A slim, fashionably dressed man, wearing a curiously striped coat with a high collar, and very closely fitting breeches, sits at a small writing-desk on which is a large sheet of paper. He gazes meditatively in profile to the right. His right arm is thrown over the back of his chair; he holds a pen; his left hand rests on the paper, displaying tapering fingers with a large ring on the fourth finger. A curtain festooned above his head and dark shadows in the foreground suggest the theatre.  Beneath is etched:
<p><br><br>'"        Then the smart Priest
<br>"Writing extempore (forsooth!) a sonnet
<br>"Quaint to his Mistress' shoe string.'  1 December 1790
</p>
<br>Etching and aquatint
<div class="fn value">
<p>After: George Moutard Woodward
</p>
<dl><dd>Published by: William Holland</dd></dl></div>
1790<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1790-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
<a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1877-1013-899">https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1877-1013-899</a>