CATALOGUE OF POLITICAL AND PERSONAL SATIRES Edited by Dr. M.
D. George This is the fifth volume of the Catalogue of the collection of prints of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum, printed by order of the Truitees, and to be sold at £2 2s. for this volume. Thirty-two years have passed since the last volume of the Catalogue was issued—an interval all the more remarkable since the first four volumes followed so closely upon one another. The first volume, covering the years 132071689, appeared in 1870, compiled by Mr. F. G. Stephens, and the fourth volume was published in 1884,- 'When the account had been brought' up to 1770. . The present -volume covers the years 177171788. The period is one of, remarkable interest. Rowlaridson and Gillray were both at the beginning of their careers, Banbury' was already' in full youthful blast, and Sayers, Bretherton, Collet and 'Nixon were also active. The material. of the period was,atio' admirable from a satirist's point of-view, with the wars with America and France and such occurrences as the Gordon riots, to name the most im iiwtanti events, coining within its bounds, and George III, Pitt, and Charles James yox;: among prominent persons, offering themselves as perpetual targets. The political prints demand for- their full appreciation a • certain familiarity with the history of the period, and for that reason the social prints, whose themes are common to satire of every age, are generally found to be of wider interest. Dr. George's scholarly and acute notes on both kinds and her excellent introduction will be found of compelling interest by 'anyone into whose-- hands this C,atalogiie chances to come. It is much to be hoped that the work will be completed with equal ability : the present volume is a model of-what such a discursive catalogue shOuld be,
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