Nathaniel St André and his wife Elizabeth. Etching by W. Austin, 1773.

According to the British Museum catalogue, loc. cit., Major G...n is a pseudonym of Nathaniel St André, who in 1728 eloped with Lady Elizabeth Molyneux on the night of the death of her husband whom he had been professionally attending (Samuel Molyneux, MP for Exeter, d. 1728). They married in 1730, and in about 1750 settled in Southampton. At the date of this print (1773), St André was aged ninety-three years

The following is based on the British Museum online catalogue, loc. cit. The scene is the sea-shore, with the Isle of Wight faintly visible in the background. A man followed by a woman walk in profile from right to left, both much caricatured. He is using crutches, his gouty left leg is swathed or in a bootikin, and suspended in a sling which goes over his right shoulder. He has an impossibly protruding waistcoat, and a large club of hair. A dog (left) is barking at him. His wife holds in her right hand a bottle labelled "Hartshorn" (perhaps salt of hartshorn used as a smelling salt), in her left a very long cane. Her profile is witch-like with hooked nose and protruding bearded chin. A large hood almost conceals her hair, and she wears a long cloak. A cross hangs from a necklace round her neck. In the distance grotesque figures walk on the shore, most of them in various stages of decrepitude. One is labelled "The rabbit doctor, St. A------", and under his arm is a large rabbit, referring to his role in the Mary Tofts affair

1773

1 print : etching

Major G...n & lady landing at Southampton in Cripples' Walk

British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. 5, London 1935, no. 5115

R. Burgess, Portraits of doctors & scientists in the Wellcome Institute, London 1973, hors catalogue no. 2583.2

Wellcome Collection 8330i

Attribution to William Austin from the British Museum catalogue