Chapter 1. Curiosities Respecting Man
PAOB
The Human Body— The Countenance— The Eye— The Ear— The Heart— The Circulation of the Blood— Respiration — The Hair of the Head— The Beard— Women with Beards— Sneezing 13
Chapter II
Difference between the Sexes— Comparative Number of the Sexes at a Birth — Extraordinary Prolification— Extraordinary Instances of Rapid Growth— Giants— I ‘warfs- Kimos- Curious Account of the Abderites— Account of a Country in which the Inhabitants reside in Trees 34
CHAPTER III. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MAN — {Continued)
Astonishing Acquisitions made by Blind Persons— Wonderful Performances of a Female, blind almost from Infancy— Wonderlul Instances of Adroitness of Persons born defective in their Limbs— Curious Account of Incapacity of distinguishing Colors— Ventriloquism— Sword-swallowing 46
CHAPTER IV. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MAN — {Continued)
Instances of Extraordinary Gluttony- Instances of Extraordinary Fasting— Wonders of ' Abstinence— Sleep-waiking— Sleeping Woman of Dunninald- Instances of Extraordinary Dreams— Poetical, Grammatical, and Scientific Deaths— Anthropophagi, or Men-eaters— Account of a Wild Man 64
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MAN — {Continued).
Combustion of the Human Body, produce'^ by the lon^ immoderate Use of Spirituous Liquors. From the “Journal de Physique,’’ Pluviose, Year S: written by Pierre Aime Lair 97
CHAPTER VIII. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MAN — {Continued)
John Elwes— Daniel Dancer— Henry Wolby— John Henley- Simon Brown, and his Curious Dedication to Queen Carolina— Edward Wortley Montngue — Blaise Pascal —
Old Parr— George Psalmanazar- John Case— John Lewis Cardiac— John Smeaton—
Cteorge Morland — Henry Christian ileineckcu — Thomas Topham— Zeuxis
(iii)
IV
C0NTTEN8.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MAN — {Concluded). 134
Chapter XII. Curiosities Respecting Animals
Animal Generation— Formation of Animals— Preservation of Animals— Destruction of Animals— Animal Reproductions 139
CHAPTER XHI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING ANIMALS — {Continued).
The Beaver, and its Habitations- The Mole— The Frog— The Toad — The Rhinoceros- Crocodiles and Alligators— Fossil Crocodile— The Omithorhynchus Paradoxus —
The Marmot, or Mountain Eat, of Switzerland 156
CHAPTER XIV. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING ANIMALS — {Continued)
The Elephant— Fossil Elephant— The Chameleon— The Common Tortoise— Orang-Outang—The Unicorn— The Common Seal— The Ursine Seal— American Natural History 168
CHAPTER XV. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING ANIMALS — {Concluded)
Remarkable Strength of Affection in Animals — Surprising Instances of their Sociality — Unaccountable Faculties possessed by some Animals— Remarkable Instances of Fasting in Animals— Extraordinary Adventures of a sheep- Sagacity of a Monkey —Astonishing Instance of Sagacity in a Horse— Sagacity of Dogs— Curious Anecdotes of a Dog— Remarkable Dog 184
V
CHAPTER XX. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING BIRDS — {Continued')
The Cuckoo— The Cormorant— The Great Bustard— The Alarm-bird— The Carrier, or Courier Pigeon— The Wild Pigeon, its multiplying Power— Singular Bird inhabiting a Volcano in Guadaloupe— Curious Adventure of an Owl — Curious Facts in Natural History— The Chick in the Egg 240
CHAPTER XXI. CURIOSITIES RESPECTING BIRDS — (^Concluded)
Birds’ Nests— Migration of Birds— Curious Method of Bird-catching in the Faro Isles—
Song of Birds 251
CHAPTER XXH.
CHAPTER XXHI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING INSECTS — {Continued).
