William Heath Robinson (1872 – 1944) was an English illustrator and cartoonist, best known for his drawings of complicated machines for achieving simple objectives. “Heath Robinson Contraption” is a phrase that entered the language during WW1 in Britain, and later in the United States.
William wrote and illustrated three highly successful children’s books (The Adventures of Uncle Lubin 1902, Bill the Minder 1912, Peter Quip in Search of a Friend 1933) as well as illustrating numerous others.
In the run up to WW1, Robinson became known for a series of drawings in magazines such as The Sketch and The Tatler, many of which I will be featuring in this comprehensive look at his work.
This is part 14 of a 20 – part series on the works of W. Heath Robinson
1915 The Water Babies:
 |
| Cover |
 |
| Title Page |
 |
| Frontispiece |
 |
| ON THEY WENT |
 |
| TRUDGING ALONG WITH A BUNDLE AT HER BACK |
 |
| UP JUMPED THE LITTLE WHITE LADY IN HER BED |
 |
| THEN HE SAW LIZARDS |
 |
| PLAY BY ME, BATHE IN ME, MOTHER AND CHILD |
 |
| "WHAT ART THOU, AND WHAT DOST WANT?" CRIED THE OLD DAME |
 |
| SHE HAD STEPPED DOWN INTO THE COOL CLEAR WATER |
 |
| THEY MAY BE JUST WHAT MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND |
 |
| SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ONE AT LEAST |
 |
| PEOPLE CALL THEM PTERODACTYLES |
 |
| THERE ARE LAND-BABIES—THEN WHY ARE THERE NOT WATER-BABIES |
 |
| TOM WAS QUITE ALIVE, AND CLEANER, AND MERRIER THAN HE EVER HAD BEEN |
 |
| WHEN ALL THE WORLD IS YOUNG, LAD |
 |
| AND EVERY LASS A QUEEN |
 |
| AND JUMPED CLEAN OUT OF THE WATER |
 |
| "QUICK, CHILDREN; HERE IS SOMETHING TO EAT, INDEED." |
 |
| DOWN TO THE SEA, DOWN TO THE SEA |
 |
| AND PERHAPS HE WOULD NEVER HAVE FOUND HIS WAY, IF THE FAIRIES HAD NOT GUIDED HIM |
 |
| AND SAT UPON A LITTLE POINT OF ROCK |
 |
| HE FELT AS STRONG, AND LIGHT, AND FRESH, AS IF HIS VEINS HAD RUN CHAMPAGNE |
 |
| AND HE SWAM ON TO THE BUOY, AND GOT UPON IT |
 |
| AND THE TERNS HOVERED OVER TOM |
 |
| THEN THERE CAME IN A GREAT LAZY SUNFISH |
 |
| AND A VERY DISTINGUISHED LOBSTER HE WAS |
 |
| PROFESSOR PTTHMLLNSPRTS |
 |
| THERE USED TO BE CHILDREN IN THE WATER |
 |
| AND CRIED ALL DAY |
 |
| SPEARING EELS AND SNEEZING |
 |
| AND BECAME EVER AFTER A SADDER AND A WISER MAN |
 |
| AND PLAYED LEAP-FROG WITH THE TOWN-CLERK |
 |
| A REAL LIVE WATER-BABY SITTING ON THE WHITE SAND |
 |
| THEY DID NOT WANT ANY INTRODUCTIONS THERE |
 |
| THE WATER-BABIES COME INSHORE AFTER EVERY STORM |
 |
| AND THE FISHES TOLD THE WATER-BABIES |
 |
| BUT THE FAIRIES TOOK TO THE WATER-BABIES |
 |
| THE OTHER CHILDREN WARNED HIM |
 |
| AND TOM LOOKED UP INTO HER EYES |
 |
| THOU LITTLE CHILD |
 |
| "DEAR ME!" SAID THE LITTLE GIRL; "WHY, I KNOW YOU NOW." |
 |
| ELLIE WAS QUITE SURPRISED AND SAD |
 |
| HE WENT TO THE TOP OF THE WATER AND BEGAN CRYING AND SCREAMING |
 |
| AND THEY SAT UNDER THE FLAPDOODLE TREES |
 |
| "COME WANDER WITH ME,' SHE SAID." |
 |
| SO HE ASKED THE BEASTS IN THE SEA |
 |
| AND A VERY GRAND OLD LADY SHE WAS |
 |
| AND THEY CAWED AND CAWED |
 |
| AND TURNED INTO A WATER-DOG |
 |
| THERE WOULD BE A NEW WATER-BABY ST. BRANDAN'S ISLE |
 |
| BUT EPIMETHEUS WAS A VERY SLOW FELLOW |
 |
| PANDORA |
 |
| OLD MOTHER SHIPTON ON HER BROOMSTICK |
 |
| YE ARE BETTER THAN ALL THE BALLADS |
 |
| HE CAME TO THE GREAT SEA-SERPENT HIMSELF |
 |
| HE FOUND GOTHAM, WHERE THE WISE MEN LIVE |
 |
| HE HAD A GREAT PAIR OF SPECTACLES ON HIS NOSE |
 |
| SO HE TOLD HIM PRETTILY ENOUGH, WHILE THE POOR TURNIP LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY |
 |
| AND FAINTED RIGHT AWAY |
 |
| HE SAW BEFORE HIM A HUGE BUILDING |
 |
| SO SHE TIED THE BANDAGE ON HIS EYES |
 |
| THE FIRST THING WHICH TOM SAW WAS THE BLACK CEDARS |
 |
| I HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE WAITING FOR YOU MANY A HUNDRED YEARS |
 |
| THE END |
