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| Keywords: 1799-Belvoir-Castle-houseparty-Isaac-Cruikshank.jpg The Humours of Belvoir Castle -- or the Morning After a March 1st 1799 English caricature engraving showing the aftermath of a night of upper-class debauchery at a large country mansion marking the celebration of the owner's coming of age One's coming of age was the 21st birthday for most purposes but a will or other legal document could specify a different date on which the inheritor of a property would come into full legal control over it which was then the coming of age with respect to that particular property <br/> This is a precursor to the infamous Edwardian country-house weekends but in the pre-railway era of 1799 the whole occasion was likely to last longer than just a weekend Some old handwriting on this copy of the print says that Cruikshank was parodying the celebration of the Duke of Rutland's coming of age 1799-03-01 Edited from image at http //memory loc gov/master/pnp/ppmsca/07100/07198u tif Library of Congress creator Isaac Cruikshank PD-old-100 Text in image First tableau ;Inebriated Irishman Och Long life to Belvoir Castle -- by St Patrick I wish his honor would come of age every day in the year -- to be sure we did not push about the bottle at all at all -- and now here's a polite Damsel going to shew me to bed in the morning -- she seems to have a nation deal of bone -- but no matter for that -- Belvoir Castle forever I say ;Homely upper servant lady's-maid Come along Sir I'll shew you to a chamber -- it's a pity you should sleep in the Gallery you might take cold -- sotto voce bless me I would not have my Lady to see me for the world she would never have an opinion of my virtue again Second tableau ;Surprised ugly man Oh Lord Oh Lord why I have not slept all night with you -- you Black Devil have I ;Black woman servant not slave in a shift holding candle Iss you did and you be very pretty man Third tableau ;Hastily-attired woman I think I shall now escape without detection ;Caricature old man in nightshirt My wife -- by everything that is hornified they often told me she wore the Breeches and now I am convinced of it Hornified refers to the old image that a cuckold was horned Fourth tableau ;Reading man in dressing gown While my Sister makes Breakfast I will read you a passage in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night -- there is something peculiarly whimsical and interesting in the Character of Malvolio ;Woman pouring tea noticing that her brother is wearing a woman's shoe of the type tied to the leg by ribbons I suppose you admire that character from Sympathy -- for like Malvolio I perceive you are cross-garter'd ;Older man Cross-garter'd -- why Tom has got on a Lady's Stocking -- there must be some cursed mistake in this Fifth tableau ;Dissheveled drunken man Shew me to bed -- or give me something to drink -- great lump of loveliness -- devine Cherry-bum; -- hear me -- give me some drink thou mighty Castle Spectre ;Heavyset lower servant woman holding candle Bless your honor I am only the Cook -- most of the regular Families are getting up but I'll shew you to a bed if you please Sixth tableau ;Woman I am glad I have found you my Dear -- I persuaded my Husband to let us have separate rooms -- as he complain'd of being very ill -- bless me how dark it is -- why don't you speak ;Man sotto voce Here's a pretty business my own wife by Jupiter -- I should know her voice from a thousand Seventh tableau ;Uncle Why Jack what wickedness have you been at -- you have got a woman's cap on ;Nephew Jack Have I Uncle -- and if I don't mistake this is an under-petticoat about your shoulders Eighth tableau ;Lecherous upper-class man 'Pon Honor -- you are two nice little Lincolnshire Articles -- you must know I am a Bond Street Sailor and I insist on taking you in tow ;Experienced lower-class woman to inexperienced lower-class woman Why are you so bashful -- I was so at first -- till I found all the fine Ladies of Fashion set us so good an example For other Isaac Cruikshank caricatures with a similar overall structure see Image Ca-1795-militia-volunteers-drill-innuendo-caricature jpg and Image That-accounts-for-it-1799-caricature-Isaac-Cruikshank jpg ---- Bibliographic information found on the LoC site TITLE The humours of Belvoir Castle or the morning after / Woodward del ; etch'd by Cruikshank CALL NUMBER PC 3 - 1799--Humours of Belvoir Castle B size P P REPRODUCTION NUMBER LC-DIG-ppmsca-07198 digital file from original print No known restrictions on publication SUMMARY Print shows a number of encounters in two panels between men and women either off to bed or awakened to the horrors of the night before The first an old man on the arm of an old woman says Och Long life to Belvoir Castle and now heres a polite Damsel going to shew me to bed in the morning to which the woman responds Come along sir bless me I would not have my Lady to see me for the World She would never have an opinion of my virtue again The second encounter has a rather homely man discovering by candlelight that he has slept with an African woman who tells him you did and you be very pretty man The third encounter shows an old man exclaiming that he has often heard that his wife wore the Breeches and now I am convinced of it as he catches sight of her in her nightdress one breast exposed and a man's breeches around her shoulders and she thinking I shall now escape without detection of her adulterous activities The top panel closes with an old man sitting at a table having tea with a young couple the young man a rake proposes to read you a passage in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night - there is something peculiarly whimsical and interesting in the Character of Malvolio to which the young woman replies for like Malvolio I perceive you are cross garter'd and the old man exclaims Cross garter'd why Tom has got on a Lady's Stocking - there must be some cursed mistake in this The bottom panel continues in this vein with a man on one knee appealing to a plump woman Shew me to bed - or give me something to drink - great lump of loveliness - devine Cherry-bum - hear me - give me some drink thou mighty Castle Spectre The next encounter has a husband and wife embracing in the dark he thinking I should know her voice from a thousand after hearing her speak I am glad I have found you my Dear I persuaded my Husband to let us have separate rooms as he complain'd of being very ill - bless me how dark it is why don't you speak Next an uncle and a nephew confronting each other in the morning the uncle says Why Jack what wickedness have you been at You have got a Woman's Cap on to which the nephew replies Have I Uncle and if I don't mistake this is an under petticoat about your shoulders Lastly a Bond Street Sailor is about to lead or take in tow a bashful young woman down the path to ruin with the aid of another woman who says to her Why are you so bashful - I was so at first - till I found all the fine Ladies of Fashion set us so good an example Besides containing some puns in speech the whole print seems to be a pun on Belvoir or beautiful view MEDIUM 1 print etching hand-colored CREATED/PUBLISHED London Pub by S W Fores No 50 Piccadilly corner of Sackville St 1799 March 1st CREATOR Cruikshank Isaac 1756 -1811 engraver RELATED NAMES Woodward G M George Moutard ca 1760-1809 artist NOTES Title from item Inscribed in ink at end of title the Duke of Rutland came of age Folio's of caracatures lent out for the evening Forms part of British Cartoon Collection Library of Congress SUBJECTS Relations between the sexes--England--1790-1800 Intoxication--1790-1800 Clothing dress--England--1790-1800 FORMAT Puns Visual works British 1790-1800 Satires Visual works British 1790-1800 Etchings British Hand-colored 1790-1800 PART OF British Cartoon Collection Library of Congress REPOSITORY Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington D C 20540 USA DIGITAL ID digital file from original print ppmsca 07198 http //hdl loc gov/loc pnp/ppmsca 07198 CARD 2004681708 Fashion in 1799 18th-century caricatures Isaac Cruikshank 1799 cartoons Africans in 18th-century art 1799 Belvoir Castle Nightcaps headgear Servants in art George Moutard Woodward Dressing gowns Mistress and maid in art Black African servants | ||||
