CHAPTER XXV.
GENERAL UNEASINESS—CARICATURES THEREON—ADDINGTON’S NEPOTISM—NAPOLEON’S DISCOURTESY TO LORD WHITWORTH—TRIAL OF JEAN PELTIER.
‘The Political Cocks’ (by Ansell, March 27, 1803) is very graphic. Napoleon, a game cock armed with terrific spurs, is calling across the Channel to Pitt, who, standing on the British Crown, is crowing lustily. Napoleon says, ‘Eh Master Billy, if I could but take a flight over this brook, I would soon stop your Crowing. I would knock you off that Perch, I swear by Mahomet, the Pope, and all the Idols I have ever worshipped.’ Pitt, however, replies, ‘Tuck-a-roo—too—that you never can do!!!’
THE POLITICAL COCKS.
This was a fine time for the caricaturists, and their works came thick and fast. Telling their own tale, they need no explanation. ‘An Attempt to swallow the World’ (artist unknown, April 6, 1803) shows Napoleon attempting this difficult feat—John Bull looking on, and remarking, ‘I’ll tell you what, Mr. Boneypartee, when you come to a little spot I have in my eye, it will stick in your throat and choak you.’
West (April 6, 1803) engraved ‘John Bull teased by an Earwig.’ Napoleon, drawn very small, is on John Bull’s shoulder, pricking his cheek with his little sword. This annoys the old man, and, looking up angrily from his meal of bread (Ceylon), and cheese (Malta), he says, ‘I tell you what, young one—if you won’t let me eat my bread and cheese in peace and comfort, I’ll blow you away, you may depend upon it.’ To which the Earwig replies, ‘I will have the Cheese, you Brute, you; I have a great mind to annihilate you, you great overgrown Monster.’
‘Easier to say than to do’ (I. Cruikshank, April 14, 1803) shows Bonaparte seated before a New Map of the World, attempting to erase the British Isles. A Dutchman, with a lighted candle, suggests, ‘Got for d—n de ting—here take te candle, and burn tem out.’ On the other side, a Spaniard says, ‘Here, my friend, take the paste-brush, and stick a piece of your three-coloured flag over them.’ Whilst a Jew, who has a label coming out of his pocket, ‘Subscription to new loan,’ says, ‘I tink if I lend a little more monish at Turty per shent, it will soon annihilate dem.’ Bonaparte reflects: ‘I cannot scrape these little islands out of the map. As for your plan, Mynheer, we did try to burn them once, but they would not take fire; and let me tell you, Don Diego, they are not so easily overrun with any flag as you may think! I believe Moses’s plan the best; that, and a threat now and then may probably do the business.’
‘An Attempt to undermine John Bull, or working through the Globe’ (Roberts, April 16, 1803), shows Napoleon standing on ruins, surrounded by ‘Territories pickaxed with impunity’—Switzerland, Italian Republic, Batavian Republic; and he is now commencing operations with his pickaxe on John Bull, saying, ‘O, the Pick axe is infinitely the best way—I shall soon be at the little fellow, that’s his abode, I know it by the white cliffs.’ John Bull is lying down, sword in hand, with his ear on the ground, and says, ‘I hear you burrowing away, my fine fellow; but it won’t do.—As soon as you pop your head above the surface, you shall be saluted with a few of John Bull’s pop-guns.’