Physical aid, or, Britannia recover'd from a trance [graphic] : also, the patriotic courage of Sherry Andrew, & a peep thro' the fog.

Published/Created:

[London]
Publd. March 14th, 1803, by H. Humphrey, 27 St. James's Street
[14 March 1803]

Copyright Date:

[14 March 1803]

Physical Description:

1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; plate mark 26.3 x 36.6 cm, on sheet 33 x 47 cm

Related Links:

Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires / Mary Dorothy George, v. 8, no. 9972
Wright, T. Works of James Gillray, the caricaturist with the history of his life and times, p. 293
Wright, T. Historic

Notes:

Title etched below image.
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue.
Temporary local subject terms: Harlequins -- Britannia -- Literature: Parody of Hamlet by Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Medical: Smelling salts -- Weapons: Ammunition -- Gunpowder -- Sword -- Emblems: Britannia's shield -- Britannia's spear -- Shield with Medusa -- France: Threat of invasion -- Peace treaties.
Alfred Bowditch Collection; Dec. 1966; Acquisitions no.: 966-12-9-57.
Mounted to 37 x 56 cm.
Collector's annotations on mount.

Abstract:

"Britannia, terrified, faint, and dishevelled sits on the ground supported by Addington and Hawkesbury, and defended by Sheridan, a Silenus-like and ragged Harlequin. They are on the coast towards which are advancing many rowing-boats filled with little French soldiers. Napoleon stands with drawn sword in the foremost boat, a tiny figure with a large head and no body, to show that he is Nobody, as in BMSat 5570, &c. The distant French coast (right) is covered with troops marching towards the shore. Clouds of smoke rise from the beach, which is concealed by the foreground. Britannia, wearing Roman dress with cothurnes, raises her arms, and shrieks (parodying Hamlet): "Doctors & Ministers of dis grace defend me!" The 'dis' is scored through but conspicuously legible. Addington holds a bottle of Gunpowder to her nose, and looks in alarm at the approaching army. He says: "Do not be alarm'd my dear lady! the Buggabo's (the Honest Gentlemen, I mean,) are avowedly directed to Colonial service, - they can have nothing to do Here - my Lady! - nothing to do with Us! - do take a Sniff or two, to raise your Spirits, and try to stand, if it is only upon One Leg!" Hawkesbury looks down with deep melancholy, supporting her (cracked) shield, and holding her (damaged) spear. He says: "Yes my Lady, you must try to Stand up, or we shall never be able to "March to Paris"". Sheridan holds Harlequin's wooden sword of 'Dramatic-Loyalty' in his right hand (cf. BMSat 9916). On his left arm is a shield with Medusa's head, the snaky locks inscribed: 'Abuse', 'Bouncing', 'Puffing', 'Detraction', 'Stolen Jests', 'Malevolence', 'Stale Wit', 'Envy'. He wears a hat turned up in front with a tricolour cockade; its crown is a fool's cap with two ears and a bell. Round his paunch is a tricolour sash through which is thrust a paper: 'Ways and Means to get a Living'. He shouts in defiance at the distant army: "Let 'em come! - dam'me!!! - where are the French Buggabo's? - single handed I'd beat forty of 'em!!! dam'me, I'd pay 'em like Renter Shares, sconce off their half Crowns!!! - mulct them out of their Benefits, & come ye Drury Lane Slang over 'em!" Behind, between Addington and Sheridan, is the head of Fox, holding his hat before his eyes; he says: "Dear me - what can be the reason of the Old Lady being awak'd in such a Fright? - I declare I can't see any thing of the Buggabo's!" In the foreground lies a long torn scroll, headed 'Treaty of Peace.'"--British Museum online catalogue.

Variant Titles:

Britannia recover'd from a trance
Britannia recovered from a trance

Associated Names:

Gillray, James, 1756-1815 [Printmaker]
Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817 [Publisher]

Topics:

Britannia (Symbolic character) -- Caricat
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806
Liverpool, Robert Banks Jenkinson, Earl of, 1770-1828
Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, 1769-1821
Sheridan, Richard Brinsley, 1751-1816
Sidmouth, Henry Addington, Viscount, 1757-1844

Language:

English

Genre:

Annotations (Provenance) -- 19th century
Etchings -- England -- London -- 1803
Satires (Visual works) -- England -- 1803

Format:

Image

Content Type:

Prints & Photographs

Rights:

These images are provided for study purposes only. For publication or other use of images from the Library's collection, please contact the Lewis Walpole Library at walpole@yale.edu. Further details on the Library's photoduplication policy are available at http://www.library.yale.edu/walpole/html/research/rights_reproductions.html

Call Number:

803.03.14.01+

Orbis Record:

9743374

Yale Collection:

Lewis Walpole Library

Digital Collection:

Lewis Walpole Library

Local Record Number:

lwlpr10389

Volume/Enumeration:

Digital version

OID:

15813643

PID:

digcoll:2782710