488
Hijivry
Qf C aricurure
and
Groteffbque
Mr. Fairholt; it reprefents a party of antiquaries engaged in important
excavations. N 0 doubt the ngures were intended for well-known archae-
ologiits of the day.
Thomas Rowlandfon died in poverty, in lodgings in the Adelphi, on
the zznd of April, I827.
Among the moft active caricaturilis of the beginning of the prefent
century we mutt not overlook Ifaac Cruiklhank, even if it were only
becaufe the name has become fo celebrated in that of his more talented
fon. Ifaac's caricatures, too, were equal to thofe of any of his contem-
poraries, after Gillray and Rowlandfon. One of the earlielt examples
which I have feen bearing the well-known initials, I. C., was publifhed
on the Ioth of March, 1794, the year in which George Cruikfhank was
born, and probably, therefore, when Ilaac was quite a young man. It is
entitled "A Republican Belle," and is an evident imitation of Gillray.
In another, dated the Iii of November, I795, Pitt is reprefented as " The
Royal Extinguifher," putting out the Hame of " Sedition." Ifaac Cruik-
(hank publiihed many prints anonymouily, and among the numerous cari-
catures of the latter end of the lail century we meet with many which
have no name attached to them, but which refemble fo exactly his known
flyle, that we can hardly hefitate in afcribing them to him. It will be
remarked that in his acknowledged works he caricatures the oppohtion;
but perhaps, like other caricaturifts of his time, he worked privately for
anybody who would pay him, and was as willing to work againlt the
government as for it, for molt of the prints which betray their author only
by their {tyle are caricatures on Pitt and his meafures. Such is the group
given in our cut No. 234, which was publilhed on the 15th of Auguft,
1797, at a time when there were loud complaints agaiufi the burthen of
taxation. It is entitled " Billy's Raree-Show; or, John Bull En-lighten'd,"
and reprefents Pitt, in the character of a ihowman, exhibiting to John
Bull, and picking his pocket while his attention is occupied with the
fhow. Pitt, in a true Ihowman's fiyle, lays to his vicliin, " Now, pray
lend your attention to the enchanting profpect before you,-this is the
profpect of peace--only obferve what a bufy fcene prefents itfelf-the
ports are tilled with ihipping, the quays loaded with merchandife, riches
are