Genre:

Notes

Subjects:

Scientific Practitioners, Natural History, Botany, Electricity, Astronomy, Philosophy, Architecture, Mathematics, Chemistry, Religion, Statistics, Zoology, Physiology, Medical Practitioners, Light, Engineering, Invention, Manufactories, Steam-power

People mentioned:

Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus (or von Linné), Carl (1707–78) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Benjamin Franklin, Franklin, Benjamin (1706–90) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Luigi Galvani, Galvani, Luigi (1737–98) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Nicholas Copernicus, Copernicus, Nicholas (1473–1543) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> David Hume, Hume, David (1711–76) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Christopher Wren, Wren, Sir Christopher (1632–1723) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Joseph Priestley, Priestley, Joseph (1733–1804) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Georges L Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, Buffon, Georges-Louis Leclerc, comte de (1707–88) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> John Graunt, Graunt, John (1620–74) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Georges Cuvier, Cuvier, Georges (1769–1832) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Roger Bacon, Bacon, Roger (c. 1219–c. 1292) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Matthew Boulton, Boulton, Matthew (1728–1809) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> James Watt, Watt, James (1736–1819) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Auguste Comte, Comte, Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier (Auguste) (1798–1857) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Dominique F J Arago, Arago, Dominique François Jean (1786–1853) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> James Cook, Cook, James (1728–79) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Gottfried W Leibniz, Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm (1646–1716) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Tycho Brahe Brahe, Tycho (1546–1601) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Diary, Spoof

Subjects:

Agriculture, Animal Husbandry

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Zoological Gardens, Zoology

Institutions mentioned:

Zoological Society—Gardens Zoological Society of London —Gardens
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Catechism, Spoof

Subjects:

Education, Mathematics, Physical Geography, Political Economy

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Aeronautics

    'Aëronauts'.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery; Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct,

Illustrators:

D M Du Maurier, George Louis Palmella Busson (1834–96) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Human Development, Animal Development, Zoology

    The illustration represents the scene depicted in the poem. It shows a brook in a wooded area through which fly the heads of young men and women, powered by butterfly wings attached to the sides of the heads.

Genre:

Reportage, Spoof

Subjects:

Biology, Animal Magnetism, Electricity, Physiology, Comparative Philology, Narcotics, Pathology, Psychology, Disciplinarity, Language

    Comprises a list of parodies on scientific and medical disciplines. For example, defines 'Buyology' as 'How to get great bargins at sales', and 'Pathology' as 'How to find your way where the roads meet'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Biology, Physical Geography, Discovery, Commerce, Vaccination

People mentioned:

Isaac Newton Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

D M Du Maurier, George Louis Palmella Busson (1834–96) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Evolution, Human Development, Darwinism, Gender

    Shows a long procession of male and female ancestors of Mr Punch. The figures are dressed in the costumes of their period, from 1066 to 1868. All the male ancestors are drawn with hooked noses to indicate the long ancestry of this prominent feature on Mr Punch's face.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

C K Keene, Charles Samuel (1823–91) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Astronomy, Instruments, Observation, Scientific Practitioners, Gender

    Shows a frosty night scene at the back of a house. In the middle of a snow-covered lawn, the bald-headed Professor Parallax kneels on the grass to look through his telescope at the star Capella, which is high in the night sky. The Professor urges the corpulent Mrs Spudgrove to stoop down and observe the star, but as the caption explains, she has already seen several other heavenly objects and has 'almost had enough of it'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Medical Treatment

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Subjects:

Meteorology, Comparative Philology, Superstition

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

J T Tenniel, Sir John (1820–1914) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Zoological Gardens, Amusement

    Shows Captain Bettington Binks riding a young elephant past a crowd of onlookers at the Zoological Society Gardens.

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Subjects:

Heat, Instruments

Genre:

Instructions, Spoof

Subjects:

Agriculture, Animal Husbandry

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Zoological Gardens

Institutions mentioned:

Zoological Society—Gardens Zoological Society of London —Gardens
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Address, Spoof

Subjects:

Zoology, Comparative Anatomy

    Lists various 'griefs' of the day including the death of the walrus (at the Zoological Society Gardens Zoological Society of London —Gardens
Close   View the register entry >>) and 'the dear little Hippocampi, that were like the Knights of Chess'.

