Litchfield enquirer., 1878-12-05
fCorrrespondence sf the N. Y. Evening Fost.l MISS HOsMER's DISCOVERIES.

MISS HOsMERs DISCOVERIES.
 London, October 26th, 1878.
 Harriet Hosmer is we'll known as sealptor ,f the highest rank, but it is possible that her atest achievements will outlive even the mar ole in which her previous creations have been embodied. She now comes before the world n another character, and, if the testimony of ,osne of the best informed scientists ofEEgiand s worthy of trust. she has placed her name on } level with those of Fulton and Morse. One 1f her discoveries is of kind which, 1t IS said. wlll enable us to dispense with the present methods of obtaining power for machinery. The facts have been kept secret from all ex- ,ept few friends and scientific expafts. but wherever made known they have caused an andoubted sensation; probably not overa score of persons know that Miss Hosmer has inter- If the discovery is known to less than haif-a- zen.
 A NEW MODE OF MODELLING.
 Last August Miss HOsmer arrived in London from Rome bringing with her the model of her latest statute, ''The Pompeiian Sentinel" This work of art was briefly noticed ip the London press at the time but, the season be- ing over, there were too few of the bea1 nsaade in the city for the statute to receive the asteu- ton it deserved, and Miss Hesmer sent itback to Rome to be cut in marble. In the prepara- ton of this model Miss Hosmer has adopted a new style of workmanship. Instead of using the traditional clay she first constructed a rough shape in plaster of Paris. This was handled while soft, and with little difficulty the foundation of the statue, so to speak, was laid. When it had been brought into general conformity with the idea existing in the artists mind, it was coated to the depth of abont one inch in white wax. The delicate touches of the med elling knife were then all applied to this ouier coating, and when the model was completed it retained it's shape, to the finest line and fur row, without the constant care which acay model requires. Miss Hosmer regards this method of modelling as far superior to the @d. It gives much less trouble and can be worked with far greater ease, beside giving the kffect of marble instead of the dull, gloomy effect of clay. The model was exhibited in Colnashi's art rooms, adjoining the Haymarket TThealre ]; and Miss Hesmer told me that she felt under particular obligations to Mir. Colnaght foI the kindness he had shown her in connection with the model.
 s'Why," said she, "he actually tore down the entrance to his gallery to let The Sentinel which, you know, is of heroic size) pass in, and he has shown the greatest interest in it since 1t arrived-quite different from the most of these English dealers
 Having had the pleasure of visiting Miss Hosmer at work in her studio in Rome, I wtote a request for an interview, recalling our foamer pleasant acquaintance. She had then gone in- to the country, however, to visit old friends, and it was not until her return that it Twas possible for us to meet. She then Eadly named day for me to call. AL ferd House, where she was visiting Lady Ma rion Afford, is one of the most attractive houses in London, on Kensingtoa Road, facing Hyde Park near Princes Gale On calling there, was ushered into a rOom-half library half roception-room-and presently Miss Hos mer came in from an early walk.
 MISS HosMER's APPEARANCE.
 She is below the medium size, but is active and graceful. She has broad forehead, clear gray eyes, very cheerful, winning features and short hair. With regard to her age should say: Whatever it may be, she doasn't look it." I say this in no spirit of empty com- pliment. When interested and little excited she might pass for thirty years of age, thRngh usually she might seem nearer forty. Djstin- guished people-particularly artists apt to excite strong ilse a9d di0likas A--.iEh fs w. erful magnets, they have opposite poles, sa lfeia attract and repel with equal force. Miss Hos mer, however, seems to have no negative She is so earnest, straightfor- ward and unaffected that it would seem al- most unaccountable that any one should fail to be strongly attracted toward her. And then she is SO blythe and merry, so entertaining and kindly, that even the veriest misogynist would be charmed out of his crustiness in her presence. On this occasion she wore gray nat with a birds wing stuck jauntily in one Nde, a gray suit-plain sack and short plaited 'kirt-and American walking gaiters.
 We had barely begun to skim the surface of he artistic subjects which wished to discuss with Miss Hosmer, when she suddenly asked |:
 What do you think Eve been doing No. you never would guess, so Pm going to tell you all about it. Nothing on the subject has been printed anywhere, and you shall have the first chance of making it public. We'll. Eve turned inventor" and here her eyes danced so that I felt sure she had some joke to tell me.
 "Yes," she continued, 'I am going to sur prise you-make you think am little un- sound mentally, perhaps. You must, howev- er, promise not to publish all that tell you, for there are some points wish kept secret for the present"
 Seeing that she wasquite in earnest and that she really wished to give me some valuable in- formation, readily promised to publish no more than she was willing to have me.
 "Well, in the first place, I've invented a ,ontrivance to enable a player to turn the caves of music, either on piano or on con- 1uctor's stand, and it works beautifully"
 ''Great Cesar l" said to myself. shere is 8 genius, an artist, wasting her time and thoughts on some tuppenny contrivance that a machi- nist's apprentice might have invented; and, because it IS quite outside the line of her own great gifts, she will probably think more of it han she does of her finest statute. It is the old story of the hen with fine brood of chick ems and one ugly duckling; the former are neglected while the duckling gets all the care. Why won't the shoemaker stick to his last p
 ''Yes, that is very nice little invention, |" Miss Hosmer went on quite unconscious, of course, of my uncomplimentary thoughts; s.but that is mere tey.-I happened on the idea and worked it out. What am going to show you now will astonish yeu. < You may think Pm crazy-most every one does at first but you will change your mind when you see my discovery applied.
 Miss Hosmer then went on to show and de- scribe discovery she had made, and the mere saw of it the more my wonder grew. In 8 very short time was mentally covering myself with sack-cloth and ashes for having had those self -complacent thoughts about the hen and luckling. the shoemaker and his last, etc. ,and was obliged to acknowledge that great ar list might also be great mechanic. Unfor- .anately am not allowed in this letter to tell all that was told to me- The essential secret of the discovery am obliged to withhold un- til Miss Hosmer authorizes fuller revelation can only give general idea of it's applica- ton with the testimony of such scientists as have seen it also. They are unanimous in it to be not only wonderful novel; ty but Apparently thoroughly useful and practical power producer Indeed, so extra ordinary is the new principle that it scene as yet impossible to say how far-reaching may be its influence upon the world. It is generally believed, among the few who have been per mitted to know the principle involved that the discovery is as important as any that has boen made in this century.
 THE GREAT DISCOVERY. @
 The machine now in process of construction for Miss Hosmer by Browning, on the Strand. is not dissimilar in it's general design to an electro magnetic engine. The important fea- ture consists in an absolutely novel application of the permanent magnet. There is no elec- tric battery and consequently no induced mag ks-