Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Scientific Practitioners, Crime, Music, Instruments, Pollution, Heroism, Progress

    Opens by reporting how several Marylebone shopkeepers have denounced the magistrate Mr Mansfield for imprisoning the 'gang' of 'dirty' German street musicians who were annoying Charles Babbage. Punch criticises the shopkeepers for their 'bunkum' speeches and for not being 'proud of having such a man as Mr. Babbage in their parish'. Compares Babbage to Dominique F J Arago, whose neighbours respectfully cordoned off his dwelling and thus enabled him to pursue his experiments undisturbed. Goes on to criticise the shopkeepers for hypocritcally emphasising 'these ear henlightend days, and the march of hintellect', and urges Mansfield to imprison as many of the 'organ-wretches' as necessary and to take Babbage's word over that of the shopkeepers.