Romantic Era: Industrialization
• Industrialization transformed British society
in the 18th c.
• 1775 Watt's first efficient steam engine, much more efficient than the
Newcomen.
• 1777 Grand Trunk Canal establishes a cross-England route
connecting the Mersey to the Trent and connecting the industrial
Midlands to the ports of Bristol, Liverpool, and Hull.
• 1779 First steam powered mills. Crompton's "mule" combines
Hargreaves' and Arkwright's machines, fully automating the weaving
process.
• 1786 Arkwright puts a Watt engine in the Albion cotton mill,
Blackfriars Bridge, London.
Romantic Era: Industrialization
• Industrialization transformed British society
in the 18th c.
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1787 Cartwright builds a power loom.
1789 Thames-Severn Canal links the Thames to the Bristol Channel.
1792 William Murdock (James Watt's assistant) lights his home with
coal gas.
1793 Eli Whitney develops his cotton gin (a device to clean raw
cotton).
1793-1803 Thomas Telford builds his two great iron aqueducts, over
the Dee and the Cierog valleys.
1801 Robert Trevithick demonstrates a steam locomotive.
1803-22 Caledonian Ship Canal cuts clear across Scotland via the
Great Glen.
Romantic Era: Industrialization
• Industrialization transformed British society
in the 18th c.
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1807 Robert Fulton's Clermont first successful steamboat.
1811-15 Luddite riots: laborers attack factories and break up the
machines they fear will replace them.
1821 Faraday demonstrates electro-magnetic rotation, the principle of
the electric motor.
1825 Marc Brunel invents a tunnelling shield, making subaqueous
tunnelling possible.
1826-42 Brunel builds the first subaqueous tunnel, under the Thames.
1827 Berkeley Ship Canal connects Sharpness (on the Severn) to
Gloucester.
1830 Manchester–Liverpool railway begins first regular commercial
rail service.
Romantic Era: Industrialization
• Industrialization transformed British society
in the 18th c.
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1831 Faraday discovers electro-magnetic current, making possible
generators and electric engines.
1834 Charles Babbage develops his analytic engine--the forerunner of
the computer. Fox Talbot produces photographs.
1837 Morse develops the telegraph and Morse Code. Great Western-first ocean-going steamship.
1838 Daguerre perfects the Daguerrotype.
1839 Fox Talbot introduces photographic paper.
1843 Great Britain--first large, iron, screw-propelled steamship.
1844 Commercial use of Morse's telegraph (Baltimore to
Washington).
Mary Darby Robinson
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1758-1800
actress
author
mistress of George IV
debuted for David
Garrick as Juliet
• associated with
Wordsworth and
Coleridge in Lyrical
Ballads
Robinson “The Poor, Singing,
Dame”
• The summer sun gilded the
• Beneath an old wall, that went
round an old castle,
• For many a year, with brown
ivy o'erspread;
• A neat little hovel, its lowly
roof raising,
• Defied the wild winds that
howl'd over its shed:
• The turrets, that frown'd on the
poor simple dwelling,
• Were rock'd to and fro, when
the tempest would roar,
• And the river, that down the
rich valley was swelling,
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Flow'd swiftly beside the
green step of its door.
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rushy roof slanting,
The bright dews bespangled
its ivy-bound hedge,
And above, on the ramparts, the
sweet birds were chanting,
And wild buds thick dappled
the clear river's edge,
When the castle's rich chambers
were haunted and dreary,
The poor little hovel was still
and secure;
And no robber e'er enter'd, nor
goblin nor fairy,
For the splendours of pride
had no charms to allure.
Robinson “The Poor, Singing, Dame”
• The lord of the castle, a proud
surly ruler,
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Oft heard the low dwelling
with sweet music ring,
• For the old dame that lived in
the little hut cheerly,
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Would sit at her wheel, and
would merrily sing:
• When with revels the castle's
great hall was resounding,
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The old dame was sleeping,
not dreaming of fear;
• And when over the mountains
the huntsmen were bounding
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She would open her lattice,
their clamours to hear.
• To the merry-toned horn she
would dance on the threshold,
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And louder, and louder repeat
her old song:
• And when winter its mantle of
frost was displaying,
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She caroll'd, undaunted, the
bare woods among:
• She would gather dry fern, ever
happy and singing,
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With her cake of brown bread,
and her jug of brown beer,
• And would smile when she
heard the great castle-bell
ringing,
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Inviting the proud to their
prodigal cheer.
