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 TECHNOLOGY IN AC TION™

Science and
Engineering Projects
Using the Arduino
and Raspberry Pi
Explore STEM Concepts with
Microcomputers
—
Paul Bradt
David Bradt
 Science and
Engineering Projects
Using the Arduino
and Raspberry Pi
Explore STEM Concepts
with Microcomputers

Paul Bradt
David Bradt
Science and Engineering Projects Using the Arduino and Raspberry Pi:
Explore STEM Concepts with Microcomputers
Paul Bradt David Bradt
Houston, TX, USA Houston, USA

ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4842-5810-1 ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4842-5811-8

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5811-8

Copyright © 2020 by Paul Bradt and David Bradt

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or
part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of
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symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, logo, or image we use the names, logos,
and images only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no
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The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks, and similar terms, even if
they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an expression of opinion as to whether or not
they are subject to proprietary rights.
While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of
publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal
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express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein.
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Printed on acid-free paper
 The authors dedicate this book to
all of the Science, Technology, Engineering,
Math (STEM) teachers who guide and
shape the paths of many young minds (including ours)
to question, learn, and utilize new technology to
solve problems. Without these unsung heroes,
the world would not have powerful cell phones,
highly reliable cars, the Internet, and many other
amazing things we routinely take for granted.
Table of Contents
About the Authors��������������������������������������������������������������������������������xi

About the Technical Reviewer�����������������������������������������������������������xiii

Acknowledgments������������������������������������������������������������������������������xv
Introduction��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xvii

Chapter 1: Key Technology Tools����������������������������������������������������������1

Arduino Basics������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1
Arduino Setup��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2
Ports and Interfaces����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3
Lessons Learned About the Arduino����������������������������������������������������������������6
Raspberry Pi Basics����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8
Raspberry Pi Setup����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10
Lessons Learned About the Raspberry Pi������������������������������������������������������15
Basic Electronics Definitions������������������������������������������������������������������������������18
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������18

Chapter 2: Data Logging Basics����������������������������������������������������������19

Data Logging with the Arduino����������������������������������������������������������������������������20
Data Logging with the Raspberry Pi�������������������������������������������������������������������26
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������35

v
Table of Contents

Chapter 3: Physics and Mathematics Basics������������������������������������37

Temperature��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������37
Force�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������38
Pressure��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������39
Basic Concept of Algebra������������������������������������������������������������������������������������40
Statistical Concepts��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������41
Direct Compared to Inferred Measurements�������������������������������������������������������41
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������42

Chapter 4: Simple Science and Engineering Projects������������������������43

Buoyancy of Air���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������43
Arduino Buoyancy of Air Version��������������������������������������������������������������������45
Raspberry Pi Buoyancy of Air Version������������������������������������������������������������52
Buoyancy Recap��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59
Demonstrating Pressure�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������59
Pressure/Force Recap�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������65
Capturing Counts������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������65
Counts Recap������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������70
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������70

Chapter 5: Advanced Physics and Mathematics for Science and

Engineering����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������71
Basics Terms of Calculus������������������������������������������������������������������������������������72
How Heat Transfer Works������������������������������������������������������������������������������������72
Conduction Heat Transfer������������������������������������������������������������������������������72
Convection Heat Transfer�������������������������������������������������������������������������������74
Radiation Heat Transfer���������������������������������������������������������������������������������76
All Three Heat Transfer Mechanisms Work Together!������������������������������������77

vi
 Table of Contents

Mass�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������78
Velocity and Acceleration������������������������������������������������������������������������������������78
Inertia������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������81
Momentum����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������81
Friction����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������81
More Advanced Aspects of Calculus�������������������������������������������������������������������83
Summary������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������84

Chapter 6: Time/Condition-­Dependent Projects���������������������������������85

Conduction Heat Transfer Through an Aluminum Rod�����������������������������������������85
Ensure Consistency in Temperature Sensor Readings����������������������������������90
Aluminum Rod Conduction Heat Transfer Recap�������������������������������������������94
Conduction Heat Transfer Through a Window�����������������������������������������������������94
Window Conduction Heat Transfer Recap����������������������������������������������������103
Convection Heat Transfer����������������������������������������������������������������������������������103
Convection Heat Transfer Recap������������������������������������������������������������������108
Zero Gravity Demonstration������������������������������������������������������������������������������108
Zero Gravity Recap��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������118
Measuring Frictional Force Projects�����������������������������������������������������������������118
Arduino Frictional Force Project������������������������������������������������������������������119
Operational Schematic��������������������������������������������������������������������������������121
Arduino Frictional Force Recap�������������������������������������������������������������������124
Raspberry Pi Frictional Force Project����������������������������������������������������������124
Raspberry Pi Frictional Force Recap�����������������������������������������������������������131
Acceleration Projects����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������131
Acceleration Direct to Computer�����������������������������������������������������������������131

vii
Table of Contents

Acceleration with Computer Recap�������������������������������������������������������������������139

Acceleration Measurement Without a Computer�����������������������������������������139
Acceleration Without Computer Recap�������������������������������������������������������������148
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������148

Chapter 7: Light and Imaging Projects���������������������������������������������149

Radiation Heat Transfer�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������149
Analysis of Heat Transfer�����������������������������������������������������������������������������161
Radiation Heat Transfer Recap��������������������������������������������������������������������162
Astrophotography with the Raspberry Pi Camera���������������������������������������������162
Assembling the Meade ETX-60AT and Raspberry Pi�����������������������������������165
Astrophotography Meade ETX-60AT Setup Recap���������������������������������������169
Assembling the 4 1/2-Inch Reflector Telescope and the Raspberry Pi�������������169
Components Needed to Assemble the Raspberry Pi 3
Mounting System to the 4 1/2-Inch Telescope�������������������������������������������172
Reflector Telescope Setup Recap����������������������������������������������������������������175
Basic Raspistill Previewing an Image with the Terminal Command Line����������175
Using Raspistill to Capture an Image�����������������������������������������������������������177
More Advanced Raspistill Input Without a Keyboard�����������������������������������177
Raspistill Image Capture Recap�������������������������������������������������������������������179
Astrophotography Raspberry Pi Python GUI������������������������������������������������������179
Initiating the GUI������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������183
PI_SN003 Raspberry PI GUI Recap��������������������������������������������������������������184
Assembling the Raspberry Pi and Touchscreen in the Case�����������������������������184
Raspberry Pi, Touchscreen, and Case����������������������������������������������������������184
Modification of the Case and Assembly������������������������������������������������������185
Components and Assembly of the Raspberry Pi Case Recap����������������������188

viii
 Table of Contents

Camera Modifications, Camera Case, and Power Cables����������������������������������188

Camera Modifications����������������������������������������������������������������������������������188
Building the Camera Case���������������������������������������������������������������������������189
Final Assembly of the Camera in the Case��������������������������������������������������196
Power Cord Combination�����������������������������������������������������������������������������197
Camera, Camera Case, and Power Cord Assembly Recap���������������������������197
Building the Shelf for the Meade ETX-60AT������������������������������������������������197
Shelf Components and Assembly Recap�����������������������������������������������������203
Helpful Hints Using the Telescope and Raspberry Pi����������������������������������������203
Lessons Learned Recap������������������������������������������������������������������������������207
Example Images and Enhancing Them Using a Video Capture GUI�������������������207
Example Images Taken with the Upgraded Meade ETX-60AT
Astrophotography System���������������������������������������������������������������������������208
Recap of Example Images and Enhancement Techniques��������������������������217
Summary����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������217

Appendix: Reference Material����������������������������������������������������������219

Soldering Safety������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������219
General Shop Safety������������������������������������������������������������������������������������220
Manufacturing Techniques��������������������������������������������������������������������������������220
Soldering�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������221
Basic Arduino and Raspberry Pi Python Commands�����������������������������������222
3D Printing���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������224
Computer-Aided Design Options�����������������������������������������������������������������������225
Project Management for Engineering���������������������������������������������������������������226
Decision Analysis for Engineering���������������������������������������������������������������������226
Thermal Conductivity Coefficients��������������������������������������������������������������������227
Coefficients of Friction��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������228

ix
Table of Contents

Astronomy Terms����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������228
Specifications of the Meade ETX-60AT�������������������������������������������������������������229
Setup, Updates, and Repairs�����������������������������������������������������������������������231
Helpful Books����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������232

Index�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������233

x
About the Authors
Paul Bradt has a BS in Computer Science
from the University of Houston–Clear
Lake. He currently owns a small business
and writes books, develops code, and does
IT support work. He has experimented
with the Arduino and Raspberry Pi system
and believes them to be excellent tools for
developing an understanding of electronic
components and hardware interaction in
integrated systems. He believes they are very
useful as a teaching aid in learning computer
programming, science, and engineering. He likes to perform sophisticated
troubleshooting of computer problems and has found that online
resources can be a great help for novice users to get their experiments
operating quickly and effectively.

