THE WHISPERER

Contemporary MS extracts from Nos. 1, 7, 11, 14-15, 56, 63-64 and 93 of the witty and scurrilous weekly periodical, published in 100 numbers from 17th February 1770 by William Moore, in a fine copy book hand, stitched in paper covers, 79 sides folio (the gatherings numbered 1-20), no place, no date but c. mostly loose in stitching, cover a bit worn

In these extracts the anonymous authors' pet hates are the Dowager Princess of Wales (Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, 1719-1772), George III's mother, whom they accuse of running the kingdom through the Marquis of Bute, described in No. 7 as "the famous peacemakers in 1762 when it is said we were betrayed and sold to the French"; the Duke of Grafton, by whom "we were deprived of our rights at the election of a member for ... Middlesex"; Scots in general and Lord Mansfield, Lord Chief Justice of England, in particular [Lord Mansfield gave an opinion that two numbers of the Whisperer were treason, putting Moore in danger of his life: when the Post Office was told not to send the Whisperer to the country, Moore offered to send complete sets carriage free].
CHECKLIST.
Sides 1-6. No. 1, 17th February 1770. The death of the late Lord Chancellor (Charles Yorke, after three days in office, here allegedly by suicide, but see Oxford DNB; he had accepted the seals to the dismay of his friends).
Sides 6-24. No. 14, 19th May 1770. The deposition of the English Kings (from Saxon times to Richard II, a veiled hint to George III).
Sides 25-40. No. 56, 9th March 1771. The secret history of the House of Hanover, (from George I's father obtaining the electorate to the present corrupt state of both House of Parliament and the suppression of liberty), continued in
Sides 41-54. No. 63, 27th April 1771.
Sides 54-58. No. 7, 31st March 1770. Toasts drunk at Carlton House. (A long list of "old tories, jacobites, necessitous Scotchmen, and prostituted placemen and pensioners").
Sides 58-60. No. 11, 28th April 1770. On the murder of "young Allen" (10th May 1768) by the 3rd Regt. of Guards brought in by Lord Weymouth.
Sides 61-62. No. 15, 26th May 1770. List of "the Junto who fabricated that celebrated speech made at Westminster on Saturday last" (i.e. 19th May 1770).
Sides 63-64. No. 64, 6th April 1770. A similar list.
Sides 64-70. No. 93. A list of caricature images of which the mildest are "The Queen (God bless her) increasing the national debt", "The Princess Dowager of Wales - wheezing", "The Duke of Cumberland robbing a hen-roost", "Sir Fletcher Norton alias Sir Bull face double fee ... issuing out writs for the election of sycophants and traitors to serve in parliament", about 60 in all.
Sides 70-79. No. 64, 4th May 1771. To the virtuous Dowager of Pall Mall. A scurrilous account of her giving birth to a child by "Sawney" (the Marquis of Bute) [according to No. 45, not present, born c. 1762 and brought up as a Prince of Saxe-Gotha, but see Oxford DNB under Augusta, Princess of Wales].

Item Date:  1772

Stock No:  52595      £375

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