quate rival. Just like their fathers, (the offices of marshal of the Court of Exchequer, receiver of the six-penny duties, and cursitorship,) and the artist to gratify his patron, came out with a triumphant set of plates, "The Fall of Phaeton," wherein Fox is represented as falling headlong from the car of state, the reins being snatched by royalty, the influence of the King being used to throw out that great minister. In another, published the 12th January 1784, Sayer has attempted a parody of Milton's passage descriptive of the assembling of the fallen angels, exhibiting Fox as the political Satan, surrounded by his satellites Lords Portland, Carlisle, Cavendish, Keppel, and North, and also Edmund Burke; all his followers have rueful countenances, but Fox encourages them; he Mr. Pitt has brilliant language, Mr. Fox solid sense, and such luminous powers of displaying it clearly, that mere eloquence is but a Bristol stone when set by the diamond reason." The opponents of this India Bill declared that it was an infringement of the Company's rights, and that it would give immense influence to ministers. Some said that Fox aimed at a sort of supreme India Dictatorship, and on this account they gave him the title of "Carlo Khan." Out of doors the caricaturists were at work as busily as ever. Caricatures, squibs, and pamphlets, were showered down upon him fast and furiously. Sayer came out on the 25th of November with a print called "A Transfer of India Stock," wherein the minister is represented as carrying the India House on his shoulders to St. James'; a hint of course of the transfer "With high words that bore Semblance of worth, not substance, gently raised Their fainting courage, and dispell'd their fears." of power. Sayer appears to be assi- Leaving James Sayer, comfortably duously courting the notice of Wil-enjoying his place, and passing in affluliam Pitt, and on the 5th of Decem-ence a life, presenting no other remarkber issued his most famous production, able occurrence than the issue from time a caricature which is very inferior to to time of a strong political lampoon, or most of his works, but which had an a smart caricature, we must now proceed extraordinary sale; and which accom- to take up the thread of caricature plished the end for which it was history as exemplified in the life of intended. It bears the title of " Carlo Gilray. We are moreover almost Khan's Triumphal Entry into Leaden- obliged to pursue this course, because hall Street," and represents Fox as the most notable instances in both Carlo Khan, seated upon the back of lives run parallel with each other. an elephant, the face of the animal being that of Lord North. The elephant is led by the celebrated Edmund Burke, as Fox's imperial trumpeter; Burke having been the loudest supporter of the India Bill in the House of Commons. A bird of ill omen on the top of a neighbouring house is croaking forth the impending doom of the monarch. "The night crow cried foreboding luckless time.' Fox is said to have acknowledged that his India Bill received its severest blow in public estimation from this caricature, which had, as we have before said, a prodigious sale, and the effect of which was increased by a multitude of pirated copies and imitations. On the 17th of December the bill was thrown out by a majority of nineteen, and on the night of the 18th, the King dismissed his ministers, and gave the seals into the hands of Lord Temple. When Pitt came into power, he rewarded the caricaturist with a profitable place, JAMES GILRAY has perhaps the most famous name in political pasquinading in the world. His life being passed in a most exciting period, when the world was undergoing such a transition as possibly we shall not see again, he had a greater opportunity of influencing the mass, ignorant and excitable as most of the populace then were, than any modern caricaturist can hope for. His father, who bore the same name as himself, was born Sept. 3rd, 1720, at Lanark. He enlisted early in life, and was present at the famous battle of Fontenoy, where he lost an arm; on his return to England, he became an out-pensioner of Chelsea Hospital, and in order to add something to the very small dole which the government afforded to its veterans, became sexton to the Moravian burial ground in that parish. He married, but who or when, we are not told. His celebrated son was born about the middle of the last century. When of sufficient age, he was, like Hogarth before him, and William Sharp the eminent line engraver, bound apprentice to a silver or heraldic engraver. This sedentary, and if not laborious, at least fatiguing business, did not please him, and having imbibed a taste for private theatricals, he ran away to join a company of strolling players. If the monotony of an engraver's bench, and of having his head continually bent down watching the strokes of his burin, were tiresome, he now found that he had escaped from one kind of drudgery to embrace a worse. The hardships he had to endure, the mean and dishonest shifts which the strollers are put to; the sordid way of life, so different from the glowing pictures before the scenes, totally destroyed the illusion which he had formed, and uprooted any love which he had for the life of an actor. He returned to his father, and entered his name as one of the students of the Royal Academy. His style of drawing, vigorous, free, and masculine as it is, will witness that he did