Pitt (left) as a will o' the wisp, naked, and poised on a cloud, holds out a dark lantern to a terrified john bull. Pitt holds up in his right hand the end of a swirling drapery which blows about him, his hair blows over his face. The rays of his lantern are: 'new proposals'; 'l'eclair'; 'peace'; 'french gentleman just arrived from the continent'; 'armstice'. Small attendant sprites float above his head and assist in frightening john bull: burke, naked but wearing a jesuit's biretta (cf. Bmsat 6026), holds a bag inscribed '4000' and a dark lantern whose beam is inscribed 'services done the public'. A naked woman excretes a blast inscribed 'plans'; she triumphantly holds up, in each hand, a money-bag inscribed '2000 ann' and '2000' (she is perhaps intended for mrs. Burke). A demon with an ass's head holds a lantern whose beam is: 'for extended services 20,000'. Another beam is inscribed 'pensions'. John bull, a fat citizen wearing a cocked hat, struggles to step from the 'slough of despond or quagmire of war'. He holds out his hands towards pitt's lantern, screaming, "this is a terrible boggy ground i have got into - but i shall certainly catch it at last it can't be far off now. " 28 march 1796. Hand-coloured etching. Date: 1796. Dimensions: Height: 246 mm; Width: 350 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Edmund Burke. Collection: British Museum. A will o' the wisp or John Bull in a bog! (BM 1868,0808.6510)
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