The Clothier Bee— The Carpenter Bee— The Mason Bee -The Upholsterer Bee— The Leaf-cutter Bee— Curious Account of an Idiot Boy and Bees— Mr. Wildman’s Curious Exhibitions of Bees explained 277
CHAPTER XXIV.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING INSECTS — {Continued).
CHAPTER XXV.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING —{Continued).
Ants— White Ants— Green Ants— Visiting Ants— The Ant-lion 290
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Spider- Ingenuity of the Spider— Spider tamed— Curious Anecdote of a Spider, etc. 314
CHAPTER XXVH.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING INSECTS — (Co 12 Luminous Insects 319
CHAPTER XXVHI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING INSECTS — {Continued).
The Flea— On the Duration of the Life of a Flea— The Louse 825
CHAPTER XXIX.
CHAPTER XXX.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING INSECTS — {Continued).
The Common House Fly— The Hessian Fly— The May Fly— The Vegetable Fly— The Boat Fly— The Ephemeral Flies— Butterflies— Metamorphoses of Insects— The Death-watch 337
CHAPTER XXXI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING {Continued) .
Locusts and Musquitoes, and their Uses in the Creation :— from Kirby, Spence and
Fothergill 349
VI
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING INSECTS — {Concluded).
Animalcules— The Cheese Mite— The Hydra, or Polypes 366
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VEGETABLES.
Curiosities in the Vegetable Kingdom— Germination in Seeds— Dissemination of Plants — Number of Plants upon the Earth — Sensibility of Plants — The Sensitive Plant . . . 368
CHAPTER XXXIV.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VEGETABLES — {Continued).
The Cocoanut Tree- The Bread-fruit Tree— The Bannian Tree— Fountain Trees— The Tallow Tree— The Paper Tree- The Calabash Tree— Remarkable Oak— Dimensions, etc., of some of the largest Trees now growing in England— Upas, or Poison Tree . . 371
CHAPTER XXXV.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VEGETABLES — {Continued).
Curious Plant near the Cape of Good Hope- The Mandrake— Changeable Flower— Chinese Method of Preparing Tea— Antiquity of Sugar— Curious Efl’ects of Cinchona, or Peruvian Bark- Curious Particulars of a Pound Weight of Cotton- wool— Animated Stalk— 'Animal Flower 386
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VEGETABLES — {Conclude^. 395
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING STONES.
The Meteoric Stone —Labrador Stone— Asbestos— Mushroom Stone— The Changeable Stone— A Wonderful Diamond— A Singular Curiosity 401
, CHAPTER XXXVIII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MOUNTAINS.
Natural Description of Mountains— The Peak in Derbyshire— Snowden in Wales— Skiddaw in Cumberland 406
CHAPTER XXXIX.
The Andes— Pichinca— Monte Bolea— Pausilipo — Monte Nuovo— Spectre of the Broken — Gauts, or Indian Apennines— Pico— Written Mountains— A thos— Sulphur Mountains 415
CHAPTER XL.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MOUNTAINS— (CoTlfZTlWtftZ). 427
CHAPTER XLT.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MOUNTAINS — {Concluded).
Description of Vesuvius— Hecla— Etna 434
CHAPTER XLII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING GROTTOES, CAVES, ETC.
Grotto in South Africa — Grotto del Cani — Grotto of Antiparos — Grotto of Guacharo— Snow Grotto— Cave of Fingal— Cave near Mexico— The Nitre (.aves of Missouri — Okey Uolc—Borrowdale— Needle’s Eye 445
CHAPTER XLHI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MINES.
Diamond Mine in the Brazils— Mines of Peru— Volcanic Eruptions of Mud and Salt — Pitch Wells -Visit to a Coal-pit 460
CONTENTS.
VU
CHAPTER XLiy.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE SEA.
General Observations respecting the Sea, or Ocean — Particnlar Curiosities of the Sea —
On the Saltness of the Sea— On the Tides— Waves stilled by Oil 471
CHAPTER XLY.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE SEA — {Concluded). 481
CHAPTER XLVI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING WATERFALLS, LAKES, GULFS, WHIRL- POOLS, ETC.
