File:A New Method of Macarony Making, as practised at Boston in North America (BM J,5.67 1).jpg

Height: 152 millimetres

Width: 113 millimetres

(Description and comment from M.Dorothy George, 'Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the British Museum', V, 1935) A satire on the treatment given to John Malcom or Malcomb, an unpopular Commissioner of Customs, at Boston, as recorded in the English newspapers shortly before its publication. On 27 Jan. 1774 he had been tarred and feathered, led to the gallows with a rope round his neck, on the way there being forced as a torture to drink enormous quantities of tea. His offence was in attempting to collect Customs duties; it was not connected with the Boston Tea Party. R. T. Halsey, 'The Boston Port Bill', 1904, pp. 77-82. For his memorial to the Government of Massachusetts begging for relief and redress and his petition to the King for compensation and employment see 'Hist. MSS. Comm., Dartmouth MSS.', i, p. 348, ii, pp. 192, 263. Wilkes was a national hero in the colonies and "45" a patriotic symbol. "Liberty Tree" at Boston was reported to be decorated with "Number 45, Wilkes and liberty". 'London Chronicle', 13-16 Aug. 1768. Reproduced, 'Social England', ed. Traill, 1904, v, p. 447. A larger version with the same date, not in the British Museum, was published by Bowles as No. 306 in his series of folio mezzotints. The title ends at the word 'Boston', and beneath are the lines,

"For the Custom House Officers landing the Tea, They Tarr'd him, and Feather'd him just as you see, And they drench'd him so well both behind and before, That he begg'd for God's sake they would drench him no more." Reproduced R. T. Halsey, 'op. cit.', p. 92.

Another print, a folio line engraving, was issued by Carington Bowles on 2 June 1775 with the same title as BMSat 5232 and the verses quoted above. Malcomb is being lowered by ropes from the window of his house into a cart, before receiving his "American suit". R. T. Halsey, 'op. cit.', 121 n. Another mezzotint depicting the same incident as BMSat 5232 probably by P. Dawe, was published by Sayer and Bennett, 31 Oct. 1774 with the title, 'Plate I. The Bostonians Paying the Excise-man, or Tarring & Feathering'. Reproduced R.T. Halsey, 'op. cit.', p. 83 and J. T. Adams, 'Revolutionary New England', p. 39. Malcomb, on his knees, tarred and feathered, his head pressed backwards, is being forced by five men to drink from a tea-pot; one of them holds a rope which is round his neck. They are under "Liberty Tree" (r.) from a branch of which dangles a rope. On its trunk is a Placard inscribed "Stamp Act, upside down". Behind (l.) is a ship with furled sails from which masked men are emptying tea-chests into the water (the Boston tea-party). BMSat 5241, 5284 belong to the same series. The treatment of Malcomb is also the subject of a French engraving, John Malcom, by Godefroy in 'Recueil d'Estampes représentant. . .la Guerre qui a procuré l'Indépendance aux États unis . . ." (Print Department). Malcom, "ce fier maltôtier", is being lowered by ropes from his house into a cart. 'Collection de Vinck', BMSat 1164.

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