Height: 266 millimetres (image)

Height: 283 millimetres (trimmed?)

Width: 417 millimetres (trimmed?)

This etching is documented as by Benjamin Wilson in his autobiography (published Walpole Society, LXXIV 2012, p.200): [Following the success of his other satire, 'The Tombstone', BMSat.4124] 'Mr Burke, Mr Cowper and others encouraged me to make another print. An opportunity soon offered, for disputes ran very high respecting the Stamp Act in America, which was about to be repealed. The title of my 2nd print I therefore called 'the Repeal, or the Funeral of Miss Amy Stamp' for I was told from authority that it would certainly be repealed. [There follows a long description of the print.] This print I published within ten minutes after the Act was repealed. I had but four days to sell it in; because on the fifth there appeared two pirated editions which sold for half the price. Nevertheless in those four days, I sold about 2,000 at a shilling apiece; I was informed by persons of credit that there were sold of the pirated copies above sixteen thousand...'. This is the only impression of Wilson' original in the BM. There are also four different copies in the BM, and another in the BL (Grenville.18.165). The print was first advertised in the 'Public Advertiser' on 13 March 1766 (found by Stephens): 'The print called the Repeal will certainly be published in a few days, notwithstanding the many endeavours to prevent its appearance'. The next advertisement on 18 March announces: 'The print called the repeal will certainly be published this day, at two of the clock, notwithstanding the many endeavours to prevent its appearance. Price 1s. Sold by Mr Smith, at the Woolpack, Number 45, in Long Acre near Drury Lane'. The issue of 21 March adds: 'The extraordinary demand for the print called the Repeal or the funeral of Miss Ame Stamp, being greater than the power of one workman to supply, Mr Smith begs leave of those who are pleased to honour him with their commands to any large quantities, that he may be indulged with as much time as can possibly be allowed, in order to take off a proper number to answer the demand. From the Woolpack, No.45 Long Acre.' On 27 March an advertisement in 'The Gazeteer and New Daily Advertiser' reads: 'Mr Smith begs leave to advertise the public, that there is a spurious and Grub-street print copied from the celebrated Repeal, which is calculated to hurt the sale of the original print. He therefore hopes that they will not encourage so unfair and vile a performance, but continue to favour him with their commands when, for the future, a separate and printed explanation will be given along with each print. From the Woolpack, No.45 Long Acre, near Drury-Lane.' This advertisement is immediately followed by another: 'This day is published, a new carecatura print, price only sixpence. The Repeal. The great demand for this print has induced the proprietor to lower the price. Sold by J.Pridden, at the Feathers in Fleet-Street; and at the Print Shops at the Royal Exchange etc. etc.' [with mentions of other titles of caricatures]; this was probably the print described under J,1.86. It is worth noting that Pridden (whose name is found on none of the impressions of this print in the BM, though one of them is lettered with the price 6d) was associated later in 1766 with Smith in the publication of 'The Richmond Wedding' (BM Sat.4166). The "Stamp" Act "for granting and applying certain Stamp Duties, and other Duties, in the British Colonies and Plantations in America" was passed on 22 March 1765 and was in effect from 1 November 1765 until its repeal on 18 March 1766.