Gillray, James (1756 – 1815) – ‘Phaeton alarm’d!’.

'Phaeton alarm'd!'. Hand coloured etching and aquatint. 'Publish'd March 22d 1808. - by H. Humphrey 27 St James's Street'. In her analysis of this print Dorothy George writes ... 'The Ministry, with the world in flames, and dominated by Napoleon and his Russian tool, are attacked by the forces of faction. According to the allegory, Canning will be hurled to destruction for his presumption in driving the horses of the sun, that is of his father Apollo, or Pitt. The presumption seems to be the Copenhagen expedition. But Canning himself is the Sun of Anti-Jacobinism and the thunderbolts are directed against his enemies. The flames of war have reached America [...] Disputes over the blockade threatened to embroil the United States with Britain. Turkey had come into the war zone by the expedition to the Dardanelles, and the invasion of Egypt (evacuated Sept. 1807) 13.5x15 inches.