Genre:

Preface, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

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

Public Health, Epidemiology, Medical Treatment, Pharmaceuticals, Exploration

    Hood observes: 'As recommended by the Board of Health Central Board of Health
Close   View the register entry >>, I discard anxiety and keep up my spirits, trusting sanguinely to the favourableness of the present volume. Between the Reform Bill and the Cholera, the public has been so drugged by the House of Commons House of Commons
Close   View the register entry >> and Doctor's Commons, that figures of speech, neither political nor medical, must come as figures in high relief'. Hood has consequently increased the print run of the Annual Comic Annual (1830–42) British Library Catalogue
Close   View the register entry >> 'by the advice of Sir Henry Halford Halford (formerly Vaughan), Sir Henry (1766–1844) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >> [president of the Royal College of Physicians]' and of his publisher. (viii) The illustration captioned 'Doctor's Commons' (facing viii) depicts a nauseous man clutching a measuring jar and a spoon seated at a table loaded with bottles of medicine, a pill box, and a bottle of leaches, arranged as though making a meal. To 'prevent' any 'misapprehensions', Hood points out that the author of the article Thomas Hood, 'An Assent to the Summut of Mount Blank', Comic Annual, 3 (1832), 49–55 cannot be (as might at first be supposed) a servant of Edward B Wilbraham Wilbraham, Hon Edward Bootle (fl. 1832) NSTC
Close   View the register entry >>, who gave an account of his own ascent of Mont Blanc in the Keepsake Keepsake (1827–57) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >> (ix–x). The illustration captioned 'To Be Continued' (x) depicts a giant sea-serpent weaving its way past a ship and an island, with its tail-end passing off the side of the vignette.

Genre:

Introduction, Spoof; Letter, Spoof

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

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

Medical Treatment, Pharmaceuticals, Mathematics

    The illustration 'Very Fond of Gardening' (facing 14) depicts a gentleman in indoor clothing, standing under an umbrella to water a plant in his garden. Having moved from London to rural Lincolnshire, Mrs Pugsley writes to a friend that her one anxiety is 'the likelihood of being taken ill, nine miles off from any physical powers, with nobody that can ride in the house'. She requests 'to be well doctor-stuff'd from Apothecaries' Hall Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London—Apothecaries' Hall
Close   View the register entry >>, by the waggon or any other vehicle'. (22) The illustration captioned 'Trianglers' (30) depicts three anglers on a river bank, whose bodies are made up of triangles.

Genre:

Introduction, Spoof; Ballad, Drollery

Subjects:

Disability, Medical Treatment

    At the Old Bailey Old Bailey Sessions Court
Close   View the register entry >>, a large number of deaf men 'objected the hardness of their hearing criminal cases'. 'The Publishers of "Curtis on the Ear" 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 >> and "Wright on the Ear" Wright, William [1817]. An Essay on the Human Ear, its Anatomical Structure and Incidental Complaints: Intended not only for the Medical Profession, but also, for the Use and Benefit of all Persons Afflicted with Deafness, Diseases of the Ears, or those Alarming Sensations of Noises in the Head [...], London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown
Close   View the register entry >>—(two popular surgical works, though rather suggestive of Pugilism)—ought to have stentorian agents in that Court'. (41)

Genre:

Reminiscences, Spoof

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [2]

Illustrators:

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

Exploration

People mentioned:

William E Parry Parry, Sir William Edward (1790–1855) ODNB
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    The article is purportedly written by the barely literate servant of Edward B Wilbraham Wilbraham, Hon Edward Bootle (fl. 1832) NSTC
Close   View the register entry >>, whose account of his assent of Mont Blanc had previously appeared in the Keepsake Keepsake (1827–57) Waterloo Directory
Close   View the register entry >>. The illustration 'Too Cold to Bear' (facing 49) depicts a bear warming itself by a fire, while a party of disconsolate climbers huddle together at a distance. The illustration 'Figuring in the Album of Mont Blanc' (55) depicts two agonized climbers in rigid postures, knee-deep in snow.

See also:

[Thomas Hood], 'Preface', Comic Annual, 3 (1832), vii–x

Genre:

Letter, Spoof

Subjects:

Discovery

    The author believes that he has made a discovery 'in common with Hervey Harvey, William (1578–1657) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, and Herschell Herschel, Sir William (1738–1822) DSB ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>, and Galileo Galilei, Galileo (1564–1642) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, and Roger Bacon Bacon, Roger (c. 1219–c. 1292) DSB
Close   View the register entry >>, or rather, I should say, with Columbus Columbus, Christopher (1451–1506) CBD
Close   View the register entry >>,—my invention concerning a whole hemisphere, as it were, in the world of poetry' (57).

