Dutchmen (three-quarter length) sit on both sides of a narrow council table, on one end of which sits, full-face, a dutchman in a chair of state. He smokes a pipe, wears a hat, and an ermine-trimmed robe over his clumsy jacket and breeches. A post-boy, whip in hand, stands by the table (left) holding out a scroll: 'account of the total defeat of the dutch fleet. ' the news is received with expressions of rage and horror. The president, whose words issue in a cloud of tobacco-smoke, says: "the english have taken all our colonies; our rich merchants are all fled & carried of thier property; john bull has now compleatly ruined our navy and i suppose our d-----d ally mounseer will next cut up our breeches to make pantalloons" [cf. Bmsat 8613]. A man in the foreground (left), a bottle of 'gin' projecting from his pocket, bawls, "oh dear what can the matter be let us all be unhappy together". An elderly man leans forward to read the bad news, saying, "it is all over with us now". A man behind him clenches his fist furiously, shouting "so i think, you stink so confoundedly sit down". A man on the right, clutching his head, says: "that gulliver duncan has swam of with the whole fleet. " a frenchman sitting inconspicuously behind the president's chair takes a pinch of snuff, saying: "aha ma chere nic frog now your nails are pared and your teeth drawn we'll presently shew you our intentions i warrant you. " he is probably noel, the french minister at the hague. On the table is a large map of an extended france on which is marked: 'holland department 85. ' with this is a 'plan of the invasions of england ireland scotland the cape of good hope gibralter east & west indies china &c. &c. &c. &c. ' 15 october 1797
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1797. Dimensions: Height: 255 mm (printed image); Width: 357 mm (printed image). Medium: paper. Depicted People: Adam Duncan, 1st Viscount Duncan. Collection: British Museum. The Dutch in an uproar or the Batavian Republic crying for winter! (BM 1868,0808.6658)
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