The Stage's Glory (BM 1868,0808.3540)

Satire on the financial success of John Rich, comedian and theatre manager, arranged within an ornate arch supported on double columns, and lettered with references to "The Explination" at the top: A.on the base, a mock coat-of-arms of Harlequin supported by an ape and a fox with a motto translated as "Craft is my Lot"; B. reclining on the top of the arch, Punch, Colombine and Scaramouche, holding a guitar, who benefit from Rich's craft; C. seated on clouds beneath the arch, Folly holding a rattle and a stick with a windmill, and D. Fortune with her wheel spilling coins from a bag; on rocks below, E. the Doctor holding a pair of spectacles and two clyster pipes, and F. Pierrot, staff in hand, who leads L. Harlequin Lun (i.e. Rich) assured that Fortune is their friend; Lun holds a hat into which Fortune's coins are falling. In a cave below are G. a Critic holding a quill pen; H. a Footman who leads acclaim from the upper gallery; I. a shameless woman writer (probably intended for Eliza Haywood); K. an uneasy writer of tragedies. On either side of the arch, M. "Two little Genius's of different tastes of Poetry" extolling the popular burlesques, "Tom Thumb" and "Hurlothrumbo". Between the paired columns on either side hang three medallions representing theatrical subjects, another hangs at the apex: N. a scene from the Beggar's Opera; O. Italian Opera, perhaps intended as a representation of Cuzzoni and Senesino (see BM Satires 1768); P. Lun tossed in a blanket; Q. a fashionable audience diverted by Lun's antics; R. Lun turning away from Apollo and taking Momus, god of satire, by the hand; S. performers landing from a ship at a quay where Fortune lies surrounded by bags of coin; T. Lun and "a singing lady" adding the works of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Dryden and others to a fire supervised by Ignorance. c.1731
Etching with engraved lettering