Dido Forsaken, James Gillray, 1787

Mrs. Fitzherbert (left) as dido, seated on a funeral pyre, watches the prince of wales sail away in a small boat towards a castle flying a flag inscribed 'windsor'. The wind which fills the ragged sail of the boat appears to be produced by a blast from the mouths of dundas and pitt, whose profile heads are on the extreme left. It is directed at dido's head, and has blown off a royal crown, an orb and sceptre, and a coronet decorated with the prince of wales's feathers. With a tragic gesture she holds out in her right hand a mutilated crucifix. Her breast is bare and her girdle of 'chastity' is broken. At her feet lie emblems of popery: a sharp-toothed harrow inscribed 'for the conversion of heretics', shackles, a pair of birch-rods, an axe, a scourge, and a rosary and crucifix. The pyre seems to be made of money-bags (cf. Bmsat 7166). The boat is the 'honor'; the prince is seated between fox, who holds the tiller, and burke, who holds the sail; his arms are folded and he looks over his shoulder at fox, saying, "i never saw her in my life". Fox echoes "no, never in all his life, damme"; burke, wearing a jesuit's biretta (cf. Bmsat 6026), says "never", and north, who sits beside him, apparently asleep, says "no, never". After the title is engraved: 'sic transit gloria reginæ'. 21 may 1787 etching. Date: 1787. Dimensions: Height: 276 mm; ; Width: 373 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Edmund Burke. Collection: British Museum. Dido Forsaken (BM 1851,0901.356)