John.Bull Come to the Bone.

 This cartoon is a satire on the effects of the unsuccessful Walcheren Campaign, a British expedition to the Netherlands in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire’s struggle with France during the War of the Fifth Coalition.

“John Bull come to the Bone,” published at the time of the peninsular war, when “John Bull” was suffering heavily from the burden of taxation, represents him as reduced to poverty, which is accompanied by a great reduction of his personal appearance. He still, however, retains his stick of good “Wellington oak.” In this condition he is accosted by the Frenchman, who exults in the belief that his poverty has almost made him harmless:

“By gar, Monsieur Jean Bull, you var much alter, ” should not know you var Jean; I vas as big as you now !” John is indignant at the insult: ” Why, look you, Mounseer Par leyvou, though I have got thinner myself, I have a little sprig of oak in my hand that ‘s as strong as ever; and if you give me any of your palaver, I ’11 be d ” d if you shan’t feel the weight of it.”