The ''Rolliad'', in full ''Criticisms on the Rolliad'', is a work of British

satire Satire is a genre of the visual arts, visual, literature, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently Nonfiction, non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ...

directed principally at the administration of

William Pitt the Younger William Pitt the Younger (28 May 175923 January 1806) was a British statesman, the youngest and last prime minister of Great Britain (before the Acts of Union 1800) and then first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister of the Un ...

. It was written and originally published in serial form in the '' Morning Herald'' in 1784–85, and its authors also contributed ancillary satires which were published together with it.

Structure of the Rolliad

The satire takes the form of a piece of literary criticism of an

epic poem An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...

called ''The Rolliad'' which is extensively quoted. The subject of the poem is John Rolle, MP for

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

, who is being guided around Parliament by

Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...

who introduces the leading personalities to him. Rolle, despite the fact that he was not a constant supporter of Pitt, was picked out for ridicule by the authors after he shouted down

Edmund Burke Edmund Burke (; 12 January New Style">NS/nowiki> 1729 – 9 July 1797) was an Anglo-Irish people">Anglo-Irish Politician">statesman, economist, and philosopher. Born in Dublin, Burke served as a member of Parliament (MP) between 1766 and 1794 ...

in the House of Commons. The authors claimed his descent from the Norman

Rollo of Normandy Rollo ( nrf, Rou, ''Rolloun''; non, Hrólfr; french: Rollon; died between 928 and 933) was a Viking who became the first ruler of Normandy, today a region in northern France. He emerged as the outstanding warrior among the Norsemen who had se ...

Authors

The ''Rolliad'' was a collaborative work and the authors remained anonymous. Joseph Richardson, a journalist, was the principal writer; George Ellis (an antiquary), Richard Tickell (a librettist) and

French Laurence French Laurence (3 April 1757 – 27 February 1809) was an English jurist and man of letters, a close associate of Edmund Burke whose literary executor he became. Life He was the eldest son of Richard Laurence, watchmaker, of Bath, Somerset by ...

(Regius Professor of Civil Law at Oxford) also contributed. There were contributors from the field of politics including Richard FitzPatrick who was very close to

Charles James Fox Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 – 13 September 1806), styled ''The Honourable'' from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned 38 years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the arch-riv ...

and

Lord John Townshend Lord John Townshend PC (19 January 1757 – 23 February 1833), styled The Honourable John Townshend until 1787, was a British Whig politician. Background Townshend was the second son of Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, ...

, a former Minister.

Satirical targets

In addition to the eponymous Rolle, the ''Rolliad'' attacked Pitt for his consumption of port and for having no relationships with women: :'Tis true, indeed, we oft abuse him, :Because he bends to no man; :But Slander's self dares not accuse him :Of stiffness to a woman. Pitt was also ridiculed for his youth: :Above the rest, majestically great, :Behold the infant Atlas of the state, :The matchless miracle of modern days, :In whom Britannia to the world displays :A sight to make surrounding nations stare; :A kingdom trusted to a school-boy's care. Pitt's ally Henry Dundas was attacked for his dissoluteness. Charles Jenkinson also had perhaps more than his fair share of criticism.

Notes

{{reflist

External links

etext of the Rolliad
at

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etext of the Rolliad
at the

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Project Gutenberg etext
of ''

Notes and Queries ''Notes and Queries'', also styled ''Notes & Queries'', is a long-running quarterly scholarly journal that publishes short articles related to "English language and literature, lexicography, history, and scholarly antiquarianism".From the inner ...

'' of July 20, 1850 containing a note on the authors of the ''Rolliad''.
The Rolliad
A chapter discussing this work, from

The Cambridge History of English and American Literature ''The Cambridge History of English and American Literature'' is an encyclopedia of literary criticism that was published by Cambridge University Press between 1907 and 1921. Edited and written by an international panel of 171 leading scholars an ...

. 1784 poems English poems British political satire Cultural depictions of William Pitt the Younger