Rowlandson the Caricaturist; a Selection from His Works. Vol. 1

by Joseph Grego

1799 (?). [Distress], (18 inches by 12⁵⁄₈,) from an Original Drawing by Thomas Rowlandson.—Published by Thomas Palser, Surrey side, Westminster Bridge.—That Rowlandson possessed a remarkable power of grasping the humorous side of life was generally acknowledged in his own day, and is now well established, time having confirmed the justness of his title to a lasting reputation; indeed, his works in this order have long received a recognition which is more assured than has been accorded to those of his contemporaries. It may, however, be pointed out, with equal sincerity, that his conception of the terrible is even more remarkable than his facility for expressing the whimsical frivolities of society. It would be difficult to find a more realistic representation of the horrors of shipwreck than the appalling scene pictured under the title of 'Distress.' The fearful sufferings of the survivors, exposed without sustenance to the dangers of the deep, and the hopelessness of any chance of rescue, are all simply set forth with intense feeling, and a faithful perception of the horrors of the situation which is harrowing to examine, although it is evident that the terrors of the subject must have exercised a certain fascination over the mind of the delineator. It seems clear that portions of a crew have escaped the loss of their vessel only to become the powerless victims of more insupportable sufferings. A solitary officer and several of the crew are crowded into a boat, which they have no means of properly navigating. Provisions and water are evidently wanting; the horizon is a blank, the sea is still running high, and the sky threatens further tempests. Hunger, thirst, and exposure, are reducing the ocean waifs to madmen; while some are in paroxysms, others are stiffening corpses, and the body of one sufferer is about to be cast into the waters to lighten the freight; some are sunk in blank indifference or imbecile despair; others are furious, one or two are looking for help from above, and a few, among them the young officer and the boatswain, are doing their best to steer the open and over-laden boat towards a likely course. The cabin boy's distress is rendered with peculiar pathos.

1799. Hungarian and Highland Broadsword Exercise. Twenty-four plates, designed and etched by Thomas Rowlandson, under the direction of Messrs. H. Angelo and Son, Fencing-masters to the Light Horse Volunteers of London and Westminster. Dedicated to Colonel Herries. Oblong folio. London. Published, as the Act directs, February 12, 1799, by H. Angelo, Curzon Street, Mayfair.—Engraved Title and Frontispiece. A tablet topped by the figure of Fame and supported by a relievo representing Guards on the march; below it a trophy, and the escutcheon of the corps. On either side an archway or portico, with relievo tablets above, representing military scenes. On guard and saluting, on the left, is a Light Horse Volunteer of London and Westminster; on the right is one of the same corps dismounted, presenting arms. The etchings are dated September 1, 1798. The subjects are executed with considerable dash and spirit. The major part of the plates represent movements of cavalry, depicted with knowledge and power; instead of being, as the titles of the illustrations would indicate, mere definitions of the positions assumed in the exercises, the artist has, with superior ingenuity and ability, managed to produce a lively series of military tableaux filled with appropriate actions, in which bodies of troops, reviews, incidents of war, engagements of large parties, assaults, repulses, and other military demonstrations, make up the backgrounds, and convert a set of plates of mere broadsword exercises into an animated and interesting collection of warlike pictures. Judging from the lengthy subscription list appended to the folio, these plates must have enjoyed a wide popularity, secured under the auspices of the Angelos, whose acquaintances amongst the fashionable world enabled them to obtain a satisfactory array of patrons and subscribers.

The subjects are as follows:—

• Prepare to guard.
• Guard.
• Horse's head, near side, protect.
• Offside protect, new guard.
• Left protect.
• Right protect.
• Bridle arm protect.
• Sword arm protect.
• St. George's guard.
• Thigh protect, new guard.
• Give point, and left parry.
• Cut one, and bridle arm protect.
• Cut two, and right protect.
• Cut one, and horse's head, near side, protect.
• Cut six, and sword arm protect.
• Cut two, and horse's off side protect, new guard.
• Cut one, and thigh protect, new guard.
• On the right to the front, parry against infantry.

Infantry.

• Outside guard; St. George's guard. Inside guard.
• Outside half hanger. Hanging guard. Inside half hanger.
• Half-circle guard. Medium guard.
• [The consequence of not shifting the leg].
• [The advantage of shifting the leg].

1799. Loyal Volunteers of London and Environs.—Infantry and cavalry in their respective uniforms. Representing the whole of the Manual, Platoon, and Funeral exercises in eighty-seven plates. Designed and etched by Thomas Rowlandson. Dedicated by permission to His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester. Engraved title-page; inscription in a lozenge; head of Mars above; Mercury's caduceus and branches of laurel; Cupid-warrior, and Cupid-justice with scales and sword, supported by a trophy of arms, accoutrements, &c. Dedicatory title.—This illuminated School of Mars, or review of the Light Volunteer corps of London and its vicinity, is dedicated by permission to His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester by his most obliged and very humble servant, R. Ackermann, 101 Strand. August 12, 1799.

List of Subjects.

