The New Peerage or Fountain of Honor, William Dent, 1787

George iii stands on a circular dais of four steps blowing soap-bubbles which are transformed as they fall into coronets; a crowd of greedy supplicants surrounds him. He wears royal robes and holds, in his left hand, his crown, reversed. The steps of the dais are inscribed respectively: 'flattery', 'servility', 'impudence', 'duplicity'. A ribbon stretched horizontally above the king's head has been broken by the bubbles: its two ends are inscribed 'modern qualification interest' (left) and 'ancient qualification merit' (right). Beneath the title is etched 'what is honor but a bubble!' persons wearing coronets stand in the background in back view: none of the supplicants has actually received a coronet though one is about to settle on the head of 'eden', who kneels on the left wearing an apron inscribed 'cobler extraordinary' (an allusion to his mission to paris to negotiate the commercial treaty, see bmsat 6995, &c). The most prominent figure, kneeling in profile to the right before the king, is dundas in highland dress with a bundle inscribed 'sawney controul licensed to deal in british wares' (an allusion to his position on the board of control, see bmsat 7152, &c. ) next is kenyon, his hands clasped in entreaty. Behind these three are pepper arden, a chimney-sweep with his sack and brush on his back, wilkes, inscribed 'turn-coat' (cf. Bmsat 6568, &c), and an unidentified aspirant, full-face and open-mouthed. The candidates on the right, behind the king, are less obsequious but equally eager: one, in quasi-elizabethan costume and wearing a fool's cap with bells, is kneeling, the others stand to catch the falling coronets. One has a porter's knot on his back. One with a wooden leg and patched clothes is alderman brook watson. One resembles alderman curtis, another, wearing a hunting-cap, may be alderman newnham. 12 november 1787 etching. Date: 1787. Dimensions: Height: 247 mm; Width: 342 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Richard Pepper Arden, 1st Baron of Alvanley. Collection: British Museum. The New Peerage or Fountain of Honor (BM 1868,0808.5665)