SURRENDER OF ULM--BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR--PROPOSALS FOR PEACE--DANIEL
LAMBERT.
Meantime the Austrians were in a very awkward position. General Mack
was, from October 13, closely invested in Ulm, and Napoleon had almost
need to restrain his troops, who were flushed with victory and eager
for the assault. The carnage on both sides would, in such a case, have
been awful; but Napoleon clearly pointed out to Mack his position: how
that, in eight days, he would be forced to capitulate for want of food:
that the Russians were yet far off, having scarcely reached Bohemia;
that no other aid was nigh:--and on October 20, the gates of Ulm were
opened, and 36,000 Austrian troops slowly defiled therefrom. Sixteen
generals surrendered with Mack, and Napoleon treated them generously.
All the officers were allowed to go home, their parole, not to fight
against France until there had been a general exchange of prisoners,
only being required; and Napoleon sent 50,000 prisoners into France,
distributing them throughout the agricultural districts.
Gillray drew (November 6, 1805) ‘The Surrender of Ulm, or Buonaparte
and Gen^l Mack coming to a right understanding--Intended as a Specimen
of French Victories--_i.e._ Conquering without Bloodshed!!!’ It shows a
little Napoleon, seated on a drum, whilst Mack and some other generals
are grovelling on all fours, delivering up their swords, banners,
and the keys of Ulm, to the conqueror. Napoleon, pointing to three
large sacks of money, borne by as many soldiers, exclaims: ‘There’s
your Price! There’s Ten Millions--Twenty!! It is not in my Army alone
that my resources of Conquering consists!! I hate victory obtain’d
by effusion of blood.’ ‘And so do I,’ says the crawling Mack; ‘What
signifies Fighting when we can settle it in a safer way.’ On the
ground is a scroll of ‘Articles to be deliver’d up. 1 Field Marshal.
8 Generals in Chief. 7 Lieutenant Generals. 36 Thousand Soldiers. 80
pieces of Cannon. 50 Stand of Colours. 100,000 Pounds of Powder. 4,000
Cannon Balls.’
This subject also attracted the pencil of I. Cruikshank (November
19, 1805): ‘Boney beating Mack--and Nelson giving him a Whack!! or
the British Tars giving Boney his Hearts desire, SHIPS, COLONIES and
COMMERCE.’ Mack is kneeling in a suppliant manner before Bonaparte,
who stamps upon his captive’s sword, addressing him: ‘I want not your
Forts, your Cities, nor your territories! Sir, I only want Ships,
Colonies and Commerce’--a very slight variation from the real text of
his address to the vanquished Austrian officers: ‘I desire nothing
further upon the Continent. I want ships, colonies, and commerce; and
it is as much your interest, as mine, that I should have them.’ During
this peroration military messengers are arriving. One calls out, ‘May
it please your King’s Majesty’s Emperor. That Dam Nelson take all your
ships. Twenty at a time. Begar, if you no come back directly they vill
not leave you vone boat to go over in.’ Another runs along crying,
‘Run, ma foi, anoder Dam Nelson take ever so many more ships.’ This is
an allusion to the battle of Trafalgar (October 21, 1805),[10] where
Nelson paid for his victory with his life. This is further illustrated
in another portion of the engraving, by Nelson, who is towing the
captured vessels, kneeling at Britannia’s feet, saying: ‘At thy feet,
O Goddess of the seas, I resign my life in the service of my country.’
Britannia replies: ‘My Son, thy Name shall be recorded in the page of
History on tablets of the brightest Gold.’
Rowlandson (November 13, 1805) further alludes to the surrender of Ulm
and the battle of Trafalgar: ‘Nap Buonaparte in a fever on receiving
the Extraordinary Gazette of Nelson’s Victory over the combined
Fleets.’ Boney is very sick and miserable, the combined effects of the
news which he has read in the paper which falls from his trembling
hands--the ‘Extraordinary Gazette. 19 Sail of the line taken by Lord
Nelson.’ He appeals to four doctors, who are in consultation on his
case: ‘My dear Doctors! those Sacré Anglois have play’d the Devil vid
my Constitution. Pray tell me what is the matter with me. I felt the
first symptoms when I told Gen^l Mack I wanted Ships, Colonies and
Commerce. Oh dear! oh dear! I shall want more ships now--this is a
cursed sensation--Oh I am very qualmish.’ One doctor opines it is ‘a
desperate case,’ another that he is ‘Irrecoverable.’ One recommends
bleeding; but one has thoroughly investigated the case, and found
out the cause: ‘Begar, me have found it out, _your heart be in your
breeches_!’
