Eggplant.place

274d

"The educator must above all understand how to wait; to reckon all effects in the light of the future, not of the present."

Swedish writer Ellen Key was born #OTD in 1849.

She on many subjects in the fields of family life, ethics and education and was an important figure in the Modern Breakthrough movement. She was an early advocate of a child-centered approach to education and parenting, and was also a suffragist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Key

Ellen Key at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/502

#books

Portrait of Ellen Key, 1910.

Her clothing is characteristic of the early 20th century: a modest yet elegant dress made from soft, natural fabrics, with gentle pleats and simple detailing. Her hair is styled in a neat updo, reflecting the understated sophistication of her time.

Ellen's expression is thoughtful and contemplative, her eyes carrying a sense of wisdom and introspection. The background is warm and unobtrusive, subtly evoking a Scandinavian interior with muted tones and clean lines.

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275d

#OTD in 1884.

The first London publication of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn occurs.

Twain initially conceived of the work as a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer that would follow Huckleberry Finn through adulthood. He worked on the manuscript off and on for the next several years, ultimately abandoning his original plan of following Huck's development into adulthood.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventures_of_Huckleberry_Finn

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/76

#books #literature

Cover of the book «Adventures of Huckleberry Finn» by Mark Twain, 1884

By E. W. Kemble (1861–1933)

The central focus is a depiction of Huckleberry Finn, often shown in a casual and relaxed pose, embodying his free-spirited and rebellious nature.

Kemble’s illustration style captures Huck in his rustic clothing—likely a worn shirt, pants rolled up at the cuffs, and perhaps a slouchy hat—evoking the setting of the American South.

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307d

"Thine emulous fond flowers are dead, too,
And the daft sun-assaulter, he
That frightened thee so oft, is fled or dead:
Save only me
...
There is none left to mourn thee in the fields."

#OTD in 1894. Robert Frost's first poem, "My Butterfly" appears in The New York Independent, which pays him $15.

"Robert Frost, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing front."

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284d

#OTD in 1908.

Cuala Press, set up at Churchtown, Dublin, as a private press independent of the former Dun Emer Press in connection with the Irish Literary Revival and Arts and Crafts movement by Elizabeth "Lolly" Yeats with editorial support from her brother W. B. Yeats, produces its first publication, Poetry and Ireland: Essays by W. B. Yeats and Lionel Johnson (died 1902).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuala_Press

#books #literature

Elizabeth Yeats using the Cuala Press in Dun Emer Press (1903).

A poised woman in her early 30s, with neatly styled dark hair and wearing modest, period-appropriate attire. She might have an apron over her clothing, reflecting the hands-on nature of her craft.

A traditional hand-operated press dominates the scene. It is crafted from wood or metal, with levers, rollers, and stacks of paper nearby. This press symbolizes the artisanal approach of the Cuala Press.

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284d

"I saw you - and from that day
I see only you in the world."

Johan Henric Kellgren, born #OTD in 1751, was a Swedish poet and critic.

Kellgren began as a tutor and later worked as a journalist and editor for Stockholms Posten, where he gained a reputation as a sharp and influential critic. Notable works include "Mina Löjen", which blends satire with lyrical beauty, and "Den nya skapelsen", which highlights themes of renewal & enlightenment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Henric_Kellgren

#books #poetry #literature

19th century portrait of Kellgren, engraved by Evald Hansen.

Kellgren is portrayed as a man of intellectual bearing, with sharp, refined features. His face, clean-shaven and composed, reflects both intelligence and sensitivity. His hair, styled neatly and appropriate to the late 18th-century or early 19th-century fashion, might be powdered or combed back.

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284d

"A mathematician, like a painter or a poet, is a maker of patterns. If his patterns are more permanent than theirs, it is because they are made with ideas."

Godfrey Harold Hardy, who died #OTD in 1947, was an English mathematician, known for his achievements in number theory & mathematical analysis.

In biology, he is known for the Hardy–Weinberg principle, a basic principle of population genetics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._H._Hardy

Books by G.H. Hardy at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/39236

#books #mathematics

Photograph of Hardy c. 1927.

Hardy, in his late 80s, would have a distinguished, weathered face marked by deep lines, showing the passage of time and a life immersed in thought and creativity. His thin, white mustache would frame his upper lip, complementing his wispy, receding hair. His gaze, often described as thoughtful and piercing, might be directed slightly away from the camera, adding a reflective quality.

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284d

"Ask no questions, and you'll be told no lies."

#OTD in 1860.

Charles Dickens's Bildungsroman Great Expectations begins serialization in All the Year Round. Although intended for weekly publication, Great Expectations was divided into nine monthly sections, with new pagination for each.

