Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Dignified retirement: parody on the house that Jack built, -- fitted to the times
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02209 Author/Creator: Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826) Place Written: s.l. Type: Broadside Date: circa 1809 Pagination: 1 p. ; 45 x 22.3 cm. Order a Copy
A parody of the nursery rhyme styled upon eighteenth century children's chapbooks making fun of Jefferson's retirement at a time of national crisis. The figures are rough allegories of Jefferson (alternately a king then a priest, retiring to a "Mountain" [Monticello] to study philosophy), the American navy (de-commissioned by Jefferson), the Embargo, the British Fleet and the American volunteer army. The woodcut of the coach is printed upside down to represent how the Embargo "has turned all things up side down, and stopped the wheels of national prosperity." The title may come from Peter Pencil's 1809 caricature "Non Intercourse or Dignified Retirement" Noble E. Cunningham, Jr., The Image of Thomas Jefferson in the Public Eye, p. 121.
[Draft Created by Crowdsourcing]
Five [stripes] have lash'd; yet, must the People still Say tank ye Massa, pay on what ye will?
The Commerce of the United States.
(As free as air.)
This is the House that Jack Built.
The produce of our Country,
This is the malt that lay in the House that Jack Built.
The Milan Decree
(Bone's Blockade of words)
[NAPOLEON FIRST.]
This is the Rat, that eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
The Orders in Council.
This is the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
The Embargo.
(Which has turned all things up side down, and stopped the wheels of national prosperity.)
This is the Dog, that bark'd at the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
The British Fleet.
(And it came to pass the Lion roared and frightened Thomas, the King-he said, shall I flee to the Mountain,)
This is the Bull, with a crumpled Horn,
That toss'd the Dog, that bark'd at the cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
The Fleet of Gun-Boats.
(Shoal water)
This is the Maiden all forlorn,
Who scar'd the Bull with a crumpled horn,
That toss'd the Dog, that bark'd at the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the malt,
That lay in the House that Jack built.
The new raised Army.
(''Blood Letting!!!'')
This is the Man, all tatter'd and torn,
who kiss'd the Maiden, all forlorn,
Who scar'd the Bull, with a crumpled horn,
That toss'd the Dog, that bark'd at the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
Th*m*s J*ff*r*on.
(With a Basket of Philosophy.)
This is the Priest, all shaven and shorn,
Who fled to the mountain, all covered with scorn,
And studied philosophy evening and morn,
And married the man all tatter'd and torn,
Who kiss'd the maiden all forlorn,
Who scar'd the Bull with a crumpled horn,
That toss'd the Dog, that barkd at the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
Pickering, Hillhouse, &c.
(He is the Freeman, whom the Truth makes free, and all are Slaves beside.)
These are the Huntsmen, who sounded the horn,
And will publish to ages, which yet are unborn,
The deeds of the priest, all shaven and shorn,
Who fled to the mountain, all covered with scorn,
And studied philosophy evening and morn,
And married the Man, all tatter'd and torn,
Who kiss'd the Maiden, all forlorn,
Who scar'd the Bull with a crumpled horn,
That toss'd the dog, that bark'd at the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat that eat the malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
Federalism
(A cause like this, is its own defence-Truth, Justice, Reason, Law, and Liberty-the eternal links that bind the world are in't.)
This is the lark that sings clear in the morn,
And all honest Patriots loudly shall warn,
In aid of the Huntsmen who sounded the horn,
And will publish to ages, which yet are unborn,
The deeds of the Priest, all shaven and shorn,
Who fled to the Mountain all covered with scorn,
And studied philosophy evening and morn,
And married the Man all tatter'd and torn,
Who kiss'd the Maiden all forlorn,
Who scar'd the Bull with a crumpled horn,
That toss'd the Dog, that bark'd at the Cat,
That catch'd the Rat, that eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that Jack Built.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.