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
Daniel Lambert was like Mr. Dick in ‘David Copperfield,’ who would
persist in putting King Charles the First’s head into his Memorial;
he could hardly be kept out of the caricatures. Ansell produced one
(May 1806)--‘Two Wonders of the World, or a Specimen of a new troop
of Leicestershire Light Horse.--Mr. Daniel Lambert, who at the age of
36 weighed above 50 Stone, 14 Pounds to the Stone, measured 3 yards 4
inches round the body and 1 yard 1 inch round the leg, 5 feet 11 inches
high. The famous horse Monarch, the largest in the World is upwards of
21 hands high, (above 7 foot)[14] and only 6 Years old.’ Lambert is
mounted on this extraordinary quadruped, and, sword in hand, is riding
at poor little Boney, who exclaims in horror, ‘Parbleu! if dis be de
specimen of de English light Horse, vat vill de Heavy Horse be? Oh, by
Gar, I vill put off de Invasion for anoder time.’
Yet once more are these two brought into juxtaposition, in an engraving
by Knight (April 15, 1806), ‘Bone and Flesh, or John Bull in moderate
Condition.’ Napoleon is looking at this prodigy, and saying, ‘I
contemplate this Wonder of the World, and regret that all my Conquered
Domains cannot match this Man. Pray, Sir, are you not a descendant
from the great Joss of China?’ Lambert replies, ‘No Sir, I am a true
born Englishman, from the County of Leicester. A quiet mind, and good
Constitution, nourished by the free Air of Great Britain, makes every
Englishman thrive.’
Another of Gillray’s caricatures into which Napoleon is introduced,
but in which he plays a secondary part, is called ‘Comforts of a Bed
of Roses; vide Charley’s elucidation of Lord C--stl--r--gh’s speech!
Nightly Scene near Cleveland row.’ This is founded on a speech of Lord
Castlereagh’s, in which he congratulated the Ministry as having ‘a bed
of roses.’ But Fox, in reply, recounted his difficulties and miseries,
and said: ‘Really, it is insulting to tell me I am on a bed of roses,
when I feel myself torn, and stung, by brambles, and nettles, whichever
way I turn.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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