Colonial America
The able Doctor, or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught. Copper-Plate Engraving London Magazine Published April 1774 & Later Copied Exactly by Paul Revere, Jr. Published in the June 1775 Political "The Royal American Magazine"
April 1774 Pre-Revolutionary War, Historic Copper-Plate Engraved Political Cartoon Print titled: "The able Doctor, or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught.", Published by the London Magazine, Framed, Choice Extremely Fine.
This is an original historic British Colonial American Political Theme "Boston Port Bill" related Engraved Print, first published in the April 1774 issued "London Magazine" titled: "The able Doctor, or America Swallowing the Bitter Draught.", after which it was Copied being Engraved by Paul Revere, Boston, c. May 1774 and published in "The Royal American Magazine," by Isaiah Thomas (Vol. 1, No. X), June, 1774, image 3.5" high x 5.75" wide plus margins, both being of the same exact size on clean laid period paper.
The primary difference between the original and Paul Revere's copied engraving is his engraved name "P. Revere Sculp." at bottom right, and the engraved header reading: "No. X Engraved for Royal American Magazine Vol. I." being printed within the top margin above the outer frame of the engraved print. This original print is professionally modern framed in period style, displayed under special UV Plexiglas. It includes several engraved text themes reading: "Boston cannonaded."; "Military Law."; "TEA" and "BOSTON Petition."
This Political Cartoon depicts English Prime Minister Lord North, with the "Boston Port Bill" extending from a pocket, forcing Tea (the Intolerable Acts) down the throat of a partially draped Native American Indian female figure representing "America" whose arms are restrained, wearing his wig & judicial costume by Britain's Chief Justice, William Murray--Lord Mansfield holds classic "Lady America" down, while a leacherous Lord Sandwich, known as an notorious "womanizer," restrains her feet and peeks up her skirt. "Britannia," standing behind "America", turns away and shields her face with her left hand.
The Royal American Magazine, or Universal Repository of Instruction and Amusement (January 1774 " March 1775) was a very short-lived monthly periodical published in Boston, Massachusetts, by Isaiah Thomas, and later by Joseph Greenleaf in his Union Street printing office. It supported American Patriot and the Revolutionary Cause sentiment in the Colonies against the Kingdom of Great Britain, and had contributors that included John Hancock and multiple engraved Copper-plate illustrations Paul Revere, Jr., inclusive of the magazine's front page Masthead image. Overall, an attractive crisp example of one of the most famous and historic pre-Revolutionary War period engravings, seen illustrated in most American History books. This major type is displayed in , PAUL REVERE'S ENGRAVINGS, by Clarence Brigham as Plate 35, and discussed on page 118 in the 1969 edition. A highly important and famous "TEA" tax related political illustration for any American Revolutionary War or History Collection.
See: https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/the-intolerable-acts
Note: Of additional interest, this rare historic Print is also Published in: "American Women : a Library of Congress Guide for the Study of Women's History and Culture in the United States," edited by Sheridan Harvey ... [et al.]. Washington : Library of Congress, 2001, p. 182.
The Able Doctor, is a small-but-brutally vivid Political Cartoon deploring the Boston Port Bill of 1774.
Soon after the Boston Tea Party of December 1773, Parliament retaliated by passing the five so-called "Intolerable Acts." Among other things, these brought Massachusetts political appointments under control of the British government, restricted town meetings for a year, and closed the Port of Boston until reparations were paid for the destroyed tea. The Acts are the target of the ribald cartoon offered here, which equates America with a native woman being violated by the British leadership.
As with most British political satires of the period, The Able Doctor is replete with imagery whose meaning is today somewhat obscure but would have been clear to informed viewers at the time. Don Creswell offers a brief explanation:
"America, a half-clad Indian woman, is attacked by Mansfield, North (who is pouring the tea down her throat and has a copy of "Boston Port Bill" in his pocket), Bute, and the Earl of Sandwich. A Frenchman and Spaniard look on, while Britannia weeps. In the foreground a "Boston Petition" lies torn on the ground, and in the background the British fleet is bombarding Boston." (American Revolution in Drawings and Prints, #664)
The gentleman sneaking a peak under America's skirt is the Earl of Sandwich, First Lord of the Admiralty and said to have been something of a rake. It is worth noting that, while it made for good propaganda, the alleged bombardment of Boston was entirely fictitious.
The Able Doctor appeared in The London Magazine for April 1774, accompanying an account of the debate in Parliament on the Boston Port Bill, the "Intolerable Act" responsible for the closing of the Port of Boston. Within a couple of months a pirated version was engraved by Paul Revere and appeared in the May 1774 Royal American Magazine.
References: British Museum, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires, #V.5226. Creswell, American Revolution, #664.
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In 1773, Thomas solicited subscribers to the proposed magazine, placing advertisements in local New England newspapers such as The Boston News-Letter.
The first issue appeared in January 1774. It included a mix of original work and pieces reprinted from the British press: "conventional essays; articles on politics, medicine, agriculture, education, literature, and religion, advice to the ladies; fiction; 'poetical essays;' and current events, including marriages, deaths and meteorological tables." "The title of: "The Royal American Magazine" epitomizes the magazine's double nature: it both wanted to imitate the British models of polite literature... and to advance the cause of the American Patriots".
"Besides the usual variety of general literature, this work contains a faithful summary of the public transactions of Boston during that eventful year, and great value is added to the work by the public documents preserved in its pages," such as Thomas Hutchinson's History of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay.
Despite its relative success, The Royal American Magazine ceased in March 1775. "The general distress and commotion in the town, occasioned by the operation of the Act of the British parliament to blockade the port of Boston, obliged him to discontinue it ... much to the injury of his pecuniary interest." The Royal American Magazine was "the last of the periodicals of Boston under the Provincial Governors."