Lord lonsdale as satan is seated in triumph, his right foot resting on a sack of 'coals from the infernal pitt. ' (pitt gave lowther his peerage, see bmsat 6579. ) peter pindar (wolcot) (left) kneels on one knee at his feet, with clasped hands, beseeching mercy. A lawyer (right) whose legs are twisted serpents crouches at his left hand writing 'peter pindar' in a book inscribed 'black list'; he is the coachman of bmsat 8155. Lonsdale is a magnificently arrogant figure with horns, wings, and muscular legs which are bare from the knee, his toes being talons; he resembles the satan of bmsat 6027. He wears an earl's coronet inscribed 'evil be thou my good', and a military coat with epaulettes. From his mouth issues two streams of flame inscribed:
'no, peter, no, in vain you sue,
tis my turn now! th' devil must have his due \
fines! imprisonment! pillory! o it's hellish charming. '
in his left hand, which rests on his knee, is a flaming torch inscribed 'epistle to lord lonsd[ale] by peter pindar'. Behind his head is a large halo from which radiate tongues of flame that reach to the margins of the design, each with an inscription (left to right): 'frightening a poor poet out of his wits'; 'ruining creditors by lawsuits'; 'undermining whitehaven' [see bmsat 8155]; 'bribing witnesses to perjure themselves'; 'the art of making soldiers serve without pay'; 'and the advantage of their going without breeches' [see bmsat 6579]; 'breaking matrimonial engagements from charitable motives'; 'hum-buging government out of a ship of war' [see bmsat 6246]; 'bringing sham trials to ruin the county'; 'shutting up the mines to starve a thousand families' [see bmsat 8155]; 'buying up my own debts at half a crown for the pound'; 'making a hell-hound my clerk & attorney. ' the last inscription points at the lawyer as the first does at pindar. Pindar's clothes are ragged, toes protrude through a tattered shoe. He says:
"o l------, kick me, cuff me, call me rogue,
varlet, & knave, & vagabond, & dog. But do not bring me for my harmless wit,
where greybeards in their robes terrific sit. "
from his pocket project two books: 'odes upon cowardice' and 'odes of importance alias conciliatory odes'. The latter, published in 1792, contained an 'ode to lord lonsdale', in which lonsdale is urged to imitate the king's forbearance towards 'the poet's harmless wit'; it is by no means abject, and threatens him with an independent jury and erskine's irony. Pindar's words (above) are a misquotation from 'odes of importance' (p. 27), the passage begins: 'mild minstrel, could their lordships call thee rogue'. Lonsdale's attorney holds 'briefs' and 'writs' under his left arm, on which a brief-bag is hung. The coals issuing from lonsdale's sack are inscribed: 'covetousness', 'dissimulation', 'rapine', 'treachery', 'malice', 'cruelty', 'envy', 'pride', 'ingratitude', 'deceit', 'swindling', 'rapine', 'meanness'. After the title is engraved: 'sketch'd from the peep-hole at scalegill, to the worthy inhabitants of cumberland, this impartial representation of the virtues of his infernal majesty, is respectfully dedicated. ' 8 may 1792
etching and engraving. Date: 1792. Dimensions: Height: 460 mm; Width: 343 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Sir James Lowther, 1st Earl of Lonsdale. Collection: British Museum. Satan in all his glory; - or - Peter Pindar crouching to the Devil. (BM 1868,0808.10372 1)
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