Princely amusements or the humors of the family

George Cruikshank

Princely amusements or the humors of the family.

London, M. Jones March 1st. 1812, The Scourge

Etching

Original hand colouring

197 x 508 mm

Traces of old folds as issued

£420

In a long room or gallery the Regent, and the Dukes of Clarence, York, and Sussex are engaged in appropriate recreations. The Regent is one of a set of four dancing a reel with crossed hands; he capers vigorously, his outstretched arm pointing as if in derision to the Princess of Wales, who leaves the room; she is in back view, identified by her head-dress of coronet, feathers, and motto: ‘Ich Dien.’ The Prince says: "Off she goes." He holds Princess Charlotte’s hand; the other couple are Mrs. Fitzherbert (deserted since June 1811, see No. 11904, &c.), and a floridly obese man. The Prince wears a cap with his motto and three wildly swirling ostrich-feathers. On the ground is a broken ribbon inscribed ‘Restrictions’, and a music-book with the Prince’s feathers: ‘List of Tunes Morgan Rattler &c.’ Close to them are three musicians (left), much caricatured; two play respectively fiddle and pipe and tabor, while an aged flautist stops to receive a cheque or note signed ‘Rd Wilson’ from a grotesquely caricatured McMahon who holds ‘John Bulls Purse’. Behind him and on the extreme left. Lady Hertford holds up a ‘Political Barometer’, in which two figures alternately advance and recede in accordance with the weather (like the man and woman of the cottage-barometer). The figure in advance is Grenville, with a disgruntled expression, while ensconced in a recess is Wellesley, in quasi-oriental dress, wearing a star and coronet (as in No. 11864), who points at Grenville derisively. On the side-wall against which she is standing is her whole length portrait, standing arrogantly and holding a sceptre. This is unrecognizable, but is inscribed ‘Harford’. Beside it is a bust portrait of Fox, hung upside down. These groups fill the left half of the design. On the extreme right a lady in back view sits at a square piano with an open music-book showing her identity: ‘The Sussex Tune—I told a flattering Tale—by Mrs Billington’. Beside her stands the Duke of Sussex, more grotesquely paunchy than his brothers; he smokes a long German pipe with a curved stem and covered bowl, and tramples on a print of ‘Lady Ag[usta] Murry’. He wears uniform with jackboots and a Scots cap with feathers (as in his portrait), one drooping down his back. Between piano and a fire-place which is in the centre of the back wall is a round card-table, at which the Duke of Clarence plays opposite Mrs. Jordan, and Mrs. Carey partners the Duke of York. Clarence wears admiral’s uniform with trousers and sword; he throws down a card, saying defiantly, " I revoke!!!" Mrs. Jordan watches him with quiet dignity. Mrs. Carey is identified by a basket under her chair inscribed ‘Mother Careys Chickens’ [see No. 11050] and containing coins. She shows the Duke a card: ‘Knave Col Wardle’; on the table is another: ‘Mrs Clarke’; the Duke registers surprised dismay. On the back wall pictures are symmetrically arranged. Over each of the two doors is a round profile portrait: George III looking through his spyglass as in No. 10019, &c., says: "What What" [his accustomed phrase]; this is ‘Tony Lumkin’ [sic]. The other (right) is inscribed ‘Old Snuffy’: Queen Charlotte (her head perhaps copied from No. 6918), taking snuff. Next each is a square picture, one above the Regent’s head covered with a curtain; the other, over the card-table, is ‘The Adoration’: a woman crowned and enthroned arrogantly holds out a sceptre; on one side of the triple dais stands a bishop, on the other a woman holding out a book and a birch-rod. Above the chimney-piece are two smaller picture-frames. One contains a realistic bust portrait of the Regent, the other is empty, to show that a portrait of the Princess of Wales has been removed. Between the two is a long upright ‘Pole’ [Wellesley-Pole], standing in the middle of the mantelshelf; on its summit is a cock’s head; a (?) hen clings to the pole close to this, while at its base is a dog with the head of the Duke of Clarence (its collar marked ‘C.’), trying to climb up. On the other side of the pole is a medicine-bottle labelled ‘For The Kings Evil’.