Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Piety, Reading, Exploration

    Albert had been brought up religiously, but on leaving home he occasionally associated with young people who 'argued for liberal opinions, and recommended plays, balls, and concerts, as highly rational and instructive [...] and asserted that attention to these things was necessary to keep pace with the "march of intellect"'. Albert began to lose his veneration for sacred things, and was discovered by his friend Philip shamefacedly reading on a Sunday what he called 'a very interesting well-known publication, Cook's Cook, James (1728–79) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Voyages round the World' Cook, James 1790. Captain Cook's Voyages Round the World: The First Performed in the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771; the Second in 1772, 1773, 1774, 1775; the Third and Last in 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779, and 1780; for Making Discoveries in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, by Order of His Present Majesty, Containing a Relation of all the Interesting Transactions which Occurred in the Course of the Voyages. Including Captain Furneaux's Journal of his Proceedings During the Separation of the Ships. With a Narrative of Commodore Phipps's Voyage to the North Pole, and an Abridgement of Foster's Introduction to his History of Northern Discoveries on the Progress of Navigation. To Which is Added, Governor Phillip's Voyage to Botany-Bay; with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island, &c. &c., 3 vols, Newcastle: [n.p.]
Close   View the register entry >>. Philip considered that Albert's parents would applaud his taste and approve his industry on any other day, 'for certainly the information derived from intelligent travellers is improving and valuable', but observed that, on Sunday, reading 'should be confined to what is adapted to improve the mind in sacred and divine things'. (3) After further discussion on the subject, the friends embraced and went to church, Albert observing: 'The ways of God are always pleasant and profitable, and the path of duty is the path of safety' (5).

Genre:

Miscellaneous

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Natural History, Industry

    Briefly describes the plant and the process and history of its use in paper manufacture.

Genre:

Miscellaneous

Subjects:

Astronomy, Instruments, Discovery, Wonder, Natural Theology, Biblical Authority

    Describes the fixed stars in general terms, referring to such phenomena as double stars and 'nebulous stars' which 'when closely examined [...] appear to consist of large numbers of small stars' (15). Describes William Herschel's Herschel, Sir William (1738–1822) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> discovery of an 'astonishing number' of stars 'by means of his powerful instruments'. Considers that enough is known concerning the fixed stars 'to convince us of the omnipotence of their Maker'. While the 'enlightened observer of the heavens' is 'more forcibly' impressed of divine greatness than the ignorant person, the stars nevertheless 'speak a very plain lesson' to all nations. Quotes Psalms 19. 3–4 in support of this claim. (16)

Genre:

Letter, Introduction; Extract

Publications extracted:

Murray 1826 Murray, Lindley 1826. Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Lindley Murray, In a Series of Letters, Written by Himself: With a Preface, and a Continuation of the Memoirs by Elizabeth Frank, York: Thomas Wilson and Sons; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green, and Harvey and Darton
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Subjects:

Cruelty, Theology of Nature, Animal Behaviour, Menageries

    The first extract contains Lindley Murray's Murray, Lindley (1745–1826) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> autobiographical thoughts on his cruelty to animals as a child: 'I ought to have reflected, that all animals have assigned to them, by the Author of nature, a pleasurable existence; and that it is our duty to second his intention, as we have opportunity, and especially to avoid all occasions of inflicting upon them unnecessary pain' (28). A second extract reports an incident in which his tormenting of an elephant was remembered and punished by the elephant.

Genre:

Biography

Subjects:

Ancient Authorities

People mentioned:

Aristotle, Aristotle (384–322 BC) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Plato Plato (428–348/7 BC) DSB
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Institutions mentioned:

Lyceum Lyceum
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    A brief biography, concluding with details of such of his treatises as have 'survived the ravages of time, viz. A History of Stones, Treatises on Plants, Winds, Signs of Fair Weather, and a work entitled Characters' (30).

Genre:

Dialogue

Subjects:

Education, Invention, Machinery, Utility, Physics, Light

People mentioned:

Edmond Halley, Halley, Edmond (1656?–1743) DSB
Close   View the register entry >> Adam Walker Walker, Adam (1730/1–1821) ODNB
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    Frederick requests of his 'Papa' an account of the diving bell.

Genre:

Short Fiction, Serial

Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Medical Treatment, Pharmaceuticals, Morality

    A tale about two children whose mother seeks to obtain their obedience by reasoning with them, rather than by demanding it. The children become ill with scarlet fever, and, refusing to take their medicine, one of them dies.

See also:

Anon, 'The Disobedient Girl Rejecting her Medicine', Youth's Magazine, 3rd ser. 1 (1828), facing [i]

Genre:

Extract, Miscellaneous

Publications extracted:

Keppel 1827 Keppel, George Thomas 1827. Personal Narrative of a Journey from India to England: By Bussorah, Bagdad, the Ruins of Babylon, Curdistan, the Court of Persia, the Western Shore of the Caspian Sea, Astrakhan, Nishney Novogorod, Moscow and St. Petersburgh, in the year 1824, London: Henry Colburn
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Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Subjects:

Natural History

Genre:

Introduction; Extract

Publications extracted:

Anon 1810 Anon. 1810. An Essay on Knowledge: Being an Attempt to Examine its General Character, and to Shew its Salutary Influence on Human Happiness and Virtue, London: G. Wilkie and J. Robinson, and T. Davidson
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Subjects:

Education, Amusement, Piety, Wonder, Physics, Machinery, Chemistry, Astronomy, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Electricity

    Considers that instructive literature 'safely fills up leisure, and honourably adorns life'. It is particularly important for the Christian, who 'should be able to meet the world at its own weapons'. It is urged: 'We should [...] fulfil the ends of our creation, by employing our highest natural gift—viz. our reason'. The 'amusement and unceasing pleasure which knowledge gives' is described in relation to various branches of physical science. Examples are given of the gratification afforded 'by tracing resemblances and relations between things which to common apprehension seem widely different'. (123)

Genre:

Dialogue

Subjects:

Amusement, Entomology

    Ann's mother redeems her promise that, if Ann were attentive to her lessons, she would give her an account of the silk worms sent by a relative.

