The head and shoulders of fox (like christian in 'the pilgrim's progress') emerge from a pool of liquid mire; he looks despairingly up and to the right, his (half-submerged) hands raised in supplication. On his back is a bundle inscribed 'contents french gold, french loyalty, french daggers [cf. Bmsat 8285, &c. ], and crimes, more num'rous than the sands, upon the ocean's shore. ' his hat has fallen off, the tricolour cockade and motto 'ca ira' are half submerged. His large club rises from the slough: 'patriots staff - i. E. Whig club' [cf. Bmsat 8987, &c. ]. Before him floats an open book: 'gospel of liberty by the four evangelists st paine st price st priestly st petion [see bmsat 8122] \ fly to the wrath to come. " fox says: "help! help! - will no kind power lend a hand to deliver me ? - oh! what will become of me ? - all my former friends have forsaken me! - if i try to go on, i sink deeper in the filth; & my feet are stuck so fast in the mire, that i can not get back, 'tho i try; - ah me! - this burden upon my back overwhelm's me, & presses me down! - i shall rise no more! - i am lost for ever, & shall never see the promis'd land!!"
from the slough a hill ascends up which a straight path leads to a fortified gateway in a castellated wall inscribed: 'knock, & it shall be opened. The straight gate: or the way to the patriots paradise. ' from it flies a flag of 'libertas', surmounted with the cap of liberty. Within the wall is a ladder slanting towards a waning moon. After the title (from 'the pilgrim's progress'): '"this miry slough in such a place as can not be mended; - it is the descent whither the scum & \ "& [sic] filth that attends being convicted of sin, doth continually run; it is called the slough of despond, \ " for when a sinner is trap'd in his sins, he sinks into despondency under the burden of his own wickedness. "' 2 january 1793
hand-coloured etching. Date: 1793. Dimensions: Height: 247 mm; Width: 357 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Charles James Fox. Collection: British Museum. The slough of despond;-vide-the patriots progress. (BM J,3.43)
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