‘Prattle the Political Apotecary’, 1779
Description
Mounted etching, entitled ‘PRATTLE THE POLITICAL APOTECARY’, designed by James Gillray, etched by anon, and published by H. Humphrey around 1779.
William Atkinson, an apothecary whose premises were on Pall Mall, is giving a considered opinion on the British Strategy for the later stages of the American War of Independence. Atkinson is depicted as a thin, elderly and haughty man, holding his hat, wearing a full-tailed frock coat, with a bag-clyster in one pocket.
The text below the design reads: ‘Beg your pardon my Dear Sir – had it from my Lud Fiddlefaddle, nothing to do but cut ’em off pass the Susquhanna and proceed to Boston possess himself of Crown point then – Philidelphia and South Carolina, would have fallen of course – and a communication opend with the Northern Army – as easyly as I’d open a Vein”.