The Falls of Niagara— Lake of Killamey— Lake Sc Ifatara— Whirlpool near Suderoc— Maelstrom— Gulf Stream— New Island starting from the Sea 485
CHAPTER XLYII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING BURNING SPRINGS.
Naphtha Springs— Burning Springs in Kentucky — Hot Springs of Iceland— Hot Springs of Ouachitta— Other Burning Springs 492
CHAPTER XLYHI.
CHAPTER XLIX.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING WINDS, HURRICANES, ETC.
Remarkable Winds in Egypt— Whirlwinds of Egypt— Tornado— Harmattan— Hurricane — ^Monsoons — Velocity of the Wind 507
CHAPTER L.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING SHOWERS, STORMS, ETC.
Surprising Showers of Hail— Singular Effects of a Storm — The Mirage— Sand Floods — Showers of Gossamers — Winter in Russia 518
CHAPTER LI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING ICE.
On the Greenland, or Polar Ice— On the Tremendous Concussion of Fields of Ice— Icebergs—Magnitude of Icebergs — The Glaciers— Shower of Ice— Remarkable Frosts., 525
CHAPTER LTI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING RUINS.
Ruin at Siwa, in Egypt— Ruins of Palmyra— Ruins of Herculaneum and Pompeii — Ancient Ruins of Balbec— Ruins of Agrigentum, in Sicily— Ancient Grandeur of Carthage 534
CHAPTER LTII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING ANCIENT BUILDINGS, TEMPLES, AND OTHER MONUMENTS OF ANTIQUITY.
Egyptian CtmiosiTiES : — Pompey’s Pillar— Buildings and Library of Alexandria— Temple of Tentyra — Palace of Memnon — Temple of Osiris 544
CHAPTER LIY.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING BUILDINGS, 'ETC.— {Continued).
Temple of Diana at Ephesus— Laocoon— Babylon— Alhambra 654
CHAPTER LY.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING TEMPLES, {Continued).
Seraglio -Museum- Colossus— and Obelisk 664 viii
CONTENTS,
CHAPTER LVI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING TEMPUES, ETC. — {Concluded)
Inverlochy Castle — \fagdalen’s Hermitage— Curiosities of Friburg— Curiosities of Augsburg— Escurial — Florence Statues — Great Wall of China — Floating Gardens — Curiosity at Palenno 574
CHAPTER EVIL
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE ARK, ETC.
Cariosities respecting the Ark of Noah— The Galley of Hiero— and the Bridge of Xerxes 582
CHAPTER LYHI.
BASALTIC AND ROCKY CURIOSITIES.
Giant’s Causeway — Stonehenge 590
CHAPTER LIX.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE VARIOUS CUSTOMS OF MANKIND.
Curious Demonstrations of Friendship — Singularities of different Nations in Eating- Female Beauty and Ornaments— Various Modes of Salutation— Maiden — Lady of the Lamb— Curious Custom respecting Catching a Hare— Extraordinary Ancient Custom 594
CHAPTER LX.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE CUSTOMS OF MANKIND — {Continued).
Marriage Ceremonies of different Nations — Marriage Custom of the Japanese — Bacon Flitch Custom at Dunmow, Essex— On the Origin of Rings in general— Matrimonial Ring- Extraordinary Marriage Custom— Hand-fasting G02
CHAPTER LXI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE CUSTOMS OF MANKIND — {Continued).
Funeral Ceremonies of the Ancient Ethiopians— Funeral Ceremonies of the Chinese — Ancient Funeral Ceremonies of the Dajakkese — Ancient Modes of Mourning — Feasts among the Ancients of various Nations — Feast of Lanterns 609
CHAPTER LXII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE CUSTOMS OF MANKIND — {Continued).
