The Irish Audience, and Joe Surface, Manager, Author, Actor, Prompter and Machinist all himself, exhibition, for the first time, a very curious Speaking Figure ..., William Dent, 1789

The prince of wales (left) rises from his chair to receive the six commissioners from ireland, who are headless asses, on their hind legs and very erect, wearing coats and breeches. Sheridan kneels behind the prince's chair, speaking to him through a speaking-trumpet inscribed 'answer' which rests on the back of his head. Above sheridan's head is a placard: 'the art of writing and speaking taught by j. Surface [cf. Bmsat 7510] from drury lane, preceptor general at the pillars [carlton house] & successor to the celebrated reynard'. Beneath him is the inscription: '"when house and land are gone and spent" "then learning is most excellent. "' the two asses who head the delegation wear, one a ducal coronet (leinster), the other an earl's coronet (charlemont); each is supported on a stick. Leinster, who wears a ribbon and star, holds a thread attached to a document inscribed 'address' supported on a pair of wings and flying towards the prince. The wings are inscribed 'arrived just soon enough be too late'. Leinster's leg is inscribed 'six extraordinary irish bulb or in plain english amazing asses'. He is labelled 'paddy the regent maker'. The four commoners (see bmsat 7511) stand behind them in a row; behind their backs and on the extreme right appears the profile of weltje (cf. Bmsat 7509), saying, "by cot de ambassadors vos carry vid de high head dere disappointment - pity ve vos have noting for dem". On the wall is a picture of gilpin on horseback: 'gilpin's journey to ware and back again' (see bmsat 6886, &c). The prince's chair is on a dais, on its back are the feathers and motto 'ich dien'. Below the title is etched: 'and joe surface, manager, author, actor, prompter and machinist all himself, exhibiting, for the first time, a very curious speaking figure, to a select party of his own dear countrymen, which, worked-up with a surprising exertion of art, is so simple that it may be easily managed by professional men, in conveying the voice through the 'medium of a trumpet to a copious cavity in the head, so as to deceive the public. ------it was intended for show at a crown exhibition, and would have proved a valuable acquisition to the manager and his company, but being thought, at present, a thing too wonderful & extraordinary for general performance, as it might excite & encourage idleness & extravagance, a licence was refused for the purpose------ god save the king------send him health and prosperity------amen----' 2 march 1789 etching with hand-colouring. Date: 1789. Dimensions: Height: 245 mm; Width: 350 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: James Caulfield, 1st Earl of Charlemont. Collection: British Museum. The Irish Audience, and Joe Surface, Manager, Author, Actor, Prompter and Machinist all himself, exhibition, for the first time, a very curious Speaking Figure ... (BM J,4.81)