Spectators watch military manoeuvres in the air. The sky is covered with camps, marching men, and galloping cavalry, some are in military formation, others are single figures. There are tents and marquees with wings; a man beats a drum, three orientals wearing turbans race through the air beating cymbals (cf. Bmsat 7914). In the foreground (left) spectators on horseback look up in amazement, one horse throws its rider; geese, goslings, and pigs are under the horses' feet. On the right the king and queen sit together on a bank; the king gazing through a small telescope, the queen looking at him with delighted astonishment. In front of them is a gate over which two officers mounted on winged cannon are gracefully leaping, a third soars into the air. The camp at bagshot, see bmsat 8115, &c, was formed to introduce new manoeuvres for rapid movement, and the troops were to strike their tents and move their camps several times, to hertford bridge, guildford, &c. Peter pindar ridiculed the camp, the duke of richmond, 'the galloping, the flying duke', and the visitors:
'say, how went forth to see him half the nation
their mouths well cramm'd with dust and admiration -. . All the duke's friends, great quality and small;
our great king george, and lovely queen,
were entertain'd scot-free, i ween -
our generous nation doom'd to pay it all. '
'a pair of lyric epistles', 1792, pp. 8-9. 24 july 1792. Etching. Date: 1792. Dimensions: Height: 315 mm; Width: 385 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Charlotte, Queen of George III. Collection: British Museum. Amusement for John Bull or the flying camp (BM 1868,0808.10341)
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