Odds & ends for February 1816

George Cruikshank

Odds & ends for February 1816.

London, M. Jones February 1st .1816, The Scourge

Etching

Original hand colouring

230 x 500 mm

Traces of old folds as issued.

£400

A central design flanked by subsidiary designs as in other plates to the magazine, but separated by lines instead of being set in a connecting landscape. Below each is a title. [1, the central design] ‘A. Kean Manoeuvre to "Pay Old Debts"—or—"Drury is it’s self again"!!!—’ Kean, dressed as Richard III, see No. 12325, much burlesqued, straddles across a swarm of tiny men, holding out a two-handled goblet, which John Bull heaps with coins from a fat purse. He has huge glaring eyeballs and great gnashing teeth, which he turns threateningly to John Bull, brandishing a stage sword. The latter (right), a plump ‘cit’ of the Pickwick type, perfectly bald and with chubby carbuncled cheeks, stands with flexed knees. He exclaims: "Oh dear Oh dear! You do make such Ugly faces, you frighten me out of my wits!! My very hair stands on end." His wig and hat (together) have risen, and the peak which should cover the forehead is poised vertically on his head. Notes and coins shower down from the goblet to be eagerly collected by the delighted little men standing below, who hold out their hats and papers showing their claims on the theatre. One is a violinist, his fiddle under his arm, another wears an apron, a third is a tailor with shears in his belt. Others run up from behind (left) holding up long papers inscribed with sums of money, ‘200’ or ‘300’; they shout "There’s my Bill" (twice), and "Heres mine, & mine." A well-dressed man (not caricatured), on a larger scale than these mannikins but rather smaller than the two principals, kneels behind Kean, thrusting his arm between his legs, holding out his hat to catch the golden shower. He smiles, saying, "This is a golden Ray." A looped-up stage-curtain borders the scene. On the left are [2] and (above) [3]. 7 11/17 x 8 1/8 in. [2] ‘Biscuit & Gingerbread or the Rival Bakers—’ Curtis, in the burlesqued sailor’s dress of No. 11353, &c., stands on the cobble-stones of a street, ‘Shire Lane’, hand on hip, gazing with dismayed astonishment at a rival baker who faces him with forefinger raised admonishingly, saying, "I tells you what you knows nothing atall about it." A tiny man wearing a top-hat projects from the speaker’s pocket and looks at Curtis. Immediately behind, and standing on the edge of the pavement is a stout man wearing top-boots, looking over the speaker’s shoulder at Curtis. These two stand with their backs to a baker’s shop, ‘Allpress & Co.’ On the window is a bill: ‘The Best Bread at Nine Pence a Loaf’. [3] ‘Mrs Wright doing Wrong – !!!!!!’ A narrow channel (the English Channel) separates a deserted woman in England (right) from a man with a Jewish profile (in France) who flees from the coast with a plump vocalist and two infants, carrying all three on his back. The deserted woman reclines theatrically on the ground, hand on breast, singing: "Far far from me my lover flies / a faithless lover he / In vain my Tears in vain my Sighs / No longer true to me / He seeks another." She leans on a pile of music-books beside which is a violin. Behind her stand three children, equal in height, singing loudly. The eloping. Mrs. Wright holds an open music-book and sings "Togather let us range the Feilds [cf. No. 12309]." Two labels issue from her lover’s mouth: [1] ‘The tuneful birds invite to rove / To softer joys let splendor yeild / O listen to the voice of Love [cf. No. 9450].’ [2] ‘I’m afraid I shall make but a Bad Bargins of dish.’ [4] ‘Parson B- & the Butchers, or a Probationary Sermon at Christ Church Newgate St.’ Augustus Barry leans forward in the pulpit; he gives out his text with a sly twisted smile and violent squint: ‘In the Xth Chapter of the Acts at the 13th verse you will find these words—Rise up, Peter, Kill and Eat.’ He wears a high coat-collar projecting from his shoulders like a horse-collar, a fashionable swathed neck-cloth from which project clerical bands. From his coat-pocket papers project: ‘Fanny Hill’; ‘Blairs Sermon’; ‘Ovids Art of Love’; ‘Capt Morris’s Hymns’ [cf. No. 6980]; ‘Cuckolds Chronicle’. On the side of the pulpit is a bill: ‘The Cat & Salutation Sing Song Society Newgate Market held every Wednesdy Perpetual Chairman The Honble Agustus [sic] Barry DD Admission one Penny—pipes one halfpenny— [signed] Treasr Jak Cleaver.’ Immediately below the pulpit and in the foreground are the fat butchers (half length), all with the marrow-bones and cleavers with which they made rough music especially at elections. Behind, in side pews, appear the heads and shoulders of a sparse and conventional congregation. A pendant to [2]. 5 3/4 x 5 3/8 in. [5] ‘A Peep into the Punch room at the Pavilion, or the Gouty Adonis!’ The Regent lies in bed, with two swathed and gouty legs projecting from coverings which define his obesity. He wears night-shirt and night-cap, and holds up a glass, singing: "Punch cures the Gout &c [a popular catch, cf. No. 9449]." Beside him (right) stands McMahon, on a much smaller scale, gleefully flourishing a large funnel (cf. No. 12181) and a decanter. Behind McMahon is a pair of squatting (china) mandarins, each with a large shallow punch-bowl resting on the apex of his hat. On a side-table (right) are bottles, one a square brandy-bottle. Other bottles with a punch-bowl are ranged on two shelves. A pendant to [3]. 1 3/4 x 5 3/8 in.