Above, “Flighty Philosphy; or, Tupper’s Tamed Gunpowder”, from the July 2nd, 1881 edition of the British humor weekly, Funny Folks. The cartoonist here is making fun of then recent comments by poet & philosopher Martin Farquhar Tupper, that manned flight might be achieved by means of electricity, which he had referred to as “tame gunpowder”.

Taking Tupper’s comments out of context for purpose of parody, the above grouping of cartoons focuses instead on the “gunpowder” aspect, imagining traveller’s shot out by canon — with Tupper himself featured as such a flying (or, “flighty”) tourist.

I attempted via internet search to find Tupper’s comments that sparked this, and failed. But instead came across references to other British comic periodicals, making fun of Tupper for this same comment, all around the same time. Implying that there was indeed a basis for these jokes.

To view the above cartoon strip in detail, and read its captions, click on it.

For more Science-related parodies, click here on Tigwissel Tuesdays.

Doug Wheeler

BritFunnyFolks