Invention and Discovery: Curious Facts and Characteristic Sketches

"Invention and Discovery: Curious Facts and Characteristic Sketches" by Anonymous is a compilation of essays and stories that looks at different inventions and discoveries, probably from the 1800s. It shares information about the lives and work of scientists and inventors from different places, focusing on the history and interesting stories behind their successes. The book starts by talking about how important Britain was in the world of invention and discovery, and it points out the great work of both British and foreign scientists and engineers. The different parts of the book tell interesting stories, like how the Thames Tunnel was built and the problems that came with creating things such as gun-cotton and Babbage's calculating machine. Every story tries to teach readers about history and make them more interested in the people and events that helped create the world we live in today.