not neglect his lessons. He appears first to have obtained work from the booksellers, and illustrated Goldsmith's "Deserted Village," in an edition which was published in 1784. His master in the art was most likely Ryland, a well known artist of the time. Agreeably to this intimation, an immense multitude assembled in St. George's Fields, where Lord George addressed them in an inflammatory speech. Then the procession marched, six abreast, over London Bridge to Old Palace Yard, where they behaved riotously, and annoyed and insulted the members who were entering the house. We need not here go any further into the history of the "No Popery" riots. In his admirable tale of "Barnaby Rudge," Charles Dickens has already made that period of history popular. The caricaturists did their part in ridiculing the rioters, and in throwing the whole proceeding into contempt. An anonymous print probably gives us a very good specimen of what sort of men these rioters were. The "no popery man appears to have been of the lowest kind of rabble, and has his hat ornamented by a cockade, on which is written, "No Popery." The subscription of the plate is entitled, "No Popery, or the Newgate Reformers." The rioter is in the act of shouting, "Down with the Bank," a consummation which was indeed devoutly wished by a great majority of the concourse of thieves and low people, who formed the supporters of Lord George. The riot went on with fury for some days, but on Saturday, 8th June, 1780, after a great many of the rioters had been Caricature, however, was soon found killed by the soldiery, and a yet greater to be his forte, and he very early gave number had perished through excessive intimation of his powers. In 1779 he intoxication, and some by being left published, as far as we can ascertain, helplessly drunk in the burning houses, his first plate, which appears to be an tranquillity was restored. On the folimitation of the very successful Sayer, lowing Saturday, Lord George Gordon as it bears that artist's monogram. This was committed to the Tower, whence was called "Paddy on Horseback," and he was subsequently brought to trial contains a joke, which at that time for high treason. He escaped convicwas, perhaps, new; namely, of an tion, and was committed to Bedlam, Irishman riding with his back to the having shown sufficient proofs of inhorse's head, and the horse, moreover, sanity. Lord Amherst, who after the being represented by a bull, intimating, no doubt, the headstrong tendency of the Irishman for that kind of verbal error. Gilray made his appearance in a stirring time. Lord George Gordon, whom Walpole designates as "The Jack of Leyden of the age," was at the head of a society termed the "Protestant Association," and after various inflammatory speeches, gave notice, on the 26th of May, 1780, of his intention on the 2nd of June following, of presenting a petition against the toleration of the Roman Cattholics, signed by above a hundred thousand men. death of General Wolfe had obtained the credit of the conquest of Canada, directed the military operations against these rioters. His severity rendered him unpopular, and he became the butt of the caricaturists; one by Sayer, (an admirable portrait,) represents the General as killing geese, (in allusion to the rioters,) whilst he is so occupied he is made to declare, "If I had the power I'd kill twenty in an hour." By another plate we are made acquainted with the fact, that a rumour existed that the King (George III.) was secretly inclined to Popery; he is represented as of reproach applied to Fox's party; they, however, had their caricaturists, and from the style of some of these it would seem that Rowlandson worked for them. kneeling before an altar, and wearing ble print by Gilray, represents the prothe dress of a monk; a picture of the bable fate of the obnoxious Ministers; it Pope hangs above the door, on one side, is called "Britannia aroused," and the whilst on the other a print of Martin genius of the country has hold of Fox Luther is dropping in neglected frag- by one leg, and of Lord North by the ments from the wall. To the fanatical shoulder, and is about to dash them to ultra Protestant party, the great Burke pieces in her ire. Another, bearing the had also made himself particularly ob- old title of "a long pull, and a strong noxious, on account of his advocacy of pull," represents King George the III. the Catholic emancipation. With the and Fox, pulling each different ways, mob he obtained credit for a character by the halters of an ass, which is laden under which he was often pictured; with packages like sand-bags, labelled namely, that of being a concealed Jesuit. taxes. The ass, of course, typifies the In another of these humorous prints, British nation. The road to which Fox we shall find that the personification of would take the animal leads to "ReJohn Bull, under which the British na-publicanism," the other to "Absolute tion at the present moment is so often Monarchy;" republican being a term typified, was not yet (1780) invented, or rather since it is taken from the satirical fable of Swift and Arbuthnot, had not become popular: Britannia, with her faithful lion and her red-cross shield, In March 1784, the dissolution of supplies his place. We meet this latter the unpopular ministry took place, and figure in various plates, and in many William Pitt, then only in his twentydifferent attitudes, Sometimes she sits fifth year, was