Jack's Return after Lord Howe's Glorious Victory

This mezzotint depicts a celebratory street scene. A happy sailor is standing on a wharf, holding a purse of prize money and a stick. In the background, more sailors are being rowed to shore from a warship. To the right, a group of men are smoking and drinking in a pub. They pass a bowl of punch to a woman through a window. Several signs are posted on the pub walls: one reads ‘The Royal Sovereign / Lord Howe / God Save the King; another reads ‘Dragoons/Cornwallis’; and a third reads ‘Royal Purl’.

This print was published on 1 August 1794 by Laurie and Whittle. The publishing line and five stanzas of song were originally underneath the illustration, but this impression has been cut down. The song was a reworking of ‘Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be’, a traditional folk ballad dating from the 1700s. The original lyrics describe a young woman’s worry about her lover Johnny. Here the tune has been adapted and lyrics changed to refer to the Battle of the Glorious First of June, named after the date on which it was fought in 1794. The stanzas praise the strength and courage of the British fleet under Admiral Howe in the battle and denigrate the weakness and ineptitude of the French. The patriotic and celebratory tone of the print supports this narrative. However, in reality, the outcome of the battle was disputed and both the British and French sides claimed victory.