Rowlandson the Caricaturist; a Selection from His Works. Vol. 2Grego, Joseph
History
Rowlandson the Caricaturist; a Selection from His Works. Vol. 2
Grego, Joseph
English wit and humor, Pictorial; Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827
[Illustration: DR. DRAINBARREL CONVEYED HOME IN A WHEELBARROW.]
_November 30, 1810._ _After Sweet Meat comes Sour Sauce, or Corporal
Cazey got into the Wrong Box._ Rowlandson del. Published by T. Tegg
(24).--The Corporal has incautiously been paying a secret visit to a
fine, plump and well-favoured damsel, on whose affections, it would
seem, the man of war has no legitimate claim. The lady is snugly
disposing her lover in a strong-box, with iron clamps, probably the
sea-chest of the lawful proprietor of the chamber. Before closing
the lid on the captive swain the buxom maid, at whose waist hangs
the key of the chest, is favouring the suitor with a parting kiss.
An old 'salt,' his few remaining hairs bristling with indignation
and resentment, is looking in at the window and surveying the entire
transaction before making his entrance on the scene. That the Corporal
has fairly got into the 'wrong box' is further hinted by a trap at his
side, in which an unfortunate rat is securely imprisoned.
1810. _The Harmonic Society. 'The Assemblies of women are too
frequently marked by malice to each other, and slander of the absent;
the meetings of men by noise, inebriety, and wrangling.'_--A companion
scene to _The Breaking up of a Blue Stocking Club_ (March 1, 1815).
The direst disorder, according to the plate, is proceeding around on
all sides: the conflict of fists, aided by such aggressive articles
as bottles, the fireirons, and any offensive weapon that may come to
hand, is raging free and furious. The president of this _harmonic
meeting_ is very naturally employing his hammer to bring the turbulent
to order, by using it as an instrument to knock down his opponents.
Wigs are sent flying 'through space,' chairs are wrecked; decanters,
spirit-bottles, punchbowls, and such frail objects as tumblers,
rummers, and wine-glasses, are involved in universal destruction.
One elated youthful hero has jumped on the table in a tipsy frolic;
he is promoting the further confusion which darkness will entail by
deliberately smashing up the candles, and battering the sconces of the
chandelier with the assistance of a punch-ladle.
1810. _The Sign of the Four Alls._--The four personages who constitute
this famous view of the relative estates of the realm stand under
niches; the head of the State is the first represented; and next, of
course, is the Church; then the powers militant; and lastly, as a sort
of necessary evil, the commonalty--perhaps better kept out of sight
altogether, since the presence of the representative of this portion
of the empire is not acknowledged by the other three, his pastors
and masters. Number one, George the Third; the King in this case is
represented strutting in awful but somewhat awkward majesty. To quote a
national but lowly authority, Giles Grinagain:--
What! he the King? Why, that chap there?
Why, I saw a king at Bartholomew Fair
More like a king than that chap there!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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