The
Whig politician, Charles James Fox (1749-1806) recounted this sorry
tale of a man who farted himself to death.
The most extraordinary performer in
this walk that hath yet come to my knowledge, and which is very well attested,
was one Simon Tup, commonly called ‘Bellows Tup’, and by some ‘the Farting
Blacksmith’. This fellow was born at Kirkeaton, in Yorkshire; he had the
singular and ingenious talent of accompanying any instrument with his farts,
which he would perform so admirably in time, tone and tune as to deceive the
nicest judges in distinguishing which was the musical instrument or which were
the farts. The bagpipe he imitated incomparably, and he performed a solo on the
bassoon. This wonderful man found such encouragement that he quitted his
business and used to travel about the country, by which he got much money. He
farted airs and sung to them – particularly Go,
gentle gales, and bear my sighs away. The fate of this poor fellow was very
melancholy: by an uncommon exertion which he made in the famous song Blow High, Blow Low, he unfortunately
broke a blood vessel, of which he instantly died.
(Charles James Fox – An Essay upon
Wind 1787)
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