Death, as a policeman, approaches a ragged woman and her baby in a London park. Colour wood engraving by M. Morgan, 1867.

  • Morgan, Matthew Somerville, 1839-1890.
Date:
November 2, 1867
Reference:
36787i
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Also known as

Previous title, replaced May 2023 : Death, as a policeman, approaches a ragged woman and her baby in a London park. Coloured etching by M. Morgan, 1867.

Description

The subject is described in The tomahawk, loc. cit.: "Chased through the storm and the rain, the mud and the gutter, the sleet and the snow. Hounded on into the river, the prison, the union, and the churchyard. Driven through want, illness, and death! Move on! Away, past the shops and the stores, followed and hunted, foot-sore and weary. Away, past the doors of the glad and the wealthy, the rich and the poor, crying, shivering, limping, starving, dying! Move on! Down by the river, under the bridges, near to the water, up by the alleys. Hurrying, hopping, sneaking, cringing, panting, sobbing, starving, dying! Move on! Passing the bake-shop, passing the kitchen, looking backward, stopping a moment. Hurrying forward, chased and cursed, bullied and driven, barked at and bitten. Crawling, creeping, hopping and limping, gasping and dying! Move on! Hungry and thirsty, pale and weary, tattered and sore. Asking for alms, crying for alms, praying for alms, --raving for alms! Startled and sworn at, hunted and hustled, racing, running, stumbling, limping, crawling, panting creeping, --fainting! Move on! At last in the park, icy and bloodless, crying and sobbing, weary and dying . Out in the darkness, under the tree boughs. Tottering and stumbling, resting and falling, still calm, and nerveless! Pale and cold, body no soul, stiff -- stark -- dead! Move on?"

The outline of the clock tower ("Big Ben") of the Palace of Westminster is visible in the background through the fog

Publication/Creation

[London] : [publisher not identified], November 2, 1867.

Physical description

1 print : etching, printed in two colours ; image 22.4 x 17.2 cm

Lettering

Move on! (Dedicated to the commissioners of police.) (See sketch.) ; Matt Morgan Bears number top right : 261

Reference

Wellcome Collection 36787i

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