Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1904-01-22
MAGIC IN MECHANISM
THE MARVELLOUS AuToMAToNs OF
JAQUET-DROz.

This Eighteenth Century Mechanical
| Wizard Produced CIOckwork That
Performed Wonders and Figures
That Seemed Akin to Life
Few persons in the mechanical world
have not heard Of the automatons OF
the famous Neuchatel mechanician of
the eighteenth century Most people
would not know where to find automa-
tons of Jaquet-Droz. They are said te
be in Russia, in England and scattered
! here and there throughout the world
But the most remarkable of these mas
terpieces are in the possession of Hen
ri Martin Of Dresden, where they are
/ the admiration of all those who happen
! to visit Dresden and are able to exarl-
inc them According to the informa-
4 ton kindly furnished to us by Mr.
4 Martin. tie automatons are in good
/ condition ard work as well as at the
| time when Jaauet-Droz exhibited them
/ to the sovereigns of France. Spain and
4 England, though now they must be
put in operation by hand.
One of this wonderful mans clocks
d
j ing rewound This kind of perpetual
movement was produced by different
metals expanding and contracting at
the same temperature. Another clock.
without being touched, answered the
! question, what time is it?'' 1t must
/ be presumed that the breath of the
questioner was sufficient by delicate
combination to put the mechanism III
movement. Still another exhibited the
hours, the minutes and the seconds.
the center of the dial indicating the
course of the sun through the zodiac
and the four seasons and the different
| phases of the moon in perfect accord
with its evolution
The dial was lighted at the time of
the full moon, and the stars appeared
and disappeared at the required in
/ teryals This artificial armament was
covered with clouds if the weather was
unpleasant or lighted if it was clear.
AS soon as the hour was struck a
chime was heard. 1t played nine diff
/ ferent melodies, to which an echo re-
| Sponded. A lady seated in a balcony,
| holding a book in her hand, accompa-
MED the music with gesture and look,
/ from time to time took a pinch of snuff
and bowed to those who opened the
/ glass door of the clock When the
Ginning was ended canary, standing
on the hand of a child, whose gestures
expressed admiration, sang eight diff
| ferent airs. A shepherd came in his
turn and played on the flute, and two
children danced around. Suddenly one
of the children threw himself on the
z n f1sOx. - ,,I- <14Il
his balance and then turned toward the
spectators, pointing at his companion
with lis finger Near the shepherd
lamb bleated from time to time, and a
dog approached his master to caress
him and to watch over a basket of APP
plies. If any one touched the fruit he
would bark until it was put back in its
place.
He presented one of his clocks to
King Ferdinand VI, who was so de-
lighted that he refunded the expenses
of the journey and paid in addition 500
! louis dor. The king assembled his
courtiers in order to show them his ac
QUESTION. Among the automatons was
a clock with a shepherd playing on his
flute and a dog guarding a basket Of
fruit
THE dog" said Jaquet-Droz, lis as
faithful as he is we'll behaved. Let
your majesty put him to the proof by
touching one of the fruits in the bas-
! ket" The king endeavored to take an
apple. but the dog Immediately threw
himself on his hand barking SO nat
urally that a hound present in the
room responded with all his strength.
/ The collrfiprS thought that Sorcery was
at work and fed precipitately, making
the sign of the cross. The king and
the minister of marine were the only
ones to remain.
The latter asked the shepherd what
/ time it was AS he did not answer
Jaquet-Droz remarked smilingly that
he probably did not understand Span
ish and begged his eXcellency to adj
dress him in French. The question was
repeated in that language, and the
/ shepherd replied Immediately. The
minister was frightened, and he, too,
hurried away. IN consequence of this
seance the Neuchatel artist, fearing
that he might be arrested by the in
/ QUESTION and burned as a sorcerer,
begged the king to invite the grand
inquisitor to be present Jaquet-Droz
took the clock apart in his presence
i piece by piece, showing him all the
springs and explaining to him the ac-
ton of the train. Probably the in
quisitor understood little or nothing of
the matter. Nevertheless he announc-
ed the fact publicly that he discovered
no magic and that the mechanism was
moved entirely by natural means.