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
_December 4, 1813._ _The Corsican Munchausen--humming the Lads
of Paris._ Published by R. Ackermann, 101 Strand.--The Emperor,
with all the bombast, bravado, and speciousness of which he had an
excellent command, has summoned a meeting of his faithful subjects and
supporters--who, judging from the expression of their faces, appear
but an unwilling and disaffected audience--in order to present his
infant son to the people. The scion of the great captain is dressed
in a miniature uniform, with a long sabre trailing on the ground,
and a gold stick, which he is trying to fancy is a riding-horse. The
Imperial throne, the back of which bears a Medusa's head and a globe of
the world, is capsized by Munchausen's manoeuvrings. The Corsican is
vapouring on a grand scale, trying ineffectually to raise the ardour of
his dupes: 'Did I not swear I would destroy Austria? Did I not swear
I would destroy Prussia? Did I not leave the Russians 1,200 pieces of
cannon to build a monument of the victory of Moscow? Did I not lead
498,000 men to gather fresh laurels in Russia? Did I not burn Moscow,
and leave 400,000 brave soldiers to perish in the snow, for the good
of the French nation? Did I not swear I would destroy Sweden? Did I
not swear I would have colonies and commerce? Did I not build more
ships than you could find sailors for? Did I not burn all the British
produce, bought and paid for by my faithful merchants, before their
faces, for the good of them and of my good people of Paris? Have I not
called my troops from Holland, that they might not winter in that foggy
climate? Have I not called my troops from Spain and Portugal, to the
ruin of the English? Did I not change my religion and turn Turk, for
the good of the French nation? Have I not blown up the corporal for
blowing up the bridge? Have I not robbed the churches of twenty flags
to send to my Empress, for the loss of my own flags and eagles? And
now, for the good of my Empire, behold, O ye Lads of Paris! I have put
the King of Rome in breeches!!!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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