The preacher George Whitefield standing on a table and preaching to a crowd of supporters in London while he is insufflated by a devil. Etching, 1763.

[London] (at the Bible & Crown near Shoe Lane Fleet Street) : Sold by E. Sumpter ... and the most eminent book and print-sellers in the 3 kingdoms, May 2nd 1763.

1 print : etching ; image 16.8 x 29.4 cm

Dr Squintum's exaltation or the reformation. ... Transcription of the verses below the image: "1. While Methodist villians infest the whole nation, / And suffer'd to robb on the plea Reformation; / Permit me good friends the whole breed to describe, / Whose hearts (tho they're steel'd) are not seel'd 'gainst a bribe. Derry &c. / 2. Take a walk to Bell Yard and you'll see in a trice, / These informers --I mean-- / These reformers of vice; / With their soul-saving cant and their pious grimaces, / I wish that Old Nick had his fork in their A-ss-'s. Derry Down &c./ 3. First mark that d-'d phyz, which with uplifted eyes, / And a tongue of deceit that incessantly lyes, / 'Gainst the pleasures of Earth how he seems to complain; / For pleasure is sure inconsistent with pain. Derry Down &c. / 4. With a rule and a compass he measures mankind. / And says that all mortals to sin are inclin'd / But he, pious creature! exempted from passion, / Is quite the reverse of the word copulation. Derry down &c. / 5. All Nature is wicked, and so are her laws/(Swift a shoemaker cries -- a staunch friend to the cause) / Like leather their hearts to lew'd whoring extend, / And alas I'm afraid that their Soals will ne'er mend. Derry &c. / 6. In a corner just by sat a knave like a Clark / (Who dark of himself had got into the dark) / Cries out to his breth'ren -- 'tis all but in vain, / To seek to reform the whole world, without gain. Derry Down &c. / 7. Gain answers our End -- for with that we can fight: / Prove right to be wrong, and prove wrong to be right; / Blind justice will always protect us in this, / And what he protects sure can ne'er be amiss. Derry Down &c. / 8. We may do what we please, quoth the carpenter bold / We may take up the young & imprison the old: / On Sunday's we'll kick all the fruit about street, / And punish the butchers for selling their meat. Derry Down &c. / 9. We'll away to the Rummer -- nor value a Sowse / But swear (that we will) 'tis a d-'d wicked house; / The Mistress we'll drag by her hair out of Doors, / For keeping a stew and encouraging Whores. Derry Down &c. / 10. This said they forth sallied and did as they thought / (Tho since they have found they did not as they ought) / For now cast and fin'd, they appear somewhat flat, / And hang down their heads, at the mention of P--tt. Derry &c."

Attributed in the British Museum online catalogue to Jefferyes Hamett O'Neale

British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, no. 4005

Wellcome Collection 36217i