Origin of the Sheriff’s counting Hobnails — Origin of the Order of the Garter— Origin and History of the Claim and Allowance of the “Benefit of Clergy” in Criminal Convictions— Curious Tenures— The Origin of May Poles and Garlands— Curious Custom at Oakham— Curious Practice in North Holland 622
CHAPTER LXIII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE CUSTOMS OP MANKIND—
Shrovetide— Candlema« Day— Origin of Valentine’s Day— Origin of Plough Monday- New Year's Gifts— Origin of Christmas-boxes— Chiltern Hundreds— Origin of the Term “ John Bull ’’—Origin of the Old Adage, “ If it rains on St. Swithin’s Day, it will rain Forty Days aftewards ’’—Curfew Bell 630
CHAPTER LXIV.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE CUSTOMS OP MANKIND — {Concluded).
Romish Indulgences— Act of Faith— Baptism of Bells — Curious Baptism— Kalmuck Fraying Machines— Curious Penance at Calcutta 636
CHAPTER LXY.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VARIOUS PHENOMENA OR APPEARANCES
IN NATURE. 644
CHAPTER LXVI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VARIOUS PHENOMENA OR APPEARANCES IN NATURE — {Continued).
Extraordinary Properties and Effects of Lightning— Thunder Rod— Fire-balls- Terrible Effects of Electrified Clouds — Surprising Effects of extreme Cold — Astonishing Expansive Force of Freezing 651
CONTENTS.
IX
CHAPTER LXVIT.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VARIOUS PHENOMENA OR APPEARANCES IN NATURE — [Continued),
Water-spout— Fata Morgana— Fairy Rings— Sheet of Phosphoric Fire— Phosphorus ... 663
CHAPTER LXVIII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VARIOUS PHENOMENA OR APPEARANCES IN NATURE — {Continued).
Spots in the Sun — Diminution of the Snn— Parhelia, or Mock Suns— Eclipses— Halo, or ■ Corona, and similar Appearances — Falling or Shooting Star— Volcanoes in the Moon 671
CHAPTER LXIX.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING VARIOUS PHENOMENA OR APPEARANCES IN NATURE — {Concluded).
The Aurora Borealis 681
CHAPTER LXX.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING GALVANISM. 689
CHAPTER LXXI.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING MAGNETISM. 693
CHAPTER LXXIl.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE ARTS, ETC.
Early Invention of several useful Arts— Automaton — Androides — Extraordinary Pieces of Clock-work — Heidelberg Clock — Strasburg Clock — Clepsydra — Invention of Watches 698
CHAPTER LXXIII.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE ARTS — {Continued).
Telegraph — Spectacle of a 8ea-fight at Rome— Wooden Ea le and Iron Fly— Whitehead’s Ship— Scaliot’s Lock, el c.— Praxiteles’ Venus— Weaving Engine— Hydraulic Birds — Herschel’s Grand Telescope — Boverick’s Curiosities— Bunzlau Curiosities— Artificial Flying 708
CHAPTER LXXIV.
CURIOSITIES RESPECTING THE {Concluded).
Burning Glasses— Ductility of Glass — Remarkable Ductility and Extensibility of Gold— Pin-making— Needles— Shoes— The Great Bell of Moscow 717
CHAPTER LXXV.
CURIOSITIES IN HISTORY, ETC. 727
CHAPTER LXXYI.
CHAPTER LXXYIT.
CHAPTER LXXYI H.
CURIOSITIES IN HISTORY, ETC. — {Continued).
Peeping Tom of Coventry Long absent Husband returned— Curious Historical Fact
— The most Extraordinary Fact on Record 740
X
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER LXXIX.
CURIOSITIES IN HISTORY, 'E.TC— {Concluded).
Great Events Prom Little Causes— Dreadful Instances of the Plague in Europe— Fire of London— Vicar of Bray— Curious Account of the Ceremonies at Queen Elizabeth’s Dinner— A Blacksmith's Wife become a Queen — Swine’s Concert 746
CHAPTER LXXX.
CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE.
Origin of the Materials of Meriting— Minute 'W^riting— Titles of Books— Literary Labour and Perseverance— Curious Account of the Scarcity of Books— Celebrated Libraries — Book of Blunders — Curious Account of the Means of Intellectual Improvement in London 751
CHAPTER LXXXI.
CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE — {Continued).
Origin of the Word “ News ’’—Origin of Newspapers— Instances of New Studies in Old Age— Literary Shoemakers— Imprisonment of the Learned— Singular Customs annually observed by the Company of Stationers— Book of Sports — Origin of Cards —Explanation of all the Letters on a Guinea 762
CHAPTER LXXXTI.
CURIOSITIES OF LITERATURE— (CoTlcZwM).
Curious Address to the late Queen Charlotte— Quaint Lines on Queen Elizabeth— Curious Names adopted iu the Civil Wars — Curious Extracts from the Will of an Earl of Pembroke— Curious Letter from Pomare. King of Otaheite, to the Missionary Society— Curious Love Letter and Answer— Creeds of the Jews — The Unbeliever’s Creed — Explanation of the Terms ’• Whig ” and “ Tory ” 769
CHAPTER LXXXHI.
MISCELLANEOUS CURIOSITIES.
Monster— Individuation— Reproduction — Peruke— Centaurs and Lapithae 777
CHAPTER LXXXIV.
MISCELLANEOUS CURIOSITIES— (CoTliWWec?).
Spontaneous Inflammation— Diseases peculiar to Particular Countries — Injuries from Swallowing the Stones of Fruits — Extraordinary Surgical Operation — Extraordinary Cures by Burning- Illumination by Electricity— Divisibility of Matter 786
CHAPTER LXXXV.
MISCELLANEOUS CURIOSITIES — ( Continued).
The Jew’s Harp- Remarkable Aqueducts— Crich up Linn— Eddystone Rocks— Dismal Swamp — Curious Wine-cellar — Mint of Segovia— Remarkable Mills — Silk Mill at Derby — Portland Vase — Murdering Statue- A Curious Pulpit 795
CHAPTER LXXXYI.
MISCELLANEOUS CURIOSITIES — {Continued).
Extraordinary Echoes and Whimpering Places— Natural Productions resembling Artificial Compositions — Remarkable Lamps — Perpetual Fire — Magical Drum — An Extraordinary Cannon — Curious Account of Old Bread — Substitute for Spectacles — Winter Sleep of Animals and Plants 802
CHAPTER LXXXVH.
MISCELLANEOUS CURIOSITIES — {Concluded).
‘.Lama- Nun — Mahometan Paradise— Opinions respecting Hell— London — Coins of the Kings of England— Singular Calculations respecting the National Debt— Moral and Physical Thermometer — Conclusion 810
CONTENTS OF APPENDIX.
PAGl
A Person having an even Number of Counters in one Hand, and an odd Number in the
other, to tell in which Hand each of them is 829
A Person having fixed on a Number in his Mind, to tell him what Number it is 821
Another Method of discovering a Number thought on 821
To tell the Number a Person has fixed upon, without asking him any Questions 821
A curious Kecreation — The Blind Abbess and her Nuns 823
Any Number being named, add a Figure, which shall make it divisible by 9 823
A Person having made choice of several Nun-bers, to tell him what Number will
exactly divide the Sum of those which he has chosen 824
To find the Difference between any two Numbers, the gre.iter of which is unknown — 824 A Person striking a Figure out of the Sura of two given Numbers, to tell him what
that Figure was 825
By knowing the last Figure of the Product of two Numbers, to tell the other Figures. . 825
A curious Recreation with a Hundred Numbers, usually called the. Magical Century 826
A Person in Company having privately put a Ring on one of his fingers, to Name the
Person, the Hand, the Finger, and the Joint on which it is placed 827
To make a Deaf Man hear 828
When two Chests are like one another, and of equal Weight, being filled with different
Metals, to distinguish the one from the other 828
To find the Burden of a Ship at Sea or in a River 829
To Measure the Depth of the Sea 829
Method of Melting Steel, and causing it to Liquefy 830
How to dispose two little Figures, so that one shall light a Candle and the other put
it out 830
The Camera Obscura, or Dark Chamber 830
To show the Spots in the Sun’s Disc 832
To magnify small Objects by means of the Sun’s Rays 832
T o cut a Looking-glass or Crystal without the help of a Diamond , 833
