Genre:

Illustration

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Museums, Display

    The title-page illustration depicts a smiling cherub sitting in a sealed glass vessel.

Genre:

Preface, Drollery

Subjects:

Horticulture

    Having now stood through three winters, Hood's publication 'may therefore lay claim, by Mr Loudon's Loudon, John Claudius (1783–1843) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> permission, to the designation of a "Hardy Annual"' (vii). 'The beautiful fronispiece I owe to the kindness and pencil of Harvey Harvey, William (1796–1866) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>,—a name to which my blood and my book owe equal acknowledgement. One Harvey Harvey, William (1578–1657) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> discovered my circulation, and the other will assuredly increase it' (ix–x). States that 'a Gentleman who has perused the papers relative to the Farm of the Zoological Society Zoological Society of London—Farm
Close   View the register entry >>, assures me, on the honour of a Fellow, there is no such person as Stephen Humphreys on that establishment' (x).

See also:

Thomas Hood, 'A Zoological Report. To Harvey Williams, Esq., Regent's Terrace, Portland Park', Comic Annual, 4 (1833), 105–12

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Magnetism, Navigation, Superstition, Magic

    A striking-looking man is the only passenger on a vessel bound from the Bay of Naples to Leghorn, and when a terrific storm blows up, he shows no sign of fear. After the storm is over, the compass points in random directions, so as to be 'past the whole philosophy of Newton Newton, Sir Isaac (1642–1727) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> or of Bacon Bacon, Francis, 1st Viscount St Alban (1561–1626) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>' (9). The stranger's presence is discovered to be the cause of the erratic behaviour of the compass, and the seamen conclude him to be 'Michael Scott Scot (Scott), Michael (d. in or after 1235) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>—the Wizard!' (11). Instead, the stranger confesses to be Walter Scott Scott, Sir Walter, 1st Baronet (1771–1832) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>, which solves the magnetic puzzle, since in him 'the North / Has lodged its main attraction!' (12). The illustration captioned 'A Star of the First Magnetude' (12) depicts a horseshoe-shaped magnet in the sky, casting beams of light through dark clouds.

Genre:

Biography, Spoof

Subjects:

Natural Philosophy

    A spoof biography of a man who had loved whist from childhood: 'Our bias dates from much earlier than some natural philosophers suppose' (31).

Genre:

Regular Feature, Short Fiction, Drollery

[5] The Contrast

Genre:

Poetry, Satire

Subjects:

Epidemiology, Medical Treatment, Government, Religion

    Discusses the Irvingite Perceval's call for days of national fasting in response to the spread of cholera. 'The best of our physicians, when they con it, / Depose the malady is in the air: / Oh, Mr. Spencer!—if the ill is there— / Why should you bid the people live upon it?' (71).

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Disability, Medical Treatment

    The illustration captioned 'I Wish You a Happy New Ear' (facing 81) depicts a woman bellowing through an ear trumpet to a man who has been reading 'Curtis on Dogs Ears' Curtis, John Harrison 1817. A Treatise on the Physiology and Diseases of the Ear: Containing a Comparative View of its Structure and Functions, and of its Various Diseases, Arranged According to the Anatomy of the Organ, or as they Affect the External, the Intermediate, and the Internal Ear, London: Sherwood, Neely, & Jones
Close   View the register entry >>.

Genre:

Introduction, Drollery; Extract, Report

Publications extracted:

Zoological Society 1832 Zoological Society of London 1832. A Report on the Farm of the Zoological Society at Kingston Hill, March, 1832, London: Taylor
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Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Societies, Zoology, Breeding, Cruelty, Menageries

    The editor of the Comic Annual has purportedly received two reports of the Farm of the Zoological Society Zoological Society of London—Farm
Close   View the register entry >>: one printed and the other hand-written by a servant. Reproduces some 'elegant extracts' from the printed report (97). Notes that 'while the aristocracy of the present age is displaying its powers in the way of retrenchment, the Zoological Society Zoological Society of London
Close   View the register entry >> does not show much breeding in its economy'. The society is frank about the failure of many species to breed: 'and considering that so much money is received at the doors through orders—a case unparalleled in other theatrical exhibitions—it is only to be wondered at that so little should be expended in, and so much be suffered from the default of, mending gaps and broken rails, and widening coops and cages'. Considers it cruel not to let 'the little Zebra have a shed to fit easily'. (98) The short extracts are chosen to illustrate the society's failure to keep the animals in appropriate accommodation to facilitate breeding, and the apparent consumption of some of the animals as food. The illustration captioned 'A Report on the Farm' (104) depicts exotic animals of various kinds being flung into the air by an explosion in a building.

See also:

Thomas Hood, 'A Zoological Report. To Harvey Williams, Esq., Regent's Terrace, Portland Park', Comic Annual, 4 (1833), 105–12

Genre:

Letter, Reportage, Spoof

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T Hood Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Societies, Charlatanry, Zoology, Breeding, Animal Behaviour, Experiment, Gender, Cruelty

People mentioned:

Nicholas A Vigors Vigors, Nicholas Aylward (1785/6–1840) ODNB
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    Letter written as if by the former head gardener of 'Harvey Williams' [perhaps meant to be William Harvey Harvey, William (1796–1866) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>], who has been made a fellow of the Zoological Society Zoological Society of London
Close   View the register entry >>. Provides an account of his observations while at the Farm of the Zoological Society Zoological Society of London—Farm
Close   View the register entry >> 'with a Pekin elefunt for chainges of Hair' (106). He writes: 'Honnerd Sur, the Satiety is verry rich in Assis, boath Commun assis and uncommun assis, and as the Report Zoological Society of London 1832. A Report on the Farm of the Zoological Society at Kingston Hill, March, 1832, London: Taylor
Close   View the register entry >> recummends will do my Inndever to git the Maltese Cross for your Honner' (107). The infant zebu died owing to 'Atempts with a backbord to prevent groing out of the sholders, boath parrents being defourmed with umphs' (107). Discusses a scheme being aggitated by 'Femail Fellers' of the society 'to make the Farm a Farm Ornay' in which, for instance, 'the Buffloo and Fallo dears and cetra to have their horns Gildid and the Mufflons and Sheaps is to hav Pink ribbings round there nex' (111). The illustration captioned 'Cross's Zebra' (112)—perhaps an allusion to menagerie-keeper Edward Cross Cross, Edward (1774?–1854) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>—depicts a zebra with both vertical and horizontal stripes.

See also:

[Thomas Hood], 'Preface', Comic Annual, 4 (1833), vii–x, [Thomas Hood], 'Brutum Fulmen. "A Report on the Farm of the Zoological Society at Kingston Hill. London, Taylor. March, 1832"', Comic Annual, 4 (1833), 97–104

Genre:

Illustration, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

[Thomas Hood] Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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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.