The gigantic figure of a man in back view with bared posteriors stands astride facing a gateway; between his legs the interior of a vaulted building recedes in perspective. His arms are raised as if supporting the building, the hands being cut off by the upper margin. The inscription on the bag of his wig: 'for particulars enquire under the rose' shows that he is george rose, secretary to the treasury. Within the building seen through his legs are two men, minute figures in obsequious attitudes, probably pensioners: one with a wooden leg is brook watson; the roof is inscribed 'treasury army navy &c. ' rose's posteriors emit a blast inscribed 'surplus' which strikes sheridan, throwing him to the ground. He lies on his back in the foreground with outstretched arms, saying, "this is surely a proof of a foul statement". Beside him is a paper inscribed '35 resolutions'. Fox stands (right) looking down on sheridan, saying, "this proves the surplus not a fair one". On the left is a flight of steps against the left leg of rose, inscribed 'sure steps to preferment'. The steps are: 'flattery', 'humility', 'pliability', 'servility', and 'apostacy'; burke has reached the top step (apostasy) and, hat in hand, obseqiously approaches rose's back. Beneath the title is etched:
'and the* * * * [king] made unto himself a great idol, the likeness of which teas not in heavan above, nor in the earth beneath, and he reared up his head unto the clouds, and extended his arms over all the land, his legs also were as the posts of a gate, or as an arch stretched forth over the doors of the public offices; and whoever passed in beneath with idolatrous reverence first lifted up their eyes, and kissed the cheeks of the postern. ' 3 june 1791
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1791. Dimensions: Height: 352 mm; Width: 244 mm (corner missing). Medium: paper. Depicted People: Edmund Burke. Collection: British Museum. Public credit, or, the state idol. (BM 1868,0808.6063)
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