Jacobi Bornitii Emblemata ethico politica (1669)

Mark Catesby, The natural history of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands : containing the figures of birds, beasts, fishes, serpents, insects, and plants : particularly, the forest-trees, shrubs, and other plants, not hitherto described, or very incorrectly figured by authors : together with their descriptions in English and French : to which, are added observations on the air, soil, and waters : with remarks upon agriculture, grain, pulse, roots, &c. : to the whole, is prefixed a new and correct map of the countries treated of

The travels of certaine Englishmen into Africa, Asia, Troy, Bythinia, Thracia, and to the Blacke Sea. And into Syria, Cilicia, Pisidia, Mesopotamia, Damascus ... Palestina ... and to the Red Sea ... Begunne in ... 1600, and by some of them finished this yeere 1608. The others not yet returned

A voyage round the world. : Containing an account of Captain Dampier's expedition into the south-seas in the ship St. George, in the years 1703 and 1704. With his various engagements, &c. And a particular and exact description of several islands in the Atlantick Ocean, the Brazilian coast, the passage round Cape Horn, and the coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico. Together with the author's voyage from Amapalla on the west coast of Mexico, to East India. His passing by three unknown islands, and thro' a new-discover'd streight near the coast of New-Guinea; his arrival at Amboyna: with a large description of that and other spice islands; as also of Batavia, the Cape of Good Hope, &c. Their rivers, harbours, plants, animals, inhabitants, &c. With divers maps, draughts, figures of plants and animals

Le solitaire anglois, ou, Avantures merveilleuses de Philippe Quarll.

"Translation of: The hermit: or, The unparalled [sic] sufferings and surprising adventures of Mr. Philip Quarll, an Englishman. Who was lately discovered by Mr. Dorrington a Bristol merchant, upon an uninhabited Island in the South-Sea; where he has lived above fifty years, without any human assistance, still continues to reside, and will not come away. Containing I. His conferences with those who found him out, to whom he recites the most material circumstances of his life; as, that he was born in the parish of St. Giles, educated by the charitable contribution of a lady, and put 'prentice to a lock-smith. II. How he left his master, and was taken up with a notorious house-breaker, who was hanged; how, after this escape, he went to sea a cabbin-boy, married a famous whore, listed himself a common soldier, turned singing-master, and married three wives, for which he was tried and condemned at the Old-Bailey. III. How he was pardoned by King Charles II. turned merchant, and was ship-wracked on this desolate Island on the coast of Mexico, first printed in London, 1727."

Yaroslav Gerzhedovich. Invictus

Johannes Staub, Neues Kinderbuch für das fünfte bis fünfzehnte Altersjahr. Zürich, Leipzig : Cäsar Schmidt, 1880

Archibald Park. Park's Tom Thumb (1836)

OK, I am avoiding work by reading JSaMN fanfic and although I find it all highly agreeable I do want to kvetch unnecessarily about some personal pet peeves of mine, specifically about Fandom Bicycle John Childermass, so here we go:

1. Literally any description of Childermass as big or strong. Folks, have you seen Enzo Cilenti? He is a greyhound. He is a whippet. He is lean, mean, leaning machine. If I have to read one more reference to my beloved pipe cleaner’s “broad shoulders” or “muscular thighs” I am going to lose it

2. “But wait” you say, “you don’t get it, I’m writing book!Childermass not BBC!Childermass” Nice try. Is your Childermass a twisted-faced Sketchy McSketcherson in his 50s? Is he grinning like a Cheshire cat from every page of your fic? Does he look less like Heathcliff and more like the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Major love and props to the few writers who commit to the glorious weirdness of Book!mass, but the rest of you are writing sexy Cilenti and you know it

3. Okay, minor point, but why is Childermass always tramping around in boots? BBC!Childermass does not own boots. Jonathan Strange owns riding boots, to be sure, because he is a country gentleman and a clotheshorse, but John Childermass wears what look like leather (or possibly canvas) gaiters (aka spatterdashes, aka spats) over his shoes when riding. My boy is a city boy. I will only accept allusions to John Childermass clomping his riding boots through the wild Yorkshire moors if it happens in the imagination of characters who are romantic and don’t know better (aka John Segundus).

Pictured: What are thooooose?

4. Speaking of clothing, the fandom and I are basically in agreement that Childermass does not wear under-breeches, but where we differ is that the fandom thinks this is shocking, salacious information. Fam, no one expects Childermass to be wearing under-breeches. Under-breeches were only just becoming common for gentlemen in the Regency period and until then had been worn more for warmth than modesty. Childermass, who dresses like it’s 1763 and is impervious to all forms of weather would absolutely not wear under-breeches. He would wear a linen shirt long enough to tuck around his… bits just like any other 18th century dude and this would not be worthy of comment.

5. Also speaking of clothing, Childermass wears a cravat. Yes, you can call it a neckcloth, but “neckcloth” is an umbrella term that also includes stocks and jabots and various other fol-de-lols. Fashion historians, please feel free to correct me, but I’m pretty sure “he took off his neckcloth” is about as specific as “he took off his outerwear”. I am tired of the word neckcloth, y’all. I have read it so many times it has ceased to have meaning. You can say “cravat”. It’s fine.

6. Also ALSO speaking of clothing, we all know that Childermass’ clothes are out of fashion but I don’t think the fandom realizes just how out of fashion they are. Cilenti’s costume SCREAMS 18th century (the looooong waistcoat! the pocket flaps! the ponytail!) to a degree that can’t be explained by mere thriftiness or indifference to fashion. His clothes aren’t just old (if they were that old, they would be in much worse condition); they are intentionally old-fashioned because they evoke livery. Childermass is very clearly wearing the silhouette of a servant while also very clearly wearing his own clothes. It’s an eloquent costume choice that shows the in-betweenness of his character: not quite a servant, but not not a servant either.

All of this is to say that I desperately want a post-canon fic where somebody coaxes a reluctant Childermass into a symbolic haircut and possibly a shorter waistcoat to indicate that he has moved on from Norrell and is no longer a servant. Please give it to me. That is all.

John Childermass after his face is cut

From George Cruikshank, The Glass and the New Crystal Palace (1853)

Voyage dans la lune avant 1900 / par A. de Ville d'Avray

La belle histoire que voila... / André Hellé

La Walkyrie : dix-neuf maquettes de costumes / par Charles Bianchini

Daniel Rabel (Paris,1578-1637), Première entrée des fantômes, quatre figures. 1632. Feuillet d'un ensemble de dessins se rapportant au Ballet du château de Bicêtre dansé le 8 mars 1632 au Louvre.

Sodom, a play by the E[arle] of R[ochester]. – Antwerp, printed in the year 1684.