David Bradt has a BS in Mechanical

Engineering from New Mexico State University
with many years of experience in the
aerospace industry and in the petrochemical
industry. He enjoys building and designing
devices to measure and control systems. He
has found the Arduino and Raspberry Pi to be
incredibly powerful little devices that with a
little bit of work can do many different tasks.
He is a big fan of Star Trek: The Original Series
and astronomy.

xi
About the Technical Reviewer
Sri Manikanta Palakollu is an undergraduate student pursuing his
bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering at SICET under
JNTUH. He is a founder of the OpenStack Developer Community in his
college. He started his journey as a competitive programmer. He always
loves to solve problems that are related to the data science field. His
interests include data science, app development, web development,
cybersecurity, and technical writing. He has published many articles
on data science, machine learning, programming, and cybersecurity in
publications like Hacker Noon, freeCodeCamp, Noteworthy, and DDI
through the Medium platform.

xiii
Acknowledgments
This book would not be possible without the authors’ gaining early
technical insight regarding the Raspberry Pi and Arduino from others.
Jared Brank and Dennis Pate provided a lot of basic information, key
insights, and Arduino hardware early in the process. The authors thank
the following individuals who listened to them on many occasions and
provided help, insight, and inspiration with their own experiences with
the Raspberry Pi and other projects: Jeff Dunehew, Todd Franke, and Fitz
Walker. Additionally, significant assistance with 3D printing was provided
by Mitch Long and David Thoerig.
Producing this book would not have been possible without the
excellent help and guidance regarding scope and early editorial reviews
by Joanna Opaskar and Ed Weisblatt. The authors also utilized many
ideas from Andrew Bradt and Laura Brank’s science fair experience. Most
important was the support and advice from Andrea Bradt.

xv
Introduction
The authors’ journey developing this book started in 2013 when they
discovered the Arduino microcontroller. It is interesting how something big
really starts with one step as they found the Arduino incredibly powerful.
Users are able to program it with computer code, and then it executes its
instructions for as long as it has power. The authors started evaluating
various applications of the Arduino around the house and in their hobby
endeavors. In 2017, they started experimenting with the Raspberry Pi
minicomputer which enables users to take projects to a whole new level
with a low-cost computer that interfaces with sensors. Since a Raspberry
Pi is very affordable, a real computer can now be dedicated to operating a
system permanently. While requiring some technical steps to set up, both
of these tools can be used to gather data, automate tasks, and provide a
lot of fun. The authors found it very satisfying to watch a device do several
tasks, especially when they set it up. This book chronicles some science
and engineering projects the authors developed over the past few years
and provides helpful hints, along with a few things to avoid.
There are two primary areas of focus or goals of this book. The first goal
is to help the reader explore the Arduino and Raspberry Pi. The second
goal is exploring science and engineering in interesting and fun ways.
The projects and concepts in this book are meant to accomplish
the first goal by providing information to get an Arduino or Raspberry
Pi system set up, running, and ready to capture data. The text provides
enough detail for users with average assembly or electrical skills to
complete them. Additionally, the goals of learning are to gain knowledge
and skills. When the reader engages in a project that requires them to
try new things, it reinforces how they learn and gain confidence and
encourages them to try even more complex tools and techniques.

xvii
Introduction

The second goal is exploring concepts of STEM (Science, Technology,

Engineering, Mathematics) and working through examples to demonstrate
basic scientific and engineering concepts. Finally, the authors provide
some detail on the mathematics needed to understand and explain the
science demonstrated.
Science and engineering provide critical skill sets for the modern world
that can be used in everyday life. People use these skills to develop the
technology that the modern world relies on. This book can establish these
skill sets for a fruitful and rewarding career.
The authors hope this book inspires the reader to expand and explore
their own STEM projects by including a wide range from beginner to
advanced. From these examples, the reader can learn many techniques,
tools, and technologies and apply them beyond the ones listed here; but
first, the authors introduce STEM.

What Is STEM?
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is a program
based on educating students in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics in an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to learning.
School systems today strive to improve education in STEM. This goal is
an area where educators can use outside help developing and improving
students’ knowledge when they actively contribute, design, and build
hands-on projects. In many ways, the young mind is excited and motivated
building projects. They develop an in-depth understanding of what is
required and how it works. The authors believe this is the best way to learn
and remember these concepts, which results in a solid STEM foundation
for students.
A question not often understood is how the scientific method is different
from an engineering approach. Understanding the difference between
science and engineering can be seen in the original Star Trek series.

xviii
 Introduction

Mr. Spock was the science officer, and Montgomery Scott (Scotty) was
the chief engineer. Their jobs and how they approached new scenarios
or problems really provide a great explanation about the differences
and similarities between science and engineering. Let’s examine some
examples.
Mr. Spock used the term fascinating when describing a new event
or phenomenon. The role of science is to expand knowledge and
investigate new events. This fascination with new and unique areas is
key for a scientist. Scotty, the engineer, on the other hand always had to
fix the warp engines, the transporter, or some other critical system. The
normal role of an engineer is to develop and implement solutions to
problems. In one of the episodes, Scotty indicated he would rather read
his engineering journals to learn about how others solved problems
than go on shore leave!

Science
Researchers use the scientific method as a tool to understand questions
in their area of interest. Based on the information they have initially,
they develop a hypothesis and then methods to test the validity of the
hypothesis. When sufficient test data are gathered and analyzed, the
researcher either accepts or rejects the hypothesis. In many cases, positive
or negative results point to the next step or direction of exploration and
contribute to the general body of scientific and engineering knowledge.

Engineering
The primary goal of engineering is to evaluate alternatives and choose
the optimal solution to minimize or eliminate specific problems or issues.
Solutions are not necessarily new, but may be repurposed concepts
applied to different problem areas. Other aspects of engineering include

xix
Introduction

planning the work, selecting components to meet requirements, and

following through on managing and completing a project. Often projects
or systems fail because the planning, scheduling, and logistics of activities
are not adequately engineered for an optimum solution. These skills are
important and necessary in any job.
Science and engineering use many of the same tools and techniques,
but it is important to understand the distinction between scientific
experimentation and the engineering process of developing optimal
solutions. For one thing, they both use the language of mathematics to
describe percentages, results, probability, and other physical parameters.
However, science’s goal is to expand knowledge which is different than
engineering’s goal of selecting an optimum solution and proceeding with
solving the problem. One other difference is a scientific test often gains
new knowledge, whereas an engineering test often demonstrates how a
system performs a function. In many ways, they are synergistic as science
often provides new tools and ideas for engineers to use to solve problems.
In the authors’ minds, the roots of some key technological
advancements that exist now can be traced back 50 years to the original
Star Trek TV show. For example, in the show, they used tricorders to gather
data about aliens, equipment failures, medical problems, and a host of
other out of this world challenges. They had communicators that allowed
them to contact crewmembers all over alien worlds. Finally, they had the
replicators that allowed them to produce any type of food they desired.
Today we don’t have tricorders, but we do have some examples that 50
years ago would have been amazing. Today there are personal computers,
cell phones, 3D printing, and incredible sensors based on the early
transistors of the 1960s. The Arduino and the Raspberry Pi, two examples
of new technology, can be built into devices similar to the incredibly
versatile Star Trek tricorders.

xx
 Introduction

Both Mr. Spock and Scotty realized they needed each other (science
and engineering) to accomplish the goals of exploration and keep
the Enterprise flying safely through space. In today’s complex world,
integrating science and engineering is key to researching problems and
developing solutions.
In the following chapters, the authors will demonstrate all of the
components of STEM needed to research scientific questions, use new
technology (Arduino and Raspberry Pi), employ engineering techniques,
and use mathematics to quantify the scientific data. As Star Trek boldly
went forth to explore new worlds, the authors hope the students of today
do the same!

xxi
CHAPTER 1

Key Technology Tools

This chapter will highlight some of the basics about the Arduino and the
Raspberry Pi. It will help the reader get started if they are unfamiliar with
these powerful devices. It is amazing what these devices can do and this
chapter provides some basic aspects for getting them set up to run.

