By James Gillray.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
Print shows a theatre with orchestra and two boxes on each side of the stage. Onstage the fall of Amsterdam is represented by a number of frogs (burghers) who hasten obsequiously to submit to the Stadholder William V, much caricatured as a short fat man wearing military dress with plumed helmet, gorget, and jack-boots, standing with an uplifted sabre, dripping blood, about to cut the throat of a frog, who kneels, holding out a purse in each hand. A mutilated frog jumps from the stage into the orchestra from which rise the flames of Hell. Other frogs disappear into the flames, where demons act as musicians. Among the musicians is Frederick II playing the flute. One of the frogs proffers a large key inscribed 'Stadt House', another a pail of 'Milk', another a beehive, another a cask of 'Butter', another a keg of 'Holland Gin'. Behind William V the Princess of Orange (left) stands with her hands on her hips, smiling over her shoulder at her husband, the word 'Kiss' issuing from her mouth. Suppliant frogs fawn upon her. The background of this scene is a city wall and clouds, across which straddles a grotesque figure of Fame blowing two trumpets. Above the proscenium the words 'Sic transit Gloria Mundi' replace the customary 'Veluti in Speculum'. Monarchs watch the performance from the boxes. In the upper box on the right Louis XVI leans forward, dropping his snuff-box, and saying, "Me am Dam!" In the lower box George III stands looking up, shaking a club inscribed 'Oak' and saying "I'm ready for you". From the upper box on the left Catherine of Russia leans out, shaking her fist at the Sultan of Turkey in the box below. She says "Blast you, you old Goat! to keep so many Women shut up in your Seraglio. I'll turn over a new Leaf & allow every Woman 20000 Men". Behind her stands the Emperor Joseph II scowling down at the Sultan, his right hand on her bare breast .He wears a fool's cap decorated with the Habsburg eagle. The Sultan stands in his box, drawing his sabre; he scowls up at the Empress, saying, "By our holy Prophet & sacred Mecca, I'll curb that wanton Spirit". Behind him stand veiled ladies of the seraglio.