'John Bull taking a Luncheon: - or - British Cooks, cramming Old Grumble-Gizzard, with Bonne-Chere' (caricature)

This hand-coloured print depicts John Bull, a personified representation of Britain, sat at a dining table, feasting on frigates that represent the recent victories of Britain at sea. On the right, victorious admirals serve up more ships labelled with their victories. At the front stands Nelson, presenting ‘Fricassee a la Nelson’, his hat hangs above John Bull with a document that reads, ‘Buonaparte in Egypt’ referring to Nelson’s success at the Battle of the Nile. Paper coming from his pocket reads ‘Lift of French Ships Taken Burnt & destroy[ed]’.

The line up of Admirals is confirmed by their respective labelled dishes and include from left to right, ‘Desert a la Warren’, ‘Fricando a la Howe’, ‘a la Gardner’, ‘a la Bridport’, ‘a la [St] Vincent’, and ‘a la Duncan’. The latter’s ships are laden with ‘Dutch Cheese’, alluding to Duncan’s victory over the Dutch at Camperdown . John Bull’s plate is labelled ‘Soup and Bouilli’ a stew-like English dish based on the French dish pot-au-feu, and he drinks a huge jug of ‘True British Stout’. He exclaims, ‘What! More Frigasees? Why you sons o’bitches you where do ye think I shall find room to stow all you bring in?’

Out the window on the left, Whig Politicians of the opposition flea in fear, ‘Oh, curse his guts, he’ll take a chop at us next’. The Foxite Whigs feared naval conflict with France could cause disruption in Britain, taking funding and causing political distractions.

A similar caricature was published a week later, see PAF393.