The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-08-29

prOach. When the emperor reached
the gate, the eagle stretched ont its
wings, and saluted him by an inclina-
ton of its body. Muller is likewise re-
ported to have constructed m iron fly,
which was put in motion 10y wheel-work,
and which flew about and leaped upon
the table. At an entertainment given
by this philosopher to some of his IA
miliar friends, the fly flew from his
hand, and after performing considera.
BILE round, it returned again to the hand
of its master.
The Emperor Charles v, after his alb
dication OF the throne, amused himself
in his latter years with automata OF vari-
Gus kinds. 1t was his custom after
dinner to introduce upon the table fig
ures of armed men and horses. Some
of these beat drums, others played flutes,
while third set attacked each other
with spears. Sometimes he let fly
wooden sparrows, which winged their
way back again to their nest. He also
exhibited corn mills so small that they
could be concealed in glove, and yet
so powerful that they could grind in a
day as much corn as would supply eight
men Win 1000 IOr Il Jay.
The next piece of mechanism of suf-
fcient interest to merit attention is that
which was made by M. Camus, for the
amusement of Louis XIV, when n
child 1t consisted of a small coach
which was drawn by two horses, and
which contained the figure of lady
within, with a footman and page be-
hind When this machine was placed
at the extremity of table of the proper
size, the coachman cracked his whip,
and the horses instantly started off,
moving their legs in a most natural
manner, and drawing the coach after
them. When the coach reached the OPP
posite edge of the table, it turned sharp
ly at right angle, and proceeded along
the adjacent edge. As soon as it arrived
opposite the place where the King sat,
it stopped the page descended and
opened the door, the lady alighted, and
with courtesy presented a petition
which she held in her hand to the King.
After waiting some time, she again
courtesied, re-entered the carriage, the
page closed the door, and having re-
sumed his place behind the coachman,
whipped his horses and drove on. The
footman (who had previously alighted)
ran after the carriage, and jumped up
behind into his former place.
The most beautiful and interesting
outomata are those by which the mo-
tons and actions of man and other ami
mails have been successfully initiated,
and some of the most remarkable ma
chimes of this class that were ever con-
structed were the acoustic mechanisms
in which the production of musical and
and sweet sounds has been the object of
the artist. The Swiss have always been
exceptionally skillful in this department
of manufacture, as III every branch of
art which requires great ingenuity and
most delicate workmanship. 1t was the
celebrated Swiss merchant lie Droz who
constructed for the King of Spain the
figure OF sheep, which could initiate
in the most perfect manner the bleating
of that animal and the same artist
achieved far greater triumph i'll a
figure of dog that reclined by a basket
OF fruit which he was supposed to be
watching. AS soon as any one would
remove portion of the fruit from the
basket, the dog would spring up and
bark, and would never cease until the
fruit was replaced. lie Droz also con-
structed figure which could write and
draw. 1t was the size of life. 1t held
IN its hand metallic pencil, and when
spring was touched the figure III
stantly began to draw upon piece of
vellum previously laid under its hand
ia Il
the first card the figure rested. Other
fine cards were then put in, in success
sion, and upon these it delineated in
the same manner different subjects. 1t
is said to have been curious to remark
with what precision the figure lifted up
its pencil in its transition from one point
to another, without making the slightest
mistake.
Maillardet, another inventor, exhibited
throughout Europe many years ago n
marvellous singing bird that he had
made. An oval box, two or three inches
long. was placed upon the table, and in
stantly the lid flew open, and beautiful
little bird, with exquisite plurnage, and
its movements full of natural grace,
sprang upward from its nest. After
hopping about and huttering it's wings,
it opened its bill, held up its head, and
performed four different kinds of warb-
ling with as much sweetness and volu-
bility and power as would distinguish a
genuine bird of the same size. 1t then
darted into the box, sat upon its nest,
and the liz closed over it. The power
by which these remarkable effects were
produced were of the simplest kind.
The lid was moved by series of minute
springs, which continued their action
only four minutes. As there was no
room within so small figure for the
accommodation of pipes with which to
produce the great variety of notes which
were warbled, the artist used only one
tube, and produced all the different
sounds by shortening and lengthening il
with a movable piston.
Maillardet also constructed'an autom-
atom which both wrote and drew. The
figure of a boy kneeling on one knee
held pencil in his hand When the
figure began to work, an attendant
dipped the pencil in ink, and adjusted
the drawing paper upon brass tablet.
Upon touching spring the figure pro-
ceeded to write, and when the line was
finished the hand returned to dot and
stroke the letters where necessary. In
this manner it could execute four beau
tiful pieces in writing in French and En-