Effusions of a Pot of Porter, -or- Ministerial Conjurations for Supporting the War, [1798 - 1799]
Scope and Contents
Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. A large frothing tankard stands on a cask whose head forms the base of the design. From the froth Pitt emerges as Death on the White Horse, giving the effect of a fantastic equestrian statue on a high pedestal. Pitt is in back view; in his right hand is a flaming sword, his left arm is raised, he turns his head slightly to the right, his right leg is extended; he wears his ordinary dress with heavily spurred top-boots. His head is the centre of rays on which his orders are inscribed, above it: 'Bella! \ Horrida \ Bella!' On the left are heavy clouds about to cover the sun, whose features indicate profound sleep; rays to the left are inscribed: 'Sun get thee to Bed! Myself will Light ye World' and 'Ho Rains! - Deluges! - Drown the Harvest!' Slanting rain descends in torrents from the clouds, battering down heads of wheat and obscuring a cottage in the background. On the right are the winds: four cherubs' heads blowing violent blasts in every direction, two of which are filled with swarms of insects. Rays to the right are inscribed: 'Pestiferous Winds! blast the fruits of the Earth!' and 'Ho! Flies! Grubs, Caterpillars! destroy the Hops!' The blasts strike hops twined round poles on the right of the design. On the tankard is a large '4' within a circle inscribed 'Pro-Bono-Ministero', and a small 'WP' with the Pitt crest of stork and anchor. On the cask a long lighted pipe inscribed 'Bellendenus' lies across a paper of tobacco inscribed : 'Ruin upon Ruin, or an Essay on the Ways and Means for supporting the cursed War.' The title continues: 'as lately discover'd by Dr P-----r, in the Froth and Fumes of his favorite Beverage - \ "Four Pence a Pot for Porter! - mercy upon us! - ah! its all owing to the War and the cursed Ministry! - have not \ "They ruind the Harvest? - have not They Blighted all the Hops? - Have not They brought on the destructive Rains, \ "that we might be Ruin'd in order to support the War? - and brib'd the Sun not to Shine, that they may Plunder us in the dark?" - Vide, the Doctor's Reveries, every Day after Dinner.' 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
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
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