A
 rduino Basics
The Arduino is a powerful microcontroller that is ready to program and
acts as an intermediary device between a personal computer and various
sensors. It is relatively new technology that is a great tool for gaining
insight into physical properties and other scientific parameters.
The Arduino board was first developed in Italy in 2004 as a tool to help
train students in programming. It is an open source tool and as such has
developed a large base of helpful web sites and user groups. It represents
a breakthrough as an easy-to-use, relatively inexpensive, programmable
interface between a computer and various sensors. The software
development package and all of the online resources help make this an
ideal data logging tool for science fair/college projects.
The Arduino, Adafruit, SparkFun, Hacktronics, and other web sites are
great places to start. There are also several introductory books to help the
researcher get started using this device. Getting started with Arduino by
Banzi is a very good beginner’s book on Arduino.
Other sources of information for the Arduino novice are maker faires
and user group activities.
© Paul Bradt and David Bradt 2020 1
P. Bradt and D. Bradt, Science and Engineering Projects Using the Arduino and Raspberry Pi,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4842-5811-8_1
Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

There are several versions and sizes, but for the projects in this book,
the Arduino Uno and the Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
version 1.89 were utilized. Figure 1-1 shows an example of the Arduino
Uno. The authors recommend for the person unfamiliar with Arduinos
to use an official version and not a clone. The authors have never
experienced a problem with an official Arduino, but there are many clones,
and the authors have experienced problems with one of them.

Figure 1-1. Arduino Uno

A
 rduino Setup
Setting up an Arduino is relatively straightforward; the reader should
follow these basic steps to get the device running:

1. The Arduino is connected to a computer via a USB

connection to the input port (see Figure 1-3).

2. Load code using the IDE (see Figure 1-2).

3. Open the serial monitor to get data.

These steps sound basic, and after the reader completes these steps a few
times, they will see how easy it is to connect and run an Arduino. In many cases,

2
 Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

the challenges occur with the code. If the reader is copying code from a source,
it is important to type it in exactly as it looks. Even then there could be errors, but
that is part of the adventure, and it’s very rewarding when the code runs.

Figure 1-2. Arduino IDE

P
 orts and Interfaces
Figure 1-3 shows the main ports of the Arduino Uno.

3
Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

Figure 1-3. Arduino Ports

There are five primary port groupings that are used to connect to the
Arduino:

Computer port: This is the primary port that is

directly connected to the computer. It is a ­micro-­
USB port that powers and enables the user to
upload the sketches or programs to the Arduino.

Battery power port: This port allows an Arduino

to be unplugged from a computer and use battery
power to operate. A standard wall power supply that
provides 9–12 V DC can also be used.

Sensor power ports: These plug connections

provide 3.3 V and 5 V DC power. There is also a reset
connection and input voltage connection.

Analog device ports: These connections are for

analog inputs.

Digital device ports: These are for digital inputs

and outputs.

4
 Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

IDE (Integrated Development Environment):

The IDE is the program that is used to develop the
code. It is the programming tool that runs on a
computer and has features to help the developer
write code. The IDE tool must be downloaded from
the Arduino web site.

Sketch: The code that runs on an Arduino is called

a sketch. Once the code is developed in the IDE, it is
uploaded to the Arduino.

Libraries: These are code modules that are installed

on the Arduino and called up by the program when
needed. Libraries add a lot of functionality and do
not require any additional coding.

There are other components and hardware that can be used with the
Arduino:

Shields/breakout boards: These are add-on boards

that are either inserted into the standard Arduino
board ports or connected via wires.

Sensors: A sensor is a device that senses some type

of data. It can be used to directly measure a physical
aspect, or it can be used with some mathematics to
infer a physical measurement.

Effectors: An effector imparts some change in the

physical world when activated. Motors, solenoids,
and servos are some examples.

LCDs: Liquid Crystal Display can be used to show

data.

LEDs: Light-Emitting Diodes or other incandescent

lights can also indicate an event has occurred.

5
Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

Lessons Learned About the Arduino

The Arduino is relatively easy to use, but the authors found there are a few
key points that will help when using this powerful device:

• Each Arduino attaches to a specific com port. The port

may have to be changed or selected in the tools tab
under “port” to get the IDE to recognize the Arduino.

• If the code is being pasted into the IDE, do not copy

from Microsoft Word or another word processor. First,
put it in a text editor such as Notepad, Notepad++,
or some other C/C++ IDE editor and then copy it
from there. Important note: Notepad and Notepad++
are not development tools like the IDE. One other
very important item of note is when the code was
transcribed into the book format some of the code text
that must be on one line may show up on two lines in
this book. The authors have tried their best to highlight
the code that should be on one line in the IDE by
bolding it in the Listing. Please contact the authors if
there are questions at [email protected].

• It is a good idea to test the devices with a basic program

to be sure they work, before moving to a more complex
program.

• If the final code is complex, get each piece of code

working before adding more modules. This way, it is
easier to find the module where the problem is located.

• The authors recommend for long timing events or

complex programs to not use the “delay command,”
because it locks the Arduino and prevents it from doing
anything else. Instead, use the “milli command” that

6
 Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

tracks time intervals between events and still allows

other actions to occur. The milli code might be a little
more complex, but it allows the Arduino to perform
other functions simultaneously. Using the delay
command for short events or simple programs like
the ones in this book, such as a switch debounce, is
recommended.

• A feature built into the Arduino IDE is the “auto-format

command.” It can be found under the tools tab or using
“Alt+T.” This command helps identify missing items and
also helps organize the code for improved readability.

• One more key aspect of Arduino coding is the “loop

command.” There are a few different types, but common
ones such as “void loop” and the “for command”
perform several operations and then repeat them.

• Check the wiring twice before applying power. It can be

difficult to see which port a wire is plugged into when
there are several wires.

• It is hard to know what code is on an Arduino. One easy

way that helps determine what is loaded on an Arduino
is saving code with a descriptive name, date, and even
time information. This helps programmers who may
need to go back to a previous code version.

• One other very helpful trick is to put the descriptive

name of the code on a piece of tape and stick it on top
of the computer port. This helps when working on, or
programing, several different Arduinos.

• One of the advantages of the Arduino is that once it is

programmed, it remembers the code. When a power
source is plugged into the battery power port, it will

7
Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

operate the Arduino. According to the Arduino web site,

any power source that can supply 9–12 V DC, 250 mA, or
more will work. The plug must be 2.1 mm with the center
pin providing positive voltage and the exterior of the plug
the negative terminal. Some power supplies do not deliver
enough current or do not provide stable power. If an
Arduino is behaving strangely, try a different power supply.

• Some programs need special ways to use and

communicate with the Arduino. To do this, the reader
should understand these special connection ports on
the Arduino Uno: analog A5 is the SCL (Clock port) and
A4 is the SDA (Data port).