firmly established as dejected and weeping, at others exulting. prime minister of England. His colThe different political views of the cari-leagues were those who were well known caturists inducing them to clothe her in as the "King's friends," and he_united regal purple or in rags; or to represent her as victorious, or destitute and about to be executed. But shortly after this time we have a faint gleam of the coming glory of the effigies of John Bull. In the month of April, 1780, an unpopular ministry had been defeated, and a caricature called "The Bull over-drove; or the Drivers in Danger," represents the British bull in a rage kicking at the ministers; the kings of France and Spain are standing by, and the latter exclaims, "I wish I was out of the way, he beats the bulls of Spain." "Ad in himself the offices of First Lord of But the most remarkable contest perhaps ever witnessed in the history of elections took place at Westminster. It had been represented previous to the dissolution by Sir Cecil Wray and Fox. Wray deserted his side, and turned to the Court, and the king resolved to turn Fox out, and place Admiral Hood in his seat. The poll was opened on the 1st of April, and continued without intermission until the 17th of May, 1784. For the first few days Fox was in the minority, but eventually he was returned by a majority of 236 over Sir Cecil Wray. Parallel circumstances call forth similar ideas, the history of caricatures is not free from plagiarism any more than any other art; our readers will recall many touches in Punch similar to that of the "Bull over-drove;" but in 1784 we have a subject from the pencil of Gilray, which has since been repeated by Mr. Leech, in Punch. Pitt in the character of the infant Hercules, is strangling the two serpents of the coalition, Fox and Lord North. The coalition must have been extensively unpopular, from the multitude of songs, pasquinades, and pictures, which were published against them. There seems No political event seems to have to be in the nature of such connections, given birth to a greater number of something extremely disagreeable to songs, squibs, and caricatures, than the English nation. A bold and forci- | this election. Sir Cecil had, in the for mer parliament, proposed a tax upon For though he opposes the stamping of notes, For Sir Cecil Wray ? two court candidates with placards of a virulent nature, and with caricatures of a humorous and of an insulting kind. In one Wray was represented as driven away by a maid-servant's broom, and a pensioner's crutch; in another, he was flying from a crowd, bearing on their banners, "No tax on maid-servants;" in a third, he was riding a race, mounted upon a slow and obstinate ass, whilst the successful candidates upon spirited horses are far in the distance. Their The other side were not idle. caricatures came forth sheet upon sheet, holding up to scorn gambling, the beset The exertions of the Court against ting sin of Fox. And we now first perFox seem to have been of a very extra-ceive the unhappy difference which took ordinary kind. The King received in-place between the Prince of Wales and telligence of the progress of the elec- his father. Incensed, it is said by Pitt's tion several times a day; and the royal haughty bearing towards him, the young name was used very freely to secure Prince became a warm partizan of Fox, votes for Wray and Hood. On one and a most determined opponent of Pitt. occasion 280 of the household troops An early caricature by Gilray, represents were sent to vote in a body, as house- the heir to the throne "Returning from holders, and all dependents of the Brookes's," in a state of drunkenness, Court were ordered to vote on the same and supported on one side by Fox, and side. Not satisfied with this, the minis- on the other, by "Sam House," an ardent terial party showed that they were not admirer of the latter. This "Sam House," backward in creating a popular disturb- was a publican, and a character of his ance when such a measure could serve day. During the election, he kept open them. Lord Hood brought up a party his house for Fox's supporters at his own of sailors, who interrupted the liberal expense, and was gratified by the comvoters and were the occasion of much pany of many of the Whig aristocracy. disturbance. On the other hand, the He was remarkable for a clean, a perpartisans of Fox met them by a nume- fectly bald head, on which he never rous band of chairmen, chiefly Irish. wore hat or wig. He dressed in nanOn the third day the sailors surrounded keen breeches, and brightly polished the tavern where Fox's committee had shoes and buckles. His waistcoat he their meetings, and began shouting at, wore open, displaying remarkably clean jostling, and even striking the gentle- and fine linen. His legs, often bare, men who were proceeding to join that were, when clad, covered with the finest body. Annoyed by this the committee silk stockings. When asked who he was, sallied out and beat the sailors. Next at the canvassing booth, he answered, day the chairmen also beat those aggres- as he gave his plumper for Fox, sors, who marched off to St. James-street, Publican and a Re-publican." He was with the idea of breaking up the chairs remarkably successful in his canvassing, belonging to their opponents, but they and his figure is therefore a prominent were again met and defeated, and here one in the caricatures of the day. heads, arms, and