Bank-notes, paper-money, -French-alarmists, -o, the devil, the devil!-Ah! poor John-Bull!!!

Size 36cm x 26cm

Originally published by Hannah Humphrey etched by James Gillray from 'The Genuine Works of James Gillray, engraved by himself. Thomas McLean edition on heavy rag-paper from the original copper plates printed 1830.

William Pitt (left) as a bank-clerk, very thin and much caricatured, a pen thrust through his wig, stands behind an L-shaped counter offering a handful of bank-notes to John Bull. In his right hand is a scoop with which he sweeps up notes from the counter. John is the yokel, but no longer bewildered; he stands stolidly, holding out his left hand for thenotes, his right hand in his coat pocket. Fox (right), who wears a high cocked hat with tricolour cockade, bag-wig, and laced suit, says to him: "Dont take his damn'd Paper, John! insist upon having Gold, to make your Peace with the French, when they come". Sheridan bends towards John, saying, "Dont take his Notes! nobody takes Notes now! - they'll not even take Mine!" John answers: "I wool take it! - a' may as well let my Measter Billy hold the Gold to keep away you Frenchmen, as save it, to gee it you, when ye come over, with your domn'd invasion." Behind (right) hands of other Foxites are raised in warning, and on the extreme right is the profile of Stanhope.

Behind (left), men hasten towards Pitt with large sacks of notes on their heads. The first two, in judge's robes, are Loughborough with a sack of '20 Shilling Notes', and Kenyon with one of 'Five Pound Notes'. Behind is Grenville with a sack of '10 Shilling Notes'. Other sacks whose bearers are hidden are inscribed '5 Shilling No[tes], 2 Shillin No[tes]', and 'One Shilling'. Under Pitt's counter is a row of large sacks of gold, padlocked and inscribed '£'. On the end of the counter, facing the spectator, is posted a bill headed: 'Order of Council to the Bank of England'. 1 March 1797