Old Time's Advice to Britannia, 1761

Old Time's Advice to Britannia, artist unknown, 1761, John Carter Brown Library.

This print is also in the collection of the Library of Congress and British Museum. As a Seven Years War piece, this print is a political cartoon highly critical of the Prime Minister and his cabinet in their reliance on Germans as mercenaries and allies. Old Time advises the seated Britannia to rid herself of a detrimental alliance.

In support of "Old Time's Advice," Jack Tar shouts across the Channel his take on the newly popular song "Rule Britannia":

By the Strength of our Navy, wee'l soon make them Slaves. Then Huzza Britania, Britania rule the waves.

Jack wears a reversed cocked hat and a plain neckcloth that is tied about his neck almost as a cravat would be. His jacket has flap pockets at the waist but no buttons on the lapels. There is a single button closure on his slit cuffs, an arrangement I haven't seen before. Beneath the jacket he wears a single breasted waistcoat with flap pockets at the waist, and finally a pair of plain light colored trousers.