The Royal Cot, or, the great Babe taken ill.

Isaac Robert Cruikshank

The Royal Cot, or, the great Babe taken ill.

London, C E Pritchard Sept 1820

Etching with letterpress

Original hand colouring

165 x 235 mm

360 x 235 mm with text.

Trimmed close to image on right side, slight loss of paper bottom right.

£250

A rare broadside satire.

Heading to a broadside printed in two columns. A sequel to No. 13764. George IV, a whiskered infant, lies feverish and fractious in a cot decorated with Chinese figures and hung with bells. He is surrounded by Ministers. Sidmouth, holding a doctor’s gold-headed cane, feels his pulse, saying: “Dredful sympton’s [sic] a raging Pulse.” A bottle labelled ‘Dolbys Carminative’ (as in No. 13764) projects from his pocket. Liverpool, with pap-boat and spoon, says: “I thought how it would be, that Foriegn Emetick has been too strong for his weak Nerves.” Castlereagh, standing between two lawyers, puts a hand on the Babe’s forehead, saying: “how hot his poor dear head feels.” One lawyer (? Copley) tries to push back a leg within the cot, saying: “If he could but stand on his Legs once more we might have hopes, but I’m afraid he has Caught the Rickets—” The other (? Gifford): “A sae [sic] voyage by all means Brou—ms drops should have been taken with more caution as they are very Searching.” An old woman (left) holds out a ribbon: “Here’s the R—y—l Leading Strings,” while an apothecary (right) using a large pestle and mortar says: “O! what a fogo what a mixture what a mess.” Behind him are shelves ranged with druggist’s jars. In the foreground toys are scattered, chiefly military, as in No. 13764; they are: ‘Royal Play things’. There is also a rocking-horse on which are two toy lancers. In front of the fire napkins are hanging, and on the mantelshelf are medicine-bottles and a doll. In the foreground is an overturned child’s commode, the pan inscribed ‘Royal Stole’. The 1st, 2nd, and 9th of nine verses (quoted in No. 13865) apparently spoken by Castlereagh: