Engraving (coloured and uncoloured impressions). The King sits in an armchair in profile to the left, bending forward to eat a boiled egg, holding the egg-cup in his lefyt hand. Opposite him, and partly concealed by the left margin, sits the Queen, avidly stuffing salad into her mouth. On the small round table are a bowl of salad and two jugs of oil and vinegar. Everything in the room denotes miserliness: the King has tucked the end of the tablecloth into his collar to protect his dress; his breeches are patched; his chair is swathed in protective coverings, his feet rest on a mat which protects the carpet. A richly chased flagon, decorated with the royal arms which stands on the ground beside him, is inscribed 'Aqua Regis'. The handle of the bell-pull is covered by a bag. Behind the King's back, and on the extreme right, is a fireplace; in the grate is a vase containing snowdrops, holly and mistletoe, to show that although it is winter there is no fire. A grotesque figure in relief squats above the oval grate, his hands in a muff. On the chimney-piece stand a small pair of scales such as were used for weighing guineas; resembling those held by the Queen; a candelabra formed of a woman's figure, 'Munificence', holding two empty cornucopias; one candle is intact, the other is burned low and is covered by an extinguisher surmounted by a crown. Above the chimney-piece is a picture: 'The fall of Manna', in which the Bible story is realistically depicted: round cakes (? or coins) descent from Heaven and are caught in sacks by Jews wearing contemporary dress; behind are tents and a mountain. Above the King's head hangs an empty picture frame inscribed 'The Triumph of Benevolence. Below it hangs an oval miniature of the King in profile to the right, inscribed 'The Man of Ross' (John Kyrle (1637-1724), noted for frugality and charity, see D.N.B), and above it is the lower arc of another empty frame inscribed Epicurus. In the foreground (r.) behind the King is an iron-bound and padlocked chest on and beside which are three books: 'Life of Old Elwes' (the miser, a popular work by Topham), 'Dr Cayne on the benefits of a Spare Diet', and 'Essay on the dearness of Provisions'. Behind the Queen is the heavily bolted door of a strong-room; on it hangs a placard: 'Table of Interest, 5 p cent. 5 million . . . 250,000' (&c, the total interest forming a colossal byt scarcely legible amount). Above the door is the lower part of an empty frame: 'Parting of the Loaves & Fishes'. The supposed miserliness of the King and Queen was a favourite subject of caricature. The frugality of the King's meals was well known. Grego, 'Gillray', p. 149-50 (small copy); Wright and Evans, No. 86. Reprinted, 'G.W.G.' 1830. Reproduced, Fuchs, after p.248. Partial description from Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires Vol. VI. 8117.

Companion print to LF104/2/30.