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THE CHEMA WA AMERICAN
IN G E N IO U S AUTOMATONS
It will not do for “ we folk” of the present genera
tion to fancy that we are so wonderfully ingenious
after all. When we take a glance into the past and
its wonderful achievement we are often astounded at
what we see and find. An exchange recites some of
the automatic inventions of men of past ages, in a re
cent article of great interest, and we reprint it, be
lieving it will prove interesting to our readers, as fol
lows:
Automatons—mechanical contrivances designed to
imitate the actions of living creatures—are mentioned
in chronicles dating back to very ancient times.
Among such early devices were walking statues,at
tributed to Daedalus, and a flying dove, the work of
one Archytas. In comparatively recent times Friar
Bacon is said to have constructed a head of brass that
could speak and another man produced a mechanical
fly that would fly around the room and return finally
to its master.
In the 13th century one Albertus Magnus after 30
years of work produced an automaton in the form of a
human being which went forward when anyone
knocked, opened the door and saluted the visitor. A
Frenchman constructed a duck which was reputed to
behave in so lifelike a manner as to appear exactly the
same as living birds of that species. Some credulous
writers even went so far as to record that by means
of an acid in its stomach this mechanical duck was
able to digest food.
Many of the automatons descnbed in old accounts
doubtless never really existed except in imagination,
like the famous Frankenstein which, according to
Mrs. Shelley’s romance, was constructed out of hu
man bones and tissues by a young student of physiolgv,
endowed with a spectral and convulsive life, and
which at length proved the undoing of its author.
There is no question, however, that many marvel
ously ingenious self moving devices have been made.
For instance Haroun al Raschid presented to Charle
magne a water-clock in whose dial were 12 doors, one
of which opened for each hour. At noon when all of
the doors were open 12 mounted knights came forth,
paraded round the dial and then returned inside the
clock, the doors being closed behind them.
A toy that was constructed for Louis XIV consisted
of a carriage drawn by two horses. In the carriage
was a miniature figure of a lady, with attendants.
The coachman would crack his whip, the horses’ legs
would move and the carriage would roll forward in a
remarkably natural, lifelike manner. On reaching a
point opposite the king’s seat the carriage would stop,
the page would step down and open the door for the
lady, who would alight and present a petition.
In the 18th century, we are told, a Frenchman
constructed a figure of a flute-player which would
place its lips against the instrument and produce tones
with its fingers in a manner strikingly like that of a
human player. The same man later produced a flageo
let-player which while playing the flageolet would
beat a tambourine.
One of the most noted pieces of mechanism of this
kind is a clock in a cathedral at Strassburg, Germany.
It not only indicates the minutes, hours, days, months,
years and important festivals but it shows the motions
of various heavenly bodies and contains numerous fig
ures moved by machinery. The quarter hours are
struck by the statues of four old men. At each quar
ter hour a figure representing death moves forward
but another representing Christ with a spear meets
hint and drives him back. At the fourth quarter
hour the figure of Christ retires inside the clock and
death comes out, striking the hour with a bone in his
hand. This is followed by the ringing of chimes.
SA Y IN G S OF W IS E M EN
To try things oft and never to give over doth won
ders.—Bacon.
Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others can
not keep it from themselves.—Berrie.
Nothing is done beautifully which is done in rival-
ship nor nobly which is done in pride.—Ruskin.
Morality is a code of rules proper for the guidance
of humanity in its highest conceivable perfection.—
Spencer.
Let us have faith that right makes might and in that
faith let us to the end dare to do our duty as we under
stand it.—Lincoln.
Where there is love in the heart there are rainbows
in the eyes which cover every dark cloud with gor
geous hues.—Beecher.
NOT TA K IN G CHANCES
Sam, a colored character, was about to be tried on
the time-honored charge of chicken stealing. After
the charge had been stated the judge turned to the
prisoner and said: “ Sam, you may have your choice
between having your case tried by me, or by a jury of
your peers.”
“ W hat’s peers?” asked Sam.
“ Peers, Sam, are your equals, men of your own
class or situation—your own kind.”
<t
“ You all jest try dis case yourself,” said Sam.
I
aint gonna be tried by no chicken thieves.”
“ I don’t like your heart action,” the doctor said,
applying the stethoscope again. “ You have had some
trouble with angina pectoris.”
“ You’re partly right doctor,” said the young man,
sheepishly, “ only that aint her name.”