3-047-014 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"The Fox and the Grapes", 1872. 'The young coxcomb who lurks in the background of this scene, with his glass stuck in his right eye for a seemingly indifferent look at the girls, seated with their papa under the leafy vine, may affect to hide his disappointment at not finding one or other alone. But we shall not be deceived by this flippant behaviour on his part, any more than the world of beasts and birds, in old AEsop's fable, was imposed upon by the proverbial fox, when he could not reach the clusters of delicious fruit, and declared that "the grapes were sour." These young ladies are not at all sour...Their father is a happy man, and three still happier men, in due course of time, shall be their husbands. The eldest sister, who stands behind papa's chair, with her hand affectionately placed on his shoulder, is certainly not attempting to make signals to that young gentleman with the flower she holds on high. No, it cannot be suspected that she would do so; but she alone of the family party has noticed his approach, and she watches...[him] in judicious silence, with a calm satirical regard, which should warn him to keep aloof, if he would not incur a severe snub for his unauthorised pretensions to flirt with the daughters of the house'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.