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A Visit to the Irish Pig! With reflections Physical & Moral
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A Visit to the Irish Pig! With reflections Physical & Moral
George III, accompanied by the Lord Chamberlain Salisbury, inspects a gigantic pig. Salisbury announces That Pig is the Tallest Fittest Properest Pig to stand before the K[ing].... The animal has been identified as the Enniscorthy boar, intended as a peace offering by ex-rebels to be placed in the Tower of London as a curiosity. It was said that an Irishman recognized the animal and announced, to amuse the company, that the Irish attributed its great size to its having eaten the Protestant clergymen of Enniscorthy after the battle. The King heard this and the unfortunate animal was shot
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Media ID 4388369
© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10201723
1799 Accompanied Amuse Announced Announces Attributed Boar Chamberlain Clergymen Curiosity Eaten Enniscorthy Gigantic Heard I Ii Identified Inspects Intended Irishman Moral Offering Peace Physical Protestant Rebels Reflections Salisbury Shot Size Stand Tallest Unfortunate Fittest Recognized
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This fascinating historical print captures a truly unique moment in time - "A Visit to the Irish Pig! With reflections Physical & Moral." In the image, we see George III, accompanied by Lord Chamberlain Salisbury, inspecting a gigantic pig. Salisbury proudly announces that this pig is the tallest, fittest, and properest pig to ever stand before the King.
What makes this scene even more intriguing is the backstory behind this massive animal. The Enniscorthy boar was intended as a peace offering by ex-rebels to be placed in the Tower of London as a curiosity. However, things took an unexpected turn when an Irishman jokingly claimed that the pig's great size was due to it having eaten Protestant clergymen after a battle in Enniscorthy.
Unfortunately for the poor animal, King George III overheard this remark and ordered it to be shot. This bizarre and darkly humorous anecdote from 1799 showcases not only the strange customs of history but also highlights how misunderstandings and jokes can have serious consequences.
This print serves as a reminder of how even seemingly innocent moments can have unexpected outcomes when mixed with politics and cultural tensions. It's a snapshot of a peculiar event that offers insight into both human nature and historical events.
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