Irish and British History James Gillray Caricature
Title of Caricature: "The End of the Irish Farce of Catholic Emancipation" - Reproduction of a James Gillray caricature based on the version published in London and Paris. The subject of this print is the 1805 "Irish Petition for Catholic Emancipation" which was defeated in Parliament. Gillray shows supporters of the motion knocked over by a blast of wind from the lips of Prime Minister William Pitt, Home Secretary Lord Hawkesbury (Robert Jenkinson), and former Prime Minister Addington (all seen on the left). The supporters of the petition, in bishops robes Petition,” are swept of their feet. A banner in the French tricolor implies a behind the scenes move by France. The group tries in vain to reach St. Peter, who stands beside a door opened to “Popish Supremacy.” Below the print are verses from Milton's paradise lost: "And now St. Peter at heaven's wicket seems to wait them with his kesy & now at foot of heavens ascent they lift their feen when a violent erofs of wind from eithe rcoast blows them transverse ten thousand leagues awry into the devious air..." James Gillray was a conservative - a supporter of William Pitt and the Tories, and his engravings were critical of the Whigs and of the Radicals.
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