print;
satirical print
- Museum number
- 1868,0808.9173
- Title
- Object: Paradise regained. Or taking possession of the new Sabine farm-
- Description
-
Sabine, dressed as in BM Satires No. 16418, stands, with hands prayerfully together, turning his head in profile with melancholy expectation towards a tall rustic gate inscribed 'Zoological Garden' (left), from the top of which a squatting baboon stares down. He is escorted by two angels; one, wearing a baron's coronet halo-wise, points to the gate; the other, holding a laurel wreath over Sabine's head, pushes him gently towards it. This angel wears what may be intended for an earl's coronet. Animals surround Sabine: an alligator looks up, saying, 'we should rejoice'; a serpent lies between his feet. A huge lion looks up; close by are a pelican and a bison. A vulture and an owl look down from the trees which form a background. From the animals float the words:
'What happy days, what merry days
What happy days we'll see"!'
Above:
'"... Straight a pair [fiery globe]
"Of angels in full sail of wing flew nigh,
" Who on their plumy vans received him soft,
"From his uneasy station [. . .]
"Then in a flow'ry valley set him down,
"On a green bank—[. . .] and soon repair'd
"What sorrow [hunger], if ought sorrow [hunger] had repair'd [impair'd]
"Or Shame [thirst]—
['Paradise Regain'd', Bk. iv, ll. 581-93, altered] 31 May 1830
Hand-coloured etching
- Production date
- 1830
- Dimensions
-
Height: 370 millimetres
-
Width: 259 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- (Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954)
A companion plate to No. 16418 with the same signature and date.
The animals expect their future Treasurer will be lavish to extravagance. There were letters to 'The Times' complaining of Sabine's expected transfer to the Zoological Gardens, where he was reported to be about to be put in charge of the Society's farm at Kingston. It was suggested that his protector in the Horticultural Society was the Earl of Carnarvon, and in the Zoological Society Lord Auckland, who are probably depicted here. 'The Times', 15, 22 Jan., 29 Mar., 3 May 1830.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1868
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1868,0808.9173