The Opening of the Great Exhibition by Queen Victoria on 1 May 1851 (1851-1852)

I stumbled upon this nice painting this morning, by artist Henry Courtenay Selous and showing a (slightly contrived) vision of Victoria's opening of the Great Exhibition, in 1851 (an event which, I'm sure, I'll have numerous occasions to go back to in the future). Besides Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, you can also see on this picture the Archbishop of Canterbury (who blessed the exhibition). On the day of the opening, more than 25000 people attended.

And since I'm at it... Here below is a picture of another "Crystal Palace," this time in New-York. It was built only two years later, in 1853, as a pavilion for the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations (another World's Fair). It was destroyed in 1858 by fire.

Charles Babbage, The Difference Engine (1822)

As I was watching an episode of the very entertaining What the Victorians did for us (a BBC series) this morning, I learned a little more about the infamous "difference engine." For those among you who might not have heard about it, the Difference Engine was an invention by English mathematician Charles Babbage, one that was supposed to "fix" the (inevitable) calculation errors of "computers" (the name given at the time to people doing calculations manually) through means of a mechanical device. Through an intricate system of rotating clogs, you would be able to perform complex calculations and always get your answers right. The British Government, which had been the victim of some financial fiascoes because of such human errors, invested in the project. Unfortunately, as Babbage dragged on, the government grew impatient and pulled the plug (and, sadly enough, parts of the original machine was destroyed for scraps(!))

The picture above is a reproduction of this incredible machine, visible at the Science Museum of London (which also exhibits parts of his uncompleted work, such as the piece shown below). It is, by the way, the machine that inspired William Gibson for his novel, The Difference Engine and that is at the core of many computing/technological fantasies of contemporary steampunk literature.

Richard Jefferies, After London, or Wild England (1885)

I'm currently teaching an introductory class to fiction whose theme is, to put it simply, urban landscape and its effects on characters. Next week I'll be starting to teach After London, or Wild England by Richard Jefferies and I thought I'd share some of my thoughts about it here. For those who have never heard about it, After London is an early example of science fiction in literature (it was published in 1885, a good decade before stories such as The War of the World or The Time Machine) and, in particular, of the post-apocalyptic genre (even though, one could argue, Mary Shelley's The Last Man is an even earlier example).

I didn't quite know what to expect when I read it the first time, and I must say it is quite an odd tale. The book is divided in two sections. The first, entitled "The Relapse into Barbarism" depicts a futuristic England that has relapsed into wilderness. Roads have disappeared and moving around the country has become difficult due to vegetation: “By the thirtieth year there was not one single open place, the hills only excepted, where a man could walk, unless he followed the tracks of wild creatures or cut himself a path (…) As no care was taken with the brooks, the hatches upon them gradually rotted, and the force of the winter rains carried away the weak timbers, flooding the lower grounds, which became swamps of larger size” (6). The foundations of “the ancients” (so are called the men that lived before the disaster), bridges and other types of structures, are “likewise overthrown, and presently quite disappeared, for the foundations were covered with the sand and gravel silted up” (7). Very "Life After People" (a TV show by the History Channel, if you've never heard of it) :)

The second section is entitled "Wild England" and basically deals with Felix Aquila, a man who decides to explore the shores of the great swamp (formerly the Thames) in the (unconscious) hope to make a man out of himself. I won't go further - I don't want to spoil the story in case you'd like to read it. Now, was is fascinating about this story is the way this vision of the future is described as a regression to a sort of medieval past. The green landscape of England is one filled with castles, kings, nobles, knights on horses and fair maids. Most people can't read, and the technological knowledge of the "ancients" has sunk into oblivion. It's hard to read this without wondering at each paragraphs whether we're dealing with a dystopia of regression or a pre-Raphaelite nostalgia for the past.

Most interesting (particular in the framework of my class) is the description of London, a "dreadful place" where "the earth was poison, the water poison, the air poison, the very light of heaven, falling through such an atmosphere, poison" (128). In sharp contrast with the rest of the country, all bigger cities, abandoned by their inhabitants, have become visions of hell...

After London or Wild England is quite short (150 pages or so) and relatively inexpensive. Definitely worth checking if you're into early science fiction. Plus, it's a cool way to discover a non-canonical Victorian author :)

John William Waterhouse, St Cecilia (1895)

During a recent visit to the art museum of Montreal, I was surprised to find in its 19th-century section John William Waterhouse's painting St Cecilia(1895). Waterhouse, a "late" pre-Raphaelite artist (in comparison, say, to someone like John Everett Millais), has been one of my favorite Victorian painters. His depictions of classical and medieval characters have always fascinated me, and I have used some of his paintings in class to illustrate to my students well-known myths such as Ulysses and the Sirens, or the story of Echo and Narcissus. The painting here represents St Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. It became famous in 2000 for being the most expansive painting by this artist, sold at more than 6 million pounds at an auction. It looks like the museum either managed to rebuy it or that the collector let it borrow it :)

If you're looking for a good book on Waterhouse, I would highly recommend Peter Trippi's splendid book (edited by Phaidon), but be aware that it doesn't seem to be published anymore, so second hands are your only option. Used copies of the paperpack editions are still reasonably priced.

Grand Opening!

Welcome to The Victorian Blog. My name is Thierry R. and I am currently a PhD student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My field of interest being 19th century literature and culture and, more precisely, the Victorian Era and Gothic literature, I thought I would use this blog to share with all people interested in Victorian studies some of the material I come across and which might be of interest to other students like me or simply fans of the Victorian times in general. I am going to try to make this blog as eclectic as possible and include not only references to literature, but also to matters related to Victorian culture and history in general. I will also post and advertise any interesting links I come across.

I hope you will find your visit enjoyable! Make sure to come back soon, as this site is going to be updated (on average) at least twice a week.