Robinson “The Poor, Singing, Dame”
• Thus she lived, ever patient and
ever contented,
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Till envy the lord of the castle
possess'd,
• For he hated that poverty
should be so cheerful,
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While care could the fav'rites
of fortune molest;
• He sent his bold yeomen with
threats to prevent her,
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And still would she carol her
sweet roundelay;
• At last, an old steward
relentless he sent her
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Who bore her, all trembling,
to prison away!
• Three weeks did she languish,
then died broken-hearted,
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Poor dame! how the deathbell did mournfully sound!
• And along the green path six
young bachelors bore her,
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And laid her for ever beneath
the cold ground!
• And the primroses pale 'mid the
long grass were growing,
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The bright dews of twilight
bespangled her grave,
• And morn heard the breezes of
summer soft blowing,
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To bid the fresh flowerets in
sympathy wave.
Robinson “The Poor, Singing, Dame”
• The lord of the castle, from that
fatal moment
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When poor singing Mary was
laid in her grave,
• Each night was surrounded by
screech-owls appalling,
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Which o'er the black turrets
their pinions would wave!
• On the ramparts that frown'd on
the river, swift flowing,
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They hover'd, still hooting a
terrible song,
• When his windows would
rattle, the winter blast blowing,
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They would shriek like a
ghost, the dark alleys among!
• Wherever he wander'd they
followed him crying;
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At dawnlight, at eve, still they
haunted his way!
• When the moon shone across
the wide common they hooted,
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Nor quitted his path till the
blazing of day.
• His bones began wasting, his
flesh was decaying,
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And he hung his proud head,
and he perish'd with shame;
• And the tomb of rich marble, no
soft tear displaying,
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O'ershadows the grave of the
poor singing dame!
Robert Burns
• 1759-1796
• key figure of Scottish
revival
• “myth of natural poet”
• “heaven-taught
plowman”
• self-educated but wellversed in Scottish lit
and folklore
• “Green go the rashes”
• “Auld Lang Syne”
Joanna Baillie
• 1762-1851
• Key figure part of the Scottish Literary
Revival that occurred in this period and is
associated with Robert Burns
• Worked largely in dramatic works
• Song: “Woo’d and married and a’” 217
Felicia Dorothea Hemans
• 1793 - 1835
• precocious daughter of
Liverpool merchants
• died at 41
• very popular
• known for her pieces
that became standard
recitation pieces
Casabianca
• The boy stood on the burning
deck
• Whence all but he had fled;
• The flame that lit the battle's
wreck
• Shone round him o'er the
dead.
• Yet beautiful and bright he
stood,
• As born to rule the storm;
• A creature of heroic blood,
• A proud, though child-like
form.
• The flames rolled onhe would
not go
• Without his Father's word;
• That father, faint in death
below,
• His voice no longer heard.
• He called aloud'say, Father, say
• If yet my task is done?'
• He knew not that the chieftain
lay
• Unconscious of his son.
Casabianca
• 'Speak, father!' once again he
cried,
• 'If I may yet be gone!'
• And but the booming shots
replied,
• And fast the flames rolled on.
• And shouted but once more
aloud,
• 'My father! must I stay?'
• While o'er him fast, through sail
and shroud,
• The wreathing fires made way.
• Upon his brow he felt their
breath,
• And in his waving hair,
• And looked from that lone post
of death
• In still yet brave despair.
• They wrapt the ship in
splendour wild,
• They caught the flag on high,
• And streamed above the gallant
child,
• Like banners in the sky.
Casabianca
• There came a burst of thunder
sound
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The boyoh! where was he?
• Ask of the winds that far around
• With fragments strewed the
sea!
• With mast, and helm, and
pennon fair,
• That well had borne their part
• But the noblest thing which
perished there
• Was that young faithful heart.
• Notes:
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1.Young Casabianca, a boy
about thirteen years old, son of
the admiral of the Orient,
remained at his post (in the
Battle of the Nile), after the
ship had taken fire, and all the
guns had been abandoned; and
perished in the explosion of the
vessel, when the flames had
reached the powder.