Steam-driven coaches and carriages and three-wheeled vehicles loaded with well-dressed passengers fill Regent’s Park. The chaos and conjestion fill the park with dust and dark smoke and result in accidents.
828.02.20.01+
Acquired October 2018
“Burdett, wearing armour, attacks a seven-headed monster, which guards the gate of the Treasury, a heavy door in a stone arch (left). On his shield is a St. George’s Cross inscribed ‘Bill of Rights’ and ‘Magna Charta’; at his feet is the word ‘Independance’ [cf. British Museum Satires No. 10732]. He says: “I will Stand up for the Rights of the People Or Perish in the Attempt”. The monster has a scaly body, webbed and barbed wings, a barbed tail, and fierce talons; its seven serpent-like necks, terminating in human heads, are encircled by a collar inscribed ‘Coruption’ [in reversed characters). All spit at Burdett, three emit words: Perceval says: “I Perceive what hes Doing”; Croker says: “I begin to Croke”; a third, Lethbridge (identified by his words), says: “Bless me He makes my Hair stand on End like the Quills upon the fretfull Porcupine”. His hair is standing up, and is flanked by two locks which suggest ass’s ears. A profile resembles Windham; one head may be presumed to represent Yorke. Under the feet of the monster are three torn papers: ‘Act of Habeas Corpus’, ‘Compact between the King and the People’, ‘Petition of Right’.”–British Museum online catalogue.
810.04.06.01+
Acquired October 2018
A volume of etchings by three daughters of art collector John Ingram 1767-1841) of Staindrop Hall in County Durham — Elizabeth Christian Ingram (1795-), Caroline Ingram (1800-1819), and Augusta Isabella Ingram (1802-) — who were living in Venice and took instruction from Venetian etcher Francesco Novellli whose own etchings were in manner of Rembrandt and whose influence can be seen in the sisters’ etchings. The style of the various impressions are very similar and were apparently made within a fairly short period if the dated prints are any indication, all bearing the date 1816 with some of the prints bound in first dated February 1816 and then March 1816. This dating seems to be confirmed by a contemporary inscription on the front free endpaper: “These are the works of the Miss Ingrams’ from their first lesson, 18…” Only five of the prints are unsigned; several impressions are in two or more states, using brown and black inks and various stocks of paper, a few bearing a British watermark and date of 1814. Some of the prints have been mounted, but most have been printed directly on contiguous leaves forming the signatures of the volume.
Quarto 75 In54 816
Acquired December 2018
“The Devil (right), in the foreground and much larger than the other figures, stands Asmodeus-like on a house-top (cf. British Museum Satires No. 16160), overturning with a long pole a dinner-table and upsetting the guests who fall on clouds of Dust. He is a grotesque muscular creature with goat’s legs, barbed wings and tail, and looks round with a triumphant grin at the spectator. The guests are also assailed by harpies, little winged men, whose bodies terminate in barbed and scaly tails. One of these (Corder), holding a long bill which rises into the air above him, assails a man (Roach) mounted on a cockroach and holding up a book inscribed Parish Acct; he is The Grand Carver mounted on his Cockroach.; from the cockroach’s antennae hang two big keys, and it emits a tail-blast inscribed We are of the Select, against his assailant. The latter holds out a paper inscribed Majority 7 and says am I not the Elect. Another harpy holding out a constable’s staff flies menacingly towards the cockroach, saying, By St Thomas I cheque this. Roach exclaims: I tell you it’s all a farce so we have taken the liberty to Cribb the Books Keep the Keys tight Cockey. A third harpy threatens the feast with a pair of spurred cavalry boots, saying you will Do-Well to give in, showing he is T. W. Dow (a boot-maker of York Street, Covent Garden. P.O. London Directory, 1822), see British Museum Satires No. 15528. A fourth has seized a paunchy Vestryman by the nose; the victim screams Oh my Nose–Rose Water rose water–oh oh oh– From the table fall birds, hare, tureen, decanter, pineapple, &c. The dust forms a background, and is inscribed Dust for the Eyes of the Parishioners; looming through it is the façade of St. Paul’s, Covent Garden. The bill held by Corder is headed Dinners. The items are Richardson £8-5, Hodgson & Gan £47-11-0, wine 5. 3. 0. Hodgson & Gan[n] Venison feast 30. 3- 6–Dinner on auditing Accounts £11- 4- 0, Hodg & Gann Ditto £40 4-0, Richardson Visitation Din . . £22. 7. 6, Joys St Thomas Day Dinner £20-10-0—&c &c.”–British Museum online catalogue.
828.04.00.02+
Acquired October 2018
Satire with two naval officers (one of whom is the Duke of Clarence caricatured, with heavy jowl, protruding lips, and small slanting eye) abusing each other at table, observed by a civilian who winks and holds a finger to the side of his nose. The naval officer on the right says, “Why, they say there is always a fool in every family, & they generally send him to Sea.” The Duke of Clarence in the middle responds, ” How the Devil came you to put into the Navy, Captain.” The civilian to the right, observes, “Britons strike home!!!” On the table are plates of fruit and wine glasses with two carafes one of which is labeled “Goose” and a booklet entitled “An essay on Government by Jordan”. Two pictures on the wall in the background illustrate the theme: on the left, the image shows a man (King George) holds the arm of a crying young cadet, a sword between his legs, carries the title “Win them first then wear them.” On the right, “On board the London” is an image of two officers fighting while two big sailors smile as they watch.
