On Nov 20, 1812, John Liston appeared at Covent Garden as Lubin Log in the then new play Love, Law and Physic written by James Kenney. Lubin Log is a conceited, ignorant, mean and rather vulgar cockney, He inherits a fortune and sets out to York to marry a yound lady. The suitor she prefers plots to outwit Log.The wording on the figure draws from the play. Alighting from the coach, mean-spirited Log takes his time giving the coach man a sixpenny tip, impressing on him that it is quite optional on his part. Liston superbly personified cockneyism and his success inspired future cockney characters.
Aside from the V&A's hidden print, there are other design sources for this figure. Apparently Richard Dighton's caricature of Liston as Lubin Log dates to 1819. Also, there was a print published by Ingrey & Madeley circa 1825. There seems little doubt that the figure is indeed Lubin Log personified.
And just when it was all settled in my mind, I found this in my archive!
And this lovely example is ready to join your collection. From the stock of Andrew Dando, where it is correctly described at John Liston in the role of Lubin Log.