Saturday 25 April 2009

Pour mon amie royaliste

My recent arguments here and chez elle put me in mind of this cartoon from James Gilray: 'The Tree of Liberty - with the Devil tempting John Bull'. According to Wikimedia:

"Round a bare and decayed oak tree is twined a serpent with the head of [Whig leader Charles James] Fox; he holds a damaged apple inscribed "reform" to John Bull, who is fat and his pockets bulge with golden apples. The trunk of the tree is "opposition"; its roots are: envy, ambition, disappointment. Each rotten apple has an inscription: democracy, treason, slavery, etc.

In the background is an oak in full leaf: its trunk is "Justice", the roots Commons, King, Lords, the branches Laws and Religion. From it hangs a crown surrounded by apples, some inscribed Freedom, Happiness, Security."

1 comment:

alison said...

Thanks for the debate!