Raspberry Pi Basics
The Raspberry Pi 3 is a powerful minicomputer. This piece of technology
comes with a lot of features like any other modern computer. It is an
experimental/hobbyist device developed around 2011 in the United
Kingdom to teach programming. For its low cost, it has many capabilities
and allows the user to configure it in many ways. There are several models
on the market. For this book, the authors choose the Raspberry Pi 3
Model B V1.2 (Figures 1-4 and 1-5). There is a new Raspberry Pi 4 that
was recently released that has more features. The authors researched the
setup and use of the Raspberry Pi 4, and it appears to be the same as the
Raspberry Pi 3. We believe these projects will work the same if you have a
Raspberry Pi 4.

8
 Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

Figure 1-4. Raspberry Pi

Figure 1-5. Raspberry Pi Ports

Once the Raspberry Pi 3 is up and running, it is just like a normal

personal computer. It has a graphical user interface (GUI) similar to any
computer that enables you to open programs or files with the click of a
mouse. It uses a version of the Linux program for the operating system
(OS) called Debian, so it is a bit of a hobbyist machine and occasionally
may have an issue. There are a lot of online resources to find help.

9
Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

The Raspberry Pi 3 has a 1.2 GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU, 1 GB RAM, an

integrated wireless connection, four USB ports, an Ethernet port, and an
HDMI connection. It is a truly powerful device for only ≈ $25. The Raspberry
Pi 4 has a 1.4 GHz 64-bit quad core CPU, options of 2, 4, 8 GB RAM and
costs from $35 to 75. The Raspberry Pi 4 will run hotter than the Pi 3 and it is
recommended to have a cooling fan but it is faster.

Raspberry Pi Setup
These are the general steps to set up the Pi:
1. Insert the SD card.
2. Plug in the monitor.
3. Plug in the keyboard.
4. Plug in the mouse.

5. Start the system.

The authors recommend that the reader do all their programming in

versions of Python 3.X or later. The exception to this recommendation is if
the reader has legacy code that runs on an earlier version like Python 2.7.X.
Some projects in this book require additional modules to run. The
“pip” command is typed into the terminal area to install code modules.
The reader should be aware that the pip command installs a module in the
base Python area, which may be specific to Python 2.7.3. If the reader has
upgraded to or is using a newer version of Python, they will need to use
pip3 or Python 3.
Operating the Raspberry Pi is much like a personal computer. It has a
GUI along with several programs such as a spreadsheet, word processor,
and other built-in items. Figure 1-6 provides an example of the interface.

10
 Chapter 1 Key Technology Tools

Figure 1-6. Raspberry Pi GUI with Spreadsheet

For the purposes of this book, the authors will focus primarily on how
to connect sensors to the Raspberry Pi and get data out of them. There are
many other uses for the Raspberry Pi that will not be covered in this text.
Figure 1-7 shows the General-Purpose Input/Output or GPIO pins,
although it may not be easy to determine the pin number on the Raspberry Pi.
A ribbon cable is also shown that connects to a nice interface board made
by MCM. This interface board has pin numbers and makes it a lot easier to
connect sensors to the Raspberry Pi. More about this in the next chapter.

11
Exploring the Variety of Random
Documents with Different Content
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Life of
That Wonderful and Extraordinarily Heavy
Man, Daniel Lambert
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.

Title: The Life of That Wonderful and Extraordinarily Heavy Man,

Daniel Lambert

Author: Anonymous

Release date: February 5, 2022 [eBook #67328]

Language: English

Original publication: United States: Samuel Wood & Sons

Credits: deaurider and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at

https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images
generously made available by The Internet Archive)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF

THAT WONDERFUL AND EXTRAORDINARILY HEAVY MAN, DANIEL
LAMBERT ***
 THE

LIFE

OF

That Wonderful and Extraordinarily

HEAVY MAN,

DANIEL LAMBERT,

FROM

HIS BIRTH TO THE MOMENT OF

HIS DISSOLUTION;
WITH
An Account of Men noted for their Corpulency, and
other interesting matter.

NEW-YORK:
PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL WOOD & SONS,
NO. 261, PEARL-STREET;
And Samuel S. Wood & Co. No. 212, Market-street,
Baltimore.

1818.
 THE

LIFE

OF

Daniel Lambert.

