Beating up for recruits, Robert Dighton, 1780

A recruiting officer stands holding a drawn sword against his shoulder and holding up a netted purse before the eyes of four yokels (caricatured) who stand in a row facing him: one stoops down, his hands on his knees, the next, a waggoner holding a whip, holds out his hand for the king's shilling, grinning sheepishly at the companion on his left, a very-lean man, scratching his forehead. The fourth, whose body is cut off by the right margin of the print, gazes with a fixed grin at the officer. Behind the officer is a smart drummer (left) beating his drum and looking with a cynical half-smile at the yokels. The scene is outside a country ale-house (left). In the distance is a wagon drawn by three horses. C. 1780 etching and engraving. Date: 1780. Dimensions: Height: 186 mm; Width: 233 mm. Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. Beating up for recruits (BM 1866,1114.652)