Mr. Golightly and the Flight of Intellect
Illustration by Charles Tilt titled The Flight of Intellect, showing Mr. Golightly riding the Steam Riding Rocket.
Pictured here are a pair of cartoons drawn in the 1800s by Charles Tilt. They feature the character Mr. Golightly flying on a steam-powered rocket. The first, pictured above, is from 1826 and it features a well-dressed Mr. Golightly sitting on his rocket, flying fast through the air. The caption reads Portrait of Mr Golightly, experimenting on Mess Quick & Speed’s new patent high pressure, steam riding rocket. The steam riding rocket is controlled by a simple bar that attaches to the rear with a pair of chains, seemingly to steer the craft. There’s a kettle-style boiler mounted to the front and attached to the rocket via a winding tube. It’s a comical vision for a flying machine, with touches of whimsy and humor throughout. There’s a domestic feeling about it, with the kettle-style boiler giving off home-made and experimental vibes. There’s no clear way to control the kettle, so Golightly is left to just fire it up and hope for the best.
The second cartoon is pictured below, and it features the exact same scene, except that Golightly is carrying gold mining equipment on his back. He’s done experimenting and he’s headed out west. It was drawn in 1849, at the height of the California Gold Rush, and it’s no doubt a satire on the national phenomenon. Here, Golightly speaks to himself about his journey: I wish Jemima could see me now, goin through the Firmament like a streak of greased lightnin on a Telegraphic wire; I guess she’d feel a sorter vexed that she didn’t pack up her fixins and go long - When I get to Californy I’ll let others do the diggins while I do the swappins!
Illustration by Charles Tilt showing Mr. Golightly riding his steam rocket to the American West during the California Gold Rush.
I love these two cartoons, They aren’t meant to be taken seriously, but there’s enough thought put into the mechanics to heighten the humor. Boiling water will indeed produce steam, and steam-powered engines do exist, it just wouldn’t work at this scale. Of course, the cartoonist must’ve known this, which is where the humor lies.
Read more about other ideas for flying machines here.