Now with such fury they push’d on,
Memmengen the French Army won,
And by the treachery of Mack,
Ulm surrendered in a crack--
Soon after the capitulation,
The Austrians with consternation
Laid down their arms, and to their shame,
Napoleon’s prisoners became----
There were no caricatures of the battle of Trafalgar--the victory was
purchased at too great a cost; but Gillray executed a serious etching
in memory of Nelson, published on December 29, 1805, the funeral of the
hero taking place on the subsequent 9th of January.
The following caricature shows the quality of news supplied to our
forefathers:--
‘John Bull exchanging News with the Continent’ is by Woodward, December
11, 1805, and represents Napoleon and a French newsboy on a rock called
_Falsehood_, disseminating news the reverse of true. The ‘Journal
de l’Empire’ says that Archduke Charles is dead with fatigue; the
‘Journal de Spectacle’ that England is invaded. The ‘Gazette de France’
informs us that the English fleet is dispersed, and the ‘Publicité’
follows it with the news that the combined fleets are sent in pursuit.
False bulletins are being scattered broadcast. These, however, have
but little effect on John Bull, who, attired as a newsboy, stands on
the rock of Truth, flourishing a paper, ‘Trafalgar London Gazette
extraordinary,’ and bellowing through his horn, ‘Total defeat of the
Combin’d Fleets of France and Spain,’ which is vividly depicted in the
background.
‘Tiddy doll, the great French Gingerbread Baker, drawing out a new
Batch of Kings--his man Hopping Talley mixing up the Dough,’ is
a somewhat elaborate etching by Gillray (January 23, 1806). The
celebrated gingerbread maker has, on a ‘peel,’ three kings, duly
gilt--Bavaria, Wurtemberg, and Baden--which he is just introducing into
the ‘New French Oven for Imperial Gingerbread.’ On a chest of three
drawers, relatively labelled Kings and Queens, Crowns and Sceptres,
and Suns and Moons, are a quantity of ‘Little Dough Viceroys, intended
for the next batch.’ Under the oven is an ‘Ash hole for broken
Gingerbread,’ and a broom--‘the Corsican Besom of Destruction’--has
swept therein La République Française, Italy, Austria, Spain,
Netherlands, Switzerland, Holland, and Venice. On the ground is a
fool’s cap and bells, which acts as a cornucopia (labelled ‘Hot
Spiced Gingerbread, all hot; Come, who dips in my lucky bag’), which
disgorges stars and orders, principalities, dukedoms, crowns, sceptres,
cardinals’ hats, and bishops’ mitres; and a baker’s basket is full of
‘True Corsican Kinglings for Home Consumption and Exportation.’
[Illustration: TIDDY DOLL, THE GREAT FRENCH GINGERBREAD BAKER, DRAWING
OUT A NEW BATCH OF KINGS.]
Talleyrand--with a mitre on his head, and beads and cross round his
waist, to show his ecclesiastical status; with a pen in his mouth, and
ink-pot slung to his side, to denote his diplomatic functions--is hard
at work at the ‘Political Kneading Trough,’ mixing up Hungary, Poland,
Turkey, &c., whilst an eagle (Prussia) is pecking at a piece of dough
(Hanover).
To thoroughly understand this caricature, we must first of all know
something about _Tiddy Doll_. He was a seller of gingerbread, and was
as famous in his time as was _Colly Molly Puff_ in the time of Steele
and Addison. He had a refrain, all his own, like a man well known to
dwellers in Brighton and the West End of London--‘_Brandy balls_.’
Hone[11] gives the best account of him that I know. Discoursing on _May
fair_, he says: ‘Here, too, was _Tiddy-doll_; this celebrated vendor of
gingerbread, from his eccentricity of character and extensive dealings
in his way, was always hailed as the king of itinerant tradesmen.[12]
In his person he was tall, well made, and his features handsome. He
affected to dress like a person of rank: white, gold-laced, suit
of clothes, laced ruffled shirt, laced hat and feather, white silk
stockings, with the addition of a fine white apron. Among his harangues
to gain customers, take this as a specimen: “Mary, Mary, where are you
_now_, Mary? I live, when at home, at the second house in little Ball
Street, two steps under ground, with a wiscum, riscum, and a why not.
