The matrimonial mania, or, Poor Jonny ridden to death [graphic].
- Creator:
- Williams, Charles, active 1797-1830, printmaker.
- Copyright Date:
- [April 1818]
- Physical Description:
- 1 print : etching on wove paper, hand-colored ; sheet 22.7 x 33 cm
- Notes:
- Attributed to Charles Williams in the British Museum catalogue.
CtY-LW
Sheet trimmed within plate mark.
The marriages of the Dukes of Clarence, Kent and Cambridge were hastened by the death of Princess Charlotte, and the image reflects the debates of April 15 and 16, 1818, on a provision for the dukes on their marriages. The Duke of Cumberland was included in the financial arrangements.
Title etched below image. - Abstract:
- "John Bull, a fat 'cit', walks on hands and feet, overburdened with panniers containing royal dukes and their wives. He raises the left leg to propel the Duke of Clarence from his back into a pond (right); on the Duke's shoulders sit two young women, who are also about to land in the pond in which is a notice-board: 'Slough of Jordan'. Three pairs of feminine legs and one pair in trousers emerge from the pond, where their owners have fallen head first; two chamber-pots inconspicuously floating among the legs show by a coarse pun that these belong to FitzClarences, the Duke's children by Mrs. Jordan, cf. No. 7908, &c. The Duke who flourishes a cat-o'-nine-tails, exclaims "Curse him he has kick'd me off, take [sic] we shall be in the slough by G-". In the near pannier on John's left stands the Duke of Kent, one arm round his betrothed, the other flourishing a long whip, with his right leg raised and resting on John's shoulder, which his spur gashes. Beside the Princess of Leiningen stands the Duchess of Cumberland extending her arms towards her husband who lies on the ground, clutching a whip with a long weighted lash. She says: "Oh mine dear why you Tomble out make hase [sic] haste you get up again!" He: "No! No! my dear this is the second fall I have had, I shall not venture a third time, so you must e'en ride without me!" In the other pannier stands the Duke of Cambridge, raising his heavy whip to lash John Bull; his betrothed, the Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel, stands behind him with her hands on his shoulders. He says: "Come up you lazy Animal why you are as sluggish as a Jack Ass! spur him up, -why the stupid Animal is totally ignorant of the honor done him, Aye and of the grandeur and brilliance we shall display. beside Johnny its the Money we want not the Wives, consider the number of Bastards we have to keep,." She says: "Ah so you whip de Monies from Johnny Bull." John, looking up towards his tormentors, says: "Curse the honor, the Brilliance, the Luxury, extravagance, the Debauchery and all the rest, give me but a little ease, and allow me to keep a little of my hard earnings, and then I will trudge on, but I cannot labour without Victuals, or pay without Money, t'is too much for any Animal to bear." All the brothers wear uniform; Clarence that of an admiral, Cumberland that of a hussar, with furred dolman. Princess Elizabeth and her husband, see No. 12986, &c., stand together in the background (left) in travelling dress, watching John Bull. Near them and on the extreme left is Castlereagh standing on a mounting-block with three steps inscribed respectively: 'Conceit', 'Importance', 'Effrontery'. He takes from a man whose hand and foot only are visible (as in other representations of the Regent) a great pile of new burdens for John Bull, saying, "I'll put it on! he will bear it, and more still." These bulky packages are: 'New fasioned [sic] Loans', 'New export Duties', 'New Yachts', 'New Madhouses', 'New Palaces', 'New Streets', 'New Jails', 'New Churches'."--British Museum online catalogue.
- Variant Titles:
- Poor Jonny ridden to death
- Topics:
- English wit and humor, Pictorial.
John Bull (Symbolic character)--Caricatures and cartoons. - Topics:
- Adolphus Frederick,--Prince, Duke of Cambridge,--1774-1850--Caricatures and cartoons.
Castlereagh, Robert Stewart,--Viscount,--1769-1822--Caricatures and cartoons.
Edward Augustus,--Prince, Duke of Kent,--1767-1820--Caricatures and cartoons.
Fores, S. W., publisher.
William--IV,--King of Great Britain,--1765-1837--Caricatures and cartoons. - Genre:
- Cartoons (Commentary)--Color--1810-1820.
Etchings--England--London--1818.
Graphite drawings.--CtY-LW
Satires (Visual works)--British--1810-1820.
Satires (Visual works)--England--1818. - 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:
- 818.04.00.01
- Orbis Record:
- 14472879
- Yale Collection:
- Lewis Walpole Library
- Digital Collection:
- Lewis Walpole Library
- Local Record Number:
- lwlpr37762
- Citation:
- Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 9, no. 12987
- OID:
- 16835252
- PID:
- digcoll:4791365
