The porcupine's den

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Samuel De Wilde
1751-1832
The porcupine's den
etching
image: 174 x 309 mm; plate mark: 210 x 226 mm; sheet: 216 x 340 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 1925
Published: 
[London] : Published for the Satirist Novr 1st 1808 by S. Tipper 37 Leadenhall Street, 1 November 1808.
Provenance: 
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Notes: 

Plate from the Satirist, iii. 337.
Lettered with title, text within image and publication line: "Published for the Satirist Novr 1st 1808 by S. Tipper 37 Leadenhall Street."

Summary: 

Cobbett, a monster whose naked trunk terminates in two scaly serpents, crouches on the floor of his cave. Spikes, intended for the quills of a porcupine, radiate from behind his head and shoulders. Some of these dart towards an opening in the cave (left) through which a sun inscribed 'Monthly Meteor' directs its rays at Cobbett. He flinches in terror, holding up a pen, and with his left hand raises a 'Veil of Infamy'. This is suspended above an open book: 'Memorantda of Infamy'. The quills fly towards the 'Monthly Meteor', but, on reaching the aperture in the cave, fall back. They are inscribed: 'Rage', 'Lies', 'Vulgar', 'Abuse', 'Envy', 'Lies', 'Disappointment', 'Malice'. On the right of the cave are two oth monsters, skinny naked creatures with talons, webbed wings, and tail; they are Horne Tooke and Burdett. They are pushing a large bonnet rouge inscribed 'Jacobin's Extinguisher' over an open book whose pages are inscribed: 'Cobbetts Register 1802 - Sr F Burdett a Seditious Demagogue, Mr Pitt a God, Horne Tooke a Devil, Loyalty, England Happy'. Burdett is struck by rays from the 'Monthly Meteor'. Before Cobbett are two open books: 'Cobbetts Register 1807 - Sr F Burdett a God. Mr Pitt a Devil. Horne Tooke an Angel. Sedition England at her last Gasp.' and 'Instructions from Lord Edward Fitzgerald.'

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