Pitt (right), as a butcher, stands arrogantly behind his block, holding up a leg of mutton to a hungry, lean, and dismayed john bull, who stands with bent knees (left), his right hand groping in his breeches pocket. Pitt says: "a crown, - take it, or leave't". His cleaver lies on his blood-stained block, on the front of which are two placards side by side:
'prices of provision. 1795 journeymans wages - 1795
mutton 10 1/2d £b. Carpenters 12sh pr week
lamb 11 d° shoemakers 10sh d°
veal 11 1/2 d° bakers 9sh d°
beef 12 d° gardeners 8sh d°
small beer - 2d pr quart smiths 8sh d°
bread 12d husbandmen 7sh d°
pr quarter loaf
god save the king'. Behind pitt is the pent-house roof of the shop or stall from the front of which hang joints of meat and pieces of offal. The lower story of a house forms a background (left). John bull wears the dress and wrinkled gaiters of a yokel. Beneath the title:
'billy the butcher's advice to john bull. Since bread is so dear, (and you say you must eat,)
for to save the expence, you must live upon meat;
and as twelve pence the quartern you can't pay for bread
get a crown's worth of meat, - it will serve in its stead. ' 6 july 1795
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1795. Dimensions: Height: 382 mm; Width: 244 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: William Pitt the Younger. Collection: British Museum. The British butcher, supplying John Bull with a substitute for bread, vide message to Lord Mayor (BM 1868,0808.6455)
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