The parody, - or Mother Cole and Loader.

Handcoloured orig.-etching. 223 x 325 mm. (Image). BM Satires 6514 - Lettered with title followed by "See Foots Minor page 29.", text within image, and publication line: "Pubd April 10th. 1784 by W. Humphrey No 227 Strand". - North as Mother Cole is seated full-face in an arm-chair, the tips of his fingers sanctimoniously together. Beside him sits Fox, as Loader, a handkerchief in his right hand, his left pointing upwards. North says, "Ay I am agoing; a wasting and a wasting - what will become of the House when I am gone Heaven knows - No - When people are Missed then theyre Mourn`d - Sixteen years have I lived in St Stephens Chaple comfortably and creditably; and tho I say it, could have got bail any hour of the day! no knock me down doings in my house, a set of regular sedate sober Customers - no rioters - Sixteen did I say - Ay, eighteen years have I paid Scott and Lot - and during the whole time nobody have said Mrs North Why do you so? unless twice that I was threatned with impeachment and three times with a Halter!" Fox says, "May I lose deal, with an honour at bottom, if Old Moll does not bring tears in my Eyes." Mother Cole wears a hood and loose gown over her petticoat, her shoes are slashed to ease her bulging feet. By her side is a bottle labelled `Constitution Cordial`. Fox is dressed in his customary manner; at his side is an overturned dice-box and dice. (BM) North is represented as the sanctimonious bawd (for whom Mother Douglas was the supposed original) who became a follower of Whitefleld, Fox as the sharping gamester. The words of the play are cleverly parodied, the indictments of Mother Cole being changed into the threats of impeachment which Fox had made against North. (M. Dorothy George, `Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum`, VI, 1938)

Graphik, Karikatur, Satire