The Minister In. The Minister Out

This is one of several prints by Gillray published in 1782 about the transition of administrations from the Tory Frederick Lord North (Minister Out) to the Rockingham Whigs led by Charles James Fox (Minister In). Others include Changing Places, alias Fox Stinking the Badger out of his Nest (March 22) A Warm Birth for the Old Administration (April 2), and Banco to the Knave (April 12).

If one needed any reminder that satire in the 18th century could be incredibly crude and disgusting, this is a case in point. But it is somewhat unusual for being an attack on and a warning to politicians in general, whatever their party or persuasion.

The Minister In. The Minister Out

The Minister In. The Minister Out [April 22, 1782]
© Trustees of the British Museum

On the left, as the verse below the image describes, Fox as the minister now in power has his needs anticipated and met by a trio of sychophants.

When the Ministers In, how subservient his Friends,
They'll wipe his Backside, to obtain their own Ends.
Hold the Pot of Convenience, their Fingers will lick,
And at no dirty Work, you will e'er find them stick."

But when the minister is out of power (represented by North), the same trio of characters behaves very differently.

Yet change but the Scene; shew him once out of Place,
And the Stink Pots they'll empty direct in his Face;
'Tis the Post, not the Person, they worship you find,
And when out of Office, they're soon out of Mind.

Sources and Reading

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