827.08.22.01+
Acquired October 2018
“Ministers and others strike at a shuttlecock above their heads inscribed ‘Speakers Warrant’; among the feathers sits a little man holding a crowned staff; he says: “Curse this game I dont Like it I never experienced Such boning about in my life, I wonder when you will have done”; he is Colman the Serjeant-at-Arms. Eldon, in his Chancellor’s wig and gown and holding the Purse of the Great Seal, is the centre of a close group; he says: “Dont knock it here we have not power to Strike it”. Perceval, in back view, wears his Chancellor of the Exchequer’s gown and holds a document inscribed ‘Majority’; he says: “Curse the thing I wish I had never Seen it away with it”. A second judge whose head is partly visible behind Eldon is probably Ellenborough. On the right is Gibbs, holding a paper inscribed ‘Attorn[ey Gen]eral’. He says: “D-n it Ill hit it as Hard as I can tho I’m almost afraid to meddle with it”. There are two others in the group, one is silent, the other resembles Canning (not in the Ministry); he says: “Sure honey Right or wrong I always stick to the Strongest Side so do let me have a Slap at it”. The sturdiest striker stands in back view on the left, with a paper inscribed ‘Read Bow Street’ projecting from his pocket; he says: “I cant Read it Die Veneris! why its Spanish to me we dont understand Them there warrants”. On the extreme left stands the Speaker, Abbot, with a bat inscribed ‘Double’; he says: “Dont Strike it to me again Ill have nothing more to do with it I’ve sent it to Bow Street”. The bats used are not the usual long-handled battledores as (e.g.) in British Museum Satires No. 9716, but short-handled wooden bats. Above the design: ‘NB The Feathers of the Shuttle Cock were pluked [sic] from a Sumersetshire Goose’ [Lethbridge, see British Museum satires no. 11538].”–British Museum online catalogue.
810.04.22.01+
Acquired October 2018
“A broadside on Duncan Macdonald, a Scottish acrobat; with an etching after a drawing by Louis Philippe Boitard showing Macdonald balancing on a wire, at his feet jack-boots, balancing on his right foot a wheel, a dish, a tray with 15 glasses, and a glass sphere, with his left index finger holding up a chair and a dog, balancing with his nose a sword, a pipe and two eggs, with his right hand playing a French horn and a trumpet, underneath the wire sword blades pointing upwards; with engraved title and inscription, and with letterpress text in two columns, and with a vertical segment of type ornament.”–British Museum online catalogue.
753.06.00.01+
Acquired September 2018
“An archaic iron-studded door, with posts and lintel of solid but ancient oak, represents the door of the ‘COMMONS’ [inscription on lintel]. Above: ‘”They of Rome are enter’d in our Counsels Sh.’ [‘Coriolanus’, I. ii]. An old-clothes’ man stands at the door in profile to the left gazing up at the inscription; he raises the knocker, a ring in the mouth of an angry lion’s head. He is bearded, with an ultra-Jewish profile, and has three hats piled on his own, the topmost being a flaunting feminine erection. He wears a ragged and patched gaberdine, old-fashioned buckled shoes, and carries across his shoulder a large bag, from a hole in which projects a pig’s foot (a pig in his poke). On his back is an open box of trinkets, containing watches. Close behind him stands a turbaned Turk, watching him with eager anxiety. The Jew: ‘Come I sha–Open the door vill ye–I vants to come in–and heres a shentlemans a friend of mines–vants to come in too–dont be afeard–I dont vant a sheat for nothing–I can pay for it So help me Got.’ Three men (safely inside) look down at the applicants from a small open window beside the door (right): a dissenter, holding his hat, and characterized by lank hair and plebeian features (resembling Liston as Maw-Worm, cf. British Museum Satires No. 16943); a Jesuit wearing a biretta, and putting a thumb to his nose, and a fat elderly monk; the last two frown. The left door-post (somewhat cracked) is inscribed: ‘OAK Suppose to be sound Put up 1688 only latly discovered to be full of Skakes[?peare].'”–British Museum online catalogue.
829.06.00.01+
Acquired October 2018
“Satire on the popularity of the Beggar’s Opera in the form of a medley print.”
728.04.00.01+
Acquired September 2018
“The King, in Chinese costume and seated on a cushion, among the chinoiseries of the Pavilion (cf. British Museum Satires No. 12749), throws up his arms in terror at the entry (right) of the Queen, closely followed by Alderman Wood. Her demure dress contrasts with that of a woman, who, much alarmed, runs off to the left from beside the King. Sidmouth (left) and Castlereagh (right), both in Chinese dress, are equally terrified, and Lord Eldon peeps anxiously from behind a little pagoda. Both visitors extend an arm towards the King in an authoritative gesture. Words float from them towards the King: ‘Nothing extenuate nor set down aught in Malice [Othello, v. ii] men sleeping with her at Black Heath 1808 v. call Hoods [sic].'”–British Museum online catalogue.
820.06.17.01+
Acquired October 2018
Recent Antiquarian Acquisitions 