The state of the nation (BM 1868,0808.5212)

George III and Pitt pull down Britannia from a platform supported on two pillars: 'Constitution' and 'Commons of England'. Both pillars are broken, Pitt puts his foot on that of the 'Commons'. The king (right) kneels on one knee in profile to the left pulling at a ribbon, inscribed 'Frenzy of the People', which is attached to Britannia's chair; Pitt also pulls at the ribbon, holding out to the king, whom he faces, a bust portrait of a king inscribed 'Sweden'. Fox (left), standing on a platform lower than that of Britannia, tries vainly to prevent her fall, holding her hand. His platform is inscribed 'The Principals that rais'd the House of Hanover' and is supported on three columns, each inscribed 'Whigism'. The distressed Britannia drops her staff and cap of Liberty and her shield; she grasps three documents: 'Magna [Ch]arta', 'Bill of Rights', and 'Habea[s] Corpus'.
The high back of her chair is decorated with three feathers inscribed respectively 'Ireland', 'East Indies', 'America'. A number of rats inscribed 'Jack Robinson' (see BMSat 6427, &c.) nibble at the bases of the broken pillars of the 'Constitution' and the 'Commons'. A number of shields, each inscribed with a name, rise behind Fox and above the king. Those of Fox contain the names of the Whig magnates who supported the Coalition, those over the king the names of those who actively supported Pitt. The former are: 'Fitzwilliams', 'Carlisle', 'Surry', 'Manchester', 'Pelham', 'Conway', 'Hertford', 'Townshend', 'Portland', 'Powis', 'Mansfield' [James], [Probably, he was one of Fox's martyrs; possibly Lord Mansfield, see Walpole. 'Letters', xiii, p. 108.] Saville, [Sir George Savile died 10 Jan. 1784] 'Masham', 'Stormont', 'Marlborough', 'Derby', 'Cavendish', 'Spencer'. The latter are 'Jebb', 'Jenkinson', 'Galoway', 'Bute', 'Mason' (with a bishop's mitre), 'McCrief', 'Price', 'Trotman', 'Shelburn', 'Temple', 'Wilks 45', 'Muir Atkinson'. Against Wilkes' shield is 'Esy on Woman'.
Pitt holds out to the king a portrait of Gustavus III to incite him to a coup d'état. c.July 1784

Etching