Evangelical Portraits or, pretty Parsons sitting for their Pictures; or, vanity, vanity, all is vanity!!!

51 x 60cm, including the frame. Handcoloured print mounted and framed. Nine different scenes of Parsons having their portraits painted. Drawn and etch'd by R. Newton, published by W. Holland, 20th June 1794. Verses below the title read 'Our Parsons of old to their Flocks were good preachers in Public and Private, were good moral teachers/ but now we see plainly, our clerical Elves/ think of nothing so much as of loving themselves.' Above each situation depicted is a dialogue. Top row 1. 'My God, my Lord if you continue dozing I can/ never get on. Keep awake but the quarter of an hour longer and I shall be done.' 2. 'What a beautiful Print our dear/ Brother Simon Scrape will make from this and what/ an ornament for the Parlours of the righteous.' 3. 'The very face of/ when he was about twenty and he was counted/ the handsomest man that ever grac'd a Pulpit.' Middle row. 1. 'Smile a little Sir, you're much too grave,/ there-a little more- that's it, now you've/ hit it' 2. 'I like to encourage you French men,/ ye are all men of genius and can/ make something of a pretty Portrait' 3. 'You have totally spoiled by that/ twist the whole harmony of your/ features. You look as if snuff dropp'd in your eyes' Bottom row 1. 'Twenty Guineas,/ but tell Mr Townley if he engraves the head/ well I'll take two hundred which I can dispose/ of among our pious people.' 2. 'A Tithe Pig is quite a new idea, but for my/ own part, Doctor I see more propriety in it/ than my Grandmother leading a Sheep or/ fondling a Kid' 3. 'Your head a little more erect - there/ that's it - never saw any thing more/ graceful and fascinating'. Within the frame of the print above the title reads 'in Europe admit one shilling' - the rest is illegible.