Fox steps from a boat, and is greeted vociferously by his supporters. One foot is on land, the other in the boat, in which stands mrs. Armstead, whose hand fox holds, about to lead her to shore. In his right hand are his hat and a netted bag within which are cards and dice-boxes. Mrs. Armstead, who is flamboyantly dressed and wears a large hat trimmed with feathers and a fox's brush, holds under her left arm a cask inscribed 'geneva [gin]', cf. Bmsat 7370. The boat is the 'prince of wales cutter', of 'pickled herring stairs'; it is propelled by a grinning devil, who uses the end of his pitchfork as a punt-pole, and is dressed in a sailor's striped trousers. Two small demons stand on the shore blowing trumpets; to one is attached a banner inscribed 'morning herald'. A band of fox's supporters kneels to receive him; their leader is hall the apothecary, a pen thrust through the side-curl of his wig; he holds out to fox his apothecary's mortar which contains the crown and a sceptre; it is inscribed 'regen[t] man midwife'. Behind him kneels burke, his raised hands clasped; he is dressed as a jesuit (cf. Bmsat 6026) but has a bald head. Less prominent are sheridan, between burke and hall, lord john townshend (?) behind burke, and george hanger, whose eye and nose only are visible. A label floats above their heads: 'o blessed return! hadst thou been lost it would have been all dicky with us'. Behind them and in the background is the plebeian mob, densely packed and waving hats, one man has a marrowbone and cleaver. A ballad-singer bawls 'a new song landing of the revolution pair'. Beneath the title is etched:
over the water, over the lee,
and over the water went charley,
charley loves his box and dice,
and charley loves good brandy,
and charley loves his pretty wench
as sweet as sugar candy. Over the water, over the lee,
and over the water with charley,
ar------d tuckt her petticoats up,
for she loves gin and brandy,
and ar------d loves her charley boy
as sweet as sugar candy. Over the water, over the lee,
and over the water to charley,
charley loves rare news, as well
as she loves gin and brandy,
so charley returns to his p------
as sweet as sugar candy. ' 26 november 1788
etching. Date: 1788. Dimensions: Height: 250 mm; Width: 350 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Elizabeth Bridget Fox. Collection: British Museum. Charley's return from over the water (BM 1868,0808.5794)
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