Symptoms of Tippling (BM 1935,0522.8.40)

Single figures arranged in two rows, seven women above, six men below; all praise their favourite beverage. An old woman takes 'a little Brandy in ones Tea'; another finds 'Peppermint . . . a very fine wholesome cordial'. A stout woman takes 'rum', a thin one a glass of 'shrub', a very fat one believes 'Aniseed . . . the best Doctor in the world'. An old market woman drinks (?) 'gin'. A stout woman drinks from a clear bottle: 'after all there is nothing like a fair pull at the Native!'
A working man drinks, saying, "Porter is so innocent a liquor - it can never hurt one". A countryman says "I really think a man might live for ever, if he drank nothing but ale." A thin knock-kneed fellow drinks 'warm purl and bitters'. A stout 'cit' with a long pipe says "good soundport, is the only beverage fit for the constitution of an Englishman". A jovial sailor with a tankard shouts "Grog for ever - huzza!!" A (?) tavern-keeper, bloated with drink, lifts a large pitcher from a table on which are two spirit-bottles, saying, "I'm for tear-brain rum and brandy mix'd - and drink it out of a pitcher, that does good to the house". Similar in character to BMSat 8541, &c, and perhaps belonging to the same set. c.1800

Hand-coloured etching