The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-10-27
AvroMAra IN FORMER CENTURIES.
Translated frcm the German, by J. Bahlnann
Columbia. s. C., for the Daily Record.

Automata are called those machines,
or those moving lifeless objects, which
have concealed the motive power, and
consequently seem to move of their own
accord; when they have the form of man
and perform human actions then they
are also called androides. The motive
power generally consists of springs,
chains, weights, which can be easily con-
cealed.
Antiquity already knew automata.
The Oldest automat was the great phi
losopher, Alcbytas of Tarent, 400 years
B. c. He made wooden pigeon, which,
as s.Gellius' says, could fly. Pausanius
mentions moving wooden eagle, Po-
lybius creeping snail, which was made
by the celebrated orator and statesman,
Demitrius Phalereus, of Athens. In the
middle age the monk Roger Baco made
a wooden head, which could make a
speech. It is said that the celebrated
necromancer and philosopher, Albert the
Great, Count of Bollstadt, (ll93-12S0)
made wooden figure which opened the
door for the visitors, salllted and appar-
emily addressed them. On one occasion
the equally renowned philosopher,
Thomas Of Aquino, became SO terribly
frightened that he struck off the head Of
the figure. This nishap caused the
manufacturer to exclaim that his work OF
thirty years had been destroyed. The
distinguished mathematician, Job Mul-
Ter, made, among other works, fly
which would move about on the table:
and an eagle which was placed on the
gate tower at Numberg, and welcomed
the Emperor Maximilian II. on his ar
rival in that city by moving its wings
and head The Emperor Charles Y.
found in his old age great pleasure in
works of art of this kind. The cele-
brated Bullman of Numberg made
figures which marched to and fro, beat
ing the kettle drum and playing the lutte.
1t is said that in the 18th century a
potter in Rome produced flute player:
in 1858 the French General, Count
Ge,,ner, made peafowl, which walked
and ate; the missionary Thibaut made
for the Emperor OF China walking lion:
also tiger.
Among the artists in the 18th century
the names of Pierre and Henri Louis
Droz Gather and SOM must be placed in
the foremost rank. The elder, Pierre,
was born in the Swiss canton Of Neuf.
chstel in the year l721, died 1870; the
younger was born 1852, died 1871.
Among their works of art mention must
be made Of two year old child, who
wrote French words, dipping her pen in
the ink, and after each word would look
at her copy; the drawer also the size Of
a two year old child; another craftsman,
the size Of a grown man, could draw
with metallic pencil on parchment very
rapidly: sketch followed sketch, and very
often they had to furnish him with
another piece Of parchment; the piano
PLAYER, a young girl, who played several
pieces, following the music with hel
head and eyes, and after each perform
ancc she would rise and bow to the audi
ence. The younger Droz made a snuff
box which contained a small bird, three
quarters inch long. Its wings were
green and yellow, it sat on small gold
table, tapping its little wings, moving its
tail and delighted the audience with q
meloGous song. The king Of Spain was
presented by these artists with s. wonder
ful clock, on which was a bleating sheep,
and dog continually watching basket
filed with fruit, and barking when any
one tried to take it of. Vaucanson (born
at Grenoble 100, died at Paris 1882
showed in 173S his celebrated flute play
er; 1t was figure 81 feet high, sitting on
a pedestal, in which was concealed the
mechanism. This figure would put the
flute to the lips, moving the fingers regu-
larly, producing good and correct notes,
and played several pieces. Another
automaton played Oh, a shepherds flute,
which he held in his left hand, and with
his right hand beat on a tambourine the
accord. A third work of art finished in
1741 was duck made of bronzed
copper, which tapped its wings. stretch
ing out its neck to eat the corn scattered
before her, and digesting its food. The
inventor of this work of art was appoint
ed inspector Of the silk manufactures at
Lyons, and the manufacturers threatened
to stone him, fearing their sales would
be greatly diminished. The inspector,
hearing of this threat, made in retalia-
ton the figure of an ass weaving cloth in
variegated colols This machine con-
tanned innumerable chains, springs,
levers, etc.
About the same time the Hungarian,
Wolfgang, born in Prenburg 1874, died
1904, created the greatest sensation with
his wonderful speaking and chess ma
chine. The first was invented in IT'S,
and consisted of a wooden box l by 3
feet, in which, by means OF pair Of
bellows and several springs, the voice Of
child was initiated. Several machines
have been made by Mical, Kratzunstein,
Posch, but generally with less success.
The wonderful chess machine, which
was shown to the Empress Maria
Thesesa in 1859, consisted of a figure,
natural size, dressed in the Turkish cos
tune, who was sitting before table 81
by >! feet put on rollers. This machine
played chess with experts, and almost
always won, at which the inventor was
always present; and whether he directed
the play, or a person was concealed in
the machine, has never been satisfactori-
ly explained, as no direct communica-
ton had been detected The inventor
was always willing to show his wonderful
machine (when not perforning), which
consisted of a number of chains, wheels,
levers and springs. The opinion pre-
vailed that magnetism was the motive
power, but this theory was soon ex-
ploded. This machine was on exhibition
in 1872 at Mailand, 1919 in London and