Delicious Dreams! Castles in the Air! Glorious Prospects! / Js. Gillray inv. and fect.

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James Gillray
1756-1815
Delicious Dreams! Castles in the Air! Glorious Prospects! / Js. Gillray inv. and fect.
[London] : Publishd April 10th 1808 - by H Humphrey 27 St James's Street, [1808]
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
1986.658
Published: 
[London] : Publishd April 10th 1808 - by H. Humphrey 27. St James's Street, [1808]
Provenance: 
From the library of Gordon N. Ray.
Notes: 

At lower right of title: Vide. An Afternoon Nap, after the Fatigues of an Official Dinner.
A satire on the British Cabinet, six of the chief members of which are represented as dozing and hopefully dreaming of Napoleon's defeat.

Summary: 

Print shows the five chief members of the Cabinet (Portland, Hawkesbury, Perceval, Castlereagh, and Canning) asleep around a small round table with a punch-bowl, bottles of 'Port' and 'Madeira', and glasses. Melville lies under the table, clutching a bottle while on the floor a heap of gold plates labeled 'Treasury' is attacked by rats. Empty bottles are scattered about. Clouds rise from Canning's head and float above the other sleepers, supporting their vision, which, framed in clouds, fills the upper part of the design. Britannia rides in a triumphal car shaped like a boat with the British Lion as figure-head. Behind the car, chained to the axles, walks a dejected Napoleon. Behind him is a huge polar bear (Russia), muzzled, and on a chain. Last come three captive sovereigns, followed by a cheering crowd with a flag inscribed 'Britannia rules the World'. The car is drawn by a huge bull (John Bull), led by a sailor, who is preceded by soldiers, one beating a drum another blowing a trumpet.

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