The gallant Nellson bringing home two uncommon fierce French crocadiles from the Nile as a present to the king, Isaac Cruikshank, 1798

Nelson (left) leads two weeping crocodiles, one with the head of fox, the other that of sheridan. Their long jaws (projecting from the neck) are closed with metal bands connected by a chain held by nelson, who wears naval uniform with a cocked hat, and the ribbon and star of the bath. A patch over the eye indicates his recent wound. In fox's crocodile-jaw is a padlock: 'a mouth piece for hypocrites'. Nelson says: "come along you hypocritical dogs, i dare say you'r dam'd sorry now for what you've done, no, no, i shall bring yo to my master". John bull (right), behind the crocodiles (whose tails are cut off by the right margin), gapes at them, saying, "aye, aye, what horatio has got un at last, why these be the old cock deviles i thought as how he would not go so far for nothing. " he wears a smock and raises his hat to scratch his head. A scroll above the design: 'nelsons victory at the mouth of the nile. ' 7 october 1798 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1798. Dimensions: Height: 261 mm; Width: 378 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Charles James Fox. Collection: British Museum. The gallant Nellson bringing home two uncommon fierce French crocadiles from the Nile as a present to the king (BM 1868,0808.6774)