The Wisdom of Our Ancestors

vanishedone commented on the word The Wisdom of Our Ancestors

Paw Prints: 'When Charles Dickens moved into Tavistock House, he made sure that every detail of it was to his taste. One of the features he installed was a hidden door to his study, made to look like part of an unbroken wall of books, complete with dummy shelves and fictitious titles. Dickens clearly derived much amusement from the invention of titles for these volumes. They ranged from the purely facetious—Five Minutes in China, three volumes, and Heavyside’s Conversations With Nobody—to straight puns, such as The Gunpowder Magazine. In later years he added Cat’s Lives (nine volumes) and The Wisdom of Our Ancestors, which consisted of volumes on ignorance, superstition, the block, the stake, the rack, dirt, and disease. The companion—The Virtues of Our Ancestors—was so narrow the title had to be printed sideways.'

November 17, 2009

dontcry commented on the word The Wisdom of Our Ancestors

HAR! Thoroughly enjoyed this - thanks for sharing!

November 17, 2009

thtownse commented on the word The Wisdom of Our Ancestors

Excellent - clearly he did not want to live in a bleak house.

November 17, 2009