Title: A LEGAL POINT, or 'Cedant arma logae'
Materials: paper
Techniques: lithograph
Production person: Print made by John Doyle (HB)
Printed by: Charles Motte
Published by: Thomas McLean
Production place: London, England
Date: ca. August, 1829
Schools/Styles: British satire

[British Museum Satires 15848]

Description
No. 32. Eldon (left) and Wellington (right) face each other in profile across a round writing-table on which the latter rests his top-hat, showing that he is a caller. The Duke: 'My Lord I hold in my hand the Copy of a letter bearing your Lordship's signature & addressed under your Lordship's Frank to an individual residing in the North of Ireland of the name of Ellis—I wish to know whether or not your Lordshp is the author of this modern "Lillibulero".' Eldon: 'My Noble Duke I apprehend that according to the LAW of this Country a Man is not obliged to criminate himself.' The room is Eldon's library, the wall covered by books .



(Description and comment from M. Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', XI, 1954)
The frank, like the letter, was "a palpable forgery", so declared by Freeling of the Post Office, and Eldon did not hesitate to say so. He writes (23 Aug.): "I am sadly plagued with inquiries from different persons about my supposed letter to Ireland." Twiss, 'Life of Eldon', iii. 95. The letter is not mentioned in Wellington's 'Despatches', N.S. "Lillibulero . . ." is Lord Wharton's famous song (1688): he boasted that he had "sung a king out of three kingdoms".

John Doyle 'HB' caricatures home page (hand-coloured) or John Doyle 'HB' caricatures (un-coloured)