The prince of wales stands (left) turning from, but looking towards, fox and sheridan, ragged sansculottes, who kneel (right) on the farther side of a rail inscribed 'hitherto shall ye go & no further'. In the background and on the extreme left is the king, saying, "bring hither the fatted calf we will rejoice & make merry for i have found the sheep that was lost. " the prince says, "i know ye not, vain profligates, fall to your prayers; how ill white hairs become a fool fe? jester. . ", the quotation continues, written as prose, and slightly altered, to adapt it to the change from 'old man' to 'vain proffligates'. It ends: "the tutors & the feeders of my riots; vd henery 4 [second part, v. V]. "i will return to my father & say unto him. Father i have sinned against heaven & in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants. "
fox and sheridan weeping, making imploring gestures towards the prince. From fox's coat-pocket projects a letter with a tricolour cockade: 'your affectionate brother egalité'. From sheridan's pocket issues a paper: 'after you have caused the same disturbances in your country that we have long enjoyed here, fly to the arms of your dear brother condorcet'. Both are saying: "we have often devised, matter enough to keep him in continual laughfter, the wearing out of six fashions, which is four terms, or two actions; & he has laughed without intervalliums, a lye with a strong oath, & a jest with a sad brow, has done with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders, we have seen him laugh, till his face has been like a cloak ill laid up; v henery 4" (incorrectly quoted from v. 1. ) below, the title: 'no more coalitions no more french cut throats. ' 7 march 1793. Hand-coloured etching. Date: 1793. Dimensions: Height: 265 mm; Width: 400 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Charles James Fox. Collection: British Museum. False liberty rejected or fraternizing & equalizing principles discarded (BM 1868,0808.6280)
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