Genre:

Reportage, Spoof

Subjects:

Utilitarianism, Class, Human Development, Health, Disease, Pollution, Crime, Periodicals

    Lists various 'curiosities' shown at a recent 'Conversazione of the Poor Law Commissioners'. These ridicule poor law guardians, particularly those responsible for the notorious Farnham Poor Law Union Workhouse Farnham Poor Law Union—Workhouse
Close   View the register entry >>, for creating such woefully poor conditions in workhouses and workhouse infirmaries. For example, the exhibits include a 'Specimen of an infirmary blanket, warranted not to keep the cold out', 'A bottle of air taken from a workhouse bedroom. In proof of its impurity, a light being placed in it immediately goes out', and 'A few stalactites found in the "Stalactite cave of filth" referred to in the Lancet Lancet (1823–1900+) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> Commissioners' Report' (a reference to the Lancet's investigation of the Farnham workhouse).

Genre:

Regular Feature, Poetry

Subjects:

Lecturing, Amusement

People mentioned:

John H Pepper Pepper, John Henry (1821–1900) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Astronomy, Religious Authority, Religion, Astrology

    Corrects a claim made by Pope Pius IX Pius IX, Pope (1792–1878) CBD
Close   View the register entry >> regarding the satellites of Saturn. Mystified by the Pope's further claim that the planet and its satellites 'unchain their fury in the most horrible manner against our religion', noting Thomas Moore's Moore, Thomas (1779–1852) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> poetic description of Saturn's gaiety.

Genre:

Reminiscences, Drollery

Subjects:

Psychology, Education, Astronomy, Observation, Exploration, Instruments

People mentioned:

Dugald Stewart, Stewart, Dugald (1753–1828) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> William Paley Paley, William (1743–1805) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>

    Anticipates the events of 1868. The author regrets that the next solar eclipse will not be visible from Britain, noting that 'If the assiduous watchmen on the hill at Greenwich [the Royal Observatory, Greenwich Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Close   View the register entry >>] [...] wish to see the total Eclipse of the Sun on August 18th, they must take their smoked glass to the Cape of Good Hope or Mauritius'. The forthcoming eclipse is therefore 'grudged to a country which has produced a DOLLOND Dollond, John (1706–61) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> and a FLAMSTEED Flamsteed, John (1646–1719) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>'. He also notes that the next transit of Mercury across the sun's disk will occur in November 'after the Whitebait Season is over, or the Astronomer Royal would have been happy to see all the London stars [...] to dinner at the Observatory'.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [3]

Subjects:

Invention, Machinery

    The first illustration shows a man having his hair brushed by a large brush rotated by a machine above the barber's shop. The other illustrations show the barber, believing that his machine requires oiling, finally discovering that its poor performance is due to the fact that the boy who turns the belt of the machine has fallen asleep.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Class, Education, Museums, Human Development, Nationalism, Cultural Geography, Government, Patronage, Amusement, Narcotics

    Begins by announcing that 'It is not all dark in East London' and proceeds to describe the attempt by Septimus C H Hansard Hansard, Septimus Cox Holmes (1823–95) WBI
Close   View the register entry >> and three other individuals to establish a 'Museum of Science and Art' in Bethnal Green (opened in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Branch of the South Kensington Museum South Kensington Museum—Bethnal Green Branch
Close   View the register entry >>). Notes that the museum will 'be the means of enabling our workmen to compete on more equal terms than at present with the skilled workmen of foreign countries, especially in matters of taste', and describes the government's enthusiasm and progress towards building the museum. Points out that 'All that remains to be done [...] is to pay for the land' and invites readers to subscribe. (8) Explains that since the museum will have long opening hours it will be able 'to fight the gin-shop and the tap-room on fair terms' and anticipates that the flowers that will grow in the museum garden will be 'flowers of Hope', unlike those of 'sorrow and despair' which have usually graced Bethnal Green.

Genre:

Diary, Spoof, Serial

Subjects:

Pollution, Government, Mental Illness

Genre:

Announcement, Spoof

Subjects:

Societies, Lecturing, Geology

    Announces that the next Bakerian lecture at the Royal Society Royal Society of London
Close   View the register entry >> will be on 'the Earth's Crust'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Railways, Transport

    'Making a Railway'.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [4]

Illustrators:

E G Griset, Ernest Henry (1844–1907) WBI
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Photography, Astronomy, Animal Behaviour, Zoology

    Shows monkeys responding to the attempt by a man to paint, take photographs, play music, and look through a telescope in the wilderness. The illustrations headed 'Photography' and 'Astronomy' show monkeys clambering over the instruments and imitating the behaviour of the man.

