Genre:

Poetry, Drollery

Relevant illustrations:

wdct. [4]

Illustrators:

T Hood / John Scott

Subjects:

Astronomy, Education, Lecturing, Societies, Reading, Theology of Nature, Electricity, Instruments, Gender, Menageries, Entomology, Collecting, Cruelty

People mentioned:

George Birkbeck , George Bartley , George Combe , George H Robins , James Rennie , Joseph Addison , William Herschel , Christian F S Hahnemann

Institutions mentioned:

Royal Society , Lyceum, theature—Bartley's Orrery

    Lorenzo doubts his lover Ellen's veracity, because his knowledge of astronomy, obtained from mechanics' institutes, public lectures, and the Penny Magazine, causes him to discover discrepancies in her epistolatory claim: 'The moon's at full, love, and I think of thee' (39). The 'double knock' of the postman 'thrills the nerves like an electric shock' (45). Globes once constituted part of Ellen's weekly studies at Miss Bate's school for young ladies, but she has quickly forgotten and is profoundly ignorant of astronomy (48–50). She cannot understand the 'scientifics' of Lorenzo's letter of renunciation, which is also full of astronomical imagery. Lorenzo's letter recommends that she study the astronomical writings of George B Airy, James South, and John Pond before again attempting to write such fond sentiments. The illustration captioned 'Pond's Astronomy' (facing 55) depicts an alarmed-looking man swimming in a pond on a starry moonlit night. The illustration captioned 'Decapitation' (facing 60) depicts a caged monkey pulling the ribbon from a young woman's hair. The illustration captioned 'Stick as You Be—That's the Comet' (facing 63) depicts a pickpocket at work on a man who is using a telescope in the street. Lorenzo recommends Ellen to send her letters in future to James South, or to John G Children for publication in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Ellen is ignorant of that '"Children of a larger growth," / who notes proceedings of the F. R. S.'s' (80). The illustration captioned 'I Ran it Thro' E'en from my Boyish Days' (facing 80) depicts a boy with a flying insect impaled on a pin, and attached to a string. On discovering that the myopic Ellen has mistaken the 'new Illuminated Clock' for the full moon, Lorenzo's features are distorted with horror as if by an 'electric spasm' (82).