- Museum number
- 1868,0808.6462
- Title
- Object: The political locust
- Description
-
Pitt, with the body of a gigantic locust (see BMSat 8669), stands on a citadel with low battlemented walls, enclosing a circular space inscribed 'Poor Old England' (the last word written right to left and in reverse). The locust-body stretches across the whole enclosure at one end of which is a dilapidated tree: 'The Remains of the Old Constitution' (right). Only a few tattered leaves are left on its bare branches and these Pitt is eating. He bites a leaf inscribed 'Sinecures'; other leaves are 'Pen[sion]', 'Place', '[Pensi]on'. He says: "I must take care of my self & my own Relations". Above his head a swarm of locusts with human heads flies (left to right); they are 'French Priests'.
The boundary wall of England is inscribed (exterior): 'War, Excessive Taxes, Foreign Loans, Subsidies [see BMSats 8658, 8821, &c.], Guarantees, Treachery of Allies, Monopoly'. (Interior): 'Dearth of Pros, Civel Discord [see BMSat 8664, &c], The Unprincipal Opposition, Extrovigant Pr[ic]es, Professed Atheism amongs[t] the Great, Immense Debt.' 14 August 1795.
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1795
- Dimensions
-
Height: 271 millimetres
-
Width: 360 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VII, 1942)
Pitt's only sinecure was the Wardenship of the Cinque Ports, see BMSat 8135, &c, the titles accruing to the office were exploited, see BMSat 8676. He was accused of being unduly anxious to give his brother important offices. Ashbourne, 'Pitt', 1898, p. 178. His house in Downing Street was mobbed in July. Ibid., p. 163. Chatham, on retiring from the Admiralty on 20 Dec. 1794, was appointed Lord Privy Seal and was promoted major-general in 1795. For the swarm of French priests cf. BMSat 8127 (1792). 'Treachery of Allies' was exemplified in the treaties of peace between France and Prussia, 5 Apr., and Holland, 16 May, and Spain, 22 July (a great blow to Pitt, see letter of 3 Aug. 1795, Stanhope, 'Life of Pitt', 1879, ii. 130). One of many satires on the burden of taxes and the dearth of 1795, see BMSat 8664, &c. This dearth was ascribed by some to 'monopoly', cf. Rose, 'Pitt and the Great War', p. 284, and BMSat 9546. Cf. BMSat 8496.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.6462