By the means of two plain Looking-glasses, to make a Face appear under different
forms 833
To know which of two different Waters is the lightest, without any Scales 834
To know if a suspicious Piece of Money is good or bad 634
To hold a Glass full of Water with the Mouth downwards, so that the Water shall not
runout 835
The Mysterious Watch 835
To make a Glass of Water appear to boil. 835
How to make a Cork fly out of a Bottle, 836
To produce Gas Light on a small scale 836
Thunder Powder 836
To tell, by the Dial of a Watch, at what hour any Person intends to rise 836
Experimei^ts showing the Power of Attraction and Repulsion 837
Experiments respecting the Centre of Gravity 838
Experiment showing the Power of Steam 839
Diminution of Heat by Evaporation 839
Experiment to ascertain the Strength of Spirits of Wine 839
To ascertain the Strength of Brine 839
Experiments showing the Pressure and Elasticity of Air 839
Experiments respecting Sound 840
Electrical Experiments 841
Electricity of Silk Stockings 842
Xll CONTENTS OF APPENDIX.
PAGE
To suspend a Eing by a Thread that has been burnt .* 844 .
Chemical Illuminations 844
A Flash of Lightning when one enters a Room with a lighted Candle 844
The Fiery Fountain 844
A Lamp that will burn Twelve Months without replenishing 844
The Magic Oracle 845
Method of constructing a Voltaic Pile 847
Magnetical Experiments. 848
Light produced by Friction, eveu uuder Water 850
Hydraulic Experiments. .. . 851
Another Hydraulic Experiment, called the Miraculous Vessel 852
A curious Hydraulic Experiment, called Tautalue’s Cup 852
A curious Chemical Experiment, called the Tree of Diana 852
A remarkable Experiment, called Prince Rupert’s Drops 858
How to make Sympathetic Inks of various Kinds 853
Other Sympathetic Inks 855
A Sympathetic Ink which appears by being wetted with water 856
Experiments with Sympathetic Ink. 856
How to Write on Glass by means of the Rays of the Sun. 85S
To produce different Colors, by pouring a colorless Liquor into a clean Glass 858
Xo produce a Color which appears and disappears by the Influence of the Air 858
To turn a colorless Liquor Black, by adding a White Powder to it 853
Freezing Mixture 859
Experiments with the Microscope 859
Experiments with the Thermometer and Barometer 863
Rules for judging of and predicting the State of the Weather by the Barometer 864
Method of Preserving Birds 865
To take the Impression of the Wings of a Butterfly in all their Colors 866
To take the Impression of a Leaf of any Tree, Plant, or Shrub, with all its Veins 866
Experiments respecting Colors, etc SG7
A Quantity of Eggs being broken, to find h <w many there were without remembering
the Number 870
To find the least Number of Weights, that will weigh from One Pound to Forty 870
A Number of Metals being mixed together in one Mass, to find the Quantity of each of
them ^ 871
To make a mutual Exchange of the Liquor in two Bottles, without using any other
Vessel 872
How to make a Peg that will exactly fit Three different Holes 872
To place Three Sticks upon a, Table in such a manner that they may appear to be
unsupported by anything but themselves 873
How to pi’cvent a heavy Body from falling, by adding another heavier Body to it on that
side toward which it inclines 873
To make a false Balance that shall appear perfectly just when empty, or when loaded
with unequal Weights ! 873
How to lift up a Bottle with a Straw, or any other slight Substance 874
To make a Pen, which holds One Hundred Sheep, hold double the Number, by only
adding two Hurdles more 874
How to make a Piece of Metal, or any other heavy Body, swim upon the Surface of
Water like a Cork 875
How to prove that Two and Two do not make Four 876
Method of Secret Writing 876
Optical Experiments 877, 878, 879
How to make a violent Tempest by means of artificial Rain and Hail 880
Magic Square 880
CONTENTS OF ADDENDA.
