- Museum number
- 1973,U.1217.1-12
- Description
-
Political pamphlet of 24 pages in two parts entitled 'The Tories' "refuge for the destitute," or political advertiser... . And The house of reform that Jack built.'
Lettered beneath the title "With Twenty-Six Engravings (From Designs by Seymour and Horngold.)
The vignette illustration on the title-page BM Satires 17047 is re-used from p. 14 of the same series.
The quotation beneath the illustration reads:
"There was a King of England, and he was wondrous wise/ And he Jump'd into an ivy bush, and tore out both his eyes/ And when he saw his eyes were out with all his might and main, He jump'd into another bush, and tore them in again- Nursery Song."
With the publisher's line at the foot of the page:
"Third Edition with Additions. London: Effingham Wilson, 88 Royal Exchange. Price Six Pence."
On the verso and advertisement for 'Political Zoology.'
The 'political advertiser' and 'The house of reform that Jack built' are two series of wood-engravings here published together and with consecutive page numbers, to which this is the joint titlepage. While the lettering advertises 26 wood-engraved illustrations, the present copy only has 21, as well as this repeated cut on the titlepage.
1. BM Satires 17036. 'AS COACHMAN.'
Wellington, adapted from BM Satires No. 15731, &c, stands directed to the right, touching his forehead: '...'Drove the Sovereign coach... under the late proprietor; was turned off by the present, on running foul of the Reform Coach . . . lost his situation in trying to get back to his old place.'...' See BM Satires No. 17032. Cf. BM Satires No. 16358. For unemployed Tories cf. Nos. 16984, &c. 'As coachman' was reprinted, The Halfpenny Magazine, No. 3, 19 May 1832 (B.M.L. 8135.d. 13/3).
2. BM Satires 17037.Verso: 'AS SHOWMAN.'
Ellenborough, in a beefeater's costume, stands pointing to a caravan placarded with a picture of a 'Wonderful Tame Elephant'. He holds a spear to which are attached twisted horns. (See No. 16038, &c. In the text are allusions to his divorce, see No. 16106.)
3. BM Satires 17038. 'AS DRY NURSE.'
Wetherell, an old woman wearing a ragged apron, stands holding out a steaming bowl of 'Emetic' and a 'Drenching Horn'. (There are allusions to his slovenly dress and to the Bristol Riots, see BM Satires No. 16820, &c.; cf. BM Satires No. 17194.)
4. BM Satires 17039. Verso: 'AS COLLECTOR.'
Eldon drops coins into a pair of sacks, 'My Own Bag', having emptied a larger sack, 'The Public Pocket'. (A satire on Eldon, 'Old Bags', for acquisitiveness and stinginess, cf. BM Satires No. 15700, &c. Below (unillustrated) is a satire on William Holmes, the Tory whip: 'As Whipper-in'.)
5. BM Satires 17040. 'AS JACK PUDDING...'
Londonderry (unrecognizable), dressed as a clown, holds a long whip while Wellington, poised over a cantering horse, leaps through a paper-covered hoop inscribed 'The Protest' [see BM Satires No. 17002, &c.]. (He is satirized as the buffoon of Parliament (usually manifested in attacks on Brougham, cf. BM Satires No. 16793, &c. See BM Satires No. 17004, &c.)
6. BM Satires 17041. Verso: 'AS HOUSEKEEPER.'
Lady Conyngham, dressed as a housekeeper, sits with regal complacency on a sofa under which lies the body of George IV, his head projecting (right). Cf. BM Satires No. 15873.
7. BM Satires 17042. 'AS CAD.'
Peel, as in BM Satires No. 15734, &c., wearing a ragged greatcoat and battered top-hat, jerks his thumb over his shoulder at two coaches, one the 'Reform', with cheering outside passengers, one the 'Opposition', driven dejectedly by Wellington. For the rival coaches cf. BM Satires No. 15716, &c.
8. BM Satires 17043. Verso: 'AS PORTER.'
Goulburn stands, hat in hand, wearing an apron; in his left hand is his porter's knot, inscribed 'Reform-Knot' (the 'K' struck through). At his feet is a paper: 'Twice 4 is 10 Twice 3 is 7'. 'Carried a budget for a long while, but broke down.' Below (unillustrated) is 'As Chamber-Maid', a satire on Miss Chester, see BM Satires No. 15525, &c.
9. BM Satires 17044. 'IN ANY CAPACITY.'
Bishop Phillpotts, very ragged, stands dejectedly, his shovel-hat ticketed 'Out of Employ'. He holds a crooked stick. Behind is a ruinous village church shored up and placarded 'To Let'. See BM Satires No. 17005, &c.
10. BM Satires 17045. Verso: 'AS GOVERNESS.'
Queen Adelaide, sour and prim, sits full-face in a quasi-regal chair, both feet on a footstool, a large birch-rod at her elbow. Beside her is a big bowl of 'Sauer Kraut' [cf. BM Satires No. 10170]. Allusions in the text to 'a difference with her husband, about a Bill', and to Lord Howe (see BM Satires No. 16925, &c). See BM Satires No. 17076, &c.
11. BM Satires 17046. 'AS COMPANION.'
The Duchess of Kent stoops over Princess Victoria, propelling her towards Prince George of Cumberland, who takes her hand with an eager smile. Below the title: 'Toad-eater, or Go between.' See No. 15924.
12. BM Satires 17047. Verso: 'WANTS A SITUATION.'
Lyndhurst, in rags, sits outside the closed door of the (dilapidated) 'Conservative Club' which is placarded 'To Let'. The title is repeated on a paper in his hat. His wife (see BM Satires No. 15705) is called 'an accommodating female'. (The Carlton Club was founded in 1832 to supersede the premises in Charles Street; see BM Satires No. 16664, &c.) The cut used for 'Wants a situation' also appears on the title-page.
