Cartoon: Diversions of Purley
TitleCartoon: Diversions of Purley
ReferenceFRAMED/719
Date
1808
Production date 1808 - 1808
Scope and ContentFrom M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', VIII, 1947:
A rowdy scene at the dinner-table of Horne Tooke, at Wimbledon. At one end (l.) sits Bosville decapitating a dog, 'John Bull', at a small guillotine standing on the table. In his pocket is a pamphlet: 'Killing no Murder' [by Saxby, 1657]. Two young men watch with pleasure. On his back under the table lies an ugly 'Irish pleader' (probably Curran, who often visited England). A brawny man in Highland dress, wearing a broadsword, argues across the table with a military officer; he has smashed the table with his fist. Opposite, Burdett's brother, Jones Burdett, stands tipsily flourishing bottle and glass. A man in volunteer uniform (Lord Duncannon) empties a tankard of beer on the head of a brewer described as 'Tim'. Parson Este, wearing a cassock over Harlequin's dress, stands on the table, posturing with a poker and a cat; a book, 'My own Life', is tucked into his belt. Horne Tooke and Burdett, both wearing bonnets rouges, sit close together, Burdett studying a 'Horn Book' [to illustrate his childish dependence on Tooke], while Tooke abstracts his purse to illustrate an explanation of 'Droits' which he is giving his pupil. At the end of the table (r.) are two barristers in conversation; one is Clifford, holding a pamphlet: 'Flower for Libel'. The other hugs a bottle inscribed 'Essence of Algernon' [Sidney, the republican]. On the farther side of the table two guests clasp hands, waving their bonnets rouges. An officer who had been in Egypt (in civilian dress) lies on the ground (r.), drunk (? Lord Hutchinson). On the r. end of the table is a plaster figure ot a naked child wearing a bonnet rouge and holding up a cap of Liberty on a staff, and described as holding a phallus. It stands on a pedestal: 'To Reason and Liberty'. On the floor, besides broken bottles and glasses, are books.
A rowdy scene at the dinner-table of Horne Tooke, at Wimbledon. At one end (l.) sits Bosville decapitating a dog, 'John Bull', at a small guillotine standing on the table. In his pocket is a pamphlet: 'Killing no Murder' [by Saxby, 1657]. Two young men watch with pleasure. On his back under the table lies an ugly 'Irish pleader' (probably Curran, who often visited England). A brawny man in Highland dress, wearing a broadsword, argues across the table with a military officer; he has smashed the table with his fist. Opposite, Burdett's brother, Jones Burdett, stands tipsily flourishing bottle and glass. A man in volunteer uniform (Lord Duncannon) empties a tankard of beer on the head of a brewer described as 'Tim'. Parson Este, wearing a cassock over Harlequin's dress, stands on the table, posturing with a poker and a cat; a book, 'My own Life', is tucked into his belt. Horne Tooke and Burdett, both wearing bonnets rouges, sit close together, Burdett studying a 'Horn Book' [to illustrate his childish dependence on Tooke], while Tooke abstracts his purse to illustrate an explanation of 'Droits' which he is giving his pupil. At the end of the table (r.) are two barristers in conversation; one is Clifford, holding a pamphlet: 'Flower for Libel'. The other hugs a bottle inscribed 'Essence of Algernon' [Sidney, the republican]. On the farther side of the table two guests clasp hands, waving their bonnets rouges. An officer who had been in Egypt (in civilian dress) lies on the ground (r.), drunk (? Lord Hutchinson). On the r. end of the table is a plaster figure ot a naked child wearing a bonnet rouge and holding up a cap of Liberty on a staff, and described as holding a phallus. It stands on a pedestal: 'To Reason and Liberty'. On the floor, besides broken bottles and glasses, are books.
Extent1 item
Physical descriptionDimensions (WxH): 33cm x 21cm. Paper. Colour. [Mounted on flimsy paper, with explanation glued on]
LanguageEnglish
Persons keywordTooke, John Horne, Burdett, Francis
SubjectHumour, Radicalism, Cartoons
Conditions governing accessOpen
Levelfile
Normal locationAA Framed Box 4 (Cellar)