File:Wonderful News from Seringapatam (BM 1868,0808.6195).jpg

English: A series of isolated figures, single or in pairs, arranged in two rows, each with an explanatory couplet relating to the news of the capture of Seringapatam, on the authority of a letter received at the India House on 15 May from Bristol dated 'Vestal, at sea'. [1] A grinning man stands full face, with raised shoulders, inscribed,

'I cannot express how delighted I am,
To hear we have taken Seringapatam'

[2] Thurlow, tall and thin, nearsightedly reads a paper with a grin:

'The Chancellor look'd like a frolicksome Ram
To hear we had taken Seringapatam.'

[3] Dundas, holding a cane, runs in profile to the right; behind him is a small table on which is a bottle, &c.:

'Dundass fled from bottle, from chicken, and ham
To Windsor to tell of Seringapatam.'

[4] Pitt stands, chapeau-bras, in profile to the left, a cake in one hand, a jam-pot in the other:

'Will Pitt eat a cake with some rasberry jam
When told we had taken Seringapatam.'

[5] A grinning man writes at a small table, a man stands beside him, as if dictating:

'The Wise India House wrote a letter to cram
The news down our throats of Seringapatam.'

[6] The Prince of Wales (left) stands beside a gigantic man in Highland dress, both smile :

'The Prince gave a nod to his Porter big Sam
You hear we have taken Seringapatam.'
(For Big Sam see BMSat 7905.)

[7] A stout man stands, hands on hips, with a gaping mouth:

'We are happy to find in this Victory sham,
Not an Englishman fall at Seringapatam.'

[8] (Second row.) A stout military officer stands in profile to the left, with an indignant expression, right hand extended:

'The Vestal it seems had arrived in the Cam,
With the news of the taking Seringapatam.'

[9] An oriental prince, wearing a jewelled turban, staggers backwards, dropping his sabre:

'The mighty Tipoo from a. battering ram
Got shot in the thigh at Seringapatam.'

[10] A grinning soldier with a large knapsack, holds a bundle under his right arm; in his right hand is a basket full of bags; he points towards a cannon which is behind him:

'Pagodas, and cannon, beef, mutton, and lamb,
Were found in the streets of Seringapatam.'

[11] An officer (left) wearing a gorget and holding a bottle, and a private with musket and knapsack drinking from a glass, face each other in profile:

'Lord Cornwallis bestozv'd on each Soldier a Dram,
For his gallant attack on Seringapatam.'

[12] George III stands in profile to the right, chapeau-bras, gaping upwards foolishly :

'Great George look'd as sapient as old Abraham
When he heard we had taken Seringapatam.'

[13] A man stands holding a newspaper, pointing to a paragraph, and looking round with an expression of horror; the queue of his hair rises:

'The Stocks were fore'd up five per cent by the flam,
Of our having taken Seringapatam.'

[14] A man without a wig stamps and clenches his fist, turning his eyes upwards:

'Now the People of England most heartily damn
The Wonderful News from Seringapatam!' 18 May 1792

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