(Fox, Pitt and Thurlow.) (BM 1868,0808.5360)

Thurlow as Balaam, riding (right to left) on an ass with the head of Pitt, is confronted by Fox (left) holding a sword with a serpentine blade and the shield of Britannia. The ass says, "Am not I thy Pitt=ifull Ass; upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine". Thurlow, on a larger scale than Fox and the ass, which is much overweighted, wears his Chancellor's wig and gown and holds his mace against his right shoulder; he looks fixedly at Fox. A low and irregular stone wall forms a background.

Beneath the design is etched:

'And they came unto Balaam and said unto him, thus saith Balak the Templeite, let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me, for I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore I pray thee, curse me this People.

Balaam rose up in the Morning and saddled his Ass, and went with the Lords of the Bed-Chamber, now the Man of the People stood in the way for an adversary against him, and when the Ass saw the Man of the People, he fell down under Balaam and Balaam's anger was kindled; and he smote the Ass with the Mace.' 24 July 1784

Etching