Title from item.
Printmaker from the British Museum catalogue.
One of many satires on the Westminster by-election.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.
Lord Hood (right) is seated in the stern of a boat facing Topham (left) who stands in the bows propelling the boat with a pole. Behind Hood is a grinning demon with wide-spread webbed wings who steers, manipulating the rudder with a pitchfork. Hood holds up his hands in terror; a serpent, inscribed 'Worm of Conscience', is twined round his arm and gnaws his breast. On the shore (left) which the boat approaches stands Cerberus, with three human heads. One has a pen behind his ear, his collar inscribed 'Frost' (secretary of Hood's committee), another has a medical implement attached to his collar showing that he is Churchill, an apothecary, the third has clerical bands showing that he is Horne Tooke, all of whom took an active part in the Westminster by-election on the side of Hood. Demons surround the boat on all sides, some in the air (in the smoke and flames which ascend from Hell), others swim menacingly towards Hood. A demon standing on clouds urinates a stream which forms 'The Evening Star', and is surrounded by a star resembling that appearing on the heading of 'The Star and Evening Advertiser'. Three demons fly towards Hood holding in their talons papers inscribed 'Bills' and 'Tradesmens Bills'. Papers fall or float beside the boat inscribed [1] 'Murder! Murder! Macnamara', [2] 'Tookes list of the Kill'd and Wounded', [3] 'Massacre of Skipmen', [4] 'Idesons Bad Votes', [5] 'Blue & Buff Assassins'. In the foreground a demon dances, holding a gridiron and frying-pan. A little imp seated by the water reads 'The Bottle of Wine & Butler' (see BMSat 7361). On the farther shore (right) a band of horned imps plays on marrow-bones and cleavers. Cf. British Museum online catalog.