The fruition of Nantes or the vision interpreted (BM 1868,0808.6084)

Five British sailors make a furious attack on six French soldiers, grotesque and terrified creatures, whom the sailors humiliate and insult. Their officer (left), who holds a British flag, is threatened by a sailor with clenched fists, and excretes, terrified. A sailor with a scourge slashes the bared posteriors of a Frenchman who grovels on the ground, saying, "oh le pauvre Commandant"; he says, "Now foutre you'l take 2 Merchants Ships for a fleet of Men of War again". A Frenchman, nearly throttled by an angry sailor, cries "Ca-ira Ca-ira". A sailor pulls the queue of the drummer, to whom he offers a piece of tobacco, saying, "here you B--g--r heres a stale Quid for you Instead of Hartshorn". A sailor on the extreme right pulls the queue of a Frenchman and raises his club to strike; the latter says, "oh Diable we was Make de Dam Mistake Parblue". The sailor answers, "aye aye D------n Your Eyes Ill make you Blue and Black too". In the background (left) are buildings inscribed 'Nantes'. 15 July 1791.

Etching