Symptoms of Tippling, Isaac Cruikshank, between 1795 and 1800

Single figures arranged in two rows, seven women above, six men below; all praise their favourite beverage. An old woman takes 'a little brandy in ones tea'; another finds 'peppermint. A very fine wholesome cordial'. A stout woman takes 'rum', a thin one a glass of 'shrub', a very fat one believes 'aniseed. The best doctor in the world'. An old market woman drinks (?) 'gin'. A stout woman drinks from a clear bottle: 'after all there is nothing like a fair pull at the native!' a working man drinks, saying, "porter is so innocent a liquor - it can never hurt one". A countryman says "i really think a man might live for ever, if he drank nothing but ale. " a thin knock-kneed fellow drinks 'warm purl and bitters'. A stout 'cit' with a long pipe says "good soundport, is the only beverage fit for the constitution of an englishman". A jovial sailor with a tankard shouts "grog for ever - huzza!!" a (?) tavern-keeper, bloated with drink, lifts a large pitcher from a table on which are two spirit-bottles, saying, "i'm for tear-brain rum and brandy mix'd - and drink it out of a pitcher, that does good to the house". Similar in character to bmsat 8541, &c, and perhaps belonging to the same set. C. 1800 hand-coloured etching. Date: between 1795 and 1800. Dimensions: Height: 304 mm (cropped); Width: 458 mm (cropped). Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. Symptoms of Tippling (BM 1935,0522.8.40)