Title: JOHN BULL trying on his 'bra' new GREY 'BREEKS'
Materials: paper
Techniques: lithograph
Production person: Print made by John Doyle (HB)
Published by: Thomas McLean
Production place: London, England
Date: MARCH 16, 1831
Schools/Styles: British satire

[British Museum Satires 16609]

Description
No. 116. John Bull (larger in scale than the others) sits in an upright chair in his shirt and open waistcoat, tugging on a pair of breeches, his old ones on the floor behind him, his coat on the back of his chair. Lord J. Russell (right) as a tailor, holding a bag and a pair of shears, a tape-measure over his shoulders, bends deferentially towards him. J. B., frowning slightly, says: 'The cut may be more according to rule, and the stuff more fashionable, but I begin to doubt that they will fit more comfortably or wear better than my old discarded everlastings'. Lord J. R.: 'Oh! we of the new school, reject such Old fashioned notions altogether:— we cut upon the most theoretic and geometric principles, as for the stuff it is I assure you now all the vogue on the continent but should it be [sic] any accident burst, in the march of intellect [see BM Satires No. 15604, &c], we will be happy to patch & piece it up again for you'. Tories behind J. B. (left) watch. Peel turns to Wellington: 'I never thought to see our poor old friend a sans culotte'. Wellington: 'They promised that the stuff should be Cord de Roy but if I am not much mistaken, it is arrant fustian!' Eldon, a little apart, and more dejected: 'Alas! poor inexpressibles! We ne'er shall look upon your like again' .


Curator's comments
(Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954)
Cf. No. 16603; for the influence of France, No. 16208 .

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