Great Expectations at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1400

#books #literature

Great Expectations advertised in All the Year Round.

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With Estella after all.

Great Expectations
[1867 Edition]
by Charles Dickens

https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1400

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276d

#OTD in 1892.

George Bernard Shaw's first play Widowers' Houses has its first performance, at the Royalty Theatre in London under the auspices of the Independent Theatre Society. The author is booed.

This is one of three plays Shaw published as Plays Unpleasant in 1898. The other plays in the group are The Philanderer and Mrs. Warren's Profession.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widowers%27_Houses

Books by Bernard Shaw at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/467

#books #literature #theatre

G Bernard Shaw

Frederick H. Evans - National Portrait Gallery: NPG P113

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276d

#OTD in 1812.

Leigh Hunt is tried and convicted of libel for calling the Prince Regent "a violator of his word, a libertine over head and ears in debt and disgrace" in The Examiner on March 22.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh_Hunt

Original files (with links) are available at @internetarchive

Books by Leigh Hunt at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3612

#books #literature

The Examiner 1812-12-06: Iss 258
Publication date 1812-12-06

https://archive.org/details/sim_examiner-a-weekly-paper-on-politics-literature-music_1812-12-06_258/page/n11/mode/2up

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The Examiner 1812-03-22: Iss 221
Publication date 1812-03-22

https://archive.org/details/sim_examiner-a-weekly-paper-on-politics-literature-music_1812-03-22_221/mode/1up

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276d

#OTD in 1822.

French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel, in a memoir read to the Academy of Sciences, coins the terms linear polarization, circular polarization, and elliptical polarization, and reports a direct refraction experiment verifying his theory that optical rotation is a form of birefringence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustin-Jean_Fresnel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polarization_(waves)

The wave theory of light is available at @internetarchive
https://archive.org/details/wavetheoryofligh00crewrich

#books #physics

The wave theory of light; memoirs of Huygens, Young and Fresnel
by Crew, Henry, 1859-; Huygens, Christiaan, 1629-1695; Young, Thomas, 1773-1829; Fresnel, Augustin Jean, 1788-1827; Arago, F. (François), 1786-1853
https://archive.org/details/wavetheoryofligh00crewrich

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284d

“The more we gave in, the more we complied with that kind of treatment, the more oppressive it became.”

#OnThisDay, 1 Dec 1955, Rosa Parks does *not* give up her seat on the bus for a white passenger, and is arrested. Her refusal is a key moment in the American civil rights movement.

#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory #Histodons
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Mugshot of Rosa Parks after her arrest. She is a black woman with glasses.

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254d

"It is equally a fault to believe all men or to believe none."

#OTD in 1817.

Walter Scott's historical novel Rob Roy, written from this spring, is published anonymously by Archibald Constable in Edinburgh, while a shipload of copies is carried from Leith to London for simultaneous publication there by Longman.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Roy_(novel)

Rob Roy at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/7025

#books #literature

Title page of Walter Scott's Rob Roy, 1st edition.

The title page of the first edition of Walter Scott's Rob Roy, published in 1817, reflects the typographical conventions of early 19th-century book design. It is simple and elegant, featuring the book's title, Rob Roy, prominently displayed in bold typeface near the top. Below the title, Scott is credited as the author, though he initially published his novels anonymously, often referring to himself as "the Author of Waverley."

The page includes the publisher's information—Archibald Constable and Co., based in Edinburgh—and the date of publication, 1817, typically at the bottom of the page. The layout is symmetrical, with ample margins and no elaborate illustrations or ornamentation, emphasizing clarity and function. The lack of visual embellishments aligns with the literary focus of the era.

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283d

#OTD in 1898.

Moscow Art Theatre's first season opens with a double bill of Emilia Matthai's Greta's Happiness and Carlo Goldoni's The Mistress of the Inn. The successful and influential Moscow Art Theatre production of The Seagull by Chekhov (its Moscow première), would open on 29 December 1898.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mistress_of_the_Inn

#books #literature #theatre

The Russian actor and director Constantin Stanislavski in a production of Goldoni's Locandiera in 1898.

In this image, Stanislavski is dressed in an elaborate 18th-century costume reflective of the play's setting—a richly embroidered jacket, breeches, and a wig styled in the fashion of the period.

This image encapsulates his early experiments with realism, which would later form the foundation of his influential acting system.

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283d

"O Day! he cannot die
When thou so fair art shining!
O Sun, in such a glorious sky,
So tranquilly declining;..."

#OTD in 1844.

Emily Brontë writes the poem "A Death-Scene". It was published in 1846 in a book collecting poetry by Brontë and her siblings.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Death-Scene

Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1019

#books #literature #poetry

Portrait of Emily Jane Brontë by Patrick Branwell Brontë.