PAGE
John Henderson, The Extraordinary
Genius 883
Daniel Lambert, The Fat Man 887
Edward Nokes, The Celebrated Tinker. 88S Charles Price, The Celebrated Swindler SS9 Stephenson, An Eccentric Scotchman. . 895 Rev. Mr, Hagamore, A Whimsical Character 8G6
A. M. Cromwell, An Extraordinary
Character 897
Indian Jugglers 897
John Metcalf, or Blind Jack of Knares-
borough 900
Mrs. Van Butchell 902
Harrison, A Penurious Character 903
The Blind Clergyman 903
Miss Clara Fisher 905
Earth-Eaters 908
PAGE
Dr. Graham, The Extraordinary Empiric 909 Mr. James Crichton, The Admirable
Crichton ' 911
Miss Margaret McAvoy, An Extraordinary Phenomenon 919
Hon. Wm. Hastings, An Old English
Squire 925
Joan of Arc, The Maid of Orleans 927
Pope Joan 931
Sir Richard Whittington, Thrice Lord
Mayor of London 9.35i
The Traveling Faquirs 940
Celebrated Spe3ch on Religion 944
Vesuvius, Addenda to 947
Anagrams 956
Modern Dictionary 950
Recipe for Establishing True Friends*hip 951
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
FnONTispiECE, Rome from the Capitol. (Face title.) to pace page
Races of Man 14
Fear 76
Daniel Dancer and Old Parr 104
Orator Henley and John Elwes 106
John Gutenberg and Peter the Great 120
Napoleon I 126
Musk Ox and American Bison 142
Gazelle and Antelope 146
Brown Bear and Grizzly Bear 148
Fossils — Tguanodon . 156
Rhinoceros 162
Vampire Bat and Rougette 166
Hunting the White Elephant 16,8
The Orang-Outang 178
Seal Hunting - 180
St. Bernard Dog and the Iceland Dog 184
Esquimaux Dog and Bull Dog 186
Danish Dog and Fox Hound 188
Xiv LIST OF ILLFSTKATIONS.
TO FACE PAGE
Various specimens of the MonVcy Tribe 190
Persian Greyhound and Pointer 192
Animal Sagacity 194
The Frog-Fish . 196
Silk-worms 220
Humming Birds 236
Birds in the Tropics 240
The Great Bustard and Ostriches of South Africa 243
Indian Bird’s Nest 252
Cedars of Lebanon 374
Norway Spruce Fir 378
Efiects of an Earthquake 499
Sand Flood in the Deserts of Arabia 499
Arctic Regions 525
Icebergs of Greenland and Spitzbergen 526
Traveling in the Arctic Regions 528
Navigating among the Icebergs 532
Palmyra 534
The Parthenon at Athens 538
Amphitheatre of Vespasian i 540
Roman War Chariot 542
Thyatira 544
Pyramids of Gozeh, Egypt 546
Temple of Minerva at Corinth 548
Temple of Tentyra in Egypt 550
Temple of the Ancient Egyptians at Thebes 554
Interior of Ancient Roman House 563
Church of Notre Dame at Paris 564
The Acropolis at Athens 566
Destruction of the Bastile 563
City of Damascus * 670
Cocoanut Trees and Pyramids of Egypt 571
The Giant’s Causeway 591
The Spectre of the Broken 591
Japanese Doctor 594
The Emperor of China . 596
A Chinese School 600
Legal method of settling domestic difficulties 602
Witnessing a battle from the clouds 604
Egyptian Shop-keeper 606
Navigating the Air 608
Roman Soldiers and Consul 618
Ancient Persian Soldiers 620
A Jewish Priest 636
The Fata Morgana as observed in the Harbor of Messina 665
Parhelia, or Mock Sun— The Ignis Fatuus 673
Falling Stars — Monsoon in India 681
Aurora Borealis, in Arctic Regions and Scotland. 6S4
Glass Blowing, Process of 716
Caesar landing in Great Britain 7-30
Caesar crossing the Rubicon 732
The Birth of Christ 746
The Finding of Moses 748
Eddystone Lighthouse 796
Cleopatra’s Barge 800
Diagrams of Wonderful Eiper Iments 8.50
Daniel Lambert and Geo. Morland 886
The Living Skeleton and Peter the Wild Boy 896
Indian Chief. Black Buffalo 898
Martin Van Butchell 903
James Graham 909
Introduction
It was well observed by Lord Bacon, that “ It would much conduce to the magnanimity and honour of man, if a collection were made of the extraordinaries of human nature, principally out of the reports of history ; that is, what is the last and highest pitch to which man’s nature, of itself, hath ever reached, in all the perfection of mind and body. If the wonders of human nature, and virtues as well of mind as of body, were collected into a volume, they might serve as a calendar of human triumphs.”
