A sleepy congregation

Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827 · February 1811

The interior of a parish church. Of the occupants of a family pew in the foreground the elders are sleeping, while a fair young worshipper's thoughts are evidently wandering ; the attentions of one or two buckish youths, seated in the vicinity, seem to be centred on the lady ; the clerk is snoring at his desk, regardless of the podgy and somewhat excited preacher over his head, who is quite absorbed in his sermon, which does not seem to interest anyone but the deliverer.