The penny magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, issue…
"The penny magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, issue…" by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge is a popular-education periodical compiled in the early 19th century. This miscellany blends illustrated history, practical instruction, natural philosophy, moral reflection, poetry, and brief anecdotes for general readers. Its likely topic is the diffusion of “useful knowledge” to promote self-improvement, public intelligence, and informed conduct in everyday life. This issue
ranges widely. It opens with a historical sketch of Somerset House and its governmental and learned societies, then offers practical guidance for emigrants to British North America (routes, costs, agents, and work prospects). It explains the reversed seasons of the Antipodes, reflects on the early neglect of great inventors through Fulton’s steamboat story, and prints Locke’s maxims on lasting happiness and temperance. Short pieces advocate disciplined ambition and the social benefits of spreading knowledge. Natural history appears in a note on the mole and its habits; a weekly calendar explains Palm Sunday through Good Friday; and a major essay urges affordable home libraries and “itinerating” collections for villages. A moral tale, “The Woodman’s Memorial,” warns against quarrels; an economic report criticizes protectionist tariffs in Austrian Lombardy; and sea vignettes recount a drowning and a boy’s rescue. A poem on the firmament, anecdotes on punctuality (including Nelson), a humorous “ghost” story, and a brief praise of good temper round out the magazine’s mix of instruction, improvement, and agreeable entertainment. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