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery, Satire

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [3]

Illustrators:

T H, pseud.  [Thomas Hood] Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Political Economy, Population, Phrenology, Hospitals, Cruelty, Epidemiology

    The illustration captioned 'A CHILD'S Call TO BE DISPOSED OF"' (91) depicts a baby in a basket hanging from a lion-faced door-knocker on a door bearing the name 'John Knox'. The narrator cannot enjoy his 'Malthus' Malthus, Thomas Robert 1798. An Essay on the Principle of Population, as it Affects the Future Improvement of Society: With Remarks on the Speculations of Mr. Godwin, M. Condorcet, and Other Writers. London: J. Johnson
Close   View the register entry >> with his many noisy children running round. He exclaims: 'Oh Mr. Malthus, I agree / In every thing I read with thee! / The world's too full, there is no doubt, / And wants a deal of thinning out' (92). Regrets the efforts of those 'Wrongheads, / With thick not long heads, / Poor metaphysicians!' who attempt to keep people alive (93). The illustration captioned 'Laying the First Stone of an Hospital' (facing 93) depicts a cleric reading an oration, and a knight with mallet and trowel, standing over a foundation stone under which a body lies, while a sober crowd looks on. The narrator believes that he could profitably weed the human species, and suggests some candidates for weeding. Fears the likely interference of 'Some humane Martin Martin, Richard ('Humanity') (1754–1834) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>'. The illustration captioned 'Fancy Portrait—Mr. Malthus' (facing 96) depicts a man sitting in an armchair in front of the hearth reading 'Tales of Ogres'. The paintings on the wall are entitled 'Babes in the Wood', 'Skirmish with Infantry', 'Siege of Baby[lon]', and Herod's Mass[acre]'. Welcomes the cholera epidemic as a useful corrective of overpopulation. Instead of imposing quarantine on shipping, 'We ought to import the Cholera Morbus!' (97).

Genre:

Introduction, Spoof; Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct.

Illustrators:

T H, pseud.  [Thomas Hood] Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
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Subjects:

Natural History, Disability

    The illustration captioned 'What Odd Legs!' (118) depicts a man on two wooden legs observing a giraffe and various other animal species.

Genre:

Poetry, Drollery, Satire

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [3]

Illustrators:

T H, pseud.  [Thomas Hood] Hood, Thomas (1799–1845) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>J Hewitt, jun. Hewitt, J, Jr (wood engraver) (fl. 1832) CA1/3/7
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Subjects:

Political Economy, Mathematics, Government, Radicalism, Class

    The poem satirizes Hume's demands for financial retrenchment, and makes repeated puns on mathematical words. Refers to the fact that 'in stirring up corruption's worms' Hume makes 'some factions / Vulgar as certain fractions, / Almost reduced unto their lowest terms' (158). The illustration captioned 'Fancy Portrait:—Mr. Hume' (opposite 157) depicts a man seated at a gaming table on which sits a box marked 'counters'. The paintings on the wall are captioned 'According to Cocker Cocker, Edward (1631/2–76) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>' (depicting two cocks fighting), 'A Figurante' (depicting a dancer), and 'A Revenue Cutter' (depicting a sailing ship). The illustration captioned 'Set Down One and Carry One' (opposite 158) depicts a woman having fallen off the back of a horse on which her husband continues to ride unaware. The illustration captioned 'Long Division' (161) depicts a man being eaten in half by a giant crocodile.

Genre:

Reminiscences, Spoof

Subjects:

Mathematics, Education, Physiognomy

    When the narrator, as stand-in schoolmaster for nine private pupils, came to teach mathematics, he was anxious: 'I knew very well that when the army of nine attacked my Bonnycastle Bonnycastle, John (c.1760–1821) ODNB
Close   View the register entry >>, it would not long hold out'. Having given the same question to all the pupils, each of whom brought a different result, he had 'no resource but, Lavater Lavater, Johann Kaspar (1741–1801) CBD
Close   View the register entry >>-like, to go by Physiognomy, and accordingly selected the solution of the most mathematical-looking boy.' Lavater 'betrayed' him, as he discovered when one of the pupils produced a 'Tutor's Key' from his desk. The pupils began to question the tutor's right 'to rule nine, who was not competent to the Rule of Three'. (169)

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.