any
stones that might appear interesting to himself." The result (shortly
stated) was the excavation of the once celebrated "Elgin marbles," about
which, if we are to credit the report from which we glean this
information, his lordship would seem to have expended (including the
interest of capital) some L74,000. The committee recommend the House,
under these circumstances, coupled with the valuations which they had
obtained from competent authorities, that L35,000 was "a reasonable and
sufficient price to be paid for the collection," and their purchase
appears to have been completed on the basis of these figures, a fact
which forms the subject of the artist's undated and admirable satire of
_John Bull Buying Stones at the Time his Numerous Family Want Bread_.

Unsigned, and under date of 25th of November, 1816, I find a caricature
published by Fores, which seems to me due to the hand of George
Cruikshank. It is entitled, _The Nightmayor_, "painted by Fuzeley," and
represents a debased woman in the stertorous sleep of drunkenness, whose
muddled dream-thoughts revert to the experiences with which her evil
habits have made her so frequently familiar. The gin drinker has been
brought before the Lord Mayor any number of times for being "drunk and
disorderly," and accordingly her _nightmare_ assumes the form of the
city official, who sits upon the body clothed in his robes and invested
with the insignia of his office. Appended to the satire are the
following lines:--

"The night mayor flitting through the evening fogs,
Traverses alleys, streets, courts, lanes, and bogs,
Seeking some love-bewilder'd maid by gin oppress'd,
Alights--and sits upon her downy breast."

The only other caricature of George I have to notice under date of 1816
is entitled, _State Physicians Bleeding John Bull to Death_. (*)

1817.

In our third chapter we referred to the distress which prevailed amongst
the industrial classes during the two years which followed the fall of
Bonaparte.[75] We meet with an exceedingly rare pictorial satire by
George Cruikshank, which relates to this state of things; it bears the
title of, _John Bull Brought up for a Discharge, but Remanded on Account
of Extravagance and False Schedule_, and was published by Fores on the
29th of March, 1817. John Bull, a bankrupt, is being publicly examined
as to the causes of his failure: "Being desired by the court to give
some explanation [on the subject of the prod