print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.8544
- Title
- Object: The bloodless rencontre
- Description
-
Buckingham (right), tall and very obese, fires resolutely at his much smaller opponent. Bedford (left), alarmed, fires into the air. The former wears his star, and a very wide Garter ribbon inscribed: reward of Merit [word scored through] Ministerial props. He says: A public man's life is not worth preserving unless with Riches gratitude to his Patrons & support to his Friends right or wrong. Bedford: Upon my honour I had no allusion to the Stationary business. Each second holds a bullet, implying that they have withdrawn them from the duellists' pistols. Sir Watkin Williams Wynn says: There can no harm happen now I am safest here. Lynedoch, who wears uniform with plumed cocked hat, says: They will not hurt each other I'll warrant, why he might as well fire at one of his own Hay Stacks [Bedford being a great agriculturalist]. Behind Buckingham, a large placard hangs from a gibbet-like post; it is inscribed: for what was the Marquis of Buckingham made a Duke?— for what was Mr Canning made Governor of India? for what was Mr Wynn made President of the board Controul? for what were Dr Phillimore & Mr Freemantle give [sic] Sinecure places worth £1500 pr An at the Board—for what is Mr Wynn to be sent as Envoy to Switzerland with 5000pr An. There is a background of trees. After the title: a Scotchman giving his evidence respecting some Ducks that had been Stolen Call'd them Dukes when asked what he mean't he said Just Fools!!! May 5 1822
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1822
- Dimensions
-
Height: 245 millimetres
-
Width: 347 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', X, 1952)
See No. 14364. The promotions enumerated, that of Canning excepted, were the terms on which the Grenvilles (regarded as sinecurists par excellence, cf. Nos. 8061, 10564, &c.) joined the Ministry (which they had supported over the Six Acts in 1819). See Buckingham, Memoirs of the Court of George IV, i. 165; Yonge, Life of Liverpool, 1868, iii. 156 ff.; Formation of Canning's Ministry, ed. Aspinall, 1937, pp. 44-8, 50-2. Lord King, on 26 Mar. said: 'It might be extremely convenient for the relative of the family which now engrossed the Board of Control to receive such a salary but it was not so easy to see what equivalent advantage Mr Wynn could render the public' In the Commons this appointment was attacked as an odious job, and was the subject of a series of hostile resolutions, 15 and 16 May, including one for a reduction of salary. Parl. Deb., N.S. vi. 1287; vii. 608, 659 ff. Buckingham was given the Garter in 1820. As Lord Temple he was alleged to have removed large quantities of Government stationery on quitting office in 1807, see No. 10721, &c.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.8544
