Cunicularii, or, The wise men of Godliman in consultation
by William Hogarth
1726
Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University Library Hogarth 726.12.22.01 Box 100
The caption below the title reads:
The held their Talents most Adroit
For any Mystical Exploit. Hudib[ras].
A key in columns to the left and right lists the figures depicted:
A The Dancing Master or Præternatural Anatomist. [Nathanael St. André, anatomist]
B An Occult Philosopher searching into the Depths of things. [Sir Richard Manningham, physician and man-midwife]
C The Sooterkin Doctor Astonish'd. [John Maubray, physician and man-midwife]
D The Guilford Rabbet Man Midwife. [John Howard, Guildford surgeon and man-midwife]
E The Rabbet getter. [Joshua Toft, husband of Mary]
F The Lady in the straw. [Mary Toft]
G The Nurse or Rabbet Dresser. [Margaret Toft, sister of Joshua]
Manning exclaims: "It pouts. it swells. it spreads it comes"
Maubray, gazing upwards, says: "A Sooterkin."
St. André deems it "A Great Birth."
John Howard, receiving a rabbit from a butcher at the door, tells him "Its too big."
This image is provided courtesy of the Yale University Library. The Yale University Policy on Open Access to Digital Representations of Works in the Public Domain from Museum, Library, and Archive Collections states: “The goal of digitization is to enhance access to the collections in Yale’s museums, archives, and libraries for students, faculty, and the world. To this end, Yale will make digital copies of unrestricted public domain collections available for use without limitations through the University’s electronic interfaces.” The copyright term for this image is assumed to be expired.