print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.8881
- Title
- Object: The favourite burletta of Tom Thumb at the theatre royal St Stephens!!!
- Description
-
A fantastically inconsequent satire on recent politics. Peel and Wellington as Doodle and Lord Grizzle face each other in profile, bowing, holding little tricornes. Both wear long curled wigs. Peel is in early eighteenth-century court-dress with high-quartered shoes, Wellington wears uniform as worn by George III, but with heavily spurred cavalry boots and large gauntlets. The Duke, but not Peel, is much caricatured. He says: Doodle my boy! shall I tell you what I am going to say?—I do not positively know;—but, as far as I can guess;—I cannot tell! "—If it's a mistake I'll be D. n d"—command the bells to ring a Peel—away!!!— Peel answers: It may be, that my Noble friend, my Lord Duke Grizzle might not have conveyed his sentiments in the course of these communications, with the nicely balanced precision of expression of those accustomed to a civil life!!!—I'll to the Levee!!!"—. Behind and between them the ghost of Canning (H.L.) rises from the ground holding up a lighted lantern on a forked pole, and saying, "The time is out of joint! Oh!—cursed plight; that ever I was born to set it right!!!" ['Hamlet', I. v] The morning Air has made me Husky—Oh!!!— Behind Wellington (right) a bishop approaches, shouting and holding up his crosier from which hangs a banner inscribed: "I have just arrived from Canterbury The Catholics are kicked out! by a majority of 44 of our Spirituals & Temporals!" Huzz! Huzza!
In the foreground (left) is a big game-cock with the head of Brougham in barrister's wig and bands; he clutches a broom in his right claw. On his head are three books: Mechanics Institution—; Library of Useful Knowledge; London University &c. From his shoulders hangs a bag inscribed Seeds of Knowledge. He says: Cock a! doodle doo! o!! The Schoolmaster is at this moment abroad with his Primmer!!!—Doodle do o!! a doodle do o!!!!— In front of him a little Tom Thumb (Prince George of Cumberland) is swaggering with sword and shield; he looks up at Brougham to say: Nunky wants to see one of your Schoolmasters Primmers!! I am the great little Thos Thumb P. George. Behind, George IV lies in bed with closed eyes, with Queen Dollalolla (Lady Conyngham) beside him, as in BM Satires No. 15521. He says: This night it is our will and pleasure to get drunk, and this (the Quean) shall be as drunk as we! Lady C, very fat, bejewelled, and décolletée, says with raised forefinger: Rest thee babe! Rest thee babe! Snooze when you can!! June 1828
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1828
- Dimensions
-
Height: 250 millimetres
-
Width: 350 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954)
Wellington is Grizzle in Fielding's play (with which the connexion is slight, cf. No. 15680: the ruthless soldier and rebel, amorous and ineffective). Peel alludes to Wellington's handling of Huskisson's resignation, see No. 15531, &c.; Canning's ghost (cf. No. 15706) deplores it. On 10 June Burdett's motion for Catholic Relief was rejected in the Lords by a majority of 45. Brougham refers to his speech of 29 Jan., cf. No. 15512, when he said: 'Let the soldier be ever so much abroad, in the present age he could do nothing. There was another person abroad. . . . The schoolmaster was abroad [cheers]! and he trusted more to the schoolmaster armed with his primer, than he did to the soldier in full military array, for upholding and extending the liberties of this country.' Parl. Deb., N.S. xviii. 58. The 'Schoolmaster abroad' (or 'at home') became a catch-phrase applied to Brougham, suitable to his parade of encyclopaedic knowledge (cf. No. 16393). F°r Brougham and London University see No. 14788. The Library of Useful Knowledge, with a preliminary discourse by Brougham, was published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, see Nos. 15178, 15622 [3], 17267. Cf. No. 17187. Cumberland and Prince George (1819-78) were staying at Windsor.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.8881