The Phonograph comes to London : " The crowning wonder at the Royal Institue was a wooden box containing a so-called ' phonograph ' , the first exhibited in London . Professor Tyndall made his way to the table and gave the phonograph a well known quotation from the pen of Mr Tennyson , who was present , ' Come into the garden , Maud . ' This was afterwards echoed to the satisfaction of the audience . Crowds collected , and the theatre was not cleared until the gas was turned out ; a very broad hint that it was time to go . 1878