The bubbles of opposition
[London?] : [publisher not identified], pubd. July 19th, 1788.
Title etched below image.
Printmaker from British Museum catalogue.
Publisher's name, faintly visible at end of imprint but illegible, appears to have been burnished from plate.
"Price 1 s."
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
"Fox (three quarter length), very obese, stands (left) blowing soap-bubbles from a long pipe, with an expression of calculating complacency; these contain heads of Lord John Townshend and other Foxites. He stands beside a tub of soap-suds (right), inscribed 'Coalition Washing Tub', in which are two heads with closed eyes, one (left) is North, the other is (?) Burke. It stands on a block of masonry inscribed 'Portland Stone' (Portland being the nominal leader of the Coalition). Beside the tub are piles of guineas, some arranged on a paper inscribed 'Devonshire Sope'. The head contained in the bubble which is leaving the bowl of the pipe is exploding; the smoke and flames are inscribed 'Towns End' showing that he is Lord John Townshend. The largest bubble contains a head of the Prince of Wales and is inscribed 'Ich dien'. Between this and Townshend's bubble are six others, containing the heads of Burke, the Duke of Portland, the Duke of Norfolk, Sheridan, Lord Stormont, and Hanger. In the upper left corner is another bubble containing the head of (?) Windham, while a bubble, the lower part only of which is visible, contains a mouth and cheek resembling those of Lord Carlisle in caricature."--British Museum online catalogue.