le Diable-Boiteux; -or- The Devil upon Two Sticks, Conveying John Bull to the Land of Promise, 8 February 1806
Scope and Contents
Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. Fox, as the Devil, has sprung into the air, supported by small feathered wings inscribed 'Honesty' and 'Humility' and by two stout crutches, which rest upon dark clouds. He has a heavy hairy body with cloven hoofs, and wears a bonnet rouge with tricolour cockade and the triple plume of the Prince of Wales. The two crutches have the heads, respectively, of Sidmouth (left) and Grenville. He wears a long narrow cloak with a tricolour collar; it is inscribed 'Loyalty, Independence & Public-Good'. The end of this is clutched by John Bull, a fat 'cit' (resembling John Gilpin), who is drawn up into the air, losing hat and wig. Fox says, looking over his right shoulder with a sinister grin: "Come along Johnny! - take fast hold of my Cloak, & I'll bring you to the land of Milk & Honey!!!" The terrified John answers: " - O yes, I will try to hold fast! - but I'm damnably afraid that your Cloak may slip off before we get there, & I may chance to break my Neck!" Below John's feet and at the base of the design (left), are the roofs of London, including the top of the gateway of St. James's Palace and the dome of St. Paul's. Fox is flying towards the façade of Carlton House, which emerges from clouds; over its roof rises a sun emitting rays, the disk inscribed 'New Constitution'. Above the colonnade is the inscription 'Carolus. II. Redividus'. Resting on the clouds below Carlton House are three tiny scenes: 'Liberty': two gamblers throwing dice, one Sheridan the other the Prince; men watch them. 'Chastity', the Prince and Mrs. Fitzherbert, indicated by feathers in her hair, embrace on a sofa. 'Temperance', men carouse at a round table; one sprawls on the floor. Fox, as the Devil, under the cloak of patriotism, is carried to power by two props, Sidmouth and Grenville, on whose coalition with the Foxites the new Ministry is based. This relies not on St. James's but on Carlton House, the secrets of which, as in Le Sage's story, are revealed in three scenes satirizing the life of the Prince. The allegation that the new Ministry was subservient to Carlton House was natural and recurs but proved unfounded, see G. M. Trevelyan, 'Lord Grey of the Reform Bill', p. 153 f. Description from the British Museum.
Dates
- Creation: 8 February 1806
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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