The present work not only embraces the Curiosities of human nature, but of Nature and Art in general, as well as Science and Literature. Sirrrounded with wonders, and lost in admiration, the inquisitive mind of man is ever anxious to know the hidden springs that put these wonders in motion ; he eagerly inquires for some one to take him by the hand and explain to him the curiosities of the universe. And though the works of nature are great, and past finding out, and we cannot arrive at the perfection of science, nor discover the secret impulses which nature obeys, yet can we by reading, study, and investigation dissipate much of the darkness in which w^e are enveloped, and dive far beyond the surface of this multifarious scene of things. The noblest employment of, the human understanding is to contemplate the works of the great Creator of the boundless universe, and to trace the marks of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness throughout the whole.
A considerable portion of the following pages is devoted to Curiosities in the works of Nature. It also presents to the reader a view of the great achievements of the human intellect in the discoveries of science, and the wonderful operations of the skill, power, and industry of man in the invention and improvement of the arts, in the construction of machines, and in the buildings and other ornaments the earth exhibits, as trophies to the glory of the human race.
The work is divided into eighty-seven chapters. The Curiosities respecting Man occupy eleven chapters. The next four chapters are devoted to Animals ; then two to Fishes ; one to Serpents xvi
INTRODUCTION.
and Worms; three to Birds; eleven to Insects; six to Vegetables ; three to Mountains ; two to Grottoes, Caves, etc. ; one to INIines ; two to the Sea ; one to Lakes, Whirlpools, etc.; one to Burning Springs ; one to Earthquakes ; one to Remarkable Winds ; one to Showers, Storms, etc. ; one to Ice ; one to Ruins ; four to Buildings, Temples, and other Monuments of Antiquity ; and one to Basaltic and Rocky Curiosities. The fifty-eighth chapter is devoted to the Ark of Noah, the Galley of Hiero, and the Bridge . of Xerxes. The next six chapters detail at length the various Customs of Mankind in different parts of the World, and also explain many Old Adages and Sayings. The next five chapters exhibit a variety of curious phenomena in nature, such as the Ignis F.atuus, Thunder and Lightning, Fme Balls, Water Spouts, Fairy Rings, Spots in the Sun, Volcanoes in the Moon, Eclipses, Shooting Stars, Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, etc., etc. The seventieth chapter is on Galvanism. The seventy-first on Magnetism. The next three chapters delineate the principal Curiosities respecting the Arts. Then follow five chapters on some of the principal Curiosities in History ; three on the Curiosities of Literature ; and five on Miscellaneous Curiosities. An Appendix is added, containing a number of easy, innocent, amusing Experiments and Recreations.
The Compiler trusts the work will afford both entertainment and instruction for the leisure hour of the Philosopher or the Laborer, the Gentleman or the Mechanic. In short, all classes may fiind in the present work something conducive to their pleasure and improvement, as it will afford a constant source of subjects for interesting and agreeable conversation.
THE
BOOK OF CURIOSITIES.
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You’ve reached the end of The world's encyclopedia of wonders and curiosities of nature and art, science, and literature; containing a full and authentic description of the most remarkable and astonishing places, beings, animals, customs, experiments, phenomena, etc..