Pantagruel's Victorious Return to the Court of Gargantua after extirpating the Soup-Meagres of Bouille Land, 10 February 1794
Scope and Contents
Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. The Duke of York (left), in regimentals and wearing a cocked hat, stands in profile to the right, tipsily swaggering; he hands to George III two large keys: 'Keys of Paris'. The King, seated on the throne (right) in hunting-dress, leans eagerly forward. The Duke is followed by soldiers bearing (worthless) trophies of victory; he says: "Th-th-th-there's Paris for you, damme! did not I say I'd take it? -th-thats all! - a-a-and here's all the Plunder of France! and all the Heads of the whole nation of Sans Culottes, damme! - if y-y-you will do me any honor, why do it; - if not, why even take the next Paris yourself, damme! - look 'e I expect to be made either a Cæsar or an Alexander! ------, d-d-d-d-damme!". The King, eagerly goggling, says: "What! what! Keys of Paris! Keys of Paris! give us hold! gads bobs, its nothing but, Veni, with you, lad, hay? Veni, Vidi? - ay, ay! Veni, Vidi, Vici! - ay, ay." A tricolour standard inscribed 'Vive la Liberta' lies at the King's feet. Behind the Duke are French weapons, broken: a sword inscribed 'Vive la Lib . .', a cannon similarly inscribed, cannon-balls, a musket, and a pile of decapitated heads wearing bonnets-rouges, on which tramples the Duke's secretary, who holds out a scroll inscribed: 'Authentic Journal - Issuing Manifesto's - Taking Dunkirk 1500 Barrels of Gunpowder 32 pieces of Cannon, & killing 5000 Troops, - sending off 10000 to the hospitals in Flanders - marching into the heart of France, & finishing the War without expence. Js Suckfizzle Secretary.' The secretary, who wears regimentals, a pen behind his ear, says, "Here's something like a List of glorious Actions! - well, let them that come after us do as much as we have done, and the Campaign will soon come to a conclusion." Behind him, guardsmen advance carrying bulky burdens: bales of 'Assignats', a large basket of sabots inscribed 'Wooden Shoes of the Poissards', a bundle of 'Breeches of the Sans Coulotte[s]', a pot from which frogs are leaping. Pitt sits on the dais at the King's left hand; he writes on papers which he supports on his up-drawn knees: 'Bricks Rum - Brandy Water Air'; 'new Taxes not to be felt by the Swinish Multitude'; 'loan of Eleven Millions.' Behind the throne (right) sits the Queen in profile to the right, gleefully holding out an apron into which the Devil shovels coins from a sack inscribed 'Two Millions Pr Annm'; only his horns, arms, and a hoof appear on the extreme right. Above the Queen's head are shelves on which are ranged large money-bags, inscribed: 'Spy Money 40000 pr A'; 'for Flatterers & Toad-eaters 10000 pr A'; 'Pin Money 50000 p Ann'; 'for Private Whim Wham[s] 50000 pr [A]'. At the King's right hand are three large bags inscribed 'for Horses Hound[s] & other Nicknackatories.' Description from the British Museum.
Dates
- Creation: 10 February 1794
Conditions Governing Access
Available by appointment in our Reading Room
Extent
1 Item(s)
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
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