The Clock That Went Backward

by Edward Page Mitchell

Release: 18 September 1881
Format: Short Story
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Adults
Content: Definite Time Travel
Original Language: English

A young man and his cousin inherit a clock that takes them back to the siege of Leyden at the start of October 1574, where they affect that time as much as it has affected them. This is travel in a machine (or at least an artifact), but they have no control over the destination.

— Michael Main

The hands were whirling around the dial from right to left with inconceivable rapidity. In this whirl we ourselves seemed to be borne along. Eternities seemed to contract into minutes while lifetimes were thrown off at every tick.

DEBUT

“The Clock That Went Backward,” New York Sun, 18 September 1881.

VARIANTS

1 English variant

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Travel Methods

Time Travel Clocks, Watches, etc.

Groupings

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY: We haven’t yet mapped out the time travel itinerary.