April 1, 1809. Mrs. Clarke's Farewell to her Audience. Tailpiece. Published by T. Tegg.—All the principal performers—generals, colonels, captains, reverend doctors, Master Carter, &c.—who have figured in the 'Clarke Scandal,' and throughout the series of satirical prints which Rowlandson designed on the Delicate Enquiry, are drawn up on the stage, in proper theatrical fashion, to acknowledge the gratifying reception accorded their exertions at the hands of an appreciative public. The national prototype, as the paying patron of the performance, is in the stage box, clapping his hands with enthusiasm, and shouting, 'Bravo, bravo!' Mrs. Clarke, as the leading actress, is standing in front of the line of players, dressed in semi-martial fashion, with a military hat on her head, epaulettes, a gorget, a laced coat, and a crimson sash. She is speaking the farewell address, which is as follows:—'Ladies and Gentlemen,—Having done our duty as far as we were called upon, we most humbly take our leave of a generous audience; not, like the generality of actors, wishing for a repetition of the performance, but, on the contrary, that it may never again be repeated. As to our friend Mr. Tegg, we hope that the graphic illustrations of this drama, which he and his performers have brought forward, may meet with that encouragement which is never denied to the effusions of whim and humour by a loyal and liberal British public; but I particularly request that, while you acquit the Bishop, you will be merciful to his Clarke.'
April 4, 1809. Original Plan for a Popular Monument, to be erected in Gloucester Place. Published by T. Tegg.—The contributaries to this monument of turpitude are grouped together to form a memorial suited to the occasion. The foundation-stone is a huge block, labelled 'York Folly,' supported on one side by the Episcopal mitre and crozier of the Right Rev. Bishop of Osnabrück, with a scroll of 'The New Morality.' The accessories on the other side are the cocked-hat, sword, and tender love-letters of the ex-Commander-in-Chief. A block of 'Cracked Portland Stone,' and a third slab of 'Folkestone of the first quality,' refer to the agitations raised by the Duke of Portland and Lord Folkestone; the more spirited elements are ranged above this foundation, in the form of a barrel of 'Whitbread's Entire,' 'Burdett's Stingo,' and 'Wardle's British Spirit,' these gentlemen having been the most active in enforcing the Duke's resignation. 'Romilly Freestone' supports a pair of medallions representing the two officers consigned to Newgate for prevarication—'Sandon' and 'Clavering's Dumps.' Mrs. Clarke's Pyramid, a golden cone, caps the edifice reared on corruption.
April 5, 1809. A York Address to the Whale Caught lately off Gravesend. Published by T. Tegg.—The Duke of York, in his regimentals, has gone down on his knees to the latest wonder of the hour, and is beseeching the popular arrival to divert the minds of an excitement-loving public from his own particular case: 'O mighty monster of the deep, continue to attract the attention of John Bull, bend his mind solely towards thee, for in that is my only hope; fascinated by thy powerful attractions, he may perhaps forget the honour of a Prince.'
April 10, 1809. The Flower of the City.—The figure of Alderman Flower is represented in the centre of a huge sunflower blowing on a stem, 'Weak Stock,' planted in a pot of 'Rank Butter,' and elevated on two cheeses, marked 'Mouldy and Rotten.' A sinister blast from a diabolical agent is withering the plant, and the leaves are falling; they are labelled with various uncomplimentary sentences, suggesting all kinds of vices, belonging to the parent shoot. Below this unflattering tribute to the Alderman is inscribed the following parody of verses:—
The Flow'r of the City, so gaudy and fine,
'Midst proud ones the proudest, was erst known to shine.
It spread its gay leaves and it show'd its rich clothes,
And to all (less in consequence) turn'd up its nose!
Till a blight, a sad blight, from a Democrat wind
Struck the sensitive plant, both before and behind.
It felt the keen blast! All its arrogance fled,
And the Flow'r of the City hung, hung down its head.
The Flow'r of the City, thus doom'd to despair,
Droops, pines, and with wailing impregnates the air!
Tells its pride and its folly (the cause of its grief),
While the tears of repentance encumber each leaf!
But vain are its tears, or the fate it bemoans,
The world, the base world, gives but hisses and groans!
For ever! for ever! its proud hopes are fled,
And the Flow'r of the City hangs, hangs down its head.
April 10, 1809. The Modern Babel, or Giants Crushed by a Weight of Evidence. Published by T. Tegg.—The unfortunate Duke of York, with his Counsel and learned supporters, are crushed down under the weight of a compound structure which has been imposed upon their heads and shoulders. The bulkiest mass is the Evidence of Mrs. Clarke; Miss Taylor's Evidence is next in consequence, and the pyramidal slabs decrease upwards: Sly hits from Sandon and Clavering; Home Strokes from Dowling; Mrs. Hovendon's Evidence; Mrs. Tavery, Doctor O'Meara, Master Carter, &c. The person of Mrs. Clarke, posed in a triumphant attitude, is the figure which completes this superstructure of folly.
April 18, 1809. The Sick Lion and the Asses. Published by T. Tegg.—The Duke of York's head is placed on the shoulders of the disabled forest king, a pair of asses are showing their heels to the royal beast. 'What a Cur it is!' and 'Every man has his Price,' written on their collars, proclaim the identity of these animals. Another ass, of deeper cunning, forbears to take advantage of the prostrate lion, from far-seeing motives: 'Pshaw, pshaw! don't be afraid, I shall not kick, you may depend upon me—you may be of service to me hereafter!'
The apologue is said to be 'taken from Mr. Waithman's speech at the Common Hall:' 'When the royal beast was sick to death, and unable to defend himself, the minor beasts he had injured came to revile him with their wrongs; but when the dull asses came to fling their heels at him the royal animal exclaimed: "Injuries from others I can bear with resignation, but to bear insult from such vile animals as asses is to die a hundred deaths!"'
April 21, 1809. Burning the Books. Published by T. Tegg.—As we have traced in the summary of the diversified proceedings in the Clarke Scandal, the friends of the Duke of York were glad, as a last resource, to make terms with the enemy; and the conditions under which Mrs. Clarke's silence was purchased being published abroad (considering the publicity of the circumstances attending the Investigation, the terms of surrender could not be disguised), the satirists made merry over this fresh instance of tergiversation.