Britannia-between-Death-and-the-Doctors-Gillray, James Gillray, 20 May 1804

Britannia between death and the doctor's js gillray inv. & fect. Summary: a faint britannia seated on bed with three "doctors," william pitt kicking henry addington and stepping on charles james fox. The figure of death, with napoleon's head, strides from behind bed curtains. Medium: 1 print: etching, hand-colored. Created/published: [london]: pubd. By h. Humphrey, 1804 may 20th. According to wright & evans, historical and descriptive account of the caricatures of james gillray (1851, oclc 59510372), p. 243, "on pitt's return to office in 1804. Doctor addington's course of treatment has nearly thrown his patient into the power of political death, personified in her arch-enemy napoleon, and she is only relieved by the sudden return of her old physician. Pitt is represented as kicking addington out of the house, and has overturned a phial in addington's hand, labelled 'composing draft. ' pitt holds a bottle of 'constitutional restorative' in his hand, and 'the art of restoring health' is hanging out of his pocket. He is treading upon fox's prostrate body. By fox's side are 'whig pills,' and in his uplifted hand is 'republican balsam. '". Date: 20 May 1804.