Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Wellington ‘visits the effigy of the dead Napoleon, and sits to Sir George Hayter for historic picture—Paintings from models—Is the photograph “taken from life,” or—? WELLINGTON gazing upon the effigy of Napoleon is one of the many instances of a really fine picture being produced from an original work executed in our studios. Upon it […]

Landseer and the Count d’Orsay visit the Exhibition—A fright—Norfolk farmer’s account of Queen Victoria’s visit. About the year 1845 the celebrated Count d’Or-say, being, as usual, in a desperate state of impecuniosity, was absolutely afraid to venture out of Gore House (where now stands the Royal Albert Hall), except on, Sunday, for fear of being […]

Father Mathew sits for his model—Tsar Nicholas I. takes a fancy to Voltaire’s chair—A replica sent to him—The Rev. Peter Mc-Kenzie’s exorcism. ONE of the greatest of all temperance reformers was Father Mathew, “the Noble Priest of Cork,” who persuaded sixty thousand people in London alone to become teetotallers and to take a pledge to […]

The St. Helena carriage-Napoleon alarms the ladies—Certificates of authenticity. THIS is the last carriage in which Napoleon is known to have ridden. On his first arrival at St. Helena he took much exercise in the saddle, but during and after the year 1818, until he ceased venturing beyond the precincts of Long-wood, he made constant […]

Description of the Waterloo carriage (continued)—Its interior and peculiar contrivances—Brought to England and exhibited at the London Museum. THE interior of the carriage is even more interesting than the exterior. Glancing within, we immediately find ourselves in closer touch with things personal to the great Emperor. We find therein provision for a couple of passengers […]

Napoleon’s Waterloo carriage—Description of its exterior. SOME account must be given of this most interesting relic. Ever since it first came to the Exhibition it has excited the most lively interest, and, until it was covered in by a glazed case, visitors enjoyed the privilege of sitting inside—a proceeding which would not have mattered had […]

How the Waterloo carriage was acquired—A chance conversation on London Bridge—The strange adventures of an Emperor’s equipage–Affidavit of Napoleon’s coachman. THE account of how we became possessed of the Waterloo carriage reads like an interesting chapter from fiction. In the collection are two other Napoleon vehicles, namely, the Milan and St. Helena carriages. They are […]

Placard (continued)-The old Exhibition—Celebrities of the day—Tussaud’s mummy—Poetic eulogism—Removal to Baker Street—The Iron Duke’s rejoinder—Madame de Malibran. THE old placard next proceeds to enumerate some of the then modern celebrities in the Exhibition as follows : Portrait likeness of the Rev. John Clowes, of St. John’s Church, Manchester, and late Fellow of Trinity College, Cam-bridge, […]

An old placard—Princess Augusta’s testimonial—Great success at Gray’s Inn Road—Madame initiates promenade concerts—Bygone tableaux. AN old placard now in our possession informs us that at Blackheath the Exhibition was housed in the Assembly Room at the Green Man Hotel. The exact date when it left there is not known, but we do know that it […]

The Bristol riots—Narrow escape of the Exhibition—A brave black servant—Arrival at Blackheath. THE Bristol riots in the autumn of 1831 again brought the Exhibition into serious jeopardy. Madame Tussaud had just arrived in the city of the West Country, when the Recorder, Sir Charles Wetherell, came to open a Special Commission for the trial of […]