A calculating machine is a fair subject for a joke. In May, 1839, when
an additional grant was applied for in the House of Commons, in order to
complete Mr. Babbage's machine, Mr. Wakley inquired whether it was
likely to be of any use to the public? Upon this, Sir Robert Peel
felicitously replied, that "the machine should be put to calculate the
time at which it would be of any use." The calculating machine has
certainly not yet been put to any more practical purpose.
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