THE YOUNG MAN`S

BOOK OF AMUSEMENT

This wonderful book was published in 1854 and within its 384 pages are Gems of Victorian Science. It`s unpromising, mildly suggestive title belies a veritable cornucopia of experiments.

A vast selection of interesting (& some highly ill-advised) experiments & pastimes from the 19th Century are presented within chapters on -



magnetism, chemistry, optics, electricity, galvanism, pneumatics, hydrostatics & hydraulics, acoustics, magic-lantern, cards, magic figures, misc. experiments & fire-works. All 384 pages scanned to high resolution, presented in a highly browsable format as an e-book , available here A small selection (low-res cropped images) from the book -



Galvanic Experiments on the Dead Body of a Criminal

Beautiful Electrical Experiment

Spectacular tribo-electrical effect using a platinum spatula & calcium oxalate

Valuable Transformation

Gold plating charcoal

Very Beautiful Artificial Petrifactions

"...like a sort of hoar frost..."

The Electric Kite

Lethally ill-advised instructions for repeating Franklin`s experiments

Artificial Volcano

Another endeavour imbued with danger

The Fiery Fountain

Highly dangerous ingredients react, forming a conflagration of phosphine gas

A more powerful Fulminating Powder

The subject of fulminating silver is discussed

Expansive Force of Freezing Water

Colonel E. Williams explodes Royal Artillery shell cases using ice

Method of receiving the Electrical Shock from a Cat

An intriguing demonstration of frictional high voltage electrical generation

On sounds excited in Hydrogen Gas

Mr. Leslie performed acoustic experiments with hydrogen gas

To Recover a Fly after being drowned several hours

Essential knowledge for insect life guards

To obtain exquisite Skeletons of Small Animals

An extremely ingenious method

The Leyden Phial

"...a painful jarring sensation is felt at the joints of the fingers, the elbows, shoulders & chest,..."

To Pierce a Card &c.; by Electricity

"....deprive a man of sensation for a time, if the head be made part of the circuit."

The Inconceivable Shock

"...the whole company would be struck to the ground;"

Electrical Illumination

"To illuminate eggs by electricity,...."

The Miraculous Luminaries

"...will continue to shine for about half an hour,...."

The Illuminated Vacuum

"...a very dense body of fire, darting directly through the centre of the vacuum,..."

Resin Ignited by Electricity

Using a Leyden jar to inflame

Electrified Ball

"...will pass over the surface of the ball and singe it."

Frontispiece of The Young Man`s Book of Amusement

The Title Page - large graphics file

The Pull-Out Frontispiece of Diagrams

Full size version of illustrations under this page title - large graphics file

All 384 pages scanned to high resolution

Presented in a highly browsable format as an e-book