Litchfield enquirer., 1838-05-17
CLocKs.-BY MISS LESLIE.


in the year l47O, by Hans DuriDger, a ma
tive Of that city. II has been stopped for
more than three hundred years. When
going, it showed not only the hours and
days Oft the month, but also the nightly po--
sition Of the planets, and was besides fur.
nished with variety Of figures set in mo-
ton by the work within. The story goes
that DOringer, who had obtained great ce-
lebri.y by this masterpiece Of ingenuity,
was invited blythe citizens of Hamburg TO
make one of the same kind for them. But
the people Of Dantzic, jealous that any
town should possess clock equal to theirs,
insisted on Duringcr's refusing the invita-
ton, and finding that he could not be pre-
vailed on to decline an honorable and lu-
cra,ve proposal. they put It out Of his pow
er to accept it by barbarously depriving
him Of his eyes. He did not long survive
the melancholy condition to which he had
been reduced by his wicked townsmen 3
and shortly before his death the blind art
list caused himself to be led to the clock
which had proved so unfortunate to him,
and which was then in regular motion as
usual. Feeling among the wheels and
springs which he so we'll underatood, and
whose arrangement he perfectly recollect-
ed, Duringer, with pair Of scissors, cut
in two single wire Of such importance,
that by dividing it, the whole mechanism
was deranged, and The works could never
again be made to move. All attempts 10
repair il have failed, and the clock 10 still
silent and mo,ionless, though shown to
strangers as one ofthe c0riosities of Dant.
zc. .sa as
In the city Of Basil or Basic, in Switzer-
land, the clocks 60 an hour faster than else
where. For instance, when il is but one
O'Clock in all the villages around, tits exact
~ two al Basic. This singular custom is
dated, according to tradition. about four
hundred years ago, during period Of hos
| tilities between tho Swiss and their German
neighbors on the ono side of the Rhine.
which is here crossed by bridge. The
Germans had concerted o secret attack %.
on Basic, thinking to take tho town by
surprise in the middle of the night, and the
signal for assault was TO be when the great
clock in tower at the Swiss end Of the
bridge should strike one. The artist who
had the care Of the clock, being privately
appIised ofthe design, caused the clock TO
be set forward, SO that at the hour appoint
ed by The assailants, il struck two instead
Of one. In consequence Of this, the en-.
envy, ON hearing it, gave up tho attempt,
thinking that they were an hour too late,
and that consequently their enterprise
would not succeed. In cOmmemOration Of
this dcIverance, tho clocks Of Basic have
ever since struck two instead of one, being
always kept an hour in advance.
The patriotic clock. maker whose device
had saved the city, afterwards constructed
wooden head representing that Of a Swiss
warrior, and placed near this memorable
clock, by the machinery Of which il 10
made TO lolI out bis tongue in derision Of
its ancient enemy. whose territory begins.
at the other end Of the bridge. This head
has been repaired. renewed, and kept con-
temp,uously thrusting out its tongue at The
Germans for more Than four centuries:
the people Of Basic seeming to think ihat
so excellent joke cannot be too often re-
peated.
in the court yard Of The palace of YER
sailles is large clock with only one hand.
1t is called The kings death eloek.' and
contains no works inside, bot consists ofa
face or dial in the fern OF sun. surround
ed by rays extending to the hour q minute
figures. On the death ofs king of France
tie hand 10 set 10 the moment when he
brea,hed his last, and Il semains umallered
during the whols If the next reign, aud
until his successor has also ceased "a live.
The custom originated with Louis the
Thirleealh, and continued ill the RevOln-
tion. Il was resived an the death Of tina
Eighteenth Louis, and The hand slill con-
tinUes Rxed On the precise moment 9th
mOHaFeh'S dea.h.-RsIigioSs HagGsins.