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"Improvement in Weights and Measures." -or- Sir John Seeclear Discovering ye Balance of ye British Flag, [1798 - 1799]

 Item — Box: LF104/5 Box 1
Reference code: LF104/5/50
"Improvement in Weights and Measures." -or- Sir John Seeclear Discovering ye Balance of ye British Flag, [1798 - 1799]
"Improvement in Weights and Measures." -or- Sir John Seeclear Discovering ye Balance of ye British Flag, [1798 - 1799]

Scope and Contents

Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. Sinclair, tall and thin, stands full-face, holding up in his right hand a balance (steelyard, or stilliard) inscribed 'Vive le Egalité'. A large British flag at the right end of the beam much outweighs a bunch of objects at the other; three documents: [1] 'Navy of England to be retaind viz: 50000 Seamen and half a Dozen Ships of War - 500000 Sailors to be sent to plant Potatoes.' [2] '10 000 heavy reasons for giving the Enemy a fair chance of getting out of their Ports.' [3] 'Advantages of cold oeconomy'. Below these are bunches of turnips, carrots, a cabbage, the whole terminating in a pendent bonnet-rouge. Sinclair is fashionably dressed, wearing a hat, half-boots, ill-fitting coat, and overcoat almost to the ankles. On a heavily draped writing-table (right) are three large volumes: 'Improvements in the Art of Political Dunging and Pursuits of Agriculture.' A paper: 'The Apostate Laird - a Parliamentary Romance - together with Loss of the Agricultural Arm' Chair. On the wall (right) is a picture of three pigs feeding at a trough of 'Democratic Verbosity'; this is 'Pigs Meat: or new method of feeding the Swinish Multitude'. Beside it is a placard: 'Table of Weights and Measures laid down upon the true democratic Principle of the Stilliards of Egalité'. A patterned carpet completes the design. Description from the British Museum.

Dates

  • Creation: [1798 - 1799]

Conditions Governing Access

Physical item available by appointment in our Reading Room

Extent

1.0 Item(s)

Language of Materials

English