The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and Progress

by Mason Jackson

‘After which follow’d the likeness of a Man in a Cloud of Fire, with a Sword in his hand, which mov’d with the Clouds as the other did, but they saw it for near a quarter of an Hour together, to their very great surprize, and related the same the next Morning, which they are ready now to affirm if any are so curious to go and Enquire, particularly John Smith, near Tower-street, Abraham Wilsley, on Tower-hill, John Miller, near Clare Market, John Williams, in Cheapside, George Mules and Rebeccah Sampson upon the Water, and Mr. Lomax, Watchman of St. Anns, with many others too tedious to insert.’

Amongst the many newspapers that had sprung into existence the following so far improved upon their small and dingy predecessors as to be adorned with pictorial headings:—The Post Boy, 1720; the Weekly Journal, 1720; the London Journal, 1720; the Weekly Journal, or Saturday’s Post, 1721; Applebee’s Weekly Journal, 1721; Read’s Journal, or British Gazetteer, 1718-31. The last named appeared for many years as the Weekly Journal, or British Gazetteer; but the Weekly Journal was a favourite title, and was borne by so many other papers that after a time the publisher altered the title of his paper to Read’s Journal; or British Gazetteer, and gave it an engraved heading. Read was a man of enterprise, and surpassed his contemporaries in endeavouring to make his journal attractive by means of illustrations. In his paper for Nov. 1, 1718, there is a caricature engraved on wood. It is levelled against the Jacobites, and is called ‘An Hieroglyphick,’ and is introduced to the reader with the following rhymes:—

‘Will Fools and Knaves their own Misfortune see And ponder on the Tories villany Behold this Hieroglyphick, and admire What Loyalty do’s in true Souls inspire! Whate’er the Figures mean we shan’t declare, Because the Jacobites will curse and swear; But if our Readers will this piece explain, Their Explanation we shall not disdain.’

CARICATURE AGAINST THE JACOBITES. FROM ‘READ’S WEEKLY JOURNAL,’ 1718.

Nobody appears to have responded to the invitation conveyed in the verses, for in the succeeding numbers of the paper there is no attempt to explain the ‘hieroglyphick.’ A copy of this early newspaper caricature is given on the opposite page.

In the same journal for May 20, 1721, there is a large woodcut entitled ‘Lucifers Row-Barge,’ which I have also copied. It is a caricature on the South-Sea Bubble, and appears, from what follows, to have been first published in the previous week: ‘The Call for this Journal (last week) being very extraordinary, upon account of the delineation of Lucifer’s Row-Barge in it, we are desired by several of our Correspondents both in City and Country, to present them with it in this week’s paper, with an Explanation of every Representation in the aforesaid Cut, adapted to Figures; with which Request we have comply’d, as supposing it will be acceptable not only to them with such a Design, but likewise pleasing to all our Readers in General.’ The different parts of the engraving are described under the illustration on the following page.

Each of these divisions of the subject is further described in verse. In concocting this satire the author has allowed some symptoms of journalistic jealousy to appear by dragging in the correspondent of the London Journal (which was a rival paper), and describing him as the common hangman. The feeling about the South-Sea Bubble must have been very strong to have made this caricature acceptable. It was intended to satirise Mr. Knight, the cashier of the South-Sea Company, who fled the country when it became too hot for him. The verses which accompany the engraving, though by no means models of poetic elegance, might be commended to the attention of some directors of our own day:—

‘Then what must such vile Plunderers expect When they upon their Actions do reflect; Who barely have three Kingdoms quite undone From aged Father to the Infant Son? From many Eyes they’ve drawn a briny Flood, But Tears to ruined People do no Good.’

SOUTH SEA BUBBLE CARICATURE. FROM THE ‘WEEKLY JOURNAL AND BRITISH GAZETTEER,’ 1721.
‘1. The Cashire of the South Sea Company 2. The Horse of an Accomptant to the South SeaCompany 3. The Correspondent of the Author of the LondonJournal 4. A Stock Jobber, or Exchange Broker, whipt bythe Common Hangman 5. Belzebub prompting a Director of the South Sea 6. Satan prompting the same Director in t’other Ear 7. The Worm of Conscience fastens on the abovesaid Director 8. The Cup of Indignation 9. A Director’s Sacrifice, which is a Villanous Heart 10. A Director in the Pillory 11. The Superscription over the pillory’d Directorparaphras’d from the prophet Ezekiel. Chap.XXII. Ver. 12, 13, and Chap. XXIII. Ver. 25, 26, 27	12. A Director decyphered by the Knave of DiamondsHanged 13. A Director wafting to Hell with the tide 14. Lucifers Row-Barge for first rate passengers 15. Moloch sounds his trumpet for Joy of meetingwith a good Fare 16. Belial playing on the Violin to the Director 17. Mammon takes a trip at Helm for him 18. The South Sea 19. Lucifer rowing his own Barge 20. The Entrance into Hell, represented by theMouth of the Leviathan, or great Whale,belching flames of sulphurous fire.’