WAVE OF INVENTIONS
The reign of Queen Victoria was famous for the numerous discoveries
and inventions which happened in it. One of the first of these was
the brilliant theory of Mr. Darwin propounded in his memorable works,
_Tails of a Grandfather_, _The Manx Man_, _Our Mutual Friends_, etc.
This was known as Elocution or the Origin of Speeches and was fiercely
denounced in every pulpit.
Another memorable invention was called the Oxford Movement: this was
a form of sinuflection which led men gradually in the direction of
Rome; the movement was first made by Cardinal Newton at Oxford, and
later, Peeble and Pusey Colleges were found there to commemorate his
assistants. Many illustrated manuals and pamphlets were written by
Cardinals Newton and Peeble, giving directions for the movement.
There was also in Queen Victoria’s reign a famous inventor and poet
called Oscar Wilde who wrote very well but behaved rather beardsley;
he made himself memorable by inventing Art, Asceticism, etc., and was
the leader of a set of disgusting old gentlemen called “the naughty
nineties.”
But most memorable of all were the McCanical inventions of the age,
nearly all of which were kinds of Progress and invented by Scotsmen
and Bad Things. Amongst these were Bicycles which caused Tricycles,
coasting, bloomers, etc., and Roads (invented by Lord Macadam
and his son Lord Tarmac) for them to go along. Other inventions
were Thermometers (invented by Lord Farqualqhounheit) which caused
Temperatures, inflolqhouenza, etc.; Telegrams which caused betting,
Bismark, etc.; Mackintoshes (invented by another Scottish nobleman
whose name is now forgotten); and the memorable line invented by Mr.
Plimsoll (see diagram below).
Most of these inventions, however, were too numerous to be mentioned.
[Illustration: Wrote very well but....]
[Illustration: Naughty nineties]
[Illustration: Mr. Plimsoll’s Invention.]