Peep of day boy's preventing an union by adding fire to the sun!!! An Irish method of throwing cold water on a subject., Isaac Cruikshank, 1799

A mob of irishmen runs off with a large sun; they hold the spiky rays which radiate, together with flames, from a disk containing the features of pitt. One man (left), flourishing a hatchet, holds a firebrand to a pile of logs; he says: "huzza erin go brack now we have made bon fires for something aye, aye we'll put out their rush light". The mob, with pikes, axes, &c, bear the sun towards the bonfire. Three of the men say: "by the holy proker they are all in darkshine now"; "by shaint patrick when we have put out this jontlemans we shall bring the moon into general use"; "arrah my boys down with their day lights & then we shall have night all day long". In the background is the irish channel bordered by a cliff inscribed 'holy head'. On this stands fox, cheering on the mob. 2 march 1799 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1799. Dimensions: Height: 231 mm; Width: 341 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Charles James Fox. Collection: British Museum. Peep of day boy's preventing an union by adding fire to the sun!!! An Irish method of throwing cold water on a subject. (BM 1868,0808.6822)