Evening journal., 1905-06-24
MAGIC IN MECHANISM
THE MARVELLOUS AUTomAToNs OF
JAouET-DRoZ.

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- I
tons OF Jaquet-Droz. They are said to
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 exam
inc them. According to the informa-
ton kindly furnished to us by Mr..
Martin, the automatons are in good
condition and work as well as at the
time when Jaquet-Droz exhibited them
to the sovereigns of France, Spain and
England, though now they must be
put in operation by hand.
One of this wonderful mans clocks
went for a very long time without be-
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 a delicate
combination to put the mechanism in
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
tervals. This artificial armament was
covered with clouds il 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 pinch OF snuff
and bowed TO those who opened the
glass door of the clock. When the
Ginning was ended a 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
floor IN order to make the other lose
his balance and then turned toward the
spectators. pointing at his companion
with his 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 ap-
pies. II 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
clock with a shepherd playing on his
flute and dog guarding a basket Of
fruit.
"The dog" said Jaquet-Droz. sis as
faithful as he is well 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 courters 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
dsh- and begged his excelleney TO ad-
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
piece by piece, showing him all the
springs and explaining to him the ac-
i Hon OF the train. Probably the in
i puisitor understood little OF nothing OF
the matter. Nevertheless he announc-
A ed the fact publicly that he discovered
no magic and that the mechanism was
J. moved entirely by natural means.
y Three Of these automatons, whose
4 perfection exceeded anything which
had ever been known in this class OF
3 work, are the young musician, the
draftsman and the writer. A young
woman, seated at the harpsicbord, ex
4 ecuted several pieces Of music will
dexterity without any person touching
4 the instrument The craftsman, seat
Il ed on stool, made drawings with q
& pencil, sketched them correctly ant
& then shaded them. From time to tim,
n he raised his hand to examine his
8 work the better, corrected some defec
= and blew the dust from the paper
y Henri Louis, having gone to Versailles
q exhibited his automatons TO the king
s. The craftsman. to the amazement oi
8 the whole court, sketched the portal
4 of the French king with a laure
wreath on his head
q Jaquet-Droz went over to England