Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

To be seen at Mr. S------n's menagerie the wonderful learned Han[...]r colt who writes a letter blindfolded [print] : NB. he is in training for sev[era]l other useful purposes ; also a very curious monkey who can read & write a little & imitates the human voice ; also several very extraordinary rats from Holland, Buckinghamshire, Wilton, Poole & other places / JS [monogram] f.

Accession number
PML 146857.104
Creator
Sayers, James, 1748-1823.
Published
[London] : Pubd. 27 Jany. 1789 by Thos. Cornell, [1789
Credit line
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Notes
A satire on the celebrated answer by the Prince to Pitt's letter (on the Regency restrictions) of Dec. 30, generally attributed to Sheridan. Cf. George.
Item no. 104 of a collection of prints by James Sayers (PML 146857); formerly part of an album of mounted prints, now disbound.
Description
1 print on laid paper : etching ; image: 180 x 252 mm; plate mark: 208 x 258 mm; sheet: 239 x 291 mm
Inscriptions/Markings
Subjects identified in the margins in pencil.
Provenance
From the library of Gordon N. Ray.
Summary
Print shows a spirited horse, wearing the feathers of the Prince of Wales in his headband, standing on his hind legs, a pen in his fore-foot, writing a letter while Sheridan (right) guides the pen; his blinkers cover his eyes. Sheridan, who leans across the table in profile to the left, holds the paper: 'To Mr Pi[tt] ....' An ape with the (simian) features of Lord Derby squats on the table behind Sheridan, reading a paper: 'Rough Drat of the Letter', and saying "Hear hear hear". On the extreme left appear the profile, hands, and one foot of Weltje, saying, "By Got he vill teach de Orse to speak". Under the table is a circular rat-trap, in which are five rats with quasi-human faces. Cf. George.
Classification
Department