Walk in ladies and gentlemen; my shop is on the second floor backwards,
with a brass knocker at the door. Here is your nice gingerbread, your
spice gingerbread; it will melt in your mouth like a redhot brickbat,
and rumble in your inside like Punch and his wheelbarrow.” He always
finished his address by singing this fag end of some popular ballad.
[Illustration: [MUSIC]
Ti - tid - dy, ti - ti ti - tid - dy, ti - ti ti - tid-dy, ti - ti
tid-dy did-dy dol - lol, ti - tiddy, ti - diddy ti - ti, tid-dy,
tiddy, dol.’
]
Pitt died on January 23, 1806, and Fox succeeded him. It is probable
that Napoleon reckoned somewhat on Fox’s friendship, and hence the
following caricature:--
[Illustration: BONEY AND THE GREAT STATE SECRETARY.]
‘Boney and the Great Secretary’ (Argus, February 1806) gives a good
portrait of Fox. Napoleon wishes to be friendly: ‘How do you do, Master
Charley, why you are so fine, I scarcely knew ye--don’t you remember
me, why I am little Boney the Corsican--him that you came to see at
Paris, and very civil I was to you, I’m sure. If you come my way I
shall be glad to see you, so will my wife and family. They are a little
changed in their dress, as well as you. We shall be very happy to take
a little _peace_ soup with you, whenever you are inclined, Master
Charley.’ But Fox shakes his fist at him: ‘Why, you little Corsican
Reptile! how dare you come so near the person of the Right Honble C----
J---- F---- one of his M---- principal Secretaries of State, Member
of the P.C. &c., &c., &c., &c., &c., &c., &c., &c.--go to see YOU!!!
Arrogant little Man, Mr. Boney--if you do not instantly vanish from my
sight--I’le break every bone in your body--learn to behave yourself
in a _peaceable_ manner, nor dare to set your foot on this happy land
without MY leave.’
Of ‘Pacific Overtures, or a Flight from St. Cloud, “over the Water
to Charley,” a new Dramatic Peace now rehearsing’ (Gillray, April 5,
1806), only a portion is given in the accompanying illustration, but
quite sufficient to explain the negotiations for peace then in progress.
[Illustration]
This caricature is far too elaborate to reproduce the whole, and the
allusions therein are extremely intricate and, nowadays, uninteresting.
A theatrical stage is represented, with Napoleon descending in clouds,
pointing to Terms of Peace, which are being displayed by Talleyrand,
and saying, ‘There’s my terms.’ These are as follow: ‘Acknowledge me
as Emperor; dismantle your fleet; reduce your army; abandon Malta and
Gibraltar; renounce all Continental connexion; your Colonies I will
take at a valuation; engage to pay to the Great Nation, for seven years
annually, £1,000,000; and place in my hands as hostages, the Princess
Charlotte of Wales, with ten of the late administration, whom I shall
name.’
King George has stepped from his box on to the stage, and is surveying
this vision through his glass, exclaiming: ‘Very amusing terms indeed,
and might do vastly well with some of the new made little gingerbread
kings[13]; but we are not in the habit of giving up either “ships, or
commerce, or colonies” merely because little Boney is in a pet to have
them!!!’
Ansell (April 1806) drew ‘Roast Beef and French Soup. The English
Lamb * * * and the French Tiger,’ and it seems merely designed
for the purpose of introducing Daniel Lambert, who was then on
exhibition--‘Daniel Lambert who at the age of 36 weighed above 50
Stone, 14 Pounds to the Stone, measured 3 yards 4 inches round the
Body, and 1 yard 1 inch round the leg. 5 feet 11 inches high.’ It shows
the redoubtable fat man seated on a couch, carving a round of beef,
which is accompanied by a large mustard-pot, a huge loaf, and a foaming
pot of stout. Napoleon, seated on a similar couch, on the opposite side
of the table, is taking soup--then an unaccustomed article of food with
Englishmen--and looks with horror at the other’s size and manner of
feeding.