13. BM Satires 17048. 'THE HOUSE OF REFORM...'
A section of the interior of a circular building. Six pillars flank an arched recess, with the cap of Liberty on the keystone. They are marked respectively 'A, B, C, D, E, F' and support a cornice inscribed 'Schedule'. The base of the pillars is 'REF | ORM'. In the centre is a statue of John Bull. Below: 'This is the House of Reform. ... And these are the Pillars...'. One of many imitations of William Hone's ‘Political House that Jack Built’, BM Satires No. 13292, &c. The pillars in the first design are the Schedules to the Reform Bill, the most important being A, cf. BM Satires No. 16610, &c.
14. BM Satires 17049. Verso: 'THESE ARE THE RATS.'
Four rats with human heads nibble at the base of one of the pillars. They are (right to left) Wetherell, Wellington, Peel, Cumberland. Above them, on the plinth, is a fifth with the head of a hideous bishop, probably Phillpotts, see BM Satires No. 17044.
15. BM Satires. 17050. 'THIS IS THE OLD GREY CAT.'
A brindled cat with the head of Grey, its collar (with bells) inscribed 'Modera…', its long bushy tail (cf. No. 16578) inscribed 'New Peers'. Its long claws are menacingly extended. See BM Satires No. 16962, &c.
16. BM Satires 17051. Verso: 'THIS IS THE BULL.'
An angry bull, John Bull, tosses a dog with the head of Cumberland, who loses his coronet. The horns are tipped, on one is a bonnet rouge. It has broken a rope by which it was tied to a ring, but has a girth inscribed 'Slavery' and a block tied to its neck inscribed 'Taxes'.
17. BM Satires 17052. 'THIS IS THE DOG.'
The dog of BM Satires No. 17051 stands on two tombstones, one inscribed 'Sellis' [on which lies a razor], the other 'Graves', contemptuously raising a hind-leg over the latter. (Cumberland is accused of murdering his valet, see BM Satires No. 16034, &c, and causing Lord Graves's death, see BM Satires No. 16011, &c. Cf. BM Satires No. 17071.)
18. BM Satires 17053. Verso: 'THIS IS THE LADY...'
Queen Adelaide, wearing a crown, and with a paper inscribed 'Reform' on her skirt, leads the bull of BM Satires No. 17051, now docile and laden with packages inscribed 'Tax', in addition to the original block. The girth is inscribed 'Liberty'. See BM Satires No. 17076.
19. BM Satires 17054. 'THIS IS THE MAN! ...'
William IV, an obese, rakish, and dishevelled sailor with a long pigtail, stands on the shore, a bludgeon under his arm, legs astride. His hat is inscribed 'The Wig'. Off-shore is a ship in full sail flying flags inscribed 'Reform'. From a coastal fortification flies a flag from a staff topped by a cap of Liberty.
20. BM Satires 17055. Verso: 'THIS IS THE BISHOP,'
A hideous bishop, bloated and arrogant, strides through a church, 'a tithe pig under his sleeves of lawn', attended by a capering Devil who carries his mitre on a cushion. Corn-sheaves are stacked in the nave, and on a table of the Commandments is inscribed 'Thou shalt not Covet'. Cf. No. 16953.
21. BM Satires 17056. 'THIS IS THE BROOM' Brougham stands with raised broom over the bishop of BM Satires No. 17055, whom he has knocked down; the pig scampers off. The bishop kicks violently, clenching his fists; illustration to 'The house of reform that Jack built'.
May 1832
Wood-engraved vignette illustrations to a letterpress pamphlet
- Production date
- 1832
- Dimensions
-
Height: 197 millimetres (approx. page size)
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Width: 127 millimetres (approx. page size)
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- Description from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum.' Volume XI. 1954.
Bound as part of 'Political Tracts Volume 10.' Number 10 of 10 volumes of pamphlets mainly published circa 1819-1822. Volume 10 is a collection of later pamphlets acquired from unknown sources.
- Location
- Not on display
- Associated names
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Associated with: John Singleton Copley, Baron Lyndhurst
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Associated with: Lady Sarah Garay Lyndhurst
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Associated with: Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough
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Associated with: Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
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Associated with: John Scott, 1st Earl of Eldon
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Associated with: William Holmes
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Associated with: Sir Charles Wetherell
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Associated with: Elizabeth Conyngham, Marchioness Conyngham
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Associated with: Charles William Vane, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry
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Associated with: Eliza Chester
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Associated with: Henry Goulburn
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Associated with: Sir Robert Peel
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Associated with: Adelaide, Queen of William IV
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Associated with: Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe, 1st Earl Howe
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Associated with: Henry Phillpotts, Bishop of Exeter
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Associated with: William IV, King of the United Kingdom
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Associated with: George IV, King of the United Kingdom
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Associated with: George V, King of the United Kingdom
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Associated with: Victoria, Duchess of Kent
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Associated with: Queen Victoria
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Associated with: Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
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Associated with: Thomas North Graves, 2nd Baron Graves
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Associated with: Sellis
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Associated with: Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover
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Associated with: Henry Peter, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux
- Associated events
- Associated Event: Great Reform Acts
- Associated titles
Associated Title: The Political House that Jack Built (Uses and updates the format of William Hone's famous pamphlet BM Satires 13292, 1865, 1111.388-400.)
- Acquisition date
- 1753-1973
- Acquisition notes
- The acquisition source is unknown (2018). The 'Political Alphabet' 184.a.10/2 is catalogued by Reid and therefore, must have entered the collection prior to publication of his 'Catalogue of Cruikshank's Works' 1871. Due to annotations by Elizabeth Senior on the pamphlets, they will have entered the collection before 1939.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1973,U.1217.1-12
