry Hunt taking the place of the Regent in “The Man in the Moon” while the stars representing peers are replaced by little Jacobins, composed of caps of Liberty poised on daggers,(cf. BM Satires No. 8783), and holding dark-lanterns. In his right hand is a dagger; in the left he holds up his 'Liberty or Death' flag (see BM Satires No. 13279), the staff topped by a bonnet rouge swarming with serpents. Beside him, dagger in one hand, rolled paper in the other, is a miniature Black Dwarf (Wooler), see BM Satires No. 12988. These figures are in a circle representing the moon as in BM Satires No. 13625. The sun's disk encloses a printing-press, as in BM Satires No. 13508, but the Devil is applying ink-balls to the type. The comet, with a tail inscribed 'Peace', is headed by a dove; the bird is transfixed by a dagger and drops its olive branch. The dedication, to 'Mr. John Bull', is dated Feb. 1820.
2. BM Satires 13549.”The Loyal Man in the Moon.” The author (in a dream) falls from the basket of a tilting balloon 'Made by Lunardi' (see No. 6858) into the gaping mouth of the profile in a crescent moon. Stars containing faces look on, and a comet has a dagger for a head. The aeronaut falls into 'Lunan' (London), capital of 'Luna'.
3. BM Satires 13650. “Moonites, full of rancour, | Met in a house, just like the Crown and Anchor.” Hunt stands on a table, addressing proletarians who are seated with tankards; some applaud. A dustman stands by the table, holding his hat. This seems to relate to a meeting of Electors of Westminster at the Crown and Anchor on 11 Feb. 1820, at which it was decided to nominate Burdett and Hobhouse at the approaching election. 'Examiner', 1820, p. 109. The cut had been used for the title-page of 'The Radical Letter Bag' [1819], a (Tory) verse-satire on Peterloo, by 'Humphrey Martial', (184 a. 6/20).
4. BM Satires 13651. “People in the moon:” The text continues: 'That is, Sir-Frank, and all who choose / To lick the dust from off his shoes.' Eight heads, one being in shadow and on a smaller scale, are enclosed in a circle representing the moon, which is surrounded by clouds. They are Burdett and Hobhouse facing each other in profile with Hunt between them; Gale Jones in profile to the left, near a little 'Black Dwarf in a bonnet rouge, representing Wooler (see BM Satires No. 12982), and holding a paper inscribed 'Black'; Cobbett with his chin touching that of Jones. A sharp profile (right) is that of Thelwall as in No. 13677, while the sly-looking head in shadow may be the wire-pulling Place (see No. 13207). According to the 'Morning Post', 27 Mar. 1820, the election was handed over to the 'aristocratic borough-mongering control of Messrs "Brooks Plaice & Co"' (i.e. the Westminster Committee).
5. BM Satires 13652. “Fast flocking to the rendezvous.” A band of ragged figures, with bludgeons, &c., follow a leader (right) who holds a flag on which are depicted a dagger, a gin-bottle, and glasses. They are supporters of Burdett, see BM Satires No. 13650. Another anticipation of the Westminster Election. Cf. “the ragamuffins” in BM Satires No. 13207.
6. BM Satires 13653. “First march'd a monstrous mass of moony Whigs” Three dandies (cf.BM Satires No. 13029), highly caricatured , follow Erskine (left) who holds up a broom (see BM Satires No. 12716). Round his head flutter papers inscribed 'Pension', and 'Pension £4,000' [cf. BM Satires No. 13593]; '1000', 'Places', and two winged money-bags (as in BM Satires No. 8061) of '1000', '5000' and '10,000'. They have inflated posteriors, as Broad-Bottomites, i.e. members of the 1806-7 Ministry, see No. 10530, &c. One of their followers holds a banner inscribed 'Opposition'.
7. BM Satires 13654. “Western patriots.” Burdett sits on a triumphal car decorated with allegorical figures and the portcullis emblem of Westminster. He sits regally, one foot on a stool, but hat in hand. The car is dragged by ruffians and is preceded by a flag inscribed 'Radical Reform' above a skull and daggers; the shaft topped by a cap of Liberty. The chairing of Burdett regularly followed his election: here it is related to an imaginary procession for his nomination, depicted in BM Satires Nos. 13652-3.
8. BM Satires 13655. “Next come the radicals.” Cobbett marches aggressively in profile to the left. As 'the Hampshire Hog', cf. BM Satires No. 13563, he has a boar's head and a barbed tail; and holds against his back, by a rope round its neck, the skeleton of Paine (see BM Satires No. 13525, &c.). In his right hand is a roll: 'Cobbett’s Paper'. Behind him walks Hunt, wearing his white top-hat, and holding a bag labelled: 'The Weekly Penny Radical Subscription'.
9. BM Satires 13656 “a certain Major” An elderly man (Cartwright), supported by a stick, shuffles along in profile to the left. He wears a long old-fashioned military coat, with a white top-hat (worn by radicals in imitation of Hunt). He holds a ballad from which he sings a song ending: “For no reform will I declare/ That is not downright Saxon".
10. BM Satires 13657. “A vile black dwarf.” A crowd in tattered clothing is led by Wooler in the persona of “the black dwarf” (with reference to his satirical journal “The Black Dwarf.” see BM Satires No. 12988). He holds a large book: 'Bl. . . Dw . . .', a huge pen, and a staff supporting a cap of Liberty. One of his followers, an old woman, grips a dagger. This group brings up the rear of the procession in BM Satires Nos. 13653-6.
11. BM Satires 13658. “The place of meeting.” The same woodcut (worn) as BM Satires No. 13563. The orators (Gale Jones, Hunt, Wooler and Cobbett) make incendiary speeches in proposing 'a resolution, For the speedy dissolution' of Parliament.
12. BM Satires 13658. Great George, belov'd, rever'd by all the land, A portrait of George III standing in profile to the right, with flexed knees, using a tall cane and grasping a telescope. A balustrade and trees indicate the terrace at Windsor. An adaptation of BM Satires No. 11575 or its original. The author wakes from his dream to hear the bell tolling for the king (who died 29th January).
13. BM Satires 13660. Pitt; A profile head simulating a medallion in relief. Illustration to a plea for the cessation of libels on 'Your "present" King': “Henceforth reserve your satire and your wit/For those who 'curse' or those who 'worship' PITT; . . ./Yes; satirize as ye will such wild extremes/ And let not thrones and altars be your themes; . . .”
February 1820
Wood-engraving, vignette illustrations to a letterpress pamphlet
- Production date
- 1820
- Dimensions
-
Height: 216 millimetres (approx. page size)
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Width: 135 millimetres (approx. page size)
- Curator's comments
- (Description from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', X, 1952)
Bound as part of "Political Tracts Volume 6”. Number 6 of 10 volumes of "Political Tracts" Published circa 1819-1822. The pro-government and anti-"radical" tone of this volume’s content contrasts with the pamphlets in the earlier volumes which often satirise George IV, his court and his ministers.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated titles
-
Associated Title: The Constitutional House that Jack Built (By the same author. Possibly 1865,1111,815-826, BM Satires 13306-13317.)
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Associated Title: The Man in The Moon (A Parody of this title, See BM Satires 13508. 1865,1111,404-413.)
- Acquisition date
- 1865
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1865,1111.894-906
