Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-02-08
Miscellany.
The Great Strasburg Clock.


that is great and truo, rises the Minister
of Strasburg. walked round and round
it, and sought the entrance, at which
stands Erwin's statute, the figure of JUS
tice. On the opposite side is the portal, on
which is the martyrdom of St. laurent.
us, within an arbor, as it were, of stone,
open all around, and full of hanging grape
vines. In the principal entrance on the
left are wise virgins with their lamps, in
nocent and simple; on the right are saints
with demons or evil spirits under their
heels. On the one gate are angels; on
the other, martyrs.
j., As I looked up and down, and contcm-
plated the countless images of stone, in
their inches, their stiffened lips loosened,
| hear their voices, hymns; the whole
pile becomes melody; the well Of sepa-
rate tones melts into one gigantic SYM
phony.
As the twelfth hour approached, multi
tudes came running from every side. They
were all eager to see this curiosity of me-
diaval times although the clock, adapted
by theaged mathematician, schwilgue, to
he present state of science, has now been
going for four years.
My friend at last appeared, and We
had barely time ts push our way through
the crowd, and to ascend the small wind
ing staircase which leads into the four
stories of the clock, and the small balco-
ny in which we were suspended like swal-
lows, against the mathematical monument,
looking down perpendicularly upon a
dense mass of heads, whose eyes and lips
were all fixed upon one point.
On one of the lower galleries, an an
gel, guarded by lions which formerly
roarcd, and holding scoptrc and bells in
its hands, strikes the quarters, and anoth-
er turns round the hour-glass. In an up
per space, the four ages of life then step
forward; the child strikes the first quar-
ter, with its thyrsus, upon bell, the
youth strikes the half hour with his arrow,
the armed warrior the third quarter with
his sword, and the old man the fourth
with bis crutch then Death appears, and
strikes the hour with his bone; and, as
the sound of the last stroke dies away,
the figure Of Christ comes forward in a
yet higher story, and raises its right arm
as for blssing; the twelve apostles, one
after the other, pass before him, and in
passing incline themselves before the Sa-
vior, who. in conclusion, gives bis bless
ing to the spectators. Their eyes, in the
meanwhile, turn to the cock, who proudly
sits high up on small tower he flaps
his wings, stretches out his head and his
tail, rufiles his neck, and thrice his shrill
growing sounds loud and clear. n
Among the old paintings which adorn
the case Of the clock, one Of the most
is the portrait Of Coperni-
Gus, according to whose system the plane
tarium, which is over the gallery Of the
lions, is erected. Dol
At the moment when Calico was con.
demned, the scientific men Of Strasburg
protested against the judgment, and erec-
ted monument TO the Polish astronnmer
in this astral clock, which, like q trophy
Of truth, is placed in the sanctuary. At
ter the exhibition was concluded, we step
ped into the interior of the astronomical
works, which are wound up once in eight
days, and in which endless combinations
of wheels we're revolving in perfect ST.
lence. iNmr a
A solemn and mysterious sensation sci-
yes upon one here, as if enc we're in the
worship of the spirits of the hours. The
conception is certainly lofty one. that
of showing forth tho whole structure of