From the 'European Magazine', iii. 296. Ministers and would-be ministers are scrambling for the loaves and fishes which have been scattered in the street from the baskets of a baker and a fish-wife which lie on the ground. The fall of the baskets has been occasioned by a buffalo, whose head and shoulders appear on the right; in front of him the fish-wife lies prone. The background is intended for the lower part of the front of St. James's Palace; the king, smiling, looks from a window over the gateway. 
<p><br>Two ministers kneel facing each other picking up loaves and fishes: Portland, in profile to the left, says "I am thankful to you, my Lord, for this large fish, you shall have as good a one soon from Portland"; the other, probably Lord John Cavendish, Chancellor of the Exchequer, says, "Our Windsor Acteon in the window, seems highly tickled with his Cabinet Hounds". Behind Portland stand North and Fox stooping forward; Fox is kicking at a judge who stands behind him, and says, "This American Buffalo, has occasioned glorious sport". Keep off Bigwig. The judge, probably Thurlow, on whose resignation of the Chancellorship Fox had insisted, see BMSat 6197, says, "I will have a loaf &amp; a fish, or the Wool-sack may go to the Devil". North says, "Kick him off Charley, that Bloodhound must not come in, he'd devour the whole."
<br>Behind Cavendish two men stand wrestling; one (left) is Keppel, who says, "This is fighting Yard-arm and Yard-arm my Lord, which you know I love" (an ironical allusion to the battle of Ushant, 27 July 1778. See BMSat5992, &amp;c). His opponent, who is probably Shelburne, answers, "I'll share what I get among the Loyalists, if I dont change my mind". Shelburne had been much attacked for failing to secure better terms for the American Loyalists, see BMSat 6182, &amp;c. A man, running forward from the left, says, "I am as deep as a Pit, when any thing of this kind is going forward". Probably Thomas Pitt (1737-93), who played an important part in negotiations during the ministerial interregnum, and was offered a Secretaryship of State by the king. Possibly William Pitt.  1 May 1783
</p>
<br>Etching
1783<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1783-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1875-0710-5453">https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1875-0710-5453</a>