On the Kaleidoscope. 377 



which the instrument is founded, and earlier publication, be held 

 to constitute the invention, the discovery will be found to be- 

 long to England, notwithstanding the French work " published 

 fTioi-e than ffty. years ago, in which the principle of this agree- 

 able illusion is descril)ed ;" for the principle was published in 

 London more than eighty years asjo, in a work entitled " New 

 Improvemetils of Planting and Gardening, both philosophical 

 and practical, 6th Edition. By Richard Bradley, Professor 

 of Botany at the University of Cambridge, and F.R.S. Printed 

 for J. and J. Knapton, in St. Paul's Church-yard^ 1731." The 

 following is printed from Bradley's first chapter. 



" Description and Use of a new Invention for the more speedily 

 designing of Garden Plats, whereby lue may produce more 

 variety of Figures in an Hour's Time, than are to be found in 

 all the Books on Gardening now extant. 

 " Since the instrum°nt I now design to treat of has afforded 

 some pleasure to many of my acquaintance, I have been easily 

 persuaded to make it public. It is of that nature, that the best 

 designeis or draughtsmen may improve and help their fancies 

 by it, and may with more certainty hit the humour of those gen- 

 tlemen they are to work for, without being at the trouble of 

 making many varieties of figures or garden plats, which will lose 

 lime and call an unnecessary expense, which frequently dis- 

 courages gentlemen from making up their gardens. In short, 

 the charge of the instrument is so small, and its use so delight- 

 ful and profitable, that I doubt not its favourable reception in 

 the world. But to proceed : 



" We must choose two pieces of looking-glass of equal big- 

 ness, of the figure of a long square, five inches in length and four 

 in breadth : they nn.st be covered on the back with paper or silk, 

 to prevent rubbing off the silver, which would else be apt to 

 crack off by frequent use. This covering for the back of the 

 glasses must be so put on that nothing of it may appear about 

 the edges of the bright side. 



" The glasses being thus prepared, they must be laid face to 

 face and hinged together, so that they may be made to open and 

 j<hut at pleasure, like the leaves of a book. As for example, the 

 first figure (PI. III.) shows us the backs of the two glasses A and 

 B joined together by hinges C C and D D, so that they may be 

 opened and shut to any part of a circle. And now the glasses 

 being thus fitted for our purpose, I shall proceed to explain the 

 use of them. 



" Draw a large circle upon paper, divide it into 3, 4.5,6, 7 or 

 fi equal parts, which being done, we may diavv in every one ot 

 the divisions a figure at our pleasure, either for garden plats, 



or 



