The Volcano of Opposition, cartoon
TitleThe Volcano of Opposition, cartoon
ReferenceFRAMED/220
Date
16 May 1791
Production date 1791-05-16 - 1791-05-16
Scope and ContentCatalogue of political and personal satires preserved in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum: vol 6
"London Published May 16 1791 by W Holland No 50 Oxford Street
Engraving (coloured impression).
A burlesque representation of the famous quarrel in the House of Commons between Burke and Fox on 6 May. Burke stands in profile to the l., gesticulating, his clenched fist extended towards Fox (1.) who stands weeping, consoled by Sheridan. From Burke's mouth, as from a volcano, issues a cascade of flame, which rises to fall on Fox; in it are the words: "Black as ten furies! Jacobite Miscreants, The very dregs of infamy, Terrible as Hell! Infernal Spawn, Damnation, Jacobite renegades, Fiends of Hell, Pimps Panders Parasites Devils". Sheridan stands on the extreme l., his hand on Fox, saying, "Be comforted, my dear Charles, let not the effusions of a Demoniac afflict you so severely! Live to be a comfort to your poor Sherry". Fox, with his handkerchief to his r. eye, answers, "Talk not to me of comfort the derision of the world thrown on my poor old master will break my heart". Heavy clouds of smoke fill the House. Behind, the Speaker, Addington, behind the table with books and mace, flees terror-stricken from his chair to the r. A crowd of members on the r. flee from the House, looking back in horror at Burke; one calls “Monro! Monro!” (appealing for Dr. Monro, the expert on lunacy). Terrified spectators in the gallery (r.) are freely sketched. The stream of abuse which issues from Burke's mouth appears to derive from Burke's quotation from "Paradise Lost" on 11 May, applying the words to the French Constitution :
A shape.
If shape it might be called, that shape had none
Black it stood as night,
Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell,
A cry of hell-hounds never ceasing bark
With wide Cerberian mouths full loud, and ring
A hideous peal."
"London Published May 16 1791 by W Holland No 50 Oxford Street
Engraving (coloured impression).
A burlesque representation of the famous quarrel in the House of Commons between Burke and Fox on 6 May. Burke stands in profile to the l., gesticulating, his clenched fist extended towards Fox (1.) who stands weeping, consoled by Sheridan. From Burke's mouth, as from a volcano, issues a cascade of flame, which rises to fall on Fox; in it are the words: "Black as ten furies! Jacobite Miscreants, The very dregs of infamy, Terrible as Hell! Infernal Spawn, Damnation, Jacobite renegades, Fiends of Hell, Pimps Panders Parasites Devils". Sheridan stands on the extreme l., his hand on Fox, saying, "Be comforted, my dear Charles, let not the effusions of a Demoniac afflict you so severely! Live to be a comfort to your poor Sherry". Fox, with his handkerchief to his r. eye, answers, "Talk not to me of comfort the derision of the world thrown on my poor old master will break my heart". Heavy clouds of smoke fill the House. Behind, the Speaker, Addington, behind the table with books and mace, flees terror-stricken from his chair to the r. A crowd of members on the r. flee from the House, looking back in horror at Burke; one calls “Monro! Monro!” (appealing for Dr. Monro, the expert on lunacy). Terrified spectators in the gallery (r.) are freely sketched. The stream of abuse which issues from Burke's mouth appears to derive from Burke's quotation from "Paradise Lost" on 11 May, applying the words to the French Constitution :
A shape.
If shape it might be called, that shape had none
Black it stood as night,
Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell,
A cry of hell-hounds never ceasing bark
With wide Cerberian mouths full loud, and ring
A hideous peal."
Extent1 framed item
Physical descriptionDimensions (H X W): 40cm X 46cm
Persons keywordBurke, Edmund, Fox, Charles James, Sheridan, Richard, Addington, Henry
Conditions governing accessOpen
Levelfile
Normal locationD Plan Chest Drawer 3 (Room 12)