Genre:

Preface, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Medical Treatment, Animal Magnetism, Homeopathy, Hydropathy, Nutrition, Adulteration, Quackery

People mentioned:

Christian F S Hahnemann, Hahnemann, Christian Friedrich Samuel (1755–1843) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Friedrich C Accum Accum, Friedrich Christian (1769–1838) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>

    Hood describes his 'dangerous consultation of complaints, in the Spring, with its complication of High German physicians; namely, two Animal-Magnetisers: three Homœopathics, four "Bad" advisers, and the famous Doctor Farbe [i.e. 'colour']' (iii). The illustration captioned 'Schlangenbad [snake-bath]:—"It has given me quite a turn"' (facing iv) depicts a disconsolate man facing a bath out of which a snake is emerging. The illustration captioned 'Eggs are very nourishing' (ix) depicts an egg-shaped couple and their dog taking a walk.

Genre:

Short Fiction, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Transcendentalism, Menageries, Invertebrate Zoology, Animal Development

    Mr Doppledick's favourite pipe had a 'portrait of Kant Kant, Immanuel (1724–1804) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> on [its] bowl' and he 'sucked through its tube a sort of transcendental Philosophy which elevated him above all the ills of human life' (8). The illustration 'Travellers Seeing the "Lions"' (facing 12) depicts a group of tourists intently staring at a lion's head which is apparently part of an ornamental fountain. Prejudice grows rapidly and finds plentiful nutriment; like a 'sea polypus it extends its thousand feelers on every side' (14). The illustration '"What Next?" As the Frog Said When his Tail Fell Off' (facing 22) depicts an alarmed-looking frog whose tail has fallen off, sitting on a rock above a pool containing tadpoles.

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [4]

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> / John Scott Scott, John (fl. 1836–39) Engen 1985, CA1/7/2, CA1/10/8
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Astronomy, Education, Lecturing, Societies, Reading, Theology of Nature, Electricity, Instruments, Gender, Menageries, Entomology, Collecting, Cruelty

People mentioned:

George Birkbeck, Birkbeck, George (1776–1841) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> George Bartley, Bartley, George (1782?–1858) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> George Combe, Combe, George (1788–1858) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> George H Robins, Robins, George Henry (1777–1847) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> James Rennie, Rennie, James (1787–1867) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Joseph Addison, Addison, Joseph (1672–1719) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> William Herschel, Herschel, Sir William (1738–1822) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Christian F S Hahnemann Hahnemann, Christian Friedrich Samuel (1755–1843) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>

Institutions mentioned:

Royal Society, Royal Society of London
Close   View the register entry >> Lyceum, theature—Bartley's Orrery Lyceum, theatre—Bartley's Orrery
Close   View the register entry >>

    Lorenzo doubts his lover Ellen's veracity, because his knowledge of astronomy, obtained from mechanics' institutes, public lectures, and the Penny Magazine Penny Magazine (1832–45) Knight's Penny Magazine (1846) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >>, causes him to discover discrepancies in her epistolatory claim: 'The moon's at full, love, and I think of thee' (39). The 'double knock' of the postman 'thrills the nerves like an electric shock' (45). Globes once constituted part of Ellen's weekly studies at Miss Bate's school for young ladies, but she has quickly forgotten and is profoundly ignorant of astronomy (48–50). She cannot understand the 'scientifics' of Lorenzo's letter of renunciation, which is also full of astronomical imagery. Lorenzo's letter recommends that she study the astronomical writings of George B Airy Airy, Sir George Biddell (1801–92) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>, James South South, James (1785–1867) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, and John Pond Pond, John (1767–1836) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> before again attempting to write such fond sentiments. The illustration captioned 'Pond's Astronomy' (facing 55) depicts an alarmed-looking man swimming in a pond on a starry moonlit night. The illustration captioned 'Decapitation' (facing 60) depicts a caged monkey pulling the ribbon from a young woman's hair. The illustration captioned 'Stick as You Be—That's the Comet' (facing 63) depicts a pickpocket at work on a man who is using a telescope in the street. Lorenzo recommends Ellen to send her letters in future to James South South, James (1785–1867) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, or to John G Children Children, John George (1777–1852) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> for publication in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (1665–1900+) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >>. Ellen is ignorant of that '"Children of a larger growth," / who notes proceedings of the F. R. S.'s' (80). The illustration captioned 'I Ran it Thro' E'en from my Boyish Days' (facing 80) depicts a boy with a flying insect impaled on a pin, and attached to a string. On discovering that the myopic Ellen has mistaken the 'new Illuminated Clock' for the full moon, Lorenzo's features are distorted with horror as if by an 'electric spasm' (82).

Genre:

Introduction, Spoof; Proceedings, Spoof

Subjects:

Religion, Animal Behaviour, Natural History

    Introduces the supposed minute book of the 'Tottenham Friends' Conversazione'—a twice weekly meeting at which 'original essays or papers were to be read, and afterwards discussed' (93). The minutes record: 'Friend Greathead read forth an original paper on the Manners of the Beaver. Much meditation thereon.'

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

John Scott Scott, John (fl. 1836–39) Engen 1985, CA1/7/2, CA1/10/8
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Palaeontology, Menageries

    Depicts a man horror-struck at having run over a monkey carrying a barrel organ with his horse and cart.

Genre:

Reminiscences, Drollery

Subjects:

Navigation, Animal Magnetism, Gravity, Medical Treatment, Homeopathy

    Incudes droll comments on the operation of the nautical compass (106–09). The narrator has no 'sea-legs'. He observes: 'An earthquake in London, when its streets are what is called greasy, could not more puzzle my centre of gravity; if, indeed, I was not born, a mathematical monster, devoid of that material point!' (115). Discusses cures for sea-sickness (116–17).

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

John Scott Scott, John (fl. 1836–39) Engen 1985, CA1/7/2, CA1/10/8
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Palaeontology

    A terrified man sits on the mantelpiece in a room whose wallpaper depicts vertebrate fossils. He tugs at the bell-pull while a creature consisting of several saws threatens from below. A plinth on the floor evidently bears the name of Gideon Mantell Mantell, Gideon Algernon (1790–1852) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, but is partly obscured by a fossil specimen so as to read 'ON MANTELL'.

Genre:

Ilustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Illustration, Ornithology

People mentioned:

John J Audubon Audubon, John James (1785–1851) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>

    Depicts a man with a beak-like nose, a hat, collar, and epaulettes made of fancy feathers. He wears a medallion bearing a picture of a bird, and there is a flock of birds in the sky behind him.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Menageries

    Depicts a lion prowling round a fairground; an abandoned stall, a broken drum, and a lost shoe suggest a hasty departure.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

[Thomas Hood] Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Chemistry, Technology, Display

    Depicts a flask with a smiling face, sitting on a table, with a flame rising from it towards a street lamp, also with a smiling face. Smiling lamplighters stand on ladders, one on either side of the lamp, while a beaming audience looks on.