English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I. Volume 2 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I. Volume 2 (of 2)
Ashton, John
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821 -- Caricatures and cartoons
This subject also attracted the pencil of I. Cruikshank (November
19, 1805): ‘Boney beating Mack--and Nelson giving him a Whack!! or
the British Tars giving Boney his Hearts desire, SHIPS, COLONIES and
COMMERCE.’ Mack is kneeling in a suppliant manner before Bonaparte,
who stamps upon his captive’s sword, addressing him: ‘I want not your
Forts, your Cities, nor your territories! Sir, I only want Ships,
Colonies and Commerce’--a very slight variation from the real text of
his address to the vanquished Austrian officers: ‘I desire nothing
further upon the Continent. I want ships, colonies, and commerce; and
it is as much your interest, as mine, that I should have them.’ During
this peroration military messengers are arriving. One calls out, ‘May
it please your King’s Majesty’s Emperor. That Dam Nelson take all your
ships. Twenty at a time. Begar, if you no come back directly they vill
not leave you vone boat to go over in.’ Another runs along crying,
‘Run, ma foi, anoder Dam Nelson take ever so many more ships.’ This is
an allusion to the battle of Trafalgar (October 21, 1805),[10] where
Nelson paid for his victory with his life. This is further illustrated
in another portion of the engraving, by Nelson, who is towing the
captured vessels, kneeling at Britannia’s feet, saying: ‘At thy feet,
O Goddess of the seas, I resign my life in the service of my country.’
Britannia replies: ‘My Son, thy Name shall be recorded in the page of
History on tablets of the brightest Gold.’
Rowlandson (November 13, 1805) further alludes to the surrender of Ulm
and the battle of Trafalgar: ‘Nap Buonaparte in a fever on receiving
the Extraordinary Gazette of Nelson’s Victory over the combined
Fleets.’ Boney is very sick and miserable, the combined effects of the
news which he has read in the paper which falls from his trembling
hands--the ‘Extraordinary Gazette. 19 Sail of the line taken by Lord
Nelson.’ He appeals to four doctors, who are in consultation on his
case: ‘My dear Doctors! those Sacré Anglois have play’d the Devil vid
my Constitution. Pray tell me what is the matter with me. I felt the
first symptoms when I told Gen^l Mack I wanted Ships, Colonies and
Commerce. Oh dear! oh dear! I shall want more ships now--this is a
cursed sensation--Oh I am very qualmish.’ One doctor opines it is ‘a
desperate case,’ another that he is ‘Irrecoverable.’ One recommends
bleeding; but one has thoroughly investigated the case, and found
out the cause: ‘Begar, me have found it out, _your heart be in your
breeches_!’
Now with such fury they push’d on,
Memmengen the French Army won,
And by the treachery of Mack,
Ulm surrendered in a crack--
Soon after the capitulation,
The Austrians with consternation
Laid down their arms, and to their shame,
Napoleon’s prisoners became----
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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