Modern Tourists.

John Phillips (pseud Sharpshooter)

Modern Tourists.

London, G Humphrey sept. 25^th. 1827

Etching

250 x 350 mm

£140

Three separate scenes blend into a single design. The dialogue is etched in the lower margin. On the left a young girl sits on the knee of her father, a stout drink-blotched man wearing a plain old-fashioned wig, breeches, and top-boots. She takes his chin, saying insinuatingly: Lord, Papa! you must let us go to the Continent ; Mrs Thingamary says we shall never be accomplished till we have seen the Paris manners and customs. A round mirror is topped by a coronet. In the centre two dandies stand on a London pavement, against a background of tall houses. One, dressed in French fashion, with a moustache, a small hat perched on curls, and trousers pinched at the knee, stands with folded arms and a theatrical scowl. The other, wearing strapped trousers, tail-coat, and bell-shaped top-hat, smokes a cigar and holds a riding-whip; he asks: Well, Charles, where are you off to? Answer: O! moy dear feller, to Paris—to Paris, moy dear feller; nothing like Paris —there you have the—the—the—Je ne sçais quoi, moy dear feller, the—the every thing the every-thing!!— On the right two ladies sit facing each other across a small round table. One wears a huge hat with broad flat brim trimmed with ribbon loops and streamers, the other a hat with wide brim bent bonnet-wise; both have big gigot sleeves, and full skirts. Below: Lord, ma’am! you are not serious,—you can never think of going to Margate—it is so common every tailor, shoemaker, and linendraper goes to Margate—No, no ma’am; Paris is the great resort of pure gentility, I assure you.—I always goes to Paris.