The Unbalanced Scales of Justice
The Unbalanced Scales of Justice
The unbalanced scales of Justice have only been mentioned in passing as a peculiarity of the print. Found on the right side of the image, Justice holds the base of the pillar up with her left hand while carrying her scales and sword in her right. An ostrich appears on her left side. Rather than being leveled, one scale tips down. Following the history of the inclusion of scales in Gillray’s prints published before and after Design for Naval Pillar, it becomes apparent that they most often represent an imbalance within the British government.
The print Jack a Both Sides! from 1794 illustrates such an idea. It features British Whig statesmen turned Tory politician William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne (1737-1805), on the left and Charles James Fox on the right, each cursing each other’s party. The print focuses on the lack of agreement under King George III’s reign. The King himself is pictured, from behind, at the top of the print holding the tip of Frederick North (1732-1792) who acts as the top of the scale. With the appointment of Petty as Prime Minster after the unexpected death of Lord Rockingham in 1782, Fox and his supporters resigned their positions in the Cabinet three days later [1]. As apparent with the dating of Jack a Both Sides! the two politicians were still at odds two years later. The print therefore emphasizes the quick and childish reactions of those within the British government and comments on their inability to reconcile.
It is evident that Gillray continued to have these negative associations to British politicians after he published Design for Naval Pillar. The print The Cabinetical Balance of 1806 is rendered in a strikingly similar manner to Jack a Both Sides!, which was created eight years prior. In this print Henry Addington (1757-1844) and Edward Law (1750-1818) become the cross beam of the scale. The left holds the ‘No-Bottomites,’ the Foxites or Old Opposition. The lower scale on the right holds the ‘Broad-Bottomites,’ the Grenvillites or New Opposition. This print yet again emphasizes the instability of the British government.
These are only two examples where Gillray has used scales to symbolize the lack of continuity throughout the British government. The figure of Justice and her unbalanced scales in Design for Naval Pillar can therefore be read as implying the same message. Whereas stoic Britannia is placed atop the pillar, reigning over the instability of the British government, Justice and her scales are located at the bottom, subtly making the similar comment of holding up an unstable government.
[1] Thomas Fleming, The Perils of Peace: America's Struggle for Survival After Yorktown (New York: Smithsonian Books/Collins, 2007), 20.