Daniel Lambert was born on the 13 of March, 1770, in the Parish

of St. Margaret, at Leicester. From the extraordinary bulk to which
he attained, the reader may be naturally disposed to inquire,
whether or no his parents were persons of remarkable dimensions.
This was not the case; nor were any of his family inclined to
corpulence, excepting an uncle and aunt on the father’s side, who
were both very heavy. The former died during the infancy of
Lambert, in the capacity of gamekeeper to the Earl of Stamford, to
whose predecessor his father had been huntsman in early life. The
family of Lambert, senior, consisted besides Daniel, of another son,
who died young, and two daughters, who are still living, and both
women of the common size.
The habits of the subject of this memoir were not, in any respect,
different from those of other young persons till the age of fourteen.
Even at that early period he was strongly attached to the sports of
the field. This, however, was only the natural effect of a very obvious
cause, aided probably by an innate propensity to those diversions.—
We have already mentioned the profession of his father and uncle,
and have yet to observe, that his maternal grandfather was a great
cock-fighter. Born and bred among horses, dogs, and cocks, and all
the other appendages of sporting, in the pursuits of which he was
encouraged even in his childhood, it cannot be a matter of wonder
that he should be passionately fond of all those exercises and
amusements, which are comprehended under the denomination of
field sports.
Brought up under the eye of his parents till the age of fourteen,
young Lambert was then placed with Benjamin Patrick, in the
manufactory of Taylor & Co. at Birmingham, to learn the business of
a die-sinker and engraver. This establishment, then one of the most
flourishing in that opulent town, was afterwards destroyed in the
riots of 1791, by which the celebrated Dr. Priestly was so
considerable a sufferer.
Owing to the fluctuations to which all those manufactures that
administer to the luxuries of the community are liable, from the
caprices of fashion, the wares connected with the profession which
had been chosen for young Lambert ceased to be in request.
Buckles were all at once proscribed, and a total revolution took place
at the same period in the public taste with respect to buttons; the
consequence was, that a numerous class of artisans were thrown
out of employment, and obliged to seek a subsistence in a different
occupation. Among these was Lambert, who had then served only
four years of his apprenticeship.
Leaving Birmingham, he returned to Leicester to his father, who
held the situation of keeper of the prison of that town. Soon
afterwards, at the age of nineteen, he began to imagine that he
should be a heavy man, but had not previously any indications that
could lead him to suppose he should attain the excessive corpulence
for which he was afterwards distinguished. He always possessed
extraordinary muscular power, and at the time we are speaking of,
could lift great weights, and carry five hundred pounds with ease.
Had his habits been such as to bring his strength into action, he
would doubtless have been an uncommonly powerful man.
That he was not deficient in physical strength or courage, is
demonstrated by the following adventure, in which he was about
this period engaged:—
Standing one day in his father’s house at Leicester, his attention
was attracted by a company of Savoyards with their dancing bears
and dogs, surrounded by an immense concourse of spectators.
While they were exhibiting, a dog which had formerly been
accustomed to travel with a similar company of these grotesque
performers, and now belonged to the county gaoler, hearing the
sound, flew furiously upon a very large bear whose overbearing
force and weight soon crushed him to the ground. “Give her tooth,”
said the Savoyards, irritated at the interruption of their exhibition,
and making preparations to take off the muzzle of the bear. Lambert,
being acquainted with the master of the dog, and knowing that, in
this case, the animal would be exposed to certain destruction, went
out and addressed the people with the intention of pacifying them,
and prevailing upon them to suffer the dog to be taken away. Deaf
to all his remonstrances, one of the Savoyards still persisting in
pulling off the muzzle, the dog being all this time underneath, and in
the grasp of the bear. Enraged at the fellow’s obstinacy, he protested
he would kill the bear if it lay in his power, and snatching from the
man’s hand the paddle or pole with which they manage these
animals, at the moment when the muzzle was removed, he struck
the bear with all his force, fully intending to despatch her if possible.
Bruin was for a moment completely stunned with the blow, and the
dog seized that opportunity of disengaging himself from her
clutches. Enraged at this fresh attack, she turned towards her new
antagonist, who kept repeating his strokes, but without being able to
hit her head, which she protected from his blows with all the
dexterity of the most accomplished pugilist. During these successive
attacks, the dog, faithful to his friend who had so opportunely
stepped to his aid, continued to exhibit the most astonishing proofs
of undaunted intrepidity, till he was at length caught up by one of
the by-standers. The weather was frosty, and the pavement was
slightly glazed from the trundling of a mop. Here, while thus busily
engaged in belabouring his formidable foe, Lambert fell, but arose
again with the utmost agility. Bruin was now close to him; he had a
full view of her tremendous teeth, and felt the heat from her breath.
The danger became pressing, and as his shaggy foe was too near to
admit of his using the weapon, he struck her with his left hand such
a violent blow on the skull, as brought her to the ground; on which
she declined the contest, and “yelling fled.” During the fray, a
smaller bear had been standing upright against a wall, with a cocked
hat on his head; in consequence of the retreat of his companion, this
ludicrous figure now appeared full in front of the victorious
champion, who brandished in his hand the up-lifted pole. The beast,
as if aware of his danger, and expecting to be attacked in his turn,
instantly took off his hat, and apparently in token of submission,
tumbled heels over head at the feet of the conqueror. Meanwhile the
populace, terrified at the approach of ursa major began to retire in a
backward direction, still keeping the unsuccessful combatant in view,
till they tumbled one after another over some loads of coal that
happened to lie in the way. The scene now became truly ludicrous:
forty people were down at a time; and as though each person
thought himself already in the gripe of the irritated animal,
vociferated Murder! with all their might. The Savoyards who were
after all, the greatest sufferers by this tragicomic representation,
applied to the mayor, and demanded redress. The magistrate
inquired where the fray happened, and was informed that it took
place in Blue-Boar-Lane, in the parish of St. Nicholas—the
inhabitants of which have for many years been distinguished by the
appellation of Nick’s Ruffs. “Oh!” said he, “the people of that parish
do just as they please; they are out of my jurisdiction;” and gravely
dismissed the disappointed complainants. It was two years before
this company of itinerant performers again ventured to make their
appearance in Blue-Boar-Lane. On this occasion, one who happened
to be rather before the rest, perceiving Lambert sitting at his door,
gave notice to the others, who, dreading a repetition of the
treatment they had before experienced, instantly retreated by the
way they had come.
It was not very long after the above adventure, that Lambert
experienced an escape from a danger much more alarming, and
from the consequence of which no human exertions could possibly
have preserved him. He was one of the numerous inhabitants of
Leicester, whom the memorable conflagration at the house of a well
known bookseller, now resident in the metropolis, attracted to the
spot. It was dark, the fire was then raging with the utmost fury, and
Lambert passed along under a wall, which, from the falling of the
others to which it had once been joined, now stood completely
detached. When he had reached the extremity, an acquaintance
whom he accidentally found there, congratulated him on his narrow
escape, at the same time pointing to the wall. Lambert, totally
unconscious of the risk to which he had been exposed, and now
standing in a line with the wall, observed with horror that it rocked
to and fro like corn in the breeze, and not many moments elapsed
ere it fell with a tremendous crash.
His father having resigned the office of keeper of the prison,
Daniel succeeded to the situation. It was within a year after this
appointment that his bulk received the greatest and most rapid
increase. This he attributed to the confinement and sedentary life to
which he was now obliged to submit, which produced an effect so
much the more striking, as, from his attachment to sporting, he had
previously been in the habit of taking a great deal of exercise.
Though he never possessed any extraordinary agility he was still
able to kick to the height of seven feet, standing on one leg.
About the year 1793, when Lambert weighed 448lbs, he had
occasion to visit Woolwich, in company with the keeper of the county
jaol of Leicester. As the tide did not serve to bring them up again to
London, he walked from Woolwich to the metropolis, with much less
apparent fatigue than several middle sized men who were of the
party.
 The inhabitants of Leicester are remarkable for their expertness in
swimming, an art which they are encouraged to practise by their
vicinity to the river Soar. From the age of eight years Lambert was
an excellent swimmer, and such was his celebrity, that about ten
years ago, all the young people in his native town, who were
learning to swim, resorted to him for instruction. His power of
floating, owing to his uncommon bulk, was so great that he could
swim with two men of ordinary size upon his back. He has been
heard to relate that, on these occasions, when any of his young
pupils manifested any timidity, he would convey them to the
opposite bank of the river from that on which they layed their
clothes, and there leave them to find their way back as well as they
could. By this means, they soon acquired that courage which is so
indispensably necessary to the attainment of excellence in the art of
swimming.
Lambert’s father died about five years after his son’s appointment
to be keeper of the prison, which office he held till 1805. In this
situation he manifested a disposition fraught with benevolence;
