Author: Adam Green
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781911292012
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
The summer of 1799 saw a new fad take root in a certain circle of British society: the inhalation of nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas." The pioneer of these experiments was a young Humphry Davy, future President of the Royal Society, whose descriptions of being under the influence, as well as those penned by his clique, are among the most remarkable in the history of science. From its subsequent use in "laughing gas shows" through to its eventual employment in anaesthetics, the "delectable air" would go on to inspire more than a century of extraordinary writings that combined the scientific, the poetic, and the philosophical in a wholly new way. This volume collects the most striking examples of both these first-hand accounts and the secondary literature they spawned, including writings by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, William James, and Theodore Dreiser. Far from the images of balloon-huffing festival-goers and post-dental nonsense that nitrous oxide tends to conjure today, this unique anthology reveals the fascinating pedigree of the gas - a history at the very heart of the Romantic movement and one of the great early blooms of psychedelic literature. In addition to the historical texts, the volume boasts a new introductory essay by Mike Jay and an extensive selection of images, including instructional material from early anaesthetic handbooks, and satirical prints from the likes of James Gilray and George Cruikshank.
Oh Excellent Air Bag
Author: Adam Green
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781911292012
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
The summer of 1799 saw a new fad take root in a certain circle of British society: the inhalation of nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas." The pioneer of these experiments was a young Humphry Davy, future President of the Royal Society, whose descriptions of being under the influence, as well as those penned by his clique, are among the most remarkable in the history of science. From its subsequent use in "laughing gas shows" through to its eventual employment in anaesthetics, the "delectable air" would go on to inspire more than a century of extraordinary writings that combined the scientific, the poetic, and the philosophical in a wholly new way. This volume collects the most striking examples of both these first-hand accounts and the secondary literature they spawned, including writings by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, William James, and Theodore Dreiser. Far from the images of balloon-huffing festival-goers and post-dental nonsense that nitrous oxide tends to conjure today, this unique anthology reveals the fascinating pedigree of the gas - a history at the very heart of the Romantic movement and one of the great early blooms of psychedelic literature. In addition to the historical texts, the volume boasts a new introductory essay by Mike Jay and an extensive selection of images, including instructional material from early anaesthetic handbooks, and satirical prints from the likes of James Gilray and George Cruikshank.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781911292012
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
The summer of 1799 saw a new fad take root in a certain circle of British society: the inhalation of nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas." The pioneer of these experiments was a young Humphry Davy, future President of the Royal Society, whose descriptions of being under the influence, as well as those penned by his clique, are among the most remarkable in the history of science. From its subsequent use in "laughing gas shows" through to its eventual employment in anaesthetics, the "delectable air" would go on to inspire more than a century of extraordinary writings that combined the scientific, the poetic, and the philosophical in a wholly new way. This volume collects the most striking examples of both these first-hand accounts and the secondary literature they spawned, including writings by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, William James, and Theodore Dreiser. Far from the images of balloon-huffing festival-goers and post-dental nonsense that nitrous oxide tends to conjure today, this unique anthology reveals the fascinating pedigree of the gas - a history at the very heart of the Romantic movement and one of the great early blooms of psychedelic literature. In addition to the historical texts, the volume boasts a new introductory essay by Mike Jay and an extensive selection of images, including instructional material from early anaesthetic handbooks, and satirical prints from the likes of James Gilray and George Cruikshank.
Milton
The Matter of Air
Author: Steven Connor
Publisher: Reaktion Books
ISBN: 1861898827
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 378
Book Description
Take a deep breath. Air—without it, life on Earth would cease to exist. Though not usually seen, its presence is relied upon. At once both ethereal and physical, air has been associated with flight and spirit, and yet it has progressively become a territory that can be claimed through communications, warfare, travel, and scientific exploration. At the same time, air is no longer a completely reliable part of our daily life: like water, it has become an environmental element that must be watched closely for quality and purity. A Matter of Air investigates the meanings of air over the last three centuries, including our modern concern over emissions and climate change. Steven Connor looks at the human relationship with air, both positive and negative. His explorations include the dangers posed by radio atmospherics, poison gas, and haze as well as our continued fascination with effervescence and explosives. Drawing ideas from religion, science, art, literature, and philosophy, A Matter of Air creates a comprehensive history of the human perception of air. Thoroughly researched and written with wit and quirky enthusiasm, the book will appeal to a wide range of general readers interested in the environment, human history, and our most essential aspects of life.
