Gillray - The Explanation

Pitt (left) fires his pistol into the air; Tierney (right) fires straight at Pitt, saying, "Missed him! by G . . " Each has a second pistol in his left hand. Pitt, in profile, says: "The only Explanation I give is this! There! - that's to shew you, that I bear no Personal Enmity! - but that no consideration of my own Safety, shall deter me from doing my duty to King & Country!!! - so Fire away!" His second, Dudley Ryder, stands behind (left) holding a sheathed sword; he adds: "no nor unsay any thing which we know to be true, neither." Tierney faces three-quarter to the left; in his belt, inscribed 'Egalit_', are two daggers dripping blood; a tricolour cockade decorates his round hat. Behind him (right) and on a smaller scale than the other second is George Walpole, both fists clenched, a pair of large pistols under his left arm; he says: "Missed him? - O Lord! Its worse than ye Morroon business! O Lord! O Lord! - if he had but been popp'd off, how nicely we might have popp'd on, - O Lord! O lord." He wears a very large cocked hat and, unlike the others, is caricatured. (He is described as leaping over the furze-bushes for joy at seeing the duellists still erect. Rose, op. cit.) Behind Tierney is an empty gibbet inscribed 'Abershaw', placarded 'This Old Iron Shop to left'. On it sits a crow with the head of Burdett in profile to the left. The scene is a plateau of grass and sand, with St. Paul's and London spires in the distance. In the middle distance is a coach; a man holds the door open, watching the duel, as does a postilion on the (nearer) off horse. Etching and aquatint, circa 1850 (originally 1798). Originally published in 1801, this impression is from Henry Bohn's folio of Gillray's etchings - note the plate is numbered top right and the reverse also has another Gillray etching on it. Some light spotting. Trimmed close to title at bottom of the sheet.