Skip to main content

The Tree of Liberty with; the Devil Tempting John Bull, [1798 - 1799]

 Item — Box: LF104/5 Box 1
Reference code: LF104/5/51
The Tree of Liberty with; the Devil Tempting John Bull, [1798 - 1799]
The Tree of Liberty with; the Devil Tempting John Bull, [1798 - 1799]

Scope and Contents

Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. Round a bare and decayed oak-tree is twined a serpent with the head of Fox; he has scaly arms with human hands and holds out a damaged apple inscribed 'Reform', saying, "nice Apple, Johnny! - nice Apple". John Bull (left) is a fat and squat yokel, wearing the Windsor uniform of blue coat with red collar and cuffs. The pockets of his coat and waistcoat bulge with round golden apples. His back is to Fox, towards whom he looks out of the corners of his eyes, saying: "Very nice N'apple indeed! - but my Pokes are all full of Pippins from off t'other Tree: and besides, I hates Medlars, they're so domn'd rotten! that I'se afraid they'll gie me the Guts-ach for all their vine looks!" Fox's scaly tail is coiled round the upper branches; its tip issues from a large cap of 'Liberté', decorated with tricolour cockade and ribbons, which is poised on a branch. The trunk of the tree is 'Opposition'; its roots are: 'Envy', 'Ambition', 'Disappointment'. The main branches are 'Rights of Man' and 'Profligacy'. Each rotten apple or medlar has an inscription: 'Democracy.', 'Treason.', 'Slavery.', 'Atheism.', 'Blasphemy.', 'Plunder.', 'Murder.', 'Whig Club', 'Impiety', 'Revolution', 'Conspiracy', 'Corresponding Society', 'Deism', 'Age of Reason' (Paine's deistic book). In the background (right) is an oak in full leaf: its trunk is 'Justice', the roots 'Commons', 'King', 'Lords', the branches 'Laws' and 'Religion'. From it hangs a crown surrounded by 'pippins', some inscribed 'Freedom', 'Happiness', 'Security'. 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

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository

Contact:
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
+44 (0) 114 222 7299