Publisher: Reaktion Books
ISBN: 1861898827
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 378
Book Description
Take a deep breath. Air—without it, life on Earth would cease to exist. Though not usually seen, its presence is relied upon. At once both ethereal and physical, air has been associated with flight and spirit, and yet it has progressively become a territory that can be claimed through communications, warfare, travel, and scientific exploration. At the same time, air is no longer a completely reliable part of our daily life: like water, it has become an environmental element that must be watched closely for quality and purity. A Matter of Air investigates the meanings of air over the last three centuries, including our modern concern over emissions and climate change. Steven Connor looks at the human relationship with air, both positive and negative. His explorations include the dangers posed by radio atmospherics, poison gas, and haze as well as our continued fascination with effervescence and explosives. Drawing ideas from religion, science, art, literature, and philosophy, A Matter of Air creates a comprehensive history of the human perception of air. Thoroughly researched and written with wit and quirky enthusiasm, the book will appeal to a wide range of general readers interested in the environment, human history, and our most essential aspects of life.
Tactics and Procedures - Part 15
Southey
Author: Edward Dowden
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Authors, English
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Authors, English
Languages : en
Pages : 222
Book Description
The Early Life of Robert Southey, 1774-1803
Author: William Haller
Publisher: New York : Columbia University Press
ISBN:
Category : Poets, English
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
Publisher: New York : Columbia University Press
ISBN:
Category : Poets, English
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
Robert Southey and the Contexts of English Romanticism
Author: Lynda Pratt
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317062116
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
Lynda Pratt's collection of specially commissioned essays is the first edited volume devoted to the multiple connections between Robert Southey (1774-1843) and English Romantic culture. A major and highly controversial personage in his own day, Southey has until recently been the forgotten member of the Lake School.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317062116
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 298
Book Description
Lynda Pratt's collection of specially commissioned essays is the first edited volume devoted to the multiple connections between Robert Southey (1774-1843) and English Romantic culture. A major and highly controversial personage in his own day, Southey has until recently been the forgotten member of the Lake School.
Bristol and Its Famous Associations
Author: Stanley Peerman Hutton
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bristol (England)
Languages : en
Pages : 534
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bristol (England)
Languages : en
Pages : 534
Book Description
Young Humphry Davy
Author: June Z. Fullmer
Publisher: American Philosophical Society
ISBN: 9780871692375
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 420
Book Description
Humphry Davy's contemporaries bestowed on him their highest honors. Since Davy's death in 1829, each scholarly generation has accrued info. about him & his colleagues. His startling discoveries of the scientifically novel, his isolation & identification of 7 new elements, & his association of electrical properties & chemical behavior coupled with his fame as a lecturer, made him a popular cultural hero. Others saw him as the man who had made agriculture "scientific." Davy's refusal to profit financially from his invention of the miners' safety lamp endeared him to those humanitarians who idealized scientists as members of an altruistic brotherhood. Here is a readable, thoroughly researched biography of Davy's early life. Illus.
Publisher: American Philosophical Society
ISBN: 9780871692375
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 420
Book Description
Humphry Davy's contemporaries bestowed on him their highest honors. Since Davy's death in 1829, each scholarly generation has accrued info. about him & his colleagues. His startling discoveries of the scientifically novel, his isolation & identification of 7 new elements, & his association of electrical properties & chemical behavior coupled with his fame as a lecturer, made him a popular cultural hero. Others saw him as the man who had made agriculture "scientific." Davy's refusal to profit financially from his invention of the miners' safety lamp endeared him to those humanitarians who idealized scientists as members of an altruistic brotherhood. Here is a readable, thoroughly researched biography of Davy's early life. Illus.