Genre:

Letter, Spoof

Subjects:

Nutrition, Animal Development, Animal Husbandry, Zoology, Spiritualism

    Written from the perspective of a donkey, the letter begins by noting that some people wonder where donkeys go when they die, and suggests that the ghosts of asses might be responsible for table-rapping. Argues that members of his species do not die but 'disappear' and asks that they be 'decently put out of sight'. Expresses a wish that donkeys should be disposed of in the same way as horses—by being 'stalled and fattened when past work', 'dispatched' by a butcher, and then eaten.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Utilitarianism, Health, Disease, Morality, Periodicals

    Responds to a testimonial supporting the guardians of the Farnham Poor Law Union Workhouse Farnham Poor Law Union—Workhouse
Close   View the register entry >> signed by the Bishop of Winchester and ratepayers and residents in and around Farnham. Asks John Bright Bright, John (1811–89) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> to denounce signatories for their ignorance, and challenges the proposal of the guardians' supporters to raise a subscription for the chairman of the Farnham Poor Law Union board. Concludes by suggesting that the most suitable testimonial for this individual would be a copy of the New Testament (in order to raise his morality) and the Lancet's Lancet (1823–1900+) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> damning report of the workhouse.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Veterinary Science, Pharmaceuticals, Language, Medical Treatment

    Discusses a Pall Mall Gazette Pall Mall Gazette (1865–1900+) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> advertisement for a 'lotion for strains' called 'Neurasthenippouskelesterizo'.

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Subjects:

Chemistry, Military Technology, Organic Chemistry, Politics

    Containing a description of modern explosives, this poem begins by noting how in the days 'Before Chemistry has started' there was no louder or more damaging explosive than gunpowder. Proceeds to 'Modern chemic science' and details the new explosives including 'the fulminates / Of mercury, and silver', the highly unstable 'chloride of ammonium, / To be named with small encomium', nitroglycerine and gun-cotton, 'all sorts of matches, / To be fired by rubs and scratches', and the volatile hydrocarbons that 'blow all to shatters'. Concludes by considering the consequences of the Romans and Athenians being armed with such weapons.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Utilitarianism, Industry, Manufactories, Human Development, Disease, Health, Race

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

L S Sambourne, Edwin Linley (1844–1910) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Gender, Zoology, Amusement

    Shows a woman with a snake coiled on the back of her head, the shape of the snake resembling the latest fashion in chignons.

Genre:

Letter, Spoof

Subjects:

Exploration, Physical Geography, Heat,

    Discusses a letter in The Times The Times (1777–1900+) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> from Sherard Osborn Osborn, Sherard (1822–75) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> who proposes to travel to the Arctic this winter. Observing the extreme coldness of the present season, the writer suggests that explorers would be better to travel to the interior of Africa than the North Pole, and that only a 'blazing hot' summer could explain 'a man's' wish 'to be afloat in the Polar Sea'. Concludes by suggesting that Osborn must have a very 'ardent temperament' and be motivated by 'mere geographical curiosity'.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Utilitarianism, Morality, Nutrition, Health, Education, Class

    Begins by noting that with the passage of the Reform Bill, there have been calls for greater educational provisions for the poorer classes. Points out that the poor need to be fed before they can be educated and announces the formation of a new 'Humane Society' for 'providing weekly dinners for poor children', a society conducted by Anthony A Cooper (7th Earl of Shaftesbury) Cooper, Anthony Ashley, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury (formerly styled 'Lord Ashley') (1801–85) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> which aims to improve the health and powers of children through provision of 'good solid dinners'.

Genre:

Diary, Spoof, Serial

Subjects:

Invention, Electricity, Music, Military Technology, Amusement

    Describes some of the inventions of his 'Portable Friend' including a camp stool whose legs contain revolvers and daggers, a galvanic attachment to a piano enabling the instrument to play tunes and light cigars and pipes during parties, and a 'galvanic portmanteau' which will 'mark the time, the distance, tell the day of the month, cook a dinner, be a bed carriage' and 'a boat'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Medical Treatment

    'Drawing the Stumps at "Lord's"'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Nutrition, Zoology, Psychology

    'Night Mare'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Politics, Medical Treatment, Homeopathy, Controversy

Institutions mentioned:

Royal College of Physicians Royal College of Physicians
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Diary, Spoof, Serial

Subjects:

Invention, Technology, Domestic Economy

    Describes more inventions of his 'Portable Friend' including a travelling-cap that can be turned into a portable bath, a waterproof coat, a boat, a hot-water bottle, and a sponge-bath. In a discussion, the narrator's friend works out how to turn his invention into a house on wheels.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Natural History, Ornithology, Language

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Astronomy, Periodicals

    Defines 'Periodical Meteors' as 'Magazines that make a flash for a time or two, and then suddenly disappear'.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Engineering, Environmentalism, Cultural Geography

    Begins by comparing the smoothness of Parisian streets (accomplished with steam-rollers) to the roughness of England's thoroughfares, but relishes news that the City of London Commissioners of Sewers City of London Commissioners of Sewers
Close   View the register entry >> have resolved to use asphalt instead of grouting to cement the granite pavements, a plan which will prevent mud from passing up from beneath the pavements.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Astronomy, Geology

    'The Earth'.

