print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.12512
- Title
- Object: A Peep into the Retreat at Tinnehinch
- Description
-
Pl. to the 'Anti-Jacobin Review' (issued separately). Grattan (right) has risen from his arm-chair to greet with outstretched hands two young men whom a servant (left), with a knowing gesture, has just shown into his library. One introduces the other: "Mr Grattan give me leave to introduce Mr Jn° H--gh--'s"; Grattan says: "I suppose Sir you are an United Irishman"; Hughes answers: "I am". A bust of 'Le Paus' (see BMSat 9240) on a high pedestal on the extreme right looks down cynically at Grattan. On the wall behind him are portraits of 'Lord Fitzgerald' (see BMSat 9227), 'Tom Paine' (a mere scrawl), and 'Robespier[re]', with a placard: 'New Irish Government Liberty and Equality to be introduced by our worthy & disinterested Allies the French'. The other two walls are lined with bulky volumes: 'Towers Tracts' (see BMSat 7890); 'Republic'; 'Wakefield' (see BMSat 9371); 'Parr' (see BMSat 9430); 'The Press' (see BMSat 9186, &c); 'The Courier' (see BMSat 9194, &c); 'Christie'; 'Molineux'; 'Pain's Works' (see BMSat 8137, &c); 'Critical Review' (see BMSat 9240); 'Mc Niven'; 'Priestly Works' (see BMSat 7887); 'O'Connor' (see BMSat 9245, &c.)
On the writing-table are documents: 'Constitution of United Irishmen' and 'Copy of the [illegible word] of ye Test of Oath'. On the floor at Grattan's feet is a sheaf of pikes with papers: 'Contract for Pikes'; 'Plan for the destruction of both Houses of Parlaiment Bank & . . by Tone'; 'Dispatches from the French Conventi[on]'; 'List of united Irishmen in London Hamburg . . .'; a portfolio: 'Charts of the Irish Coast with remarks where foreign troops may be landed with great safety'; two large books: 'Art of Assassination' and 'Rise and Progress of Jacobinism'. 1 May 1799
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1799
- Dimensions
-
Height: 213 millimetres
-
Width: 263 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942)
Grattan had been groundlessly accused by an informer of being a sworn member of the United Irishmen (see BMSat 9228, &c.) and was consequently removed from the Irish Privy Council on 6 Oct. 1798 (see BMSat 9343). Tinnehinch was his estate in Wicklow. The book-titles are allegations of Jacobinism and republicanism. 'Molineux' probably connotes 'The Case of Ireland's being bound by Acts of Parliament in England stated', 1698, by William Molyneux, incorrectly believed to have been condemned to be burnt by the hangman. Thomas Christie (1761-96), friend of Price and Priestley, was one of those who had attacked Burke's 'Reflections' (see BMSat 7675, &c). He was named with Horne Tooke and others as suitable for admission to French citizenship. 'Le Patriote François', 24 Sept. 1792 (quoted V. C. Miller, 'Joel Barlow', Hamburg, 1932, p. 26). MacNeven was one of the chief leaders of the United Irishmen, arrested Mar. 1798.
He had communicated with France from Hamburg, a centre of Franco-Irish intrigue. For Wolf Tone see BMSat 9369.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1989/90 Nov-Jan, Glasgow Mus & AG, World of Thomas Rowlandson
1990 Jan-Mar, Leicester City AG, World of Thomas Rowlandson
1990/1 Nov-Jan, Maidstone Museum, World of Thomas Rowlandson
1991 Jan-Mar, Swansea, Glynn Vivian AG, World of Thomas Rowlandson
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.12512
