Changing places, alias, Fox stinking the badger out of his nest [graphic].

[London] : Pubd. March 22d, 1782, by W. Humphrey, No. 227 Strand, [22 March 1782]

1 print : etching, hand-colored ; sheet 25 x 36 cm

From a collection in twelve volumes probably compiled by Francis Harvey and sold at auction, Sotheby, London, June 1900. Bequest of Hugh Dudley Auchincloss to Yale University Library, 1981. Bound by Riviere & Son in three-quarters red morocco with gold tooling and gold lettering on spine.

"North (left) in the guise of a badger, runs off leaving a little cave under a rock. Charles Fox as a fox (right) snarls at him, while he excretes a stream inscribed "Eloquence". The badger is identified as North by a ribbon tied round his body, and by the four points of the compass in a circle on his head, his snout being inscribed "North". The fox stands over a bag inscribed "Faro Bank" from which guineas are pouring, playing-cards are strewn on the ground at his feet. In the foreground is a small bundle inscribed "Budget" within which are bars inscribed "Soap" and a small barrel inscribed "Small Beer" in allusion to the taxes proposed by North in his budget speech of 11 Mar. Behind the badger is a sign-post, the two arms of which terminate in well-drawn hands. The hand of the arm pointing left, in the direction to which North is running, holds the head of a halberd, the arm is inscribed "To Tower Hill". The other arm points downwards at the cave which the badger has left, and is inscribed "To the Treasury". Behind Fox is a terminal statue inscribed "Janus", one head being that of a bearded old man, the other that of a fox, it is crowned by a cylindrical headdress (?a dice-box) on which are two dice. The scene is a wooded landscape with hills. In the distance a hunt is in progress, a stag pursued by dogs; the foremost rider is the king, a minute figure who is falling from his horse after having leapt a gate. His crown falls from his head, his saddle, with the stirrups flying, is falling to the ground."--British Museum online catalogue.

Fox stinking the badger out of his nest

English

December 07, 2004

Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum, v. 5, no. 5964