An Irish Howl, 1 March 1799
Scope and Contents
Artist: Thomas Rowlandson. Published: James Whittle. Pl. from the 'Anti-Jacobin Review', ii. 233. On the extreme right the Devil holds up a canvas, 'le Tableau Parlant', which terrifies twelve Irishmen grouped round an oblong table. In their alarm the heavy table has been overturned, some are on the ground, others (left) flee in terror. The Devil, who looks round the edge of his picture, wears a bonnet-rouge inscribed 'Anarchy'; labels hang from his horn: 'Blasph[emy]' and 'Parracide'. He says "Stew it well - It cannot be Overdone for you and me". In the picture, 'Irish Stew I A Favourite Disk for French Palates', two French soldiers superintend the boiling of a Revolutionary Pot, in which stand three naked Irishmen shrieking for mercy; one says: "Liberty of being Stewed"; the other, "Equality - all to be stewed en Masse". Above the table five harpies fly off with a tattered cloth inscribed 'Map of Ireland'. They are intended for the Directors, three having belts inscribed 'Tallien' (not a Director), 'Barras', and 'Le Paux'. On the table is a paper, 'United Irishmen'. The Irishmen make gestures of terror or despair. Most look at the picture, one looks upwards, saying: "Poor Erin How thourt torn to pieces by these five Harpies." A fugitive looks round to say "What your own A. O Connor too!" A lawyer (? Curran): "So much for Republicani[sm] and glorious Independence! No Money! No Lawyer." A monk: "By St Patrick a complete Catholic Emancipation." Three others say: "I now howl in Vain - We are all gone to Pot"; "Brother John [Bull] would not have treated us so -" ; "My Merits with the Republic should have saved me, but I find we must all stew together" [he is perhaps Grattan]; "A Radical Reform by Jasus". Beside the last speaker, a ragged peasant, lies a bundle of pikes etc. Description from the British Museum.
Dates
- Creation: 1 March 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
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
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