From Doron Swade, who headed the construction of the two Difference Engines (at London Sci Museum and CHM): Begin forwarded message:
From: "doron.swade" Date: August 5, 2014 1:31:57 PM PDT To: Marc Weber <marc@webhistory.org> Cc: Tim Robinson Subject: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Charles Babbage, Novelist
Dear Marc
The source is 'Passages from the Life of a Philosopher', Babbage's autobiographical excursion. I am away from my sources in London at this time so can't check the page number but it is, as I recall, in the chapter on the Analytical Engine about where CB writes about tic-tac-toe arcade machines as another reference to funding the construction of the Analytical Engine. The references CB makes to novel writing appear in the nature of a passing musing rather than conscientious intention - but who knows. The intention may have been real and the reference only, casual.
Best wishes Doron
Marc Weber | marc@webhistory.org | +1 415 282 6868 Internet History Program Founder and Curator, Computer History Museum 1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View CA 94043 computerhistory.org/nethistory Co-founder, Web History Center and Project, webhistory.org