Thoughts on a regicide peace [graphic] / JS [monogram] f.

[London] : Publd. by H. Humphrey, New Bond Street, 14 Octor. 1796.

1 print : etching ; plate mark 37.4 x 26.4 cm, on sheet 46 x 33 cm

wove paper.

Temporary local subject terms: Regicide peace -- Reference to Malmesbury's peace mission, 1796 -- Military: Austrian grenadier -- Dutchmen -- Reference to the French occupation of the Dutch Republic -- British Lion -- Furniture: Armchairs -- Dreams -- Music: c̦a ira -- La marseillaise -- Literature: Quote from W. Shakespeare's King Richard II, ii.1.

Bequeathed by James Sayers to his sister and later given to Lord Eldon. Purchased from Christie's sale of Fine Books and Manuscripts, lot 305, 19 June 2012, with Lord Eldon's notebook (now LWL Mss Vol. 202).

"Burke lies back asleep, but scowling, in profile to the left, his arms folded in an arm-chair whose seat is inscribed 'Otium cum Dignit[ate]'. The top of his head is on fire, and the smoke rising from it forms the base of the upper and larger part of the design. Immediately above his head: 'This royal Throne of Kings, this sceptred Isle This Earth of Majesty, this seat of Mars This fortress built by Nature for herself Against Infection and the hand of War This Nurse, this teeming Womb of royal Kings This England that was wont to conquer others Will make a shameful Conquest of itself Shakespeare'. The British lion stands as if supported on these lines; from his angry mouth issue the words: "I protest against Peace with a Regicide Directory Went: Fitzw." Their background is a rectangular altar, wreathed with oak leaves which forms a centre to the upper part of the design. It supports a scroll: 'Naval \ Victories \ East India \ Conquests \ &ca &ca.' Against its base is a scroll headed 'Basle' and signed 'Wyckham', the intermediate (illegible) text being scored through. Above the altar flies a dove, an olive-branch in its mouth, clutching a sealed 'Passport'. Behind and above the lion Britannia stands in back view, her discarded spear and shield beside her; she plays a fiddle, intent on a large music score: 'A new Opera \ Il Trattato \ di Pace \ Overture \ Rule Britan[nia scored through and replaced by] \ Ca Ira \ God save ye King [scored through and replaced by] The Marsellois Hymn.' The apex of the design is an Austrian grenadier, his cap decorated with the Habsburg eagle, playing a flute with melancholy fervour: 'To Arms to Arms my valiant Grenadiers.' On the left of the altar and facing Britannia and the lion stands a sansculotte, standing on a large map, one foot planted on 'Britain', the other on '[I]reland'. In his right hand is a pike bearing the head of Louis XVI (see British Museum Satires No. 8297, &c), in his left a large key labelled 'Belgium' and attached by a chain to his belt, in which is a dagger; his coat-pocket is inscribed 'Forced Loan'. He says: "I will retain what I have got and treat with you on fair Terms for what you have got". Behind him and on the extreme left stands a creature symbolizing the Dutch Republic, linked to the sansculotte by a chain round its spinal cord. It has the head of a frog wearing a bonnet-rouge, thin, spidery arms akimbo, the ribs, &c. of a skeleton (cf. British Museum Satires No. 8848), baggy breeches, and shrunken legs. It smokes a pipe with an expression of resigned despair."--British Museum online catalogue.

English

February 14, 2008

Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum, v. 7, no. 8825