[MUSIC] Hannah, so what, one of the issues we've, we've touched on is this sort of constitutional iconography, how representations of Magna Carta become very much more widespread especially in the 18th century. And, and this is one of the spectacularly interesting items. It's a representation of Arthur Beardmore who was in the early 1760s being arrested for treasonable, seditious newspaper reports about the, the monarchy. And he organised for one of the distinguished engravers to capture the moment, so as the bailiffs and the police are breaking in, Arthur Beardmore here seen is teaching his son the principles of Magna Carta. This is clause 39, liber homo, his son attentively listening, you know, to the, the commentary, and, even in the stuff at the bottom here. You know, he's, he's quoting Deuteronomy. You should train your children up in the right principles. So, I think it's, it's a wonderful image, incredibly successful, reproduced time and time and time again, became a fashion almost for people to want to be represented in that way. >> Yes. >> Could it tell us something about the tradition? Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah, the ancient old Latin book. >> Yes. >> Young boy. >> Yes. >> You know, being taught- >> Yes. Yes. >> Does, does it capture something for you? >> Well, I mean, the mention of Latin, of course, is, is very significant in the sense that it's highly unlikely that this little boy understood the Latin words. But in a way that sort of captures the symbolism of Magna Carta at the point that it's a symbol. It's not something that's understood word for word, and indeed, the words themselves don't really matter. It's what it means, it's what it symbolises that counts at this point. >> Absolutely, and I think that here becomes iconic in itself. >> Yes. >> A father, free-born father. >> Yes. >> Teaching his son. >> Yes. >> The fundamental principles. >> Yes. >> Of English liberty. >> Yes, and of course the image here is very resonant of, of, the Bible. I mean, it looks like a lectern. and, and, I think that there was a way in which Magna Carta in the 18th century, became a kind of bible of liberty. >> Absolutely. >> In an age when, when you know, it looked like morality was fading all around. >> Falling apart, yeah. >> Exactly. >> I mean, in, interestingly, if you look at one of the other examples, that this is from slightly later in the period. >> yes. Yes. >> It's commissioned by the Royal Society of Arts to be a medal. It's a, wax model. Well what do you think is going on here? >> So here we have Libertas, it seems to me, the, the Roman goddess of liberty and here we have the signing of Magna Carta. John signing Magna Carta, and this is very interesting in so far is it shows the way in which at this time, the Roman the neo-Roman notion of of liberty and the importance of being a liber homo was folded in very precisely with the English tradition of liberties. >> Absolutely and I, I don't think we have any existing coins. It would be wonderful if somebody could make one now. >> Yes. >> But they would literally be on flip sides of metal. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> So a conceptual philosophical account of liberty. Attached to the historical moment of 1215. >> That's right. >> It's really expanding sort of meaning I think. >> That's right. And there's a way in which the one embodies the other. So this is the concept if you like. This is the historical enactment and they're sort of, they're not only indistinguishable but they inform each other. >> I think if we can look maybe just at one more. That allows us in one way to think about the, the rest of the political vocabulary that might go with English liberties or Magna Carta. We have this document here, 1791. Again, loosely modelled both on a medal, but also you could buy two tankards. >> [LAUGH]. >> One, one with French Liberty and one. >> Right. >> With English Liberty. >> Yes, yes. >> And, and I think, you know, if we make meaning. >> There we are. Yes. >> You know, Magna Carta is held by Britannia. And the language associated with English Liberty. >> That's right. >> Are all beautiful. >> That's right. >> You know, religion, morality, French liberty, shocking sort of brutal, wild-haired, murderous. >> Yes. >> So, so again that sort of English tradition has been. >> Yes. >> Exported, almost,. >> Yes. Yes. That's right. And this of course is a classic,. This is the classic representation of liberty. Which is not the right to do anything you want but is rather deeply inflected with morality. Liberty in this Whig English tradition is is a liberty that is moral. That is highly normative as is exactly demonstrated by the words underneath it, religion, morality, loyalty, obedience to the laws, independence, personal security, justice, inheritance, protection, property, industry, national prosperity, and happiness. I mean, I, I love this, don't you know. [LAUGH] Can you imagine people in the 1690s, 1790s, the French Revolution is happening. >> Yeah. >> You, the reader. >> Yes. >> Which is best? >> [LAUGH] Yes. >> Do you want French liberty or English liberty? >> Yes, yes, yes, I wonder. >> Hm. >> Yeah. >> You have to think about that. >> Yeah. Happiness or misery. >> Splendid, happiness