Emily is dressed in plain, dark Victorian attire, with a high-collared dress that suggests her preference for simplicity over adornment. The muted color palette of the portrait adds to the somber yet striking impression she gives. Over time, this painting has become iconic, capturing the aura of mystery that surrounds Emily Brontë’s life and work. Branwell’s artistic style, while somewhat unpolished, imbues the portrait with an emotional depth that reflects his intimate knowledge of his sister’s character.

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283d

#OTD in 1851.

The French coup d'état of 1851 prompts Victor Hugo to be a leader of an unsuccessful insurrection against it. He is forced into exile, initially to Brussels, then Jersey, from which he was expelled for supporting L’Homme. He finally settled with his family at Hauteville House in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, where he would live in exile from October 1855 until 1870.

Books by Victor Hugo at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/85

#books #literature

Charles Hugo - Victor Hugo on the Rock of the Exiles.

The photograph titled Victor Hugo on the Rock of the Exiles, taken by Charles Hugo, is a striking visual representation of the legendary French writer during his period of exile on the Channel Islands. The image captures Victor Hugo standing or seated on a rugged rock formation, overlooking the sea, symbolizing his defiance and resilience during his years away from France.

Hugo is typically depicted wearing dark, heavy clothing suitable for the windy, coastal environment. His demeanor is contemplative, with his gaze fixed on the horizon, evoking a sense of introspection and strength. The wild, untamed landscape around him complements the romantic and rebellious spirit of Hugo’s personality and his works.

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306d

#OTD in 1928.

Radclyffe Hall's novel The Well of Loneliness, published by Jonathan Cape in London, is tried and convicted on the grounds of obscenity under the Hicklin test, after a campaign against it by James Douglas in the Sunday Express.

https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/73042

#books #literature

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306d

#OTD in 1920.

D. H. Lawrence's novel Women in Love appears in a limited U.S. subscribers' edition. This first was available only to subscribers, due to the controversy caused by Lawrence's previous work, The Rainbow (1915).

Women in Love at PG
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/4240

#books #literature

Book cover for the first edition of Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence

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276d

American admiral and computer scientist, (designed COBOL) Grace Hopper was born #OTD in 1906.

She created the first compiler, the A-0 System, in 1952. She was also one of the first programmers on the Harvard Mark I computer. Hopper popularized the term "debugging" in computing after discovering an actual moth causing a malfunction in the Mark II computer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper

#computerscience #mathematics #womeninStem

Commodore Grace M. Hopper, USN (covered).

James S. Davis - This image was released by the United States Navy with the ID DN-SC-84-05971 (next).

In the image, she is typically seen wearing her formal cover (hat) as part of her Navy attire. Her uniform signifies her rank and achievements within the U.S. Navy.

This photo captures Hopper during her later career, highlighting her as a trailblazer both in the military and in computer science. Her demeanor in such photos often radiates professionalism, intelligence, and a sense of authority, aligned with her significant contributions to both fields.

The photo's mention of a Navy ID (DN-SC-84-05971) confirms its origin from official Navy archives, further cementing its historical significance.

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Log book showing the "bug" found caught in a Mark II relay

Courtesy of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, VA., 1988. - U.S. Naval Historical Center Online Library

The logbook entry showing the "bug" found in a Mark II relay is a historically significant document that records one of the earliest uses of the term "debugging" in computing. This artifact is a handwritten log from Grace Hopper's team, dated September 9, 1947, and includes a physical moth taped to the page. The moth was discovered in one of the electromechanical relays of the Harvard Mark II computer, causing a malfunction.

The entry humorously notes the discovery as the "first actual case of bug being found," combining technical documentation with Hopper's wit. This event became a legendary anecdote in the history of computing and popularized the term "debugging," which has since become standard terminology in software development.

The logbook, preserved courtesy of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, is an enduring symbol of the origins of modern computer science and the challenges faced by pioneers like Hopper and her team.

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283d

Mária Telkes died #OTD in 1980. She was a Hungarian-American biophysicist, engineer, & inventor who worked on solar energy technologies.

During World War II, she developed a solar water distillation device, deployed at the end of the war, which saved the lives of downed airmen and torpedoed sailors. In the 1940s she and architect Eleanor Raymond created one of the first solar-heated houses, Dover Sun House, by storing energy each day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1ria_Telkes

#science #technology #WomenInSTEM

Dr. Maria Telkes half-length portrait, facing front

New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer - Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c13268

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275d

#OTD in 1901.

The first Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded, to French poet Sully Prudhomme.