legs, were broken. The guards were at length called out and put an end to the disturbance, and the next day special constables were sworn in. These latter did more harm than good. They were so decidedly anti-Foxite, so much inclined to the Court party, that they interrupted and insulted all voters who were not on their side. Besides meeting Sir Cecil Wray and Lord Hood with armed force, the politicians on the side of Fox opposed the 66 а As But the most successful of Fox's partizans was the very beautiful Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire. active and generous as she was handsome and accomplished, she entered with spirit into the contest, and attended by several beautiful ladies of title, went and personally solicited votes for Fox. The success she had greatly irritated the Tories, and their papers and caricatures were most insulting to the Duchess. In one, she is represented (according to a current report of the day) as bribing a butcher with a kiss. In another, she is feeing a cobler's wife with gold, whilst the husband mends her shoe. In a third, Fox is represented as the successful candidate carried triumphantly upon the back of the Duchess. The papers were even less civil. Hints and inuendos were thrown out, which are no less disgraceful to the writers than to the time in which they appeared. In fact, few can look back upon the political features of the age, the faction, hatred, bribery, and intimidation manifested at an election, without feeling thankful that we have, if not quite, yet in a great degree, escaped the contagion. The election of 1784, which made the caricaturists so busy, threw out no less than 180 of Fox's most staunch supporters, who, on this occasion, received the burlesque title of "Fox's Martyrs." The number of members entirely new to the House gave rise to some ironical observations from Fox, and Pitt, in defending his supporters, grew angry enough. The prints of the time give us the portrait of Fox as "Catiline reprehended," sitting, with his face almost hidden by his hand and hat, listening to one of these Philippics. Pitt, of course, being the eloquent Cicero. The print is by Sayer. A companion to it shews us the philosophic Burke sending the whole house to sleep by his rather too discursive harangues. The print is a voucher for the truth of Goldsmith's assertion, that Burke Kept on refining, And thought of convincing, whilst they thought of dining. It is entitled, " lime and Beautiful." Orleans, old Egalité, father of Louis Philippe. Dissuaded from this, he determined to commence a life of economy, suppressed the works at Carlton House, shut up his state apartments, and sold his race horses, hunters, and even coach horses, and, at the same time, invested £40,000 per annum, out of an income of £50,000, for the payment of his debts. This determination rendered the prince far from unpopular, and his friends trumpeted the action far and wide, but the Government caricaturists published scenes of his promiscuous amours in not very decorous prints. In one, by Gilray, he and his friends are pictured as "The Jovial Crew; or, the Merry Beggars;" in another he is shown as having just arrived at Botany Bay; he is carried on shore by two convicts, and supported on either side by Fox and North. These attacks were continued from time to time, just as particulars of the licentious life of this Prince came before the public. In 1787, Gilray represents him as "The Prodigal Son," he is seated on the ground by a hog trough, and the animals are devouring the Prince's feathers. There is fine satire in the touch which shows us the Prince's garter all but devoured, of the motto only the word "honi" is visible. In another, we see him pictured as receiving money from the Duke de Chartres. With a bitter satire, the Prince is represented as fat and bloated, but the motto under the feathers is "Ich starve." In 1787, on the recommencement of the parliamentary session, Burke again brought forward his impeachment of Warren Hastings. It is not my proon the Sub-vince to enter upon that (to me) very theatrical trial. We want some new The thoughts and attention of the and uninterested historian to write an nation were now again turned on the account of an affair, which made so much thoughtless extravagance and riotous noise at the time, and was so eagerly living of the Prince of Wales. Se- seized upon by Burke and Sheridan parated from the family of the King, and for oratorical display, let it suffice for surrounded by such bon vivants as my present purpose to say that neither Captain Morris, and others of the same the pencils of Gilray or of Sayer were stamp, the Prince's natural impulses idle. One of the most celebrated prints to vice received an impetus which he of the former represents" The political had little wish or power to resist. The Banditti, assaulting the Saviour of Incaricaturists of the day let us know dia," the person designated by that something of his private life at this title being Warren Hastings. Burke period. He is frequently represented fires a blunderbuss at him in front, and with Fox, Sheridan, Burke, Lord North, Fox endeavours to stab him from beand Captain Morris. In the summer hind, while Lord North robs him of of 1786, his debts had become so great his money-bags. Hastings, however, that he was on the point of borrowing defends himself with the "shield of a large sum of money from the Duke of honour." On the other side, the Go |