Lot Essay
These are the drawings for the frontispiece and the last of Rowlandson's fifteen illustrations to The Military Adventures of Johnny Newcome with an Account of his Campaigns in the Peninsular, and in Pall Mall by an officer (Colonel David Roberts), published for Patrick Martin in 1815. The first is for the frontispiece, Johnny Newcome starting to join his Regiment. Johnny Newcome is the son of a grocer of Ludgate Hill whose ancestry is traced back to Adam and Eve Newcome, for:-
"Go as you will, no matter when, as where
You are sure to see a Johnny Newcome share"
At the beginning of the poem:
"By martial ardour fired, John scared to stop
And retail sugar in his father's shop!"
so he sets off as an Ensign on the way for Portugal where he picks up Teague O'Connor as his servant. Finally, "Neet morn, on dobbin, off friend Johnny started;
Teague led the mule, and so they both departed.
John's legs from Dobbin nearly scraped the road,
The mule close following, tott'ring 'neath its load."
The other watercolour illustrates the end of the story, when Johnny, having at the Castle of Vittoria captured Madame Gagan, wife of the French commander, with Marshall Jourdan's baton and part of King Joe's (Joseph Bonaparte's) hat, is sent with the two last trophies by the Chief (Wellington) to present them to the Prince Regent. Promoted to Captain and then Lieutenant Colonel, Johnny returns to London and, after a week of enjoying the rewards of polite society, is presented to the Prince Regent at Carlton House:
"John made his tripple [sic] bows, and kneeling down
Humbly presented the Baton, and Crown.
It so fell out, perhaps no one could say why,
The ladies titter'd, and the lords looked sly."
Johnny is made an Equerry and Knight of the Ball, and given the Badge of Merit.
A further drawing from the series is at the Yale Center for British Art (Paul Mellon Collection; J. Baskett and D. Snelgrove, The Drawings of Thomas Rowlandson in the Paul Mellon Collection, New Haven, 1977, p.83 no.331, repr.). A sequel, by another writer, 'Alfred Burton' ( aka John Mitford) was published in 1818, The Adventures of Johnny Newcome in the Navy
"Go as you will, no matter when, as where
You are sure to see a Johnny Newcome share"
At the beginning of the poem:
"By martial ardour fired, John scared to stop
And retail sugar in his father's shop!"
so he sets off as an Ensign on the way for Portugal where he picks up Teague O'Connor as his servant. Finally, "Neet morn, on dobbin, off friend Johnny started;
Teague led the mule, and so they both departed.
John's legs from Dobbin nearly scraped the road,
The mule close following, tott'ring 'neath its load."
The other watercolour illustrates the end of the story, when Johnny, having at the Castle of Vittoria captured Madame Gagan, wife of the French commander, with Marshall Jourdan's baton and part of King Joe's (Joseph Bonaparte's) hat, is sent with the two last trophies by the Chief (Wellington) to present them to the Prince Regent. Promoted to Captain and then Lieutenant Colonel, Johnny returns to London and, after a week of enjoying the rewards of polite society, is presented to the Prince Regent at Carlton House:
"John made his tripple [sic] bows, and kneeling down
Humbly presented the Baton, and Crown.
It so fell out, perhaps no one could say why,
The ladies titter'd, and the lords looked sly."
Johnny is made an Equerry and Knight of the Ball, and given the Badge of Merit.
A further drawing from the series is at the Yale Center for British Art (Paul Mellon Collection; J. Baskett and D. Snelgrove, The Drawings of Thomas Rowlandson in the Paul Mellon Collection, New Haven, 1977, p.83 no.331, repr.). A sequel, by another writer, 'Alfred Burton' ( aka John Mitford) was published in 1818, The Adventures of Johnny Newcome in the Navy