King George III sits in his library pondering which advice to accept: to govern by law or by force. Engraving, 1771.

King George III leans on two volumes and an issue of The public advertiser, No. 1720, Wednesday June ye 24 (?) 1770, in which is a letter addressed to the King signed 'Junius'. There are two pictures on the wall. The left one depicts 'The patriot king' (featuring a pelican feeding her young) in front of which stands an angel holding the sceptre (representing government by law). The right picture shows 'The tyrant king', in front of which stands a fury holding a sword (representing government by force). The King holds a book The false alarm by Samuel Johnson (1770), a pamphlet attacking Wilkes

The address from Junius to the King was included in a letter first published in The public advertiser, 19 December 1769, and copied in many other papers thereafter. The letter was written by a fictitious author 'Junius' to justify the King and his politicians (among them the Earl of Bute in their exclusion of John Wilkes from government for his support for liberty

[Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1770]

1 print : engraving ; platemark 18.6 x 11.7 cm

Advice to a great k-g. The angel holding the sceptre says "Rule by this, thy enemies shall fear thee and thy subjects will love thee." The fury holding the sword says "Rule by this, & thy subjects will fear thee."

British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, Vol. IV, London 1978, no. 4424

Wellcome Collection 583530i