File:The Return to the Political Ark (BM 1868,0808.5974).jpg

English: Members of Parliament in the guise of animals with human heads walk in procession to the ark, which is inscribed 'St. Stephen's'. The foremost animals cross a plank into the ark which is in the upper right corner of the design. The procession follows a winding path on three lines which are roughly parallel: on the lowest the animals proceed from left to right, the path then turns back to the left, and returns again from right to left, the curve on the left. being cut off by the left margin. In the lower left corner is Pitt as a zebra (the Queen's Ass, cf. BMSat 7623) on his hind-legs ; he holds a bunch of grapes to his mouth, in his other forefoot is a paper inscribed 'Pay to my Order on Demand five Millions for Bouncing. P. To John Bull'; beside it is a paper inscribed 'Open to future Insult'. On his back is a saddle-cloth inscribed 'Art of preventing War'. He excretes 'Convention Drops' which are eagerly devoured by geese, dogs, a cock, and two asses with human profiles. In front of Pitt walk side by side a camel and a dromedary, the largest animals in the design, with the heads of Rose and Steele, the Treasury Secretaries, each with a pen behind his ear. Their backs are laden with loaves and fishes, with two coronets, a Garter ribbon and star, and saddlecloths inscribed 'Lord Lieutenancy &c &c'; 'Sinecures; Masteray (?) of Hope &c &c'; 'Good things to be disposed of under the Rose'. In front of them is a Porcupine with the head of Pepper Arden (Master of the Rolls) inscribed 'Legal Porcupine'. Beside him walks Grenville, a spotted dog on his hind-legs, wearing spectacles; he says "We shall have warm work I suppose, tho' we have acted so very pretty". He is the 'stuttering Billy' of BMSat 7623. Arden answers "Dam 'em they are worse than the Spaniards". At the turn of the path, and above, walks a 'Bear' on his hind-legs in back view, wearing a judge's wig; he is Thurlow. In front of him is a pair of sheep inscribed 'Country Gentlemen' (cf. BMSat 6243); the profile of one only is visible. Walking by himself (left to right) in front of the sheep is Sheridan as a 'Patriotic Packhorse'. Bells are attached to his mane, he is laden with a blunderbuss inscribed 'Long Speech' (cf. p. 499 and BMSat 7331), a sword inscribed 'Argument', a dagger inscribed 'Satire', a document inscribed 'Wit'. He says "My Constituents are dearer to me than ever (he paid electors at Stafford five guineas each. R. C. Rhodes, 'Harlquin Sheridan', p. 91.) He walks behind a fox with the head of Fox and a goose with the (minute) head of Hood; they are tied together with a ribbon inscribed 'Election Coalition' (see BMSat 7638, &c). Fox says "I burn to throw a light on this Secret business". They walk behind a Bengal tiger with the head of Hastings who walks beside a (?) hyaena with the head of Burke (as in BMSat 7623). They are inscribed 'Impeachment and liberty Pro or Con.' Immediately behind them are the hind-quarters of a rhinoceros, inscribed 'Imp-' (Impey), which emits a contemptuous blast at Burke. On the extreme left of the upper rightow is an elephant with the head of Dundas inscribed 'Controul' (see BMSat 7152, &c). On his back, on a saddle-cloth inscribed 'Oriental Defence', is an 'Indian Magpie' (Major Scott, as in BMSat 7623) saying "I'll chatter away". Dundas says "I'll not carry for nothing". In front of Dundas are the members for the City in two pairs, each with the arms of the City on his back. The foremost pair are a lean animal with a wooden leg (Watson) saying "A Pension is a pretty thing", and an ox with the head of William Curtis saying "I hope to get my expences even to a Biscuit" (see BMSat 7676). Behind them a pig with the swarthy profile of Sawbridge walks next a goat (Sir Watkin Lewes), saying "Cot pless the Citizens". They are preceded by a pair of calves: one 'A Golden Calf', who says "He'll want help", and 'A Moon Calf' saying "Something Snug may be had". In front of these a stag and a 'Civet Cat' walk together. The stag, 'Sir R------W-----' (Richard Worsley), says "I got but a Shilling for my Horns" (see BMSat 6105); the other says "Aye or No say I". The next couple have reached the plank leading to the ark, they are 'A Hare' (James Hare, M.P. for Knaresborough) and an 'African Sloth'; one says "I should like a good place". On the plank a crocodile with the head of Powys walks with a 'Camelion J° in Air'. Powys says, "Had I lost I had cried in earnest" (he frequently wept during debates, cf. BMSat 6795). In the door of the ark is a drake (the two Drakes, father and son, represented their borough of Amersham). Five birds fly towards the ark, the first three wearing legal wigs and bands. The foremost (left) is inscribed 'Legal Crow' (he resembles Kenyon); the second is perhaps Macdonald, Attorney-General ; the third is 'A Rook' (? Scott, Solicitor-General); he says, "He may be hard run". The last two are 'a Blackbird' (? John Blackburne, M.P. for Lancashire), saying, "I sing about Billy P------t the Tory", and 'A Martin' (James Martin, M.P. for Tewkesbury). The ark is inscribed : 'Happy are the Chosen, they shall be Saved harmless - and Blessed are the King's appointed, they shall partake of the Good Things of the Land - but Woe to those that thawrt his Rulers - till they turn to that which seemeth good'. In the water (right) on which the ark floats are the disappointed candidates: A hog's head emerges from the water, saying, "Is it for this I have grunted." (Sir Joseph Mawbey was not returned for Surrey.) An ass with a human profile says "This is the curse of confidence". A (?) calf with a human profile says "Oh ye false Men of Kent"; he is evidently Charles Marsham, who was not re-elected for Kent. A head with wings says "O save a Chick a biddy, now, now"; he is Michael Angelo Taylor (see BMSat 6777), who was not re-elected for Poole. A man's head and an ass's head also rise from the water, perhaps Tierney (who failed to secure re-election at Colchester). In the foreground (right) on a tree on the edge of the water sits Wilkes as an ape, he clasps boughs of fruit, saying, "I've got the Golden-pippens". His cap of Liberty hangs on the bough beside him, filled with fruit. On his staff of liberty is an inverted chamber-pot decorated with the City Arms. Wilkes did not seek re-election in 1790; he still held the lucrative office of City Chamberlain. 24 November 1790
Etching with hand-colouring