Passages from the Life of a Philosopher
B. H. Babbage, del.
Impression from a woodcut of a small portion of Mr. Babbage’s Difference Engine No. 1, the property of Government, at present deposited in the Museum at South Kensington.
PASSAGES FROM THE LIFE OF A PHILOSOPHER. BY CHARLES BABBAGE, ESQ., M.A., F.R.S., F.R.S.E., F.R.A.S., F. STAT. S., HON. M.R.I.A., M.C.P.S., COMMANDER OF THE ITALIAN ORDER OF ST. MAURICE AND ST. LAZARUS, INST. IMP. (ACAD. MORAL.) PARIS CORR., ACAD. AMER. ART. ET SC. BOSTON, REG. ŒCON. BORUSS., PHYS. HIST. NAT. GENEV., ACAD. REG. MONAC., HAFN., MASSIL., ET DIVION., SOCIUS. ACAD. IMP. ET REG. PETROP., NEAP., BRUX., PATAV., GEORG. FLOREN, LYNCEI ROM., MUT., PHILOMATH. PARIS, SOC. CORR., ETC.
“I’m a philosopher. Confound them all—
Birds, beasts, and men; but no, not womankind.”— Don Juan.
“I now gave my mind to philosophy: the great object of my ambition was to make out a complete system of the universe, including and comprehending the origin, causes, consequences, and termination of all things. Instead of countenance, encouragement, and applause, which I should have received from every one who has the true dignity of an oyster at heart, I was exposed to calumny and misrepresentation. While engaged in my great work on the universe, some even went so far as to accuse me of infidelity;—such is the malignity of oysters.”— “Autobiography of an Oyster” deciphered by the aid of photography in the shell of a philosopher of that race,—recently scolloped.
LONDON:
LONGMAN, GREEN, LONGMAN, ROBERTS, & GREEN.
1864.
TO VICTOR EMMANUEL II., KING OF ITALY.
S IRE ,
I N dedicating this volume to your Majesty, I am also doing an act of justice to the memory of your illustrious father.
Charles Babbage
PASSAGES FROM THE LIFE OF A PHILOSOPHER, by Charles Babbage
DEDICATION.
PREFACE.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. MY ANCESTORS.
CHAPTER II. CHILDHOOD.
CHAPTER III. BOYHOOD.
CHAPTER IV. CAMBRIDGE.
CHAPTER V. DIFFERENCE ENGINE NO. 1.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII. DIFFERENCE ENGINE NO. II.
CHAPTER VIII. OF THE ANALYTICAL ENGINE.
CHAPTER IX. OF THE MECHANICAL NOTATION.
CHAPTER X. THE EXHIBITION OF 1862.
CHAPTER XI. THE LATE PRINCE CONSORT.
CHAPTER XII. RECOLLECTIONS OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.
CHAPTER XIII. RECOLLECTIONS OF WOLLASTON, DAVY, AND ROGERS.
CHAPTER XIV. RECOLLECTIONS OF LAPLACE, BIOT, AND HUMBOLDT.
CHAPTER XV. EXPERIENCE BY WATER.
CHAPTER XVI. EXPERIENCE BY FIRE.
CHAPTER XVII. EXPERIENCE AMONGST WORKMEN.
CHAPTER XVIII. PICKING LOCKS AND DECIPHERING.
CHAPTER XIX. EXPERIENCE IN ST. GILES’S.
CHAPTER XX. THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE.
CHAPTER XXI. ELECTIONEERING EXPERIENCE.
ACT I.
ACT II.
CHAPTER XXIII. EXPERIENCE AT COURTS.
CHAPTER XXIV. EXPERIENCE AT COURTS.
CHAPTER XXV. RAILWAYS.
CHAPTER XXVI. STREET NUISANCES.
CHAPTER XXVII. WIT.
CHAPTER XXVIII. HINTS FOR TRAVELLERS.
CHAPTER XXIX. MIRACLES.
CHAPTER XXX. RELIGION.
CHAPTER XXXI. A VISION.
CHAPTER XXXII. VARIOUS REMINISCENCES.
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE AUTHOR’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO HUMAN KNOWLEDGE.
CHAPTER XXXV. RESULTS OF SCIENCE.
CHAPTER XXXVI. AGREEABLE RECOLLECTIONS.
APPENDIX.
LIST OF MR. BABBAGE’S PRINTED PAPERS.
