Fox (right), a news-boy (as in bmsat 8458), ragged and unshaven, stands in profile to the left, his right hand on the knocker of the gate of the 'treasury'. He wears a bonnet-rouge on the front of which is a tricolour placard: 'daily advertiser' (like those worn by news-boys); his horn is thrust through his belt. He shouts: "bloody-news! - bloody-news! - bloody-news!! - glorious-bloody news for old-england! - bloody news! - traitrous- taxes! - swindling-loans! - murd'ring-militia's. ' - ministerail-invasions! - ruin to all europe! - alarming - bloody - news! - bloody-news!!!" the knocker is a ring in the mouth of a medusa head with the face of pitt. From above the spiked bars of the closed gate issues a label: 'lord! fellow! - pray don't keep such a knocking & bawling there; - we never take in any jacobin papers here! - & never open the doors for any, but such as can be trusted: true-briton's & such!'
under fox's left arm is a roll of 'paris-papers'; in his left hand a large sheet of the 'daily advertiser' with three columns of advertisements, headed, 'places wanted, wants places', and 'wanted: wanted, - a place in the treasury. Wanted, an appointment in the exchequer. Wanted, a situation at st james's. Wants a place a thorough-bred secretary. Wants a place. A man of all work. Wants employt a true greek-patriarch. Wanted, a place in the pension-list. Wanted, a comfortable annuity for life. Wanted, a snug sinecure for life. N. B: the above mouth-stoppers will be purchas'd upon any terms; - !!! for particulars apply to the fox & grapes in starvation lane - or, at the box & dice in knave's accre'. On the wall behind his head (right) is posted a bill: 'just publish'd a new edition the cries of the opposition, or, the tears of the famish'd patriots, dedicated to the consideration of the ministry. ' after the title: 'vide, dundas's speech in the house of commons. - "for a dozen years past, he has follow'd the business of a daily-advertiser, - daily stunning our ears with a noise about plots & ruin & treasons & impeachments; - while the contents of his bloody-news turns out to be, only a daily advertisement for a place & a pension. ' 23 january 1797
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1797. Dimensions: Height: 365 mm; Width: 264 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville. Collection: British Museum. The daily-advertiser- (BM 1868,0808.6588)
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