whatever severity he might be under the necessity of exercising
towards the unhappy objects committed to his care during their
confinement, he never forebore to make the greatest exertions to
assist them at the time of their trials. Few left the prison without
testifying their gratitude, and tears often spoke the sincerity of the
feeling they expressed. His removal from the office, was in
consequence of a wish on the part of the magistrates to employ the
prisoners in the manufactory of the town. As a proof of the
approbation which his conduct had merited, they settled upon him
an annuity of 50l. for life, without any solicitation whatever; and
what was still more gratifying to his feelings, this grant was
accompanied with a declaration, that it was a mark of their esteem,
and of the universal satisfaction which he had given in the discharge
of the duties of his office.
Such were the feelings of Lambert, that no longer than four years
ago, he abhorred the very idea of exhibiting himself. Though he lived
exceedingly retired at Leicester, the fame of his uncommon
corpulence had spread over the adjacent country to such a degree,
that he frequently found himself not a little incommoded by the
curiosity of the people, which it was impossible to repress, and
which they were constantly devising the means of gratifying, in
despite of his reluctance.
Finding, at length, that he must either submit to be a close
prisoner in his own house, or endure all the inconveniences without
receiving the profits of an exhibition, Lambert wisely strove to
overcome his repugnance, and determined to visit the metropolis for
that purpose. As it was impossible to procure a carriage large
enough to admit him, he had a vehicle constructed expressly to
carry him to London, where he arrived for the twenty-second time,
in the spring of 1806, and fixed his residence in Piccadilly.
His apartments there had more the air of a place of fashionable
resort, than of an exhibition; and as long as the town continued full,
he was visited by a great deal of the best company. The dread he
felt on coming to London, least he should be exposed to indignity
and insult from the curiosity of some of his visiters, was soon
removed by the politeness and attention which he almost universally
experienced. There was not a gentleman in town from his own
country but went to see him, not merely gazing at him as a
spectacle, but treating him in the most friendly and soothing
manner; which, he declared, was too deeply impressed upon his
mind ever to be forgotten.
The spirit of politeness which always prevailed in the presence of
Lambert, was such as was, perhaps, never observed on a similar
occasion.
Many of his visiters seemed incapable of gratifying their curiosity
to its full extent, and called again and again to behold what an
immense magnitude the human figure is capable of attaining; one
man, a banker in the city, jocosely observed, that he had fairly had a
pound’s worth.
 Lambert had the pleasure of receiving persons of almost every
description and nation. He was one day visited by a party of
fourteen, eight women and six men, who expressed their joy at not
being too late, as it was near the time of closing the door for the
day. They assured him they had come from Guernsey, on purpose to
convince themselves of the existence of such a prodigy as he had
been described to be by one of their neighbours who had seen him;
adding, that they had not one single friend or acquaintance in
London, so that they had no other motive whatever for their voyage.
A striking illustration of the power of curiosity over the human mind.
Great numbers of foreigners were gratified with the contemplation
of a spectacle, unequalled perhaps in any other country. Among
these, a Frenchman, accompanied by a Jew, seemed extremely
desirous, from motives best known to himself, of persuading
Lambert to make an excursion to the continent insinuating that,
under his guidance and management, he could not fail of success.
“Vy you no go to France?” said he, “I am sure Buonaparte vill make
your fortune.” Lambert, who had too much good sense to be the
dupe of a designing monsieur, declined accepting the invitation.
Among the many visiters of Lambert, the celebrated Polish dwarf,
count Borulawski, was not the least interesting. The count, having
made a fortune by exhibiting his person, has retired to Durham to
enjoy the fruit of his economy. Though now in his seventy-fourth
year, he still possesses all the gracefulness and vivacity by which he
was formerly characterized. Lambert, during his apprenticeship at
Birmingham, went several times to see Borulawski, and such was the
strength of the count’s memory, that he had scarcely fixed his eyes
upon him in Piccadilly before he recollected his face. After reflecting
a moment, he exclaimed that he had seen the same face twenty
years ago, in Birmingham, but it was not surely the same body. This
unexpected meeting of the largest and smallest man, seemed to
realize the fabled history of the inhabitants of Lilliput and Brobdinag,
particularly when Lambert rose for the purpose of affording the
diminutive count a full view of his prodigious dimensions. In the
course of conversation, Lambert asked what quantity of cloth the
count required for a coat, and how many he thought his would make
him.—“Not many,” answered Borulawski. “I take goot large piece
cloth myself—almost tree quarters of a yard.” At this rate, one of
Lambert’s sleeves would be abundantly sufficient for the purpose.
The count felt one of Lambert’s legs: “Ah,” he exclaimed, “pure flesh
and blood. I feel de warm. No deception! I am pleased: for I did
hear it was deception.” Lambert asked if his lady was alive, on which
he replied, “No, she is dead, and (putting his finger significantly to
his nose) I am not very sorry, for when I affronted her, she put me
on the mantle-shelf for punishment.”
The many characters that introduced themselves to Lambert’s
observation in the metropolis, furnished him with a great number of
anecdotes, which a retentive memory enabled him to relate with
good effect.
One day the room being rather crowded with company, a young
man in the front, almost close to Lambert, made incessant use of
one of those indispensable appendages of a modern beau, called a
quizzing-glass. The conversation turned on the changes of the
weather, and in what manner Lambert felt himself affected by them
—“What do you dislike most?” asked the beau. “To be bored with a
quizzing-glass,” was the reply.
A person asking him in a very rude way the cost of one of his
coats, he returned him no answer. The man repeated the question,
with the observation that he thought he had a right to demand any
information, having contributed his shilling, which would help to pay
for Lambert’s coat as well as the rest. “Sir,” rejoined Lambert, “if I
knew what part of my next coat your shilling would pay for, I can
assure you I would cut out the piece.”
On another occasion a woman was particularly solicitous to have
the same question resolved. “Indeed, madam,” answered Lambert,
“I cannot pretend to charge my memory with the price, but I can
put you into a method of obtaining the information you want. If you
think proper to make me a present of a new coat, you will then
know exactly what it costs.”
 A person who had the appearance of a decent man, one day took
the liberty of asking several impertinent questions. Lambert looked
him sternly in the face, but without making any reply. A woman now
entered the room, and Lambert entered into conversation with her,
on which the same person observed that he was more polite to
ladies than to gentlemen. “I can assure you, Sir,” answered Lambert,
“that I consider it my duty to treat with equal politeness all those
whose behaviour convinces me that they are gentlemen.” “I
suppose,” rejoined the querist, “you mean to infer that I am no
gentleman.” “That I certainly did,” was the reply. Not yet abashed by
this reproof, he soon afterwards ventured to ask another question of
a similar nature with the preceding. Irritated at these repeated
violations of decency, which bespoke a deficiency of good sense as
well as good manners, Lambert fixed his eyes full upon the stranger
“You came into this room, Sir, by the door, but”——“You mean to
say,” observed the other, looking at the window, “that I may possibly
make my exit by some other way.” “Begone this moment,” thundered
Lambert, “or I’ll throw you into Piccadilly.” No second injunction was
necessary to rid him of this obnoxious guest.
After a residence of about five months in the metropolis, where
we believe his success was fully adequate to his most sanguine
expectations, he returned in September, 1806, to his native town.
From that period to his death, he continued to travel, gratifying
the curiosity of his countrymen; and again visited London in March,
1807. On Tuesday evening, June 20th, 1809, he arrived, from
Huntingdon, at the house of Mr. Berridge, at the Waggon and Horses
Inn, in St. Martin’s, Stamford, where preparations were made for his
receiving company the next day, and during the then ensuing races;
but before 9 o’clock on the following morning, the 21st, (fatal 21st!
Alexandria, Trafalgar, and Old England still remember thee!) he had
paid the debt of nature, without any previous sickness to indicate
the approach of his dissolution.
Lambert’s height was five feet eleven inches; three yards four
inches round the body; one yard and one inch round the leg; his
weight, a few days before his death, was found by the Caledonian
balance to be 739lbs. His coffin measured 6 feet 4 inches long, 4
feet 4 inches wide, 2 feet 4 inches deep, and contained 112
superficial feet of elm. It was built upon two axletrees and four clog
wheels, and upon these his remains were, at about half past eight
o’clock on Friday morning, the 23rd, drawn to the new burial
ground, in St. Martin’s, Stamford. His grave was dug with a gradual
sloping for many yards, and upwards of 20 men were employed for
nearly half an hour (after having dragged the corpse to the mouth of
the grave) in getting this enormous mass of putridity into its “narrow
cell.” Notwithstanding the early hour at which he was buried, a great
concourse of people, “youth and hoar age,” were assembled,
numbers of whom had been in expectation of seeing him alive, in
propria persona, but were now obliged to content themselves with
the mere sight of his coffin, which, to a contemplative mind, would
create reflections on the mutability of all sublunary things.
“The grave has eloquence, its lectures teach,
In silence, louder than divines can preach.”
We shall now proceed to state what we have been able to collect
relative to the habits, manners, and propensities of this
extraordinary man.
