Paine lies asleep on straw on a ramshackle wooden bedstead, covered by his coat. He wears a cap inscribed 'libertas'. He lies diagonally from left to right, facing the spectator. On the head of his bed are drawn the profile heads, with wings, of his guardian angels: priestley (left) and fox (right). His head rests on a bundle of straw round which is a striped and torn (?) flag inscribed 'vive l'america'. His arm lies across an open book: 'the rights of farthing candles proving their equality with the sun & moon. And the necessity of a reformation in the planetary system. ' from his coat-pocket protrudes a pamphlet: 'common sense or reason destructive to free government. ' on a table by his side (right) are a rat with its head caught in a trap, writing materials, and a paper: 'the golden age the art of equalizing the property of princes & pikemen. '
his dream appears surrounded with clouds on the right of the design. Three judges are represented by their empty wigs: before each hangs a long scroll headed [1] 'pleas for thos paine. Ignorance poverty envy. ' [2] 'charges against thos paine libels scurrilities lies perjuries, rebellions, treasons. ' [3] 'punishments for thos paine corporal pain contempt, detestation. ' behind is the stone wall of a dungeon with a closely barred window, on each side of which hang heavy shackles. A gibbet and a pillory also emerge from the clouds. 26 november 1792
etching and aquatint. Date: 1792. Dimensions: Height: 244 mm; Width: 342 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Charles James Fox. Collection: British Museum. Tom Paine's Nightly Pest (BM 1851,0901.624)
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