File:Ecclesiastical scrutiny- or the Durham inquest on duty. (BM 1868,0808.6710 1).jpg

English: Barrington of Durham and two other bishops superintend the dress of four young women. Barrington, seated (left) in profile to the right, stares through a glass at a danseuse who wears long rigid stays and on one leg a clumsy buckled shoe and striped stocking; her other foot, in tiny shoe and trim stocking, she displays on a stool, beside which lies the other clumsy shoe and stocking labelled 'for Bacchus and Ariadne'. She says: "I really now think it a shame to disguise such a leg as this why my fortune will be ruin'd". He says: "Aye the upper part will do very well, many a husband will bless me for introducing these Stays". He holds a paper: 'Petticoat Reform to be observed by all good . . . .'

A document hangs from his chair: 'The Lords will take away thier tinkling Ornaments from about thier feet, The bonnet and the ornaments of the legs The changeable suits of Apparel and the flesh colour pantaloons the Mantles and the Wimples and the Crispin Pins'. Behind Barrington, a bishop pulls up the short-waisted bodice of a pretty young girl to cover her breast; she says "Pa Pa dont tell me these things must not be shewn but to private parties". (Perhaps Manners-Sutton of Norwich, who had several young daughters.) Porteus of London holds a yard-stick to measure the petticoat which a woman, clad in shift and stockings, holds up. Beside her lie long, rigid stays. She says: "come come thats long enough for an under one I'm sure". He answers, staring pruriently, "What! I suppose you'd like to have nothing but a fig leaf on." On the extreme right a danseuse, holding a garland of roses, one leg slightly raised as if dancing, looks with disgust in a pier-glass. She wears high rigid bodice with long sleeves, long, full skirts, clumsy shoes and stockings. She says: "Oh Vat fright! I vonder vat figure dey vill make of Bacchus, dis is vat dey Call a Divine dress, eh?" 19 March 1798

Hand-coloured etching