John Bull Taking a Lunch - or Johnny's Purveyors pampering his appetite with Dainties from all parts of the World (caricature)

This hand-coloured print depicts John Bull, a personified representation of Britain, sat at a dining table and feasting on frigates. On the left, victorious admirals serve plates of more ships labelled with their victories. At the front stands Nelson, he holds a steaming pot of “Hash Crocodiles” and is serving a plate labelled “Ragout from Aboukir / Nile”. On the plate is the flaming ‘L’Orient’, a flagship that exploded during the Battle of the Nile (or the Battle of Aboukir Bay) in 1798. A piece of paper coming from his pocket reads ‘Ships escaped None’, demonstrating his recent success.

On the wall at the centre hangs ‘The Chapter of Admirals – a favo[u]rite song.’ It lists the admirals present on the left: Howe, Bridport, Gardner, Vincent, Duncan, Nelson and Warren. Above the admirals is a general statement to John Bull, ‘This is only a whet for you we will serve up Dinner bye and bye’. Bull replies, ‘Od zooks why I shall never be able to lay up all these in my wet Dock, Dang it the Mounseers must never talk of cooking after thus I say Meastor Nelson why you have done that with the gravy is it.’

Admiral Adam Duncan serves a plate of “Dutch Pudding from Camperdown” in reference to his victory against the Dutch in 1797, and Admiral Richard Howe serves “Puff Paste from Brest” in reference to his 1794 victory against France.

Other Dishes are labelled: ‘An Irish Stew / Waren’ [Warren]; ‘Bridport Mince Meat ‘, ‘Fricasee from Cadiz / Vincent’, referencing Admiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, a mentor to Nelson, and who has success at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent in 1797; ‘Gardners Fricando’ [Fricandeau] in reference to Admiral Alan Gardner who was leading several squadrons, including one in Brest; and another dish named simply ‘Solomon Gundy’, a dish eaten by seafarers.

Three onlookers look on from the window on the far right. One, probably a Whig politician, is holding a small bottle of arsenic and says: ‘I wish I could season it for him’. The other two add, ‘Curse his guts I say’, and ‘I say curse the Cooks’. The Foxite Whigs feared naval conflict with France could cause disruption in Britain, taking funding and causing political distractions.

This caricature was likely inspired by a James Gillray print published a week prior, see PAF3941.