He devoted the bulk of the money he received to the creation of a poetry prize awarded by the Société des gens de lettres. He also founded, in 1902, the Société des poètes français with Jose-Maria de Heredia and Leon Dierx.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sully_Prudhomme

Books by Sully Prudhomme at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7695

#books #literature #poetry

Sully-Prudhomme, René François Armand Prudhomme, known as (1839 - 1907), french writer.

In such portraits, he wears a suit with a high-collared shirt and tie, consistent with the fashion of the late 1800s. His facial features, including a prominent mustache and neatly groomed hair, contribute to the dignified and intellectual aura often associated with prominent writers of his time.

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Autograph manuscript of “Science et poésie” published in the Nouvelle Revue internationale in 1898, then in Épaves in 1908.

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255d

Alfred North Whitehead, who died #OTD in 1947, was an English mathematician and philosopher. He is best known as the defining figure of the philosophical school known as process philosophy, which today has found application to a wide variety of disciplines, including ecology, theology, education, physics, biology, economics, and psychology, among other areas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_North_Whitehead

Alfred North Whitehead at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/8283

#books #philosophy #mathematics

Alfred North Whitehead portrait.

Portraits of Alfred North Whitehead, the eminent mathematician and philosopher, often depict him as a distinguished and contemplative figure, reflecting his intellectual contributions to fields like logic, mathematics, and metaphysics.

A characteristic portrait of Whitehead would show him with a serious yet approachable expression, a high forehead emphasizing his scholarly demeanor, and neatly combed white hair, signifying his advanced years during his most influential period. The pose and setting often evoke an academic atmosphere, with books, a desk, or a study as part of the background, symbolizing his lifelong dedication to learning and teaching.

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273d

#OTD in 1899.

Robert Browning's book Asolando; Fancies and facts is published on the same day he dies at Ca' Rezzonico in Venice. He is buried in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.

His magnum opus, The Ring and the Book (1868–1869), is a 12-volume epic poem based on a real-life Italian murder trial. He is particularly celebrated for his dramatic monologues, which reveal the inner workings of his characters' minds.

Asolando
https://archive.org/details/asolandofanciesf00browiala

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/146

#books #poetry

Portrait by Herbert Rose Barraud, c. 1888.

A portrait of Robert Browning, the renowned Victorian poet, depicts him as a dignified and thoughtful figure, reflective of his literary prowess. Browning’s distinctive features include a broad forehead, expressive eyes, and a well-groomed beard, which frames his face with an air of intellectual sophistication.

Browning’s expression is typically captured as introspective or gently engaging, embodying the dual qualities of a deep thinker and an accessible conversationalist.

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254d

American educator and zoologist Cornelia Clapp died #OTD in 1934.

Clapp was a pioneering zoology researcher and leading ichthyology scholar. Her work on the toadfish was instrumental in correcting the idea that its egg was attached by a "sucker" to the yolk stalk, as she discovered that it was instead adhered with a disc of "transparent secretion" that could be separated from the membrane.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelia_Clapp

#zoology #marinebiology #womeninStem

A photograph of Cornelia Clapp (right) with students working in a zoology laboratory in Williston Hall at Mount Holyoke College in 1890.

The photograph of Cornelia Clapp and her students in the zoology laboratory at Williston Hall, Mount Holyoke College, in 1890, captures a moment of academic focus and collaboration. She wears a long, dark dress with a high neckline and her hair is styled neatly, reflecting the academic professionalism of the period.

The laboratory setting features wooden tables cluttered with scientific instruments, glass jars, and preserved specimens, creating an atmosphere of scientific inquiry. Students, mostly young women dressed in modest Victorian attire, are engaged in various activities—examining specimens, writing notes, or using microscopes.

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271d

#OTD in 1854.

Wilkie Collins's "The Lawyer's Story of a Stolen Letter", published as "The Fourth Poor Traveller" in The Seven Poor Travellers – the Household Words special Christmas number – is the first non-police detective fiction published in Britain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilkie_Collins

The Lawyer's Story of a Stolen Letter at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1626

#books #literature

The Seven Poor Travellers by Wilkie Collins.

Being the Extra Christmas Number of Household Words, Christmas 1854, p. 1.

https://archive.org/details/householdwords10dick/page/1/mode/1up?q=seven+poor

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271d

#OTD in 1847.

Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and Anne Brontë's Agnes Grey are published in a three-volume set under the pen names of Ellis and Acton Bell respectively, in London by T. C. Newby. Wuthering Heights will be Emily's only published novel, as she dies a year later, aged 30.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuthering_Heights

Wuthering Heights at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/768

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Grey

Agnes Grey at PG:
https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/767

#books #literature