Infantry.
PLATE.	POSITION.
1. St. James's Volunteers	Stand at ease.
2. The Royal Westminster Volunteers	Attention.
3. Broad Street Ward Volunteers	Fix bayonets, 1st motion.
4. St. Mary, Islington, Volunteers	Fix bayonets, 2nd motion.
5. St. Mary-le-Strand and Somerset House Volunteers	Fix bayonets, 3rd motion.
6. London and Westminster Light Horse Volunteers (Dismounted)	Shoulder arms, 1st motion.
7. St. Clement Danes Volunteers	Shoulder arms, 2nd motion.
8. Bloomsbury and Inns of Court Volunteers	Recover arms.
9. St. George's, Hanover Square, Light Infantry	Shoulder arms (from recover), 1st motion.
10. St. George's, Hanover Square, Volunteers	Charge bayonet, 2nd motion.
11. St. Martin's in the Fields Volunteers	Charge bayonet, 1st motion.
12. Temple Bar and St. Paul's Volunteers (Loyal London Volunteers)	Present arms, 1st motion.
13. Cornhill Association Volunteers	Present arms, 2nd motion.
14. Temple Association Volunteers	Present arms, 3rd motion.
15. Bethnal Green Volunteers, Light Infantry (Mile End Volunteers)	Support arms, 1st motion.
16. Bethnal Green Battalion Volunteers	Support arms, 2nd motion.
17. Hans Town Association Volunteers	Stand at ease, supporting arms.
18. Deptford Volunteer Infantry	Slope arms.
19. Loyal Westminster Light Infantry	Order arms, 1st motion.
20. The Hon. Artillery Company of London	Order arms, 2nd motion.
21. Pimlico Volunteer Association	Unfix bayonets, 1st motion.
22. Richmond Volunteers	Unfix bayonets, 2nd motion.
23. Covent Garden Volunteers	Unfix bayonets, 3rd motion.
24. Three Regiments of Royal East India Volunteers	An officer saluting.
25. Bishopsgate Volunteers	Handle arms.
26. Brentford Association	Ground arms, 1st motion.
27. Fulham Association	Ground arms, 2nd motion.
28. St. Andrew, Holborn, and St. George the Martyr Military Association	Ground arms, 3rd motion.
29. Castle Baynard Ward Association Volunteers	Secure arms, 1st motion.
30. Finsbury Volunteers	Secure arms, 2nd motion.
31. Newington, Surrey, Volunteer Association	Secure arms, 3rd motion.
32. Knight Marshal's Volunteers	Prime and load, 1st priming motion, front rank.
33. Guildhall Volunteer Association, Light Infantry	Prime and load, 2nd priming motion, front rank.
34. Cheap Ward Association	Prime and load, 3rd priming motion, front rank.
35. Armed Association of St. Luke, Chelsea	Prime and load, 4th priming motion, front rank.
36. Marylebone Volunteers	Prime and load, 5th priming motion, front rank.
37. Coleman Street Ward Military Association	Prime and load, 6th priming motion, front rank.
38. St. Pancras Volunteers	Prime and load, 7th priming motion, front rank.
39. Cordwainers' Ward Volunteers	Prime and load, 1st loading motion.
40. St. Margaret and St. John, Westminster, Volunteer Associations	Prime and load, 2nd loading motion.
41. Lambeth Loyal Volunteers.	Prime and load, 3rd loading motion.
42. St. George's, Southwark, Loyal Volunteers	Prime and load, 4th loading motion.
43. St. Saviour's, Southwark, Association	Prime and load, 5th loading motion.
44. St. Olave's, Southwark, Volunteers	Prime and load, 6th loading motion.
45. Poplar and Blackwall Volunteers	Prime and load, last motion.
46. Sadler's Sharpshooters	A Light Infantry Man defending himself withSadler's patent gun and long, cutting bayonet.
47. Radcliff Volunteers	Make ready, front rank.
48. Union, Wapping, Volunteers	Present front rank.
49. Loyal Hackney Volunteers	Fire front rank.
50. Bermondsey Volunteers	Front rank kneeling, make ready.
51. Loyal Volunteers, St. John's, Southwark	Present (as front rank kneeling).
52. Langbourn Ward Volunteers	Prime and load (as a centre rank).
53. St. George's, Hanover Square, Armed Association	Make ready (as a centre rank).
54. St. Sepulchre (Middlesex) Volunteers	Present (as a centre rank).
55. Farringdon Ward Within Volunteers	Prime and load (as a rear rank).
56. Aldgate Ward Association	Make ready (as a rear rank).
57. Walbrook Ward Association	Present (as a rear rank).
58. Clerkenwell Association	Advance arms.
59. Royal Westminster Grenadiers	Advance arms 4th motion.
60. Bread Street Ward Volunteers	Shoulder arms, from advance 1st motion.
61. Vintry Ward Volunteers	Club arms, 1st motion.
62. Portsoken Ward Volunteers	Club arms, 2nd motion.
63. St. Catherine's Association	Club arms, 3rd motion.
64. Farringdon Ward (Without) Volunteers	Club arms, 4th motion.
65. Bridge Ward Association	Mourn arms, 1st motion.
66. Tower Ward Association	Mourn arms, 2nd motion.
67. Christ Church (Surrey) Association	Mourn arms, 3rd motion.
68. Loyal Bermondsey Volunteers	Present arms, 1st motion from mourn arms.
69. Billingsgate Association	Present arms, 2nd motion from mourn arms.
70. Highland Armed Association	An officer.
71. The Armed Association of St. Mary, Whitechapel	Present arms, 2nd flugel motion.
72. Bank of England Volunteers, Light Infantry	Order arms, 2nd flugel motion.
73. Candlewick Ward Association	Support arms, 1st flugel motion.
74. Queenhythe Ward Volunteers	A sergeant with arms advanced.
75. Ward of Cripplegate (Without) Volunteers.	Order arms.
76. Dowgate Ward Volunteers	Order arms.
77. Mile End Volunteers	Pile arms.
78. St. Leonard, Shoreditch, Volunteers	Pile arms.
79. Trinity, Minories, Association	Pile arms.

• Cavalry.
• 1. London and Westminster Light Horse Volunteers.
• 2. Surrey Yeomanry.
• 3. Deptford Cavalry.
• 4. Westminster Cavalry.
• 5. Middlesex Cavalry.
• 6. Southwark Cavalry.
• 7. Clerkenwell Cavalry.
• 8. Lambeth Loyal Cavalry.
• 9. Loyal Islington Volunteer Cavalry.