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Creator:
James Gillray, 1756–1815
Title:
Prince Pitt
Date:
1788
Materials & Techniques:
Etching with hand coloring in watercolor on thin, slightly textured, cream wove paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 18 1/2 × 11 inches (47 × 27.9 cm), Image: 15 5/8 × 10 3/4 inches (39.7 × 27.3 cm)
Inscription(s)/Marks/Lettering:

Lettered above image: "PRINCE PITT"; inside image: "A CUT PURSE OF THE | EMPIRE AND THE RULE | THAT FROM A SHELF THE | PRECIOUS DIADEM STOLE, | AND PUT IT IN HIS POCKET. | HAMLET | The Prince of Wales has no more | right to the Regency than I have. | Shop Tax | Window Tax | Candles Tax | Horse Tax | Hat Tax | Westminster Scrutiny | Irish Proposition | Fortification Schemes | Degradation of Naval Officer | Excise laws &c. &c. &c. | I am as good a bastard as R____d, & yet | I have only 6 or 700 £ a year upon the Ex- | cise on Wine & spiritous liquors - But Prince | Pitt has promised me and addtional Tax | on Malt. | Tho' a Bastard of the Stuart Race, I have | only 17,000 £ per ann: from the Poor | for my duty on Coals make it 20,000 | Prince Pitt, and I am yours for ever. | I appeal to the People of England to defend | their own Rights 7 those of the House | of Brunswick against this | Banditti of Plunderers."; below image: "PRINCE PITT. | see here PRINCE GEORGE! our SOVEREIGN'S darling Son, | OLD ENGLAND'S Hope & Heir to BRITAIN'S Throne: | Trod under Foot the ROYAL VICTIM lies; | The while, PRINCE PITT above him dare to rise. | Our rightful Prince, the HEIR APPARENT down, | This new PRETENDER hopes to filch the CROWN. | Two base-born Dukes of the curs'd STUART BREED | Bend their vile necks to help him to the Deed | 'Tis G----N'S Duke upon the left you see; | The most renown'd for greatest Treachery. | But he would shews his bald pate on the right | is R----D's Duke who never yet would fight. | May God eternally conuse their Scheme; | And make them vanish like an empty Dream! | Rouse BRITONS, rouse! hands, hearts in chorus joy | To guard OUR LAWS and save the BRUNSWICK LINE | Huzza! my Boys! our courage never fails | God save the KING! God bless the PRINCE OF WALES."

Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1981.25.819
Classification:
Prints
Collection:
Prints and Drawings
Associated People:
Pitt, William [known as Pitt the younger] (1759–1806), prime minister
George IV (1762–1830), king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and king of Hanover
Access:
Accessible by appointment in the Study Room [Request]
Note: The Study Room is open by appointment. Please visit the Study Room page on our website for more details.
Link:
https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/tms:43446
Export:
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British Museum, Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum, 11 volumes in 12, British Museum Publications, London, no. 7389, NE55 G7 L63 A52 1978 (YCBA) [YCBA]


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