Pitt and dundas await the payment of subscriptions. Dundas (left), standing in profile to the left, supports a huge book on a writing-table, watching through an open sash-window the advance of a crowd carrying money-bags. He shouts: "ah - i ken the money bags - it will do - it will do - they are camming they are comming" [cf. Bmsat 9158]. On the left page of his book:
'subscription book for the preservation of our places, our pensions our candle ends - our cheese paring our bishoprics - our rectories - our grandmothers our wives our sisters &c &c &c &c &c &c &c &c
by penny post
from the west } - 200-000
end of the town
on the other page (almost concealed by dundas) is 'ld fitz. 10,000 per ann. ' dundas wears a scots bonnet in which is a thistle, a tartan plaid and stockings, with a coat and breeches. Some of the bags carried by the crowd are inscribed '10,000', '500', '30'. Behind them tall houses are indicated and an equestrian statue. On the right is an open door, through which tierney enters with a satisfied smile, his right hand thrust under his waistcoat. He holds a paper: 'borough remonstrance', and says, "will he bleed? if he dont i'll prick him again". Pitt leans forward in profile to the right to speak to the king, who is in the room but almost concealed behind the open door, only nose, mouth, and hands appearing. The latter says: "cant afford it, i tell you - cant afford it, allways some new fangled nonsense or another - i wish you would let us be at peace and quietness. " pitt answers, his finger against his nose, "mum! - a good draw! - soon come back - look well in the list. " the door is covered with sketches of british miscarriages in the war: 'quiberon', foot soldiers encounter cavalry and artillery (see bmsat 8669, &c). 'toulon', damaged men-of-war in a bay (see bmsat 8434, &c). 'dunkirk races', cavalry in flight (see bmsat 8341). 'plan of starving the french', incoherent scrawls. (on the eve of war the british government placed an embargo on corn intended for france. See rose, 'pitt and the great war', 1911, pp. 103-4, 107. ) above the door is partly visible a bust portrait of george iii, inscribed 'kg of corsi[ca]'. (see bmsat 8516. ) 16 january 1798. Hand-coloured etching. Date: 1798. Dimensions: Height: 276 mm; Width: 399 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville. Collection: British Museum. Voluntary subscriptions. (BM 1868,0808.6686)
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