Reed, Edward Tennyson. [I say this house is as dark as ignorance...]

Folger bibliographic ID: 353064
Folger call number: Sh.Misc. 2303, page 315
Folger holdings ID: 501556
Accession Number: 269818

Cartoon depicting Michael Hicks Beach as Malvolio. Hicks Beach/Malvolio is dressed in Renaissance-era garb of tights, tunic, and ruff, holding up a monocle and leaning on a oversized walking stick. Caption: "Sir Malvolio Hicks Beach. 'I say this house is as dark as ignorance;....and I say there never was a man this abused!' 'Budget Night; or, Whether you like it or not!'--Sh-ksp-re. (With apologies to C. Buchel.)" Artist's initials in lower right corner: ETR (after C. Buchel)

General notes

Title from caption Cartoon published on page 315 of Punch (April 24, 1901). Mimics Charles Buchel's depictions of Herbert Beerbohm Tree in character as Malvolio (from Tree's staging of William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night) While Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1899 to 1902, Hicks Beach raised income and import taxes several times to help finance Britain's military actions in Africa, and his budgets were often unpopular

Item information about Folger Sh.Misc. 2303, page 315

Bound in a volume with multiple issues of Punch, volume CXX. Faded purple cloth boards. Spine stamped in gold

Beach, Michael Hicks, 1837-1916 Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Twelfth night Budget

artist: Reed, Edward Tennyson, 1860-1933
depiction: Beach, Michael Hicks, 1837-1916
printer: Bradbury, Agnew and Co.