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.

The scrutiny, or, Examination of the filth

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Phillips
active 1784

The scrutiny, or, Examination of the filth

Published

[London] : Publish'd by S. Fores, No. 3, Piccadilly, April 24, 1784.

etching & drypoint
plate mark: 187 x 260 mm; sheet: 192 x 267 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan, 1900.
Peel 2654
Notes
Printmaker from BM Satires.
Provenance

Formerly owned by Sir Robert Peel.

Summary

Five men stand round six chamber-pots, arranged in two piles of three, each inscribed 'Poll Book 1784' and supported on a rectangular block or table on which the title is engraved. Each man holds his nose. One (left) in profile to the right, who holds a spoon, is vomiting; he says: "I already am sick Of this poisonous trick The busines so thick T'would weary old Nick With spoon or stick Right from wrong to pick." His vis-à-vis (right), who stirs the contents of a pot with a spoon, says: "The cause I may gain, Though with labour and pain I can hardly refrain From puking amain Thro such fillth for to tag Is wares [sic] than euphorbium bag" (an allusion to the bag thrown at Fox in Westminster Hall, see BMSat 6426, &c). The other three stand together behind the table; the central one says, "A hogo here is. Worse than Cats pis Than Devils Spew. Or Asafoetida." Two demons hold out a net which stretches behind the scrutineers. One (left) says: "Ay Brother and by my tail, The Sheriffs shall admit no bail." The other (right) says: "Spread the net and you shall see Many a false oath will come to me."

Associated names
Fores, S. W., publisher.
Peel, Robert, 1788-1850, former owner.
Classification
Department
Century prints