On the Performance of the Apollonicon. 171 
Slow annual motion of their own; and Thebites, an Arabian, 
about the year of Christ 1200 determined the sidereal year at 
365 days 15 prime scruples, or 6 hours and 23 second scruples, 
or 9 minutes 12 seconds, which agrees nearly with the English 
and French astronomers, or within about 12 seconds.—See La 
Caille’s Elements, translated by Robertson, art. 471, p. 204. 
The Indian astronomers, who compute the same at 365 days 
6 hours 12 min. 9 sec., do therefore exceed the truth by at least 
3 minutes; which difference, although considerable, may possibly 
be reconciled if we were more accurately informed of the process 
of their calculations. I am, sir, 
Yours most respectfully, 
Ti. ve 
XXVI. On the Performance of the Apollonicon, constructed by 
Messrs. Fricut and Ropson. 
To Mr. Tilloch. 
Str, ae | BEG leave to present to the netice of your readers 
some account of a musical instrument that has for some months 
past been exhibiting in St. Martin’s Lane, the extraordinary 
powers of which reflect the highest credit on the ingenious in- 
ventors, and well deserve the attention of all who have a taste 
for music, or for mechanism, and who are anxious to encourage the 
successful efforts of genius;—TI allude, sir, to the APOLLONICON, 
an instruinent invented by Messrs. Flight and Robson, organ- 
makers. I have at different times attended the performances 
on this instrument; and, in return for the great gratification I 
have received, shall be happy, if, through your permission, my 
humble efforts, in thus calling the attention of amateurs of music 
to it, through the medium of your valuable work, should tend 
in the least to promote the interest of those eminent artists, I 
understand, sir, that two or three instruments, on the same 
principle as the Apollonicon, but on a much smaller scale, were 
previously made by Messrs, F. and R. for different noblemen 
and gentlemen, about six or seven years ago, which they sub- 
mitted to the inspection of their musical friends, from whom 
they met with the highest approbation. I had often heard of 
the extraordinary powers of those instruments, which were built 
for Lord Kirkwall and the Duke of Leinster, but from particular 
circumstances had never an opportunity of hearing them. 
» It was, I understand, from the flattering marks of approbatiov 
that were bestowed on those specimens of their abilities, that the 
inventors were induced to commence the magnificent instrument 
ju question, which should combine the superior delicacy of ex- 
: pression 
