English Caricature and Satire on Napoleon I. Volume I (of 2)

‘Destruction of the French Gun Boats – or Little Boney and his friend Talley in high Glee’ is presumably by Gillray, though not signed by him (November 22, 1803). It represents the total destruction of the French flotilla by the English fleet – which Napoleon, mounted on Talleyrand’s shoulder, is watching with great glee through a rolled-up paper (Talleyrand’s plan for invading Great Britain), which is being used in lieu of a telescope. He shouts out, in great delight, ‘Oh my dear Talley, what a glorious sight! We’ve worked up Johnny Bull into a fine passion! My good fortune never leaves me! I shall now get rid of a Hundred Thousand French Cut Throats whom I was so afraid of! Oh, my dear Talley, this beats the Egyptian Poisoning hollow! Bravo Johnny! pepper ’em Johnny!’

Ansell is answerable for ‘Boney’s Journey to London, or the reason why he is so long in coming, i.e. because he travels like a Snail with his house at his back’ (November 23, 1803). He is portrayed as being in a wooden house, drawn by his soldiers, who are being unmercifully whipped with a knout-like weapon. Napoleon, calling out to the officer who is administering the punishment, ‘You Vagabones, make haste, Vite, Vite, or I shall not get to London by Christmass. Give them more of the Fraternal Whip, the dam Rascals do not know the value of Liberty.’

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME

1

Chevalier Artand’s Italy, p. 377; ‘L’Univers pittoresque, Europe,’ tome 2, Paris, 1857, ed. Didot.

2

‘Ragguaglio Storico di tutto l’occorso, giorno per giorno, nel Sacco di Roma dell’anno 1527, scritto da Jacopo Bonoparte, gentiluomo Samminiatere’ (from San Miniato, near Florence) ‘che vi se trovò presente.’

3

Notes and Queries, 3rd series, vol. xi. p. 307.

4

From Καλὀς, good, and Μερὶς, part or share – Buona-parte.

5

Notes and Queries, 3rd series, vol. xi. p. 507.

6

Memoirs of Madame Junot, Duchesse d’Abrantes, Bentley, London, 1883. When quoting from her memoirs I always use this translation.

7

Napoleon omitted the ‘u’ in Buonaparte while general-in-chief in May 1796.

8

Madam Junot was very proud of her descent from Constantine Comnenus, the tenth Protogeras of Maina, who quitted Greece in 1675, landed at Genoa Jan. 1, 1676, and arrived at Corsica March 14, 1676.

9

Buonaparte et la famille, ou Confidences d’un de leurs anciens amis, Paris 1816.

10

Denying by every means the authority of nations, obedience to princes, or liberty to the Church. He usurped the goods of all, the treasure of neutrals, the souls of nations: in very truth he was an execrable tyrant.

11

The Corsican’s Downfall, p. 9.

12

Buonaparte the Emperor of the French considered as the Lucifer and Gog of Isiah and Ezekiel, &c., by L. Mayer, Lond. 1806, p. 86.

13

Memoirs, p. 269.

14

His nephew was afterwards prefect in Corsica. He was a relation of Napoleon.

15

Daughter of Charles Bonaparte, the Emperor’s uncle, and wife of Paraviccini, a cousin, also, of Napoleon.

16

Memoirs, p. 7.

17

Buonapartiana, ou Choix d’Anecdotes curieuses, Paris, 1814.

18

The Life of Napoleon, a Hudibrastic Poem in Fifteen Cantos, by Doctor Syntax (William Combe). London, 1815.

19

Memoirs, vol. i. p. 10.

20

Memoirs, vol. i. p. 33.

21

For instance, see Notes and Queries, 3rd series, vol. vii. p. 364.

22

Romance of London, vol. iii. p. 172, ed. 1865.

23

Memoirs of Madame Junot, vol. i. p. 73.

24

Memoirs, vol. i. p. 80.

25

Amours et Aventures du Vicomte de Barras, Paris, 1817.

26

Notre Dame de Thermidor, p. 429.

27

Madame Tallien and Madame Viconti.

28

Madame Junot’s Memoirs, vol. i. p. 249.

29

Gillray, evidently, was not particular as to dates, for Napoleon married Josephine in 1796.

30

History of the French Consulate under Napoleon Buonaparte, &c., by W. Barre, London, 1804.

31

R. H. Horne.

32

G. M. Bussey.

33

The Lord Mayor of London, Thomas Blackhall.

34

A bogey, a bugbear.

35

The Directory.

36

He was the father of our great caricaturist, George; but there is little doubt from the internal evidence of the pictures, that George either wholly produced, or materially helped in the execution of many caricatures signed with his father’s name.

37

Fox’s residence.

