English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I. Volume 1 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I. Volume 1 (of 2)
Ashton, John
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Caricatures and cartoons
A picture by West (August 8, 1803), ‘Resolutions in case of an
Invasion,’ is divided into six compartments. A tailor, with his shears,
says, ‘I’ll trim his skirts for him.’ A barber, ‘I’ll lather his
wiskers.’ An apothecary, with a pestle and mortar, ‘I’ll pound him.’ A
cobbler, ‘I’ll strap his Jacket.’ A publican, ‘I’ll cool his Courage in
a pot of Brown Stout.’ An epicure, ‘I’ll eat him.’
The punishment, for any attempt at invasion, was prophesied as being
his certain downfall, and a nameless artist (August 12, 1803) produced
an engraving of ‘A rash attempt, and woful downfall’--Bonaparte
snatching at the British Crown.
But as he climb’d to grasp the Crown,
She knock’d him with the Scepter down,
He tumbled in the Gulph profound,
There doom’d to whirl an endless Round.
Britannia is represented as standing on a cliff, with a crown upraised
in her left hand, and a sceptre in her right. Napoleon is shewn as
tumbling into the infernal regions, to the great joy of attendant
demons.
‘Observations upon Stilts’ is by an unknown artist (August 12, 1803),
and represents Bonaparte upon a huge pair of stilts. He is looking,
over to England, through a telescope, and is saying, ‘How very
diminutive everything appears from this astonishing elevation. Who is
that little man, I wonder, on the Island, the other side the ditch? he
seems to be watching my motions.’ John Bull, the person referred to, is
also using his telescope, exclaiming, ‘Why surely that can’t be Bonny,
perch’d up in that manner. Rabbit him! if he puts one of his Poles
across here, I’ll soon lighten his timbers.’
CHAPTER XXXIII.
INVASION SQUIBS, _continued_--‘HARLEQUIN INVASION’--‘BOB ROUSEM’S
EPISTLE’--NAPOLEON’S TOUR TO BELGIUM.
‘Harlequin Invasion’ is by West (August 12, 1803). Napoleon is a
Harlequin, and points with his wooden sword ‘Invincible’ to Great
Britain, which is surrounded by goodly ships of war. Pantaloon, as the
Pope, typifying Italy, lies dead, and Holland, dressed as a Pierrot,
does not relish the command of his master, who tells him, ‘As Pantaloon
is no more, I insist on your joining me to invade that little island.’
Poor Holland replies, ‘D--m me--if I do, Master--for I don’t like the
look of their little ships--can’t you let me be at quiet--whisking me
here, and there, and everywhere.’
1.
Ladies and Gentlemen, to day
With scenes adapted to th’ occasion
A Grand new Pantomime we play,
Entitled--Harlequin’s Invasion.
2.
No comic Pantomime before
Could ever boast such tricks surprising;
The Hero capers Europe o’er,
But hush! behold the Curtain rising.
3.
And first that little Isle survey,
Where sleeps a Peasant boy, so hearty;
That little Isle is Corsica,
That peasant boy is Bonaparte.
4.
Now lightnings flash and thunders roar,
Dæmons of witchcraft hover o’er him;
And rising thro’ the stage trap door,
An evil genius stands before him.
5.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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