The union coach, Isaac Cruikshank, 1799

Pitt drives the coach and four, the two wheelers only being within the design. On the door are the royal arms and 'the union coach'. The inside is crowded with 'scotch members'; five lean and hungry heads are seen through the narrow window. One, taking snuff, asks: "hoot man is this the way to the treasury". Another shouts to a crowd of irish members who (ignominiously) fill the basket at the back of the coach: "why this is quit warm & cosey canna ye haud yere tongues ye bullocking bulls!!"dundas, as the guard with a blunderbuss, sits cross-legged on the roof with a bag of 'nuts'. He says (answering his compatriot) "i ken the way well enough", and to the irishmen, to whom he flings nut-shells: "theres the shells for you, ye quarrelsome crew". Three of the irishmen say: "i dont much relish this union coach the guard told us the back seats were the best, by shaint patrick the front ones must be bad enough then!" pitt, flicking the horses, says: "these paddys in the basket are the most troublesome people i ever drove - aye - aye it's a sign they're not used to such good travelling - come up there - e up - e up ss - go along - thats your sort [see bmsat 8073] hey - hey - if they grumble so now what will they say when i tip them the long trot over the hard flints in parliament street. " 4 june 1799 etching. Date: 1799. Dimensions: Height: 245 mm; Width: 391 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville. Collection: British Museum. The union coach (BM 1868,0808.12531)