38

The True Briton, May 11, 1798.

39

Histoire de Bonaparte, Premier Consul, Depuis sa Naissance, jusqu’à la Paix de Lunéville, Paris, chez Barba, 1801.

40

The italics are mine. – J. A.

41

Memoirs, vol. i. p. 209

42

Eleven hundred guineas were collected at once on the first day, besides which, the Times, October 4, says, ‘The Royal Exchange and London Assurance Companies have subscribed 100 guineas each, and the East India Company have voted 1,000l. towards this benevolent and patriotic fund.’

43

From Bonduca, by Henry Purcell, A.D. 1710.

44

There is a long account of this lady in Amours secrètes de Napoléon, des Princes et Princesses de sa famille, &c., by M. de B… 2 vols., Paris, 1844, 12mo.

45

Napoleon in Exile, or a Voice from St. Helena, &c., by Barry E. O’Meara. 2 vols., London, 1822. Vol. ii. p. 127.

46

Ibid., vol. i. p. 329.

47

History of Buonaparte, price 6d. Printed by Cox, Son, & Baylis, 75 Great Queen Street.

48

Vol. i. p. 209.

49

Of Aboukir.

50

Which probably gave details of the defeats of the French by Suwaroff, who is thus described in the Vienna Gazette (according to his portrait by Gillray, May 23, 1799): ‘This extraordinary man is now in the prime of life, six feet ten inches in height, never tastes either wine or spirits, takes but one meal a day, and every morning plunges into an ice bath; his wardrobe consists of a plain shirt, a white waistcoat and breeches, short boots, and a Russian cloak; he wears no covering on his head either by day or night; when tired, he wraps himself up in a blanket, and sleeps in the open air; he has fought twenty-nine pitched battles, and been in seventy-five engagements.’

51

In the Times of November 15, 1799, we read of this dinner (November 7) that ‘Buonaparte gave the toast, “To the union of all Frenchmen.”’ The same paper records that Bonaparte had presented Moreau with a robe enriched with diamonds, which he brought from Egypt, and was valued at 10,000 livres. This probably purchased his aid in the coup d’état of the 18th Brumaire.

52

A gross exaggeration, for he only had his coat torn by a Deputy who had sufficient courage to collar him.

53

This was one of Fuseli’s celebrated ‘Milton Gallery,’ a series of 47 pictures, produced between the years 1790 and 1800.

54

No. 8, Nov. 7, 1800.

55

The Porcupine, No. 13, Nov. 13.

56

Ibid. No. 28, Dec. 1.

57

The Porcupine, No. 30, Dec. 3, 1800.

58

The Porcupine, No. 60, Jan. 7, 1801.

59

The Porcupine, No. 61, Jan. 8, 1801.

60

Dec. 31, 1800.

61

Lauriston.

62

Porcupine, No. 291, Oct. 3, 1800.

63

Porcupine, No. 298.

64

An allusion to his play of that name.

65

Memoirs of the Later Years of the Right Honourable Charles James Fox, by John Bernard Trotter, Esq., late private secretary to Mr. Fox, London, 1811.

66

Fox.

67

Trotter.

68

Her real name, vide his Marriage Register, was Elizabeth B. Cane.

69

A name bestowed on young Addington.

70

Garnerin, the aeronaut.

71

Lord Whitworth.

72

St. James’s Chronicle, May 17/19, 1803.

73

Whitworth.

74

Is from Mr. Stanhope’s speech at a meeting of Yorkshire noblemen and gentlemen, at the Castle, York, July 28, 1803, for the purpose of addressing the king on the situation of the country.

75

‘Death is an eternal sleep,’ vide Robespierre’s Decree.

76

Another name for old Nick.

77

November 3.

78

Fesch.

79

Placentia.

80

Who had the chief share in promoting the Concordat with the Pope.

81

The Treaty of Luneville was signed Feb. 9, 1801.

82

‘A bawbling vessell was he Captain of,

For shallow draught and bulk unprizable.’ —Twelfth Night, act 5, sc. i.

Trifling, insignificant, contemptible.

83

Pidcock’s Menagerie was one of the best and largest that used to exhibit in Bartholomew and other fairs: the animals being hired from Cross’s famous collection in Exeter ‘Change. At this time (1803) Pidcock was probably dead, as he exhibited in 1769. The show was afterwards known as Polito’s.

84

Hanging them. A revival of the old Revolutionary cry of ‘À la Lanterne!’

85

Indicative of Hanover.

86

The Marquis of Hartington in a speech in the House of Commons, March 17, 1884, said ‘there were now 209,365 volunteers enrolled, of whom 202,478 were efficient.’ —Morning Post, March 18, 1884.