Hall, a westminster apothecary who was a prominent supporter of fox, walks beside the asses which draw (left to right) a cart crowded with disreputable voters. A signpost (right) is formed of a mask (on a pole) of the heads of the duchess of devonshire (left) and fox (right) as in bmsat 6570. On the half-head of the duchess is a fox favour and a fox's brush. From each corner of the mouth issues a label terminating in a pointing hand: to spittalfields (left) and to covent garden (right). Hall, in profile to the right, walks holding a whip over his shoulder. His hat is decorated by a fox's brush, a fox favour, and a laurel branch; similar branches and favours decorate the (human) heads of the two asses which draw the cart, harnessed tandem. Hall says:
"if carlo falls—no more the graces smile;
nor lords with gluttony reward my toil;
so with expedient i'll cheer each drooping heart
and boldly deliver my vote-pregnant cart. "
the heads of the asses have ass's ears and are decorated with foxes' brushes and laurel-branches. The leader says, "the major will call this reforming parliament in a summary way" [major cartwright, see bmsat 6474 and cf. Bmsat 6478]. Round his neck hangs from a ribbon a medal on which is a portcullis, indicating that he is an active westminster justice of the peace (see bmsat 4850); perhaps a justice kelly who was very active in fox's interest, see 'westminster election', p. 360. See also bmsat 6593. The wheeler, with a broadly grinning face, says, "fox, fox, fox, fox, huzza &c. " he resembles captain morris, whose songs were a feature of the election, cf. 'westminster election', p. 277. On the front of the clumsy two-wheeled cart is inscribed 'h - all, covent garden, common poll cart, bmsat 6075'. On it stands a pestle and mortar inscribed 'man-midwife'; in it is a laurel-branch. The wheels have just passed a rock inscribed 'conscience', and are about to encounter a larger one inscribed 'scrutiny'. The small cart contains ten voters, their heads and shoulders arranged in a pyramid. The man who forms the apex holds up a large coin, shouting, "fox and the constitution - alehouse for ever huzza - huzza. " all but three are hatless or wear caps; of those distinguished by hats (with election favours) two say, "a voting we will go we'll go - we'll go &c. " and "huzza, huzza"; the third holds up a pair of crutches from one of which hangs a flag on which is a shield with a dice-box and dice, a weaver's shuttle, and a paper inscribed '70,000 l. ' beneath are the words 'fox and the loom holders for ever. ' 6 may 1784
etching. Date: 1784. Dimensions: Height: 239 mm; Width: 330 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. Collection: British Museum. Doctor Barnacle driving a load of Spittalfields Weavers to poll for Westminster (BM 1868,0808.5291 1)
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