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Literary
November 29, 1771
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
A satirical letter by R. Figg describes a visit to a neighbor whose son, named Wilkes Junior after the patriot John Wilkes, throws a tantrum mimicking political agitation. The child's antics parallel Wilkes's controversies, ending with a humorous urination in the fire, critiquing political unrest.
Clipping
OCR Quality
92%
Excellent
Full Text
From the London Morning Chronicle, September 20.
W I L K E S, Junior.
COME then, little Wilky, to its own mamma : -go, Dolly, go, how could you vex the pretty creature ? ha ! hush, hush, my deary ; come, you shall be an officer, all in gold lace ( Squa.- awl, goes the child) : come then, he sha'n't be an officer, for fear of being shot ;---no, no, you shall be a Ambassador, and see the pretty ladies at Turkey, so you shall (squalling louder) : will my Wilky be a bishop, and have the fine shirt sleeves ? ho, no, he sha'n't be a Bishop, because Horney and Juniusey have ridiculed the Bishops, ( quawling still )---come, then, you shall be a Sheriff and a Lord Mayor, and make Remonstrances, and carry 'em to court yourself, and get a place, and live with your own King George (squawl- ing still.--- Lord bless me, will nothing please the child ?... well then Wilky sha'n't go to Court :---go, go, naughty King George, you sha'n't have our Wilky, no, dats what you sha'n't, with all your naughty Parliaments, and ugly judges, (squawling still): gracious heaven, says the Mother, one would think the very Wilkes himself were thy father, but that he was in jail at the time. Come den, stand down and p---s in the fire deary.
Such, Mr. Printer, was the entertaining scene Mrs. Figg and I met with on paying a visit to my neighbour Journal, the Stationer. You may know his little son was born the day of Mr. ,Wilkes's enlargement from the King's Bench, and was for that reason christened by the Patriot's name ; and so, as I was saying, he was set down on the hearth, and he began to p---s, and to laugh amazingly, and raised such a cloud of smoke and ashes, that almost smothered his mamma.--- He had been put to his little chair, and held out before, but it would not do, the young genius reserved his (fire i. e. his) water, to make a pother in the parlour--- and he enjoyed it ineffably. Mrs. Figg observed to Mrs. Journal, that although p-. ssing in the fire was but a paw-paw trick, yet if the child had. been let down sooner, neither his bawling nor p--ing would have been so copious or troublesome ; and, says she, if the great Wilkes himself had been let down and humoured as soon as he began to bawl and cry, it would have been full as well for this poor country.
Your's,
R. FIGG.
W I L K E S, Junior.
COME then, little Wilky, to its own mamma : -go, Dolly, go, how could you vex the pretty creature ? ha ! hush, hush, my deary ; come, you shall be an officer, all in gold lace ( Squa.- awl, goes the child) : come then, he sha'n't be an officer, for fear of being shot ;---no, no, you shall be a Ambassador, and see the pretty ladies at Turkey, so you shall (squalling louder) : will my Wilky be a bishop, and have the fine shirt sleeves ? ho, no, he sha'n't be a Bishop, because Horney and Juniusey have ridiculed the Bishops, ( quawling still )---come, then, you shall be a Sheriff and a Lord Mayor, and make Remonstrances, and carry 'em to court yourself, and get a place, and live with your own King George (squawl- ing still.--- Lord bless me, will nothing please the child ?... well then Wilky sha'n't go to Court :---go, go, naughty King George, you sha'n't have our Wilky, no, dats what you sha'n't, with all your naughty Parliaments, and ugly judges, (squawling still): gracious heaven, says the Mother, one would think the very Wilkes himself were thy father, but that he was in jail at the time. Come den, stand down and p---s in the fire deary.
Such, Mr. Printer, was the entertaining scene Mrs. Figg and I met with on paying a visit to my neighbour Journal, the Stationer. You may know his little son was born the day of Mr. ,Wilkes's enlargement from the King's Bench, and was for that reason christened by the Patriot's name ; and so, as I was saying, he was set down on the hearth, and he began to p---s, and to laugh amazingly, and raised such a cloud of smoke and ashes, that almost smothered his mamma.--- He had been put to his little chair, and held out before, but it would not do, the young genius reserved his (fire i. e. his) water, to make a pother in the parlour--- and he enjoyed it ineffably. Mrs. Figg observed to Mrs. Journal, that although p-. ssing in the fire was but a paw-paw trick, yet if the child had. been let down sooner, neither his bawling nor p--ing would have been so copious or troublesome ; and, says she, if the great Wilkes himself had been let down and humoured as soon as he began to bawl and cry, it would have been full as well for this poor country.
Your's,
R. FIGG.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Essay
Dialogue
What themes does it cover?
Political
Liberty Freedom
What keywords are associated?
Wilkes Satire
Political Humor
Child Tantrum
King George
Liberty Agitation
John Wilkes
What entities or persons were involved?
R. Figg
Literary Details
Title
W I L K E S, Junior.
Author
R. Figg
Subject
Satire On John Wilkes And Political Agitation
Key Lines
Come Then, Little Wilky, To Its Own Mamma : Go, Dolly, Go, How Could You Vex The Pretty Creature ?
Gracious Heaven, Says The Mother, One Would Think The Very Wilkes Himself Were Thy Father, But That He Was In Jail At The Time.
If The Great Wilkes Himself Had Been Let Down And Humoured As Soon As He Began To Bawl And Cry, It Would Have Been Full As Well For This Poor Country.