The emblematic figure of a man representing secularisation, technical innovation, educational reforms and liberal politics in the United Kingdom. Lithograph, ca. 1830.

The man marches to left trampling on the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer with his right foot, and with his left kicking down an edifice representing the British constitution. His right sleeve is labelled "Ecrasez l'infame!". In his right hand he holds a volume of The age of reason by Thomas Paine, with which he knocks down the steeple of an Anglican church ("Church of England"). His left sleeve is labelled in Greek "εμβημα χαρισατε μοι" (gratify the emblem for me?); meaning what? In his left hand he holds a scroll listing proposed reforms: Corn laws; Free trade, Catholic emancipation, Reform bill, Union repeal, Tythe abolition, Agrarian law. His breastplate contains the word "Humbug"

He is wearing ancient armour of which the lower part is composed of the dome of University College London ("London University"). The panels of the dome are labelled with the new academic subjects studied there: Tunnelling, Ballooning, Steam, Gas, Lithography, Phrenology, Hamiltonian System, Acupuncturation, Religion (the narrowest panel). Also part of his costume are the equation "2 + 2 = 4 Q.E.D." and a "new broom" (referring to Henry Brougham)

Left, an auctioneer offers a tablet containing the names of religious sects ("Walkerites, Swedenbourgites; Jumpers, Jerkers & Barkers; Southcotians, Haldanites & Anabaptists; Quakers and Methodists"). Below left, domes representing Oxford and Cambridge universities, with two people (a don and a bishop) saying in Latin "Huskinsonizabimus eum omnes" (We shall all Huskissonize it), possibly meaning that the radicals will reform the ancient universities in the manner in which William Huskisson MP reformed commerce during his term of office at the Board of Trade, 1823-1827

Upper left, a guillotine with a monarch whose head has been cut off, and a temple of reason: the temple is held up by Ionic Salomonic columns inscribed with the names of philosophes: on the left, Voltaire, Rousseau, D'Alembert, Diderot, Volney; on the right, Hobb(e)s, Herbert, Toland, Hume, Gibbon, Shaft(e)sbury, (Thomas?) Chubb, Paine, and (Richard) Carlile. The base of the temple is inscribed "Morality" upside down

Along the top are four emblems of absurd schemes promoted to exploit new technology. The globe with a light on top represents a plan to illuminate the North Pole to enable Franklin to discover the North-West Passage. A suspension bridge traverses the Atlantic ocean. There is a tunnel under the Mediterranean sea. Journeys to the moon are available in a large balloon leaving from a town square

A dandy is accompanied by a pet elephant. A shoeshine man reads the works of Isaac Newton and considers himself superior. A man rides a horse powered by steam. Street sweepers are starving. The devil turns the world upside down so that the South Pole is at the top

[London?] : W. K. A., [1830?]

1 print : lithograph ; border 25 x 19.7 cm

March of intellect. The "March of intellect" or "March of mind" was a popular phrase in the 1820s and 1830s, used seriously by some, mockingly by others, to denote trust in mass education and technological change to solve the problems of society: see British Museum, op. cit., pp. xliv and 67-68. It was particularly associated with The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (1826-1846), founded by Henry Brougham and others, and with University College London

Not found in: British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. XI, London 1954

Wellcome Collection 2856742i