Beneath the title two lines of text reads: '" - his Satires are as keen as the Back of a Rasor; - and having but Three Ideas in the World, "Two of them borrow'd, - & the Third, nobody else would own." -'

A swipe at Thomas Davies, Lieutenant general and amateur draughtsman and caricaturist, following his disparaging comments aimed at Gillray. “The Military Caricaturist”, Lieutenant general Thomas Davies, stands face forward with a porte-crayon in his mouth, wearing full military garb, plumed hat, and rather ill-fitting boots. An oversized sabre hangs behind him and a portfolio labelled 'Caricatures' is stuffed under his right arm. The wall behind is dotted with crude caricatures: 'Wit' depicts a woman squatting, looking over her shoulder saying "Baiser!". In 'Character' an ass headed lionesque figure is inscribed 'This is a Red Lion', a print of a Jean-de-Bry coat and a boot is inscribed 'Classick Studies'. A large nude seen from behind is titled 'Grace' and inscribed 'Venus de Medicis'. A caricature of goat painting a nude titled 'Leith Harbour’ is is pinned above a table, upon which two books 'Aretine's Postures' and 'La Pucelle' are stacked next to a bottle labelled 'Velno', a well-known quack remedy. Below the table resting against the wall is a tied portfolio inscribed 'Hints from Bunbury; Mat . . Darly - Lord Townshend &c &c.'

According to M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum' These accusations of plagiarism and indecency are said to be against General Davies, a well-known amateur reputed to have spoken slightingly of Gillray. The same officer, Thomas Davies (c. 1737-1812), Lieutenant-general of the Artillery Ragiment, also a draughtsman during military service in North America, 1757-1790, appears in three other Gillray caricatures, BM Satires 9037, 9069, 9699.

James Gillray (c.1756-1815) was a British caricaturist and printmaker famous for his etched political and social satires. Born in Chelsea, Gillray studied letter-engraving, and was later admitted to the Royal Academy where he was influenced by the work of Hogarth. His caricature L'Assemblée Nationale (1804) gained huge notoriety when the Prince of Wales paid a large sum of money to have it suppressed and its plate destroyed. Gillray lived with his publisher and print-seller Miss (often called Mrs) Humphrey during the entire period of his fame. Twopenny Whist, a depiction of four individuals playing cards, is widely believed to feature Miss Humphrey as an ageing lady with eyeglasses and a bonnet. One of Gillray’s later prints, Very Slippy-Weather, shows Miss Humphrey's shop in St. James's Street in the background. In the shop window a number of Gillray's previously published prints, such as Tiddy-Doll the Great French Gingerbread Maker [...] a satire on Napoleon's king-making proclivities, are shown in the shop window. His last work Interior of a Barber's Shop in Assize Time, from a design by Bunbury, was published in 1811. While he was engaged on it he became mad, although he had occasional intervals of sanity. Gillray died on 1 June 1815, and was buried in St James's churchyard, Piccadilly.

BM Satires 9442

Condition: Excellent bright early hand colouring. Small stain to right of plumed hat. Trimmed to platemark, top and sides and just within platemark at bottom. Old album residue in corners on verso. Edmeads & Co watermark. Framed in a maple frame.