Argus

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James Gillray
1756-1815
Argus
[London?] : Pubd May 15th 1780, by W Renegal, [1780]
Peel 2323
Published: 
[London?] : Pubd. May 15th 1780, by W. Renegal, [1780]
Provenance: 
Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.
Notes: 

Attributed to Gillray by Grego and George.
Library's copy trimmed within plate mark.

Summary: 

Print shows George III seated in a chair asleep, on the left stands a judge (possibly the Earl of Mansfield) with his left hand on the crown, behind the throne stands the Earl of Bute, speaking to Mansfield, he says "What shall be done with it?" to which Mansfield responds "Wear it Your sel my Leard," to the right of Bute stands America (represented by a Native wearing a feathered headdress) who says, "We in America have no Crown to Fight for or Loose."; on the right stands a gentleman with both hands on the crown, he says "No troth I'se carry it to Charly & hel not part with it again Mon!" (probably a reference to Charles Edward the Pretender). On the far left a ragged merchant wrings his hands and an Irishman with harp departs the scene, and on the far right, in the foreground, Britannia sits weeping with the British lion asleep and chained to the ground beside her, while in the background, a Dutchman raids the beehives.

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