sery. In place of his
invoices lie the _Gazette_, which announces his bankruptcy, and a number
of tradesmen's bills; on the back of his chair is coiled a rope, and on
the table before him a razor lies on a treatise on suicide,--John in
fact is debating by what mode he shall put an end to his existence. An
onion and some water in a broken jug are the only articles of sustenance
he has to depend on. The tax gatherer, who has made a number of
fruitless calls, looks through the broken panes to ascertain if John is
really "at home." On the wall, in place of the picture of "Good Queen
Bess," hangs a portrait of John Bellingham, the assassin of Spencer
Perceval; and in lieu of his once joyous ballads, such doleful ditties
as "Oh, dear, what can the matter be!" "There's nae luck about the
house," and so on. The poor dog, grown like his master a lean and
pitiable object, vainly appeals to him for food.

"England's hope"[21]--the darling of the nation--the amiable and
interesting Princess Charlotte, whose loss is still lamented after the
lapse of more than half a century, died in childbirth on the 6th of
November, 1817; but on the 24th of May, 1819, was born, at Kensington
Palace, another amiable and august princess, whose life has been most
happily spared to us--her present Majesty Queen Victoria. To show that
the influence of the last century caricaturists had not yet left us,
this auspicious event immediately gave rise to a coarse caricature,[22]
published by Fores, and labelled, _A Scene in the New Farce called the
Rivals, or a Visit to the Heir Presumptive_, in which the scurrilous
satirist depicts the supposed mortification and jealousy of other
members of the royal family. Her Majesty's father, the Duke of Kent,
died nine months afterwards, on the 23rd of January, 1820.

FOOTNOTES:

[18] The new Alhambra.

[19] A caricature entitled _Doctors Differ_, according to Mr. Grego
(published in 1785) is due to Rowlandson. It is possible, therefore,
that the present one, although not in Rowlandson's style, may be a
reproduction.

[20] This admirable satire appears to me very like the handiwork of
George Cruikshank; but not being able positively to identify it, I
have given it its place in this chapter.

[21] See the caricatures of George Cruikshank, 1817.

[22] Apparently by Williams.

CHAPTER IV.

_MISCELLANEOUS CARICATURES AND SUBJECTS OF CARICATURE, 1820-1830._

CAROLINE OF