French alias Corsican Villainy or the contrast to English humanity

One of the great criticisms against Napoleon found in English satires and caricatures is his ruthless attitude toward the taking of human life. Napoleon's crimes committed against the armies of Europe and against his own troops represented for the British his illegitimacy as a ruler at a time when monarchs were thought to have a paternal relationship with their subjects. This image even goes so far as to equate the morality of Napoleon with that of the slaves working in New World plantations. Whereas Napoleon represented as inhuman, the British soldiers are represented as highly moral, instructing mercy towards transgressors. The image on the left of the contrast is set in Jaffa. Here Napoleon (r.) instructs the army doctor (center) to drug the plague-infected troops (middle-left, in tents) with opium. The doctor looks chargined at the implications of the order, as do two French soldiers, who stand immediately behind Napoleon and wring their hands. Behind them, on the top of a cliff, is a French fort proudly flying the tricolore. A group of Turkish men who have been taken prisoner are also sentenced to death. In the same breath that he orders his own troops to be poisoned, Napoleon orders the Turks brought to the garrison and shot. The right image is set in the West Indies. In it, a British general stays the hand of an African soldier who is about to behead a French soldier on bended knee at his feet. In the distance other Africans are depicted violently capturing French soldiers. One of the great criticisms against Napoleon found in English satires and caricatures is his ruthless attitude toward the taking of human life. Napoleon's crimes committed against the armies of Europe and against his own troops represented for the British his illegitimacy as a ruler at a time when monarchs were thought to have a paternal relationship with their subjects. This image even goes so far as to equate the morality of Napoleon with that of the slaves working in New World plantations. Whereas Napoleon represented as inhuman, the British soldiers are represented as highly moral, instructing mercy towards transgressors. The image on the left of the contrast is set in Jaffa. Here Napoleon (r.) instructs the army doctor (center) to drug the plague-infected troops (middle-left, in tents) with opium. The doctor looks chargined at the implications of the order, as do two French soldiers, who stand immediately behind Napoleon and wring their hands. Behind them, on the top of a cliff, is a French fort proudly flying the tricolore. A group of Turkish men who have been taken prisoner are also sentenced to death. In the same breath that he orders his own troops to be poisoned, Napoleon orders the Turks brought to the garrison and shot. The right image is set in the West Indies. In it, a British general stays the hand of an African soldier who is about to behead a French soldier on bended knee at his feet. In the distance other Africans are depicted violently capturing French soldiers. Inscribed under lower left margin of left image: 'Pubd. by S. W. Fores No. 50 Piccadilly' Inscribed under lower right margin of right image: 'Folios of Caricatures Lent out for the Evening.' Caption: Pubd Jany 13 1804 by S W Fores No 50 Piccadilly Caption: Folios of Caracatures lent out for the Evening Dialogue: Napoleon: "Don't talk to me of Humanity & the feelings of a generous heart, I say Poison those Sick dogs they are a burthen to me & can no longer fight my Battles!!! I say destroy them_ As for those Turks, shut them up in the Garrison, turn all the Guns upon them, Men, Women & Children, & blow them to atoms, they are too bold & resolute for me to suffer them to live, they are in my Way." Dialogue: Figure at far left: "A mercy, unexpected, undeserv'd suprises [sic] more." Dialogue: Second figure from left: "We know they are our Enemies, & yours, & the Enemies of all Mankind, nevertheless Humanity is so strongly planted in the Breast of an Englisman [sic], that he can become an humble beggar, for the lives, even of his enemies, when they are subdued."