Mrs Fitzherbert and George Prince of Wales represented as Adam and Eve standing under the Tree of Knowledge surrounded by the trappings of fashionable pastimes and vices, causing the devil to flee. Etching, 1786.

A nude couple, Mrs. Fitzherbert and George Prince of Wales (the subsequent King George IV) wearing enormous wigs, stands under the "Tree of Life." On the left, Mrs Fitzherbert holds a fan in front of her genitals, while a dog climbs up her knee. On the ground, labelled "Implements for procuring heirs for estates", are a bottle of "Gibson's Prolific", a shepherd's crook and a comedy mask, a ticket, a letter addressed "To Belinda." Behind her a monkey is holding a mirror, and beyond is a three-storey house labelled "In medio tutissimus ibis". The pediment above the door is labelled indistinctly ("Witchel"?)

On the right stands the prince with a sheet of paper covering his groin inscribed "Dr. Rock." In his left hand he holds a ticket to a masquerade at the Pantheon, in his right a walking stick. The serpent glides between his legs. Behind him on the ground is some horse-riding equipment, with the helmet inscribed "Modern cap of honour" and the saddle and whip inscribed "Furniture for saddling an estate."

Playing cards and dice fall off the tree which is hung with cards advertising fashionable places in London such as Carlisle House, the Pantheon, White's Club, Ranelagh and Almack's, among others. On the left a devil is walking away from her toward a roaring fire saying "I'll even back to Hell again, for these must be too knowing for me by the size of their heads." In the right background two swordsmen fight a duel, labelled as "Cain and Abel". Another man lies on the ground having fallen off a galloping horse, labelled "For the benefit of the next heir."

The house might be Mrs Fitzherbert's town house in Park Street, Mayfair, though it here lacks the pilasters and attic mentioned in the Survey of London, loc. cit. The quotation "In medio tutissimus ibis" could refer to the fact that it was the middle house in a row of three. The meaning of the name over the door has not been identified

London (227 Strand) : W. Humphrey, Nov. 24 1786.

1 print : etching ; platemark 24.9 x 34.9 cm

The modern paradise or Adam and Eve regenerated ... Verses etched in two columns below the image: How different the Paradise now in your view / To that which of old the fam'd Milton once drew / Tho we own the serpant deceiv'd Eve and Adam / Yet cunninger now is our good sir and madam. / Improv'd in each vice and each folly that's going / Modern Adams and Eves are alike equal knowing. / Are so well qualified in each thing that's called evil / That they capable seem to improve on the Devil.

Not found in: British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, London 1870-1954

Survey of London: volume 40, the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, part 2 (The buildings), ed. F H W Sheppard, London, 1980, pp. 174, 251-252

Wellcome Collection 571243i