The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-06
AIbertus Masnus and nis Autonntom.

AlDcrtuS MdeltS possessed "a WOuNnlIul
| knowledge Of chemistry. natural philoso-
ply. and medicine. His spare time. when
freed from the onerous duties OF lecturer.
was taken up with experiments in these
| sciences. So well did he succeed In these
things, and such marvellous results did he
often obtain, that the common people fear
ed him. and even among the learned IL was
| bruited abroad that he was in secret
collision with the dark powers. He
studied the nature OF the many diseases to
| which mankind Is heir, and IN consequence
was often able TO effect cures when the ply
sician'S art bad failed. This was ascribed
to his power OF magic, and many Of the
simple people looked upon him with ter
ror. Even the brothers OF the convent
feared to enter his dread workshop. ana
crossed themselves devOutly when Obliged
TO enter within It's mysterious precincts.
History is full OF legends about hiS Won
derful power in mechanics. and repre-
sents him 10 us ~ not only surprising
the lowlier classes, but as astounding
the educated by his c0ntriyancCs. Even
Thomas OF Aquin il related 10 have
been tcrrOr-stricken 10y what he saw
| within the hidden sanctuary OF his mas
ter. IL is said that one day Thomas.
whose curiosity led him TO observe his
masters work. proiited by his absence 10
examine the interior OF his laboratory.
Strange animals which he had never before
| seen. instruments artistically made. vessels
OF most curious shape. were there exposed.
| ThOmas's establishment increased in pro-
| portion as he looked around. Something
drew him towards the corner Of The room.
\ scarlet curtain, reaching in long and
close folds to the ground, seemed to him
to conceal an object. He approached,
and, timidly drawing aside the curtain.
found himself face to face with q
beautiful maiden. He wished to ly,
but feh himself detained by magical force,
and was compelled, in spite OF himself. to
gaze on the enchanting figure Of Il young
girl. The more he gazcd the more it shOne
before his eyes, the greater became his con
fusion. But this was not all. The strange
form addressed to him the triple salutation ::
"Salye. salye, salve." Frightened beyond
measure, Thomas imagined that the prince
OF hell was sporting with him. In the fear
and un%eaSiness that possessed bin he strOve
to defend himself Us best he could against
the tempter. lie seized a stick which was
near him, and, eXclaiming, "BegOne,
SATAN! struck the imaginary demon
repeated blows, till the automaton
for it was nothing elsc) broke in pieces.
Then, seized with terror, he turned to fly
from the room, when he was met at the
door by Albert. The master. seeing what
had happened in his absence, and that the
fruit OF his long application was ami
hllated, cried aloud in grief: 90. Thomas,
Thomas. what have YOU done? In one
instant You have destroyed the labor Of
thirty years." Ii would appear that
Albert had made an aut0maton capa-
Die OF ~pronouncing certain phrases
ana OF walking across a room while
sweeping IT. This was the demon which
terrlled Thomas and which occupied the
thoughts Of the inventive Albert. 4 host
OF otner traditions have been handed down
concerning him, many OF them even ludi-
crous, but which fortunately have been
denied by his earliest biographers. For
instance, he is said TO have transported the
daughter OF the King OF France through
the air TO Cologne. Another states that he
roue 10 Rome on the back Of the devil 10
absolye the Pope from some peccadlllo
INTO which he had fallen. Another tells us
that he trayersed the globe with Alexander
the Great. Yet from these relies we may
wen gamer The impression which Albert
must have left upon his age, since legend,
ana liable, aud poetry ali combine to weave
a historic garland for him. However, al
though he excelled In sciences and arts, in
metaphysics n philosophy, the grandest
claim 10 which he has to our love and ven-
Grafton comes from the fact that, while first
IN letters, he was also first among his peers
virtue.