Daniel Lambert was like Mr. Dick in ‘David Copperfield,’ who would
persist in putting King Charles the First’s head into his Memorial;
he could hardly be kept out of the caricatures. Ansell produced one
(May 1806)--‘Two Wonders of the World, or a Specimen of a new troop
of Leicestershire Light Horse.--Mr. Daniel Lambert, who at the age of
36 weighed above 50 Stone, 14 Pounds to the Stone, measured 3 yards 4
inches round the body and 1 yard 1 inch round the leg, 5 feet 11 inches
high. The famous horse Monarch, the largest in the World is upwards of
21 hands high, (above 7 foot)[14] and only 6 Years old.’ Lambert is
mounted on this extraordinary quadruped, and, sword in hand, is riding
at poor little Boney, who exclaims in horror, ‘Parbleu! if dis be de
specimen of de English light Horse, vat vill de Heavy Horse be? Oh, by
Gar, I vill put off de Invasion for anoder time.’
Yet once more are these two brought into juxtaposition, in an engraving
by Knight (April 15, 1806), ‘Bone and Flesh, or John Bull in moderate
Condition.’ Napoleon is looking at this prodigy, and saying, ‘I
contemplate this Wonder of the World, and regret that all my Conquered
Domains cannot match this Man. Pray, Sir, are you not a descendant
from the great Joss of China?’ Lambert replies, ‘No Sir, I am a true
born Englishman, from the County of Leicester. A quiet mind, and good
Constitution, nourished by the free Air of Great Britain, makes every
Englishman thrive.’
Another of Gillray’s caricatures into which Napoleon is introduced,
but in which he plays a secondary part, is called ‘Comforts of a Bed
of Roses; vide Charley’s elucidation of Lord C--stl--r--gh’s speech!
Nightly Scene near Cleveland row.’ This is founded on a speech of Lord
Castlereagh’s, in which he congratulated the Ministry as having ‘a bed
of roses.’ But Fox, in reply, recounted his difficulties and miseries,
and said: ‘Really, it is insulting to tell me I am on a bed of roses,
when I feel myself torn, and stung, by brambles, and nettles, whichever
way I turn.’
Fox and Mrs. Fox are shown as sleeping on a bed of roses, some of which
peep out from underneath the rose-coloured counterpane, but which
display far more of thorns than of roses. There is the _India rose_,
the Emancipation rose, the French rose, the Coalition rose, and the
Volunteer rose. Fox’s slumbers are terribly disturbed; his _bonnet
rouge_, which he wears as night-cap, has tumbled off; his night-shirt
is seized at the neck, on one side by the ghost of Pitt, who exclaims:
‘Awake, arise, or be for ever fall’n!’ The other side is fiercely
clutched by Napoleon, who, drawn sword in hand, has just stepped on
to the bed from a cannon labelled ‘Pour subjuguer le monde.’ Amidst a
background of smoke appear spears, and a banner entitled ‘Horrors of
Invasion.’ The Prussian eagle is preparing to swoop down upon him, and,
from under the bed, crawls out a skeleton holding an hour-glass, whilst
round its fleshless arm is entwined a serpent ‘Intemperance, Dropsy,
Dissolution.’ John Bull, as a bull-dog, is trying to seize Napoleon.
‘John Bull threatened by Insects from all Quarters’ is by an unknown
artist (April 1806). John Bull is on ‘The tight little Island,’ and
seated on a cask of grog. With one hand he flourishes a cutlass,
and the other grasps a pistol, of which weapon two more lie on the
ground. With these he defies the insects, which come in swarms. There
are Westphalian mites, American hornets, Dutch bluebottles, Italian
butterflies, Turkish wasps, Danish gnats, and, worst of all, a French
dragon-fly, in the shape of Napoleon. John Bull is saying: ‘Come on my
Lads--give me but good sea room, and I don’t care for any of you--Why
all your attacks is no more than a gnat stinging an Elephant, or a flea
devouring Mr. Lambert of Leicester.’
A very clever caricature is by Knight (June 26, 1806) of ‘Jupiter
Bouney granting unto the Dutch Frogs a King. The Frogs sent their
deputies to petition Jupiter again for a King. He sent them a Stork,
who eat them up, vide Æsop’s fables.’ The discontented Dutch spurn
their King Log, and pray, ‘We present ourselves before the throne of
your Majesty. We pray that you will grant us, as the supreme Chief of
our Republic, Prince Louis.’ Napoleon, as Jupiter, seated on an eagle
(which is made to look as much like a devil as possible), says: ‘I
agree to the request. I proclaim Prince Louis, King of Holland. You
Prince! reign over this People.’ And the stork is duly despatched on
its mission. Talleyrand, as Ganymede, supplies Jupiter with _a cup of
comfort for the discontented_.