Genre:

Serial—Introduction, Drollery; Reportage, Spoof

Subjects:

Societies, Education, Invention

People mentioned:

Isaac Newton

Institutions mentioned:

British Association for the Advancement of Science

    Explains how 'a few scientific labourers' decided to deliver lectures during weekly meetings 'at one another's cottages'. Papers presented at the society's first meeting concern such subjects as the 'Advantage of an Air-gun over a Fowling-piece, in bringing down pheasants without a noise', and the 'Value of Cheap Literature, and Intrinsic Worth (by weight) of the various Publications of the Society for the Confusion of Useless Knowledge'. Describes the society's rising fortunes, including its new library and museum. Notes the society's Shepperton expedition on board punts. Claims the society intends to 'take a high place [...] in the scientific transactions of the country' and notes that the subject for the 'Prize Essay' will be 'the possibility of totally obliterating the black stamp on the post-office's Queen's heads, so as to render them serviceable a second time'.