File:The wet party or the bogs of Flanders (BM 1868,0808.6316).jpg

English: Officers and men of the British army are waist-deep in water. The central figure is the Duke of York astride a gun whose carriage is half immersed. He holds up a punch-bowl, singing and looking down at a party, half submerged, of officers (right). The black cymbal-player (see BMSat 8327) stands beside the gun (left) shouting with upraised cymbal. An officer in back view holds out a glass. Another seated on (?) a gun-carriage holds a British flag. An officer (right) sleeps with folded arms. A man whose head only emerges plays a triangle. Muskets and a drum hang from the branches of a tree (right). On the left a Highlander, astride a submerged tent, dips his hat into the water, singing:

"And while we can get brandy boys we'll scorn to fly!"

In the distance (left) a soldier perched on a high sign-post inscribed 'Best Road to Dunkirk' wields a fishing-rod, the line in the mouth of a soldier whose head and shoulders emerge from the water. Other small figures and half-submerged tents (left) complete the design. Beneath the title: 'A new Song'. The words beneath the design are:

'Why Soldiers Why
Should we be Melancholy, boy;
Why, Soldiers, why?
Whose business 'tis to die
What sighing fie!
Damn fear, drink on, be jolly, boys!
'Tis he, you or I -
cold hot wet & dry;
We're allways bound to follow, boys, annd scorn to fly!' 7 December 1793.

Hand-coloured etching