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
The scene is supposed to be drawn from one of the landing-places in the
East Indies. A merchantman has arrived with a cargo which has proved
a source of excitement and attraction to residents of all classes.
The fair sex being in great apparent request, a shipload of English
beauties on arriving in the East would naturally produce commotion and
competition among natives and foreigners alike. A dapper auctioneer
is mounted on a bale of books lately arrived, a similar package forms
his desk, and he is knocking down a very attractive article, which
seems likely to bring a handsome figure. A fine tall beauty is under
the scrutiny of a rich Nabob; a young officer is trying to win her
ear, and an envoy from the Government, with instructions in his pocket
from the Governor-General, is calculating the lady's height with his
walking-stick held as a measure. Similar incidents are represented
around; the Rajahs are inspecting the latest importations with true
merchant-like caution; sundry bargains have already been secured,
and in the scales is shown a method of approximating valuations; a
well-favoured arrival of the florid and fully developed type is set
against a corresponding weight of 'lacs of rupees.' In the background
is pictured a large warehouse for 'unsaleable goods from Europe--to be
returned by the next ship'--and several damsels are in great distress
at being forced to take refuge within this unpopular establishment.
1810. _A Parody on Milton._ Published by T. Tegg.
On she came--such as I saw her in my dream.
Grace was in all her steps--heaven in her eye;
In every gesture dignity and love.--MILTON.
A slipshod and tailorlike-looking old scarecrow, with spectacles on
nose, and wearing a scarlet nightcap, is viewing with idiotic rapture
the advent of a fat, inebriated, and dishevelled bacchante of mature
charms, who, with a decanter in one hand and a glass in the other, is
staggering into the chamber, to the amusement of a pretty servant-maid
outside. The ancient dotard is making a parody on the quotation: 'On
she came--such as I saw her in my dream. _Grease_ was in all her
steps--Geneva in her hand; and every gesture reeling ripe for fun!'
_Circa 1810._ _Cries of London._ Thirty plates.
1810. S. Butler. _Hudibras._ With illustrations after W. Hogarth,
engraved by Thomas Rowlandson. Republished. T. Tegg. (See 1809.)
FOOTNOTE:
[22] The satirical humours of this sign, which dates back from a
recondite period, find a place in Larwood's valuable _History of
Signboards_, who gives us further particulars from his own exhaustive
researches. 'In Holland, in the seventeenth century, it was used, but
the king was left out, and a lawyer added. Each person said exactly the
same as our signboards, but the farmer answered:--
You may fight, you may pray, you may plead,
But I am the farmer who lays the eggs--
_i.e._ finds the money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account