Genre:

Regular Feature, Announcement, Spoof

Subjects:

Exploration, Zoology, Animal Behaviour

    Reports that travellers in America have recorded that, after watching the 'wonderful agility of the opossum in its native forests, they could but exclaim, in conscious inferiority—Non opossumus', a reference is to the Latin plea 'non possumus' (i.e. 'we cannot').

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Mathematics, Politics

    'Find the centres of the Fenian Circles'.

Genre:

Letter, Spoof

Subjects:

Exploration, Imperialism, Zoology, Zoological Gardens

People mentioned:

James Cook, Cook, James (1728–79) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Joseph Banks Banks, Sir Joseph (1743–1820) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Institutions mentioned:

Zoological Society—Gardens Zoological Society of London —Gardens
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Patronage, Heroism, Telegraphy, Invention

    Recalls the theological argument 'that the proof of the small value which Providence sets upon Wealth is shown by the sort of persons who get the most of it'. Supposes that 'the same rule applies to Honours', noting the number of unworthy peers, while Charles Wheatstone Wheatstone, Charles (1802–75) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, 'who invented the Electric Telegraph and the Stereoscope', is only to be knighted, and that 'after thirty years'.

Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Astronomy, Travel

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Education, Experiment, Mathematics

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

F E Eltze, Fritz (fl. 1868) Spielmann 1895
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Natural History, Zoology, Disease, Human Development, Scientific Practitioners

    Shows a young girl standing before her father, a 'Naturalistic Papa', in his study. The girl tells her father that 'George' (presumably her brother) has caught a worm—a 'ring worm'.

Genre:

Introduction, Drollery; Reportage, Spoof

Subjects:

Class, Agriculture, Invention

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Crime, Class, Health, Nutrition

    Discusses a report of the death of a pauper in Holloway Prison Holloway Prison
Close   View the register entry >>, one of fifty-one paupers who have been imprisoned for begging. The alderman who sent them to prison subsequently treated his charges to hard labour and a diet of 'dry bread and gruel'. Presents an extract from the report which reveals that the prisoners were genuine beggars suffering from starvation and physical exhaustion. Notes that following the inquest into the death of one of the prisoners, the coroner's jury advised that the prisoners' diets should be changed. Concludes by bitterly condemning the alderman for his barbarous act.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Spiritualism, Periodicals, Controversy, Observation

    Responds to a Spiritual Magazine Spiritual Magazine (1860–77) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> attack on Punch's Punch (1841–1900+) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> apparent 'misrepresentation' of 'Spirit-Poetry' and contests a report in the spiritualist periodical on the veracity of Daniel D Home's Home, Daniel Dunglas (1833–86) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> powers of self-elongation.

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Politics, Reasoning, Quackery, Medical Treatment

People mentioned:

James Morison, Morison, James (1770–1840) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Thomas Holloway Holloway, Thomas (1800–83) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>

Genre:

Song, Drollery

Subjects:

Zoology, Zoological Gardens, Military Technology, War, Politics

    Describes the armadillo to be seen at the Zoological Society Gardens Zoological Society of London —Gardens
Close   View the register entry >>. Draws attention to the strong coat of armour which covers the species and considers 'how well it would be, / Were all of our neighbours armed only like thee'. Describes the precarious political situation in Europe, wishing that its countries would 'leave one another alone', in which case they would not need as strong a 'safeguard' as the armadillo's. Notes that 'France will arm to the teeth, not with rivals to cope, / But to fight, if required, for the crown of the POPE Pius IX, Pope (1792–1878) CBD
Close   View the register entry >>', but that if France were to disarm, its example would prompt other European countries to follow suit.

Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Hunting, Morality

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Railways, Transport, Language, Education

Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Domestic Economy, Health, Periodicals

    Discusses a recent controversy in the Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine (1852–90) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> concerning the harm caused by tight lacing. Draws attention to the satirical way in which contributors to the controversy express their views.

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

C K Keene, Charles Samuel (1823–91) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> Spielmann, Marion Harry Alexander 1895. The History of "Punch", London: Cassell
Close   View the register entry >>

Subjects:

Education, Mathematics, Nutrition, Human Development

    Shows a father attempting to teach his son 'Harry' geometry using a cake. He tells his son that the circumference of the cake is roughly equal to three times the diameter and is then interrupted by his son begging to have the 'c'cumf'rence for my share!!'.

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Nutrition, Zoology, Language

Genre:

Notes, Drollery

Subjects:

Nutrition, Zoology, Language