Genre:

Illustration, Drollery; Ballad

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [8]

Subjects:

Scientific Practitioners, Morality, Electricity, Instruments

    Represents the story of a 'grave philosopher' who, in the first illustration is seen poring over a large book 'in the study of intricate problems—for the benefit of humanity'. The next illustration shows two 'ruthless boys' who draw a caricature of the philosopher on his wooden gate. Later, the philosopher's enjoyment of reading a book in his garden is spoilt by the discovery of the boys and their graffiti. This was sufficient 'to ruffle the placid current of even a philosopher's mind' and so he connects his doorbell to an electric battery which, when the 'grinning urchins' ring on the bell, give them a nasty shock. The final illustrations show the contented philosopher and his cat. The parable concludes by insisting that the moral of the story is 'obvious'.