Genre:

Essay, Drollery

Subjects:

Light, Technology, Charlatanry, Superstition, Progress, Commerce, Chemistry

    Under the subtitle 'Cant in 1809', attacks the 'ridiculous project' for illuminating London streets with 'what is affectedly called "Gas"', and the support that the project has commanded among Englishmen. Resists the proposal to make John Bull pay for illumination by 'an invisible something (or nothing)', which is likely to be poisonous and spread disease, and to cause explosions. Claims that the use of gas will damage the trade of oil merchants and will force 'gas associations' to invade the 'Englishman's house'. (1)