It is not improbable that incessant exercise in the open air, in the
early part of his life laid the foundation of an uncommonly healthy
constitution. Lambert scarcely knew what it was to be ailing or
indisposed. His temperance, no doubt, contributed towards this
uninterrupted flow of health. His food differed in no respect from
that of other people; he ate with moderation, and of one dish at a
time. He never drank any other beverage than water; and though at
one period of his life he seldom spent an evening at home, but with
convivial parties, he never could be prevailed on to join his
companions in their libations. One of the qualifications that strongly
tend to promote harmony and conviviality, was possessed in an
eminent degree by Lambert—He had a fine, powerful, and melodious
voice. It was a strong tenor, unlike that of a fat man, light, and
unembarrassed, and the articulation perfectly clear.
He never felt any pain in his progress towards his extraordinary
bulk, but increased gradually and imperceptibly. Before he was bulky
he never knew what it was to be out of wind. It was evident to all
those who were acquainted with him, that he had no oppression
upon his lungs, from fat or any other cause: and Dr. Heaviside
expressed his opinion, that his life was as good (or comfortable) as
that of any other healthy man.
Lambert slept less than the generality of mankind, being never
more than eight hours in bed. He never was inclined to drowsiness,
either after dinner or in any other part of the day: and such was the
vivacity of his disposition; that he was always the last person to
retire to rest, which he seldom did before one o’clock. He slept
without having his head raised more than is usual with other men,
and always with the window open. His respiration was so perfectly
free and unobstructed, that he never snored; and what is not a little
extraordinary, he could awake within five minutes of any time he
pleased. All the secretions were carried on in him with the same
facility as in any other person.
We have already adverted to Lambert’s fondness for hunting,
coursing, racing, fishing, and cocking. He was likewise well known in
his neighbourhood as a great otter-hunter. Till within these seven
years, he was extremely active in all the sports of the field, and
though he was prevented by his corpulence from partaking in them,
he still bred cocks, setters, and pointers, which he brought to as
great perfection as any other sporting character of his day, and
perhaps greater. At the time when terriers were the vogue, he
possessed no less than thirty of them at once. The high estimation
in which animals of his breeding were held by sporting amateurs,
was fully evinced in the sale of the dogs which he took with him to
London, and which were disposed of at Tattersal’s, at the following
prices;—Peg, a black setter bitch, 41gs: Punch, a setter dog, 26gs;
Brush, ditto, 17gs; Bob, ditto, 20gs; Bounce, ditto, 22gs; Sam, ditto,
26gs; Bell, ditto, 32gs; Charlotte, a pointer bitch, 26gs; Lucy, ditto,
12gs. Total, 218 guineas.—Mr. Mellish was the purchaser of the
seven setters, and lord Kinnaird of the two pointers.
If Lambert had a greater attachment to one kind of sport than
another, it was to racing. He was fond of riding himself before his
weight prevented him from enjoying that exercise; and it was his
opinion, founded on experience, that the more blood, and the better
a horse was bred, the better it carried him.
During his residence in London, Lambert found himself in no wise
affected by the change of air, unless we ought to attribute to that
cause an occasional, momentary, trifling depression of spirits in a
morning, much as he felt on his recovery from inflammatory attacks,
which are the only kind of indisposition he ever remembered to have
experienced.
The extraordinary share of health he enjoyed, was not the result
of any unusual exertion on his part, as he has in many instances
accustomed himself to the total neglect of those means by which
men in general endeavour to preserve that inestimable blessing. As
a proof of this, the following fact was related from his own lips:—
Before his increasing size prevented his partaking in the sports of
the field, he never could be prevailed upon, when he returned home
at night from these excursions, to change any part of his clothes,
however wet they might be; and he put them on again next
morning, though they were, perhaps, so thoroughly soaked, as to
leave behind them their mark on the floor: notwithstanding this, he
never knew what it was to take cold. On one of these occasions, he
was engaged with a party of young men in a boat, in drawing a
pond: knowing that a principal part of this diversion always consists
in sousing each other as much as possible, Lambert, before he
entered the boat, walked in his clothes up to his chin into the water.
He remained the whole of the day in this condition, which to any
other man must have proved intolerably irksome. At night, on
retiring to bed, he stripped off his shirt and all, and the next
morning, putting on his clothes, wet as they were, he resumed the
diversion with the rest of his companions. Nor was this all; for, lying
down in the bottom of the boat, he took a comfortable nap for a
couple of hours, and though the weather was rather severe, he
experienced no kind of inconvenience from what might be justly
considered as extreme indiscretion.
It would, perhaps, have been an interesting speculation to have
tried how far a certain regimen might have tended to reduce
Lambert’s excessive bulk, which, however healthy he might have
been, could not but be productive of some inconvenience, besides
depriving him of enjoyments to which he was passionately attached.
The annals of medicine furnish a very remarkable instance of this
sort, and though the person bore no resemblance except in bulk to
Lambert, yet the analogy is sufficiently striking to induce a belief
that the adoption of a similar method would have been attended
with similar effects. The case to which we allude is that of Thomas
Wood, a miller, of Billericay, in Essex, which is related in the second
volume of Medical Transactions, by Sir George Baker. Wood, after
passing the preceding part of his life in eating and drinking without
weight or measure, found himself in the year 1764, and in the 45th
year of his age, overwhelmed with a complication of painful and
terrible disorders. In the catalogue were comprehended frequent
sickness of the stomach, pain in the bowels, headach, and vertigo;
he had almost a constant thirst, a great lowness of spirits, fits of the
gravel, violent rheumatism, and frequent attacks of the gout, also
two epileptic fits. To this copious list of diseases were added, a
formidable sense of suffocation, particularly after meals, and an
extreme corpulence of person. On reading the life of Cornaro,
recommended to his perusal by Powley, a worthy clergyman in his
neighborhood, he immediately formed a resolution to follow the
salutary precepts inculcated and exemplified in that performance. He
prudently, however, did not make a sudden change in his manner of
living; but finding the good effects of his new regimen, after proper
gradations both with respect to the quantity and quality of his meat
and drink, he finally left off the use of all fermented liquors on the
4th of January, 1765, when he commenced water-drinker. He did not
even long indulge himself in this innocent beverage; for on the 25th
of Oct. following, having found himself easier and better on having
accidentally dined that day without drinking, he finally took his leave
of that and every other kind of drink, and not having tasted a single
drop of any liquor whatsoever, excepting only what he had
occasionally taken in the form of medicine, and two glasses and a
half of water drank on the 9th of May, 1766, from that date till
August 22d, 1771, the day on which Sir George Baker drew up the
account.
With respect to solid nutriment, sometime in the year 1767, was
the last time of his eating any kind of animal food. In its room he
substituted a single dish, of which he made only two meals in the
twenty-four hours; one at four or five in the morning, and the other
at noon. This consisted of pudding, (of which he eat a pound and a
half,) made of three pints of skimmed milk, poured boiling hot on a
pound of sea-biscuit over night, to which two eggs were added next
morning, and the whole boiled in a cloth about an hour. Finding this
diet too nutritious, and having grown fat during the use of it, he
threw out the eggs and milk, and formed a new edition of pudding,
consisting only of a pound of coarse flour and a pint of water, boiled
together. He was at first much delighted with this new receipt, and
lived upon it three months; but finding it not easily digestible, he
finally formed a mess, which ever afterwards constituted the whole
of his nourishment, composed of a pound of the best flour, boiled to
a proper stiffness with a pint and a half of skimmed milk, without
any other addition.
Such was the regimen of diet, as agreeable to his palate as his
former food used to be, by means of which, with a considerable
share of exercise, Wood got rid of the incumbrance of 140 or 150
pounds of distempered flesh and fat; and, to use his own
expression, “was metamorphosed from a monster to a person of
moderate size; from the condition of an unhealthy decrepid old man
to perfect health, and to the vigor and activity of youth:” his spirits
lively, his sleep undisturbed, and his strength of muscles so far
improved that he could carry a quarter of a ton weight, which he in
vain attempted to perform when he was about the age of thirty, and
in perfect health.
We leave to medical men to decide what would have been the
probable result of a like procedure with respect to Lambert, but for
our own part, we cannot forbear thinking that, with his healthy
constitution and less advanced age, its consequences would have
been infinitely more striking and beneficial.
In order to show how far Lambert surpasses all other men who
have hitherto been distinguished for bulk and corpulence, we shall
subjoin a brief account of some who have been particularly
remarked on this score.
John Love, in the early part of his life, was placed with one
Ryland, an engraver, on whose death he returned to his relations in
the county of Dorset. At this time he was extremely thin, and at
length, became so meager, that his friends were apprehensive of his
falling into a consumption. By the advice of physicians, he was
provided with every kind of nutritious food, which led him into such
habits of ease and indulgence, that he resigned himself entirely to
the pleasures of the table. Having commenced business as a
bookseller, at Weymouth, he gave full scope to his propensity for
