And there were others: the brilliant young artist, Richard Newton, who died from jail fever aged only twenty-one and the vulgarian William Dent, who loved bare bottoms and farting. He suffered at the hands of the genius of Gillray the robustness of Rowlandson and the skilful darts of Isaac Cruikshank. George ruled through the golden age of English caricature. This book presents all of George's complex character: as 'Farmer George' carrying pails around his farms and selling milk to eke out his finances as a father let down by his sons, who became debauched womanisers, gamblers and spendthrifts, while his daughters became old maids because their mother refused to let them marry whom they wanted as a cultural patron, founder of the Royal Academy of Arts and as a sick man, suffering from recurrent attacks of madness. The debate continues with Prince Charles and the pro-George lobby.
