The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-02-04

plate upon which they ale pro ected arc
terminated, one of them by a gilt disc sur
rounded by halo to represent the rays OF
the sun, ard the other by a little globe Of
silvery color to represent the moon, and il
the centre of the dial there is globe rep
resenting the earth. BY means of the
machinery these little miniature represcn
tations of the sun, moon and earth &C
through with all the phenomena of al
eclipse just while it is occurring, whether
visible or not, and what is most astonish-
ing, the clock will continue to reproduce
them just at the right instant for an indefi
mite period. To a person not familiar with
the mathematics Of astronomy, nothing is
more irregular and uncertain than the
occurrence Of eclipses they seem to happen
on any day of the year and at any hour of
the day-they all do occur, however, in
obedience to certain fixed laws, which the
astronomers understand, and the time of
their beginning and ending at any given
meridian can be accurately calculated
These abstruse mathematical calculations
have been embodied in this wonderful
machinery, and that which involves long
and laborious computation on the part of
the scientific astronomer is made palpable
to the most illiterate observer. 1t must
have been god-like genius that could thus
reduce the most highly wrought demon
STATIONS of the mathematicians to the
movements of wheels, springs and pulleys,
and to reproduce the phenomena for thous-
ands of years without error, if the ma
chinery would last so long. There are
many other wonders in connection with
the celestial phenomena which this clock
indicates that we have not space to men,
ton, and many of them are so abstruse and
so technical that none but the learned
leader could understand them.
THE DAYS OF THE WEEK, AND THE OWN
tiles THAT REPRESENT THEM.
The portion Immediately above the cal
endar is devoted to the days of the week.
On an azure ground made to represent the
heavenly vault successfully appear, sur
rounded by clouds, the seven pagan divini-
ties after whom the planets known to the
ancients were named. These allegorical
figures come forth, each on his own day in
the week, in chariots of light, graceful
and classical form, drawn by different ami
mails, allegorical of the attributes ascribed
to each deity by the ancient poets On
Sunday Apollo, the god of day, appears
on a radiant car drawn by the horses OF the
sun. On Monday the chaste Diana, the
emblem Of the moon, makes her appear
ance on car drawn by stag with a timid
step. She is followed on Tuesday by Mars,
the fiery god of war, whose car, drawn by
fiery charger. is ready to fly to the conf
bat. On Wednesday is seen Mercury, the
fleet messenger of the gods, bearing the
wand and the purse. On Thursday appears
Jupiter, dread sovereign of the gods, with
his emblematic thunderbolt in his hand
On Friday appears Venus, the goddess of
beauty, accompanied by her son Cupid, in
light, coquettish car, drawn by doves
Finally, on Saturday appears Saturn, armed
with a scythe, and on the point of devour-
ing child, suitable emblem of time,
which devours all things in its resistless
and relentless course.
On the sides of the compartments are also
paintings representing the creation, the
resurrection, the day of Judgment, etc. :;
also two beautiful allegorical figures repre-
senting virtue and vice.
THE GALLERY OF LIONS.
In the next tower above is the gallery of
lions, so called from the fact that it is
guarded by two massive lions sculptured
in wood. In this gallery is a small dial
plate with hands indicating mean time
that is, the time composed of hours of
equal length, and the exact arithmetical
mean time between those of the longest
and those of the shortest days of the year
On each side of the dial plate are two geni :;
the one on the left holds sceptre in one
hand, and in the other little hammer, with
which he strikes with admirable gravity
and dignity the first stroke of each quarter
of the hour. The geni sitting on the other
side holds in his two hands an hour glass
filled with red sand, which he turns with
great ease and dextcrity every hour just
after the fourth quarter has struck.
TIE PLANETARIUM.
Immediately above the gallery of lions is
the planetarium, constructed according to
the system of Bopernicus. This exhibits
all the apparent motions of the planets
composing our system. The ground Of the
circular space above is azure. to represent
the sky seen at great distance the centre
is occupied by the sun, with his gilt disc,
from the surface of which twelve rays pro-
coed, indicating on the circumference of
the dial the twelve signs Of the zodiac
Seven small spheres, gilt, but differently
shlded with clouds, placed at the proper
distances from the sun, made of the proper
relative sizes, and moving with the proper
velocities, represent the seven planets visi-
BILE to the naked eye, in their respective
motions around the sun.
TIE PHASES OF TIE MOON.
Immediately above the planetarium is a
large globe representing the phases of the
moon. This globe turns on it's axis in a
lunar month, and the axis having the proper
inclination, its enlightened side increases
or dimnishes in its apparent size to the
eye, so as to represent very accurately the
lunar phases. In this compartment are
many beautiful paintings which we have
not the space to describe.
THE FOUR AGES OF HUMAN LIFE.
The upper portion of the clock is the
most wonderful to the superficial observer
Here are the emblematic little statues
which are moved by secret springs and per
form variety of appropriate offices with
the proper motions. There are four stat
ues representing the four ages of human
life, childhood, youth, manhood and OLD
age. At the first quarter of each hour the
child makes his appearance bearing a small
| iavelin, with which he strikes the bell once
He is succeeded next quarter by a yout
dressed as a hunter, who strikes the hal
4