The late eighteenth century in England was the first great age of cartooning, and English caricature prints of the period have long been enjoyed for their humor and vitality. Diana Donald presents the first major study of these caricatures, showing that they were a widely disseminated form of political expression and propaganda as subtle and elegant as the written word. "An absorbing glimpse into English politics of that time.... An indispensable guide to these comic masterpieces, and one that will be hard to improve upon". -- Edward Sorel, New York Times Book Review "A stunning book ... an important contribution to historical judgements.... The book will appeal not just to the scholar but also to the general reader, and I hope it will reawaken interest in one of the greatest periods in English history". -- Kenneth Baker, The Daily Telegraph "Fascinating ... indispensable reading". -- David Alexander, Art Newspaper "The book will become a classic". -- Richard Edmonds, Birmingham Post