John Bull troubled with the blue devils., Isaac Cruikshank, 1799

John bull (left), elderly and shrunken, sits before his fire, in shirt-sleeves, night-cap, and slippers, gazing terror-stricken at the swarm of demons which advance upon him in a cloud of smoke from the fire. The largest, with bull's horns and a dagger in each hand, is 'tax on income'. The 'additional house tax' threatens him with its claws; the 'hair powder tax' is a virago, the 'tax on windows' an owl; the 'tax on tea' has a tea-pot for body, the 'tax on salt' is a bird, the 'wine tax' has the head of an ass and the body of a bottle. These are accompanied by smaller fantastic winged creatures. A cat sleeps by the fire (right). 23 may 1799 hand-coloured etching. Date: 1799. Dimensions: Height: 387 mm; Width: 226 mm (cropped). Medium: paper. Collection: British Museum. John Bull troubled with the blue devils. (BM 1935,0522.11.197)