A Tale of Terror!!!

Isaac Cruikshank after George Woodward
A Tale of Terror !!!
London, T.Tegg Jan. 10th 1807
Etching
Original hand-colouring
230 x 325mm
£220
Particularly bright, fresh, original hand-colouring. Six elderly, ugly yokels sit breathlessly, hair standing on end, listening to one of their number recounting a ghost story. And zo d’ye Zee (I’m sure my hair stands on end to think of it) Coming along the Hoame close a little fresh with Neighbour Dixons ale – I zaw something in the Bridleway like a bal of blue fire, and egoles it gave a roll and came down with a woundy smell of brimstone to the very spot where I wur walkingand al on a sudden it turn’d into a little Gentleman. In a Black cloak about as high as my knee, it then grew higher and higher!! And higher and higher!! Till it almost reached’d the top of the Excisemans house! then d’ye zee it came all at once into a natural size – and putting out its hand – said Hodge how dost do? Here is five Guineas for the to parry thy vant – new neu dang I’if I take it – for you must know at that moment the wind blew his cloak aside and I saw his cloven foot!! A seated lady says What did he see John? Her neighbour replies the Devil!!!
One man has started back in terror, upsetting his chair and is being pounced on by a barking dog. He says Oh Mr Thompson Mr Thompson you have killed the child. Billy my dear where are you?, while in the background a young girl (with only her indecently bare legs visible) is bullying her small brother, who screams for his mother saying here I am mammy. A satire on the fashion for melodramatic gothic horror novels.
Not in BM Cat.