A peep into Cotton Yard Aviary, with the peculiar method of feeding to suit a R-y-l palate.

Isaac Robert Cruikshank

A peep into Cotton Yard Aviary, with the peculiar method of feeding to suit a R-y-l palate.

London, C E Pritchard, 1820

Etching with letterpress

Original hand colouring

155 x 225 mm

380 x 225 mm with text.

£350

A rare  broadside satire

Heading to a broadside printed in two columns. In a coop (right) are cocks and hens with human heads, the foreign witnesses against Queen Caroline. Sidmouth empties coins from a large green bag into their feeding trough, resting one foot on an apothecary’s pestle and mortar. On the extreme left is a countryman in a smock who hands a letter to Castlereagh, saying: “Your Servent Sirs, I be com’d from a great fat Gentleman at W—d—r who wishes to know whether your Foreign Brood feeds well and if they are likely to pay for their keeping and he hopes, you’ll keep a strict Eye over ’em and not let ’em take Flight as he understands they are very shy—and he says you shou’d look to their Plumage as he dont know but they may soon be made a Show of.” Castlereagh, who holds a scourge, answers: “They thrive so fast they’ll soon be fit for use—The Napoleons are more fattening than Caroline Rice but I’m rather afraid of that Rastellian Capon he seems to wish to peck his way out and be off—I’m afraid he’s drank too much from the Po-Well as the water at present is rather Stagnated and now he’s in good condition the Milan Springs [see No. 13755, &c.] must be more palatable.” Liverpool stands with a hand on Castlereagh’s shoulder, silently holding a large purse inscribed ‘Treasury Grain’. His back is to Sidmouth, who says: “True good C—r—gh I do declare they have Molted well already what a wonderful change—& if Brougham dont clip their Wings they’ll amply repay us for our trouble for they can (according to the Old Proverb) Lie as fast as a Cock pecks Barley.”
Majocchi looks out through the bars, saying: “I am Cock of the Walk. If you wish more to know I’m the Infamous Segnior Non mi Ri cor do” [see No. 13827]. Louise Demont looks up pertly: “Once Femme De Chambre To the Queen Now I support Sids Bag of Green [see No. 13735] Doodle doo.” Rastelli: “I think I’ve had too much good living—and as I’ve a great weight in my Chest a Complain [sic] incidental to Cotton Yard I’ll take the earliest opportunity of leaving the Coop— besides who knows but that Phisicians Brougham and Co. might prescribe Rue and other obnoxious drugs as a remedy for the Complain.” The third and fifth of eight printed verses spoken by the King, ‘New Version’:

Besides, I’ve Witnesses a groupe
In Cotton Yard, quite snug in Coop,
With C—tl—-gh their Tutor;
They’ll swear black’s white, not over nice,
‘Twas by L—d L—rp—l’s advice
I got them so confute her…

Then I’ve from the Restellian stock
(Allow’d the best in all the flock)
One—whom we’ll soon be trying;
Tho’ I must own—truth by the bye,
He’s lately seem’d so very shy
P’rhaps he’ll be after flying.