print; satirical print

Please enable JavaScript in your web browser to get the best experience.

Object Type: print; satirical print
Museum number: 1868,0808.11786
Title: Object: The cock pit.; Series: Political Sketches
Description: No. 469. A group of men placing bets at a cock fight, in a pit lettered with 'England' (from left to right, Lords Lyndhurst, Ellenborough, Wynford, Dukes of Cumberland and Wellington, Lord Eldon, Sir Henry Hardinge, King William IV, Lord Mulgrave, Daniel O'Connell, John Bull representing England, Lord Morpeth, Richard Lalor Shiel, Thomas Spring Rice, Lord Melbourne, Francis Burdett, Stephen Lushington, Sir William Molesworth, George Byng, Joseph Hume, Lords Brougham and Stanley, Sir James Graham). 16 February 1837 Lithograph
Producer name: Print made by: John Doyle (HB); Printed by: A Ducôte; Published by: Thomas McLean
School/style
Production date: 1837
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials
Technique
Dimensions: Height: 267 millimetres; Width: 363 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: Text from 'An Illustrative Key to the Political Sketches of H.B.', London 1841: It will be impossible to enjoy the humour of this sketch, however carefully and distinctly explained, without having a perfect recollection of Hogarth's Cock-Pit. The characters in that picture, some drawn from life, and some from an imagination as fertile and vigorous as ever artist possessed, have so much of truth and real life in them, that the great merit of this sketch consists in putting into their exact places, and furnishing with their identical clothes, looks, and attitudes, some of the best known among the frequenters of the modern Political Cock-Pit. The arena of the contest is Ireland, and the cocks are Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel. For Lord Albemarle Bertie, the leading figure in Hogarth's picture, we have John Bull occupying the centre of the front row. The lineal descendant of the Filch family, who, in the original, is taking advantage of a favourable opportunity for appropriating to his own exchequer one of his neighbour's bank-notes, is here represented in the likeness of Mr. Spring Rice, who, like his prototype, seems an adept in the business of fast and loose, equally ready to appropriate and to 'drop the appropriation', as circumstances require. The person who sits next to him on the right may be any one; but beyond him, still on the right, is a curious example of the "pressure from without" which broke down Earl Grey. A venerable gentleman, with a head as bald as Mr. Pickwick's, and a countenance exceedingly like that of Mr. Byng, the Member for Middlesex, appears shockingly oppressed by the burthen of a broad-shouldered Scot, (Mr. Hume,) who, too zealous to regard ceremony or courtesy, pitches the whole of his avoirdupoise upon his friend before him, reminding us very forcibly of what took place at the Middlesex election about the same period, when he was charged with endeavouring to ride into Parliament upon the influence of Mr. Byng (See No. CCCLXVIII). The unhappy veteran, sinking under the load above, necessarily transfers some portion of it to the unfortunate wight who sits next below, and who, looking up through his eye-glass, with the countenance of Sir William Molesworth, seems to remonstrate with his evil fortune. The hero of the broom (Lord Brougham), who scowls on them from behind, is easily recognized, and the discontent and envy pourtrayed on his countenance contrast very strongly with the jolly cheeks of his successful rival for the great seal, (Lord Cottenham,) who sits in the back row, wearing a cock-pit hat over his Westminster-Hall wig. Immediately under Lord Cottenham sits Lord Melbourne, looking like a respectable country gentleman, an admirer of the sport. An eager little figure, wearing on his head a kind of skullcap, and who seems to be trying to catch the ear of John Bull, bears the likeness of Mr. Shiel, and above him, in a slouching hat, sits the Irish Secretary, Lord Morpeth. It is curious to observe how very desirous every individual round John Bull appears to be to gain his attention, and of those none more so than Mr. O'Connell, who, while laying hold of John's collar with one hand, stretches out the other with the most consummate coolness and familiarity to take a pinch of snuff out of Lord Mulgrave's box; thus scattering the snuff (query - throwing dust) into the eyes of the King, who sits below with a constable's staff in his hand. The Duke of Cumberland, wearing a sash across his body, is shrinking in disgust at the view of his brother's situation. In the left-hand corner Lord Lyndhurst is pointing to a guinea which he has thrown into the ring, and seems to be challenging some one to a bet. Next to him sits the Duke of Wellington, in a venerable hat, and looking on with great coolness. Close beside the Duke sits Sir Henry Hardinge, and, in the row behind Lord Wynford, is communicating with Lord Eldon, through the medium of an ear-trumpet. Lord Stanley, holding an empty purse in his hand, and Sir James Graham by his side, are judiciously placed apart from the other two parties, they having left the Whigs without having joined the Tories. Above the screen, on the right-hand, Sir Francis Burdett appears in the likeness of the old woman, who, in Hogarth's picture, is lighting her pipe at a little pot of charcoal, and Hogarth's figure of the big dog, looking over the screen, is here supplied by the head of Dr. Lushington.
Location: Not on display
Subjects: satire; animal-baiting
Associated names: Representation of: John Singleton Copley, Baron Lyndhurst; Representation of: Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough; Representation of: William Draper Best, 1st Baron Wynford; Representation of: Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover; Representation of: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington; Representation of: John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon; Representation of: Daniel O'Connell; Representation of: Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge; Representation of: William IV, King of the United Kingdom; Representation of: Constantine Henry Phipps, 1st Marquess of Normanby; Representation of: George William Frederick Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle; Representation of: Richard Lalor Shiel; Representation of: Thomas Spring Rice, 1st Baron Monteagle; Representation of: William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne; Representation of: Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet; Representation of: Right Hon Stephen Lushington; Representation of: Sir William Molesworth; Representation of: George Byng; Representation of: Joseph Hume; Representation of: Henry Peter, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux; Representation of: Edward Geoffrey Smith Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby; Representation of: Sir James Robert George Graham; Associated with: William Hogarth
Associated titles
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1868
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1868,0808.11786

Free entry

Opening hours