Genre:

Extract, Travelogue

Publications extracted:

Heber 1828 Heber, Reginald 1828. Narrative of a Journey Through the Upper Provinces of India from Calcutta to Bombay 1824–25 (With Notes upon Ceylon): An Account of a Journey to Madras and the Southern Provinces, 1826, and Letters Written in India, 2 vols, London: John Murray
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Subjects:

Natural History, Hunting

    Describes the use of otters in fishing.

Genre:

Extract, Miscellaneous

Publications extracted:

Phillips 1820 Phillips, Henry 1820. Pomarium Britannicum: An Historical and Botanical Account of Fruits Known in Great Britain, London: printed for the author
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Subjects:

Medical Practitioners

People mentioned:

William Gibbons Gibbons, William (1649–1728) ODNB
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Genre:

Short Fiction, Serial

Subjects:

Mathematics, Reasoning, Metaphysics

    The narrator's uncle is the eminent author of a work on an undisclosed subject. He is described by someone in the narrator's hearing as 'a close reasoner' and as having 'a mathematical head—a man of sense—quite the man of sound plain sense'. Another commentator agrees that his is the only book on the subject 'not mingled with, and spoilt by, metaphysical subtleties'. (149)

Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Education, Religion, Morality, Electricity

    The narrator gives an account of a visit to a friend who instructed his grandchildren in 'all the doctrines and duties of religion', in every case enforcing these 'by the help of some sensible object' (187). A fortnight after teaching them about the Fall, he fitted up his lecture room 'with a number of panoramic scenes, which were viewed through magnifying glasses, placed for the purpose, by which the objects appeared as large as reality', such as had recently been exhibited at the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly Bullock's Museum, Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly
Close   View the register entry >>, but he forbade the children to look at one of them until the following day (188). Two of the children attempted to remove the slide covering the forbidden view, but 'some wires which were attached to that slide had been strongly charged with the electric fluid, and the moment it was touched, Curio and his sister received the shock and were thrown down in the middle of the room'. The children thanked their grandfather for his 'kindness' in teaching them that they were 'true descendants of Adam'. (189)

Genre:

Miscellaneous

Subjects:

Endeavour, Invention, Discovery, Steamships, Progress, Machinery, Industry, Commerce

    The writer seeks to enforce the message 'try again' using moral tales and argument. He observes that steamships and gas lighting are the result of perseverance. 'To such an astonishing perfection has machinery been brought in this country, that Britain has supplied foreign markets with her manufactures and considerably augmented her wealth; but if "Try again" had not influenced the mind of the chymist, and the mechanic, and the astronomer, and the artisan, no improvements would have been made in the sciences' (204).

Genre:

Miscellaneous

Subjects:

Entomology, Cruelty, Instinct, Design, Endeavour, Morality, Anthropomorphism

    The narrator describes his or her moralizing musings on observing a spider. Questioning the supposed cruelty of the spider, the narrator contrasts it with the cruelty of children to flies. He or she observes the design evinced by the form of the spider, and notes that 'wisdom was displayed in the formation of this little creature, and power and goodness' (266). The perseverance of the spider is made an example, as is its skill. Further morals concern the 'mischievous' purpose of the spider's web and the thoughtlessness of the flies caught by it (267).

Genre:

Note

Subjects:

Invention, Astronomy, Instruments

    'Maps, globes, and the signs of the zodiac, are said to have been invented by Anarimander Anaximander (610–546/5 BC) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, the scholar of Thales of Miletus Thales (625BC–547BC) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, in the year A. C. 600'.

Genre:

Miscellaneous

Subjects:

Meteorology, Wonder, Piety

    Reflections on the moral impact of a thunder storm: 'There is scarcely any thing more calculated to rouse man to a sense of God's omnipotence, than when "The thunders murm'ring round the skies, / His power and glory shew"' (351).

Genre:

Extract

Publications extracted:

William Paley Paley, William (1743–1805) DSB
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Subjects:

Ornithology, Design

Genre:

Note

Subjects:

Anatomy

    'The skeleton of the human body consists of 254 separate bones, or osseous substances, most of which contain a quantity of matter called marrow, and are surrounded with a membrane called the periosteum'.

Genre:

Short Fiction

Subjects:

Mental Illness, Medical Treatment, Feeling, Morality, Piety

    When Charles corrects what he considers his sister Ellen's pride, manifesting itself as a sensibility to affront, he speaks of it in medical terms. He tells her: 'before I begin a search into this mental disease, which may possibly be painful, I must have the assurance of my patient that she will not consider me unkind' (400). Later he speaks of the disease being 'only in its first stage' (402) and looks for the 'remedy' (403).

Genre:

Extract, Miscellaneous

Publications extracted:

Charles Rollin Rollin, Charles (1661–1741) CBD
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Subjects:

Agriculture, Theory, Practice

    After a review of the history of ancient agriculture starting with the Fall, the writer reflects on both the importance and the practice of agriculture. He observes: 'the proper method of managing and improving soils should be well understood, to which may be added the necessity of experience, which holds the pre-eminence in all the arts, which infinitely exceeds all precepts, and which enables us to profit even by the faults we have committed' (412).