good living, and soon grew as remarkably heavy and corpulent, as
he was before light and slender. His bulk, probably from the
extraordinary contrast in his appearance, excited the astonishment
of every spectator, though his weight did not exceed 364lbs. At
length, suffocated by fat, he paid the debt of nature, in the forty-first
year of his age, and was buried at Weymouth, in October, 1793.
Palmer, who kept the Golden-Lion Inn, at Brompton, in Kent, was
a man of uncommon corpulence, and during Lambert’s residence in
London, he was induced to visit the metropolis for the purpose of
seeing him. Palmer weighed 350lbs. and though it is said that five
ordinary men might have been buttoned in his waistcoat, he
appeared of diminutive size when placed beside Lambert. He did not
survive his journey more than three weeks; and at his funeral it was
found necessary to take out the windows of the tap-room, to make a
passage for the coffin out of the house, from which it was conveyed
to the place of interment in a wagon, as no hearse could be
procured sufficiently capacious to admit it.
But the man who approached the nearest to the dimensions of
Lambert, was Edward Bright, a grocer, of Malden, in Essex.—Many of
Bright’s ancestors were remarkably fat; and he himself was so large
and lusty when a boy, that at the age of twelve years and a half, he
weighed 144lbs. He increased as he grew up, so that, before he was
twenty he weighed 336lbs. The last time he was weighed, which was
about thirteen months before his death, his weight, deducting that
of his clothes, was 584lbs. It was manifest to himself and to every
one about him, that he continued to grow larger after this period,
and if we take the same proportion by which he had increased for
many years upon an average, namely 28 pounds a year, and allow
an addition of only four pounds for the last year, on account of the
little exercise he took, while he eat and drank as before, this will
bring him to 616lbs. at the time of his death; which, in the opinion
of many intelligent people who knew him well, was accounted a very
fair and moderate computation.
Bright was 5 feet 9 inches and a half in height; his body round the
chest, just under the arms, measured 5 feet 6 inches, and round the
belly 6 feet 11 inches. His arm in the middle was 2 feet 2 inches
about, and his leg 2 feet 8 inches. He was always strong and active,
took much exercise from his childhood till the last two or three years
of his life, when he became too unwieldy. He possessed great
strength of muscles, could walk very well and nimbly, and could not
only ride on horseback, but would sometimes gallop, even after he
had attained the weight of between 4 and 5 hundred pounds. He
used to go to London, a distance of forty miles, till the journey
proved too fatiguing, and he relinquished the practice some years
before he died. By this time he had grown to such a size as to excite
the notice and wonder of all as he passed along the streets. In the
last year or two, he could walk but a short distance, being soon tired
and out of breath; travelling abroad but little, and that in a chaise.
 Bright had always a good appetite, and when a youth, was rather
remarkable in that particular. Though he continued to eat heartily
and with a good relish after he grew up, yet he did not take a
greater quantity of food than many other men who are said to have
good stomachs. As to his drink, though he did not take any liquor to
an intoxicating degree, yet, upon the whole, he perhaps drank more
than prudence would have dictated to a man of his excessively
corpulent disposition. When a very young man, he was uncommonly
fond of ale and strong beer, but for many years, his chief liquor was
small beer, of which he usually drank a gallon a day. With respect to
other liquors, he was extremely moderate, when alone, sometimes
drinking half a pint of wine, or a little punch after dinner, and seldom
exceeding this quantity; but when he was in company, he did not
confine himself to so small an allowance.
For the greater part of his life, Bright enjoyed a very good state of
health. During the last three years, however, he was seized, more
than once, with an inflammation in his leg, attended with a fever,
and such a disposition to mortification, as to make it necessary to
scarify the part. By this expedient, and by the aid of fomentation and
bleeding, he was always soon relieved. Whenever he was bled, he
was always accustomed to have two pounds taken away at a time,
and he was not more sensible of the loss of such a quantity than an
ordinary man is of twelve or fourteen ounces.
Bright married at the age of twenty-two; he lived in the conjugal
state upwards of seven years, in which time he had five children. An
amiable mind inhabited his overgrown body. He was of a cheerful
temper, a kind husband, a tender father, a good master, a friendly
neighbour, and an honest man; so that it cannot be surprising if he
was universally beloved and respected.
His last illness, which lasted about a fortnight, was a miliary-fever.
It began with strong inflammatory symptoms, a very troublesome
cough, difficulty of breathing, and the eruption was extremely
violent. For some days, he was thought to be relieved in the other
symptoms by the eruption; but it cannot be matter of wonder that
his constitution was not able to withstand a disease which proves
fatal to many who appear much more fit to grapple with it. He died
on the 10th of November, 1750, in the thirtieth year of his age.
His body began to putrify very soon after death, notwithstanding
the coolness of the weather, and the very next day became
extremely offensive. The coffin was three feet six inches broad at
the shoulders, and upwards of three feet in depth. A way was cut
through the wall and stair-case to let it down into the shop. It was
drawn to church on a low-wheeled carriage, by ten or twelve men,
and was let down into the grave by an engine fixed up in the church
for that purpose, amidst a vast concourse of spectators, not only
from the town, but from the country for several miles round. After
his death, a wager was laid, that five men, twenty-one years of age,
could be buttoned in his waistcoat. It was decided on the 1st of
December, 1750, at the Black Bull, at Malden, when not only five
men, as proposed, but seven men were enclosed in it, without
breaking a stitch, or straining a button.
Instances of a sudden and rapid increase in bulk, not less
extraordinary than that of Lambert, have likewise been observed in
children and even infants. In the year 1780, a phenomenon of this
kind was publickly exhibited in London, in the person of Thomas Aills
Everitt, born in February, 1779. The child’s father conducted a paper-
mill by the side of Enfield Marsh, and was about thirty-six years of
age; the mother about forty-two, of a healthy habit; but neither of
the parents were remarkable for size or stature. Thomas was their
fifth child; the eldest of three living, in 1780, was twelve years old,
and rather small of his age; but the paternal grandfather was a size
larger than ordinary. They had another son of uncommon
proportion, who died in January, 1774, at the age of fifteen months.
Thomas was not remarkably large when born, but began when six
weeks old, to grow apace, and attained a most extraordinary size.
The child was soon afterwards conveyed to the house of a relation
in Great Turnstile, Holborn; but the confined situation had such an
effect on his health, that it was found necessary to carry him back to
his native air. His extraordinary size tempted his parents to remove
him again to the metropolis, and to exhibit him to the public. His
dimensions, as stated in the handbills distributed at the place of
exhibition, and under a print of Everitt and her son, published in
January, 1780, were taken when he was eleven months old. His
height was then three feet three inches; his girth round the breast,
two feet six inches; the loins three feet one inch; the thigh, one foot
ten inches; the leg, one foot two inches; the arm, eleven inches and
a half; the wrist nine inches. He was well proportioned all over, and
subsisted entirely on the breast. His countenance was comely, but
rather more expressive than is usual at his age, and was exceedingly
pleasing, from his being uncommonly good tempered. He had very
fine hair, pure skin, free from any blemish, was extremely lively, and
had a bright clear eye. His head was rather smaller in proportion
than his other parts. From these circumstances, Sherwin ventured to
prognosticate, that he was as likely to arrive at maturity, accidental
diseases excepted, as any child he ever saw. This opinion might,
undoubtedly, have been well founded, notwithstanding the child’s
death, which took place about the middle of 1780, before he had
attained the age of eighteen months.
But to return to Lambert:—He could not fail to be to every
spectator an object of wonder and surprise; but to the man of
science, and especially to the medical practitioner, his peculiarities
must have been uncommonly interesting. It was impossible to
behold his excessive corpulence, without being astonished that he
was not long before suffocated by such an accumulation of
substance. The perfect and uninterrupted flow of health which he
enjoyed in his progress to his vast dimensions is likewise a
remarkable trait in the history of Lambert.
While these, and other points of singularity, afford abundant room
for speculation to the philosopher, the moralist will delight to
investigate the qualities of that mind which animated such a
prodigious body. Shrewd and intelligent, Lambert had improved his
natural talents by reading and observation. In company, he was
lively and agreeable; the general information he possessed, and the
numerous anecdotes treasured up in a memory uncommonly
retentive, rendered his society extremely pleasant and instructive.
His readiness at repartee, his superiority in characteristic description,
and the humorous sallies in which he often indulged, gave life,
vivacity, and interest, to his conversation. With respect to humanity,
temperance, and liberality of sentiment, Lambert may be held up as
a model worthy of general imitation.
FINIS.
 Transcriber’s Notes
The cover image was recreated from the original scan, which was damaged, and is
placed in the public domain.
Page 7: “Buckels were all at once proscribed” changed to “Buckles were all at once
proscribed”
Page 15: “objects committed to-” changed to “objects committed to”
Page 21: “one of Lamberts legs” changed to “one of Lambert’s legs”
Page 26: “he eat with moderation” changed to “he ate with moderation”
Page 27: “was possessd in an” changed to “was possessed in an”
A few obvious errors in typography were corrected.
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