AUTOMATON CHESS-PLAYER. 323 



B is then locked ; and the exhibitor proceeds to open the 

 drawer G, G, Fig. 61, in front of the chest. Out of this 

 drawer he takes a small box of counters, a set of chess- 

 men, and a cushion for the support of the automaton's 

 arm, as if this was the sole object of the drawer. The 

 two front doors, C, C, of the large cupboard, Fig. 61, are 

 then opened, and at the back-door D of the same cup- 

 board, Fig. 62, the exhibitor applies a lighted candle, as 

 before, for the purpose of showing its interior, which is 

 lined with dark cloth like the other, and contains only a 

 few pieces of machinery. The chest is now wheeled 

 round, as in Fig. 62 : the garments of the figure are 

 lifted up, and the door E in the trunk, and another door 

 F in the thigh, are opened, the doors B and D having 

 been previously closed. When this exhibition of the 

 interior of the machine is over, the chest is wheeled back 

 into its original position on the floor. The doors A, C, C, 

 in front, and the drawer G, G, are closed and locked, and 

 the exhibitor, after occupying himself for some time at the 

 back of the chest, as if he were adjusting the mechanism, 

 removes the pipe from the hand of the figure, and winds 

 up the machinery. 



The automaton is now ready to play, and when an 

 opponent has been found among the company, the figure 

 takes the first move. At every move made by the 

 automaton, the wheels of the machine are heard in action ; 

 the figure moves its head, and seems to look over every 

 part of the chess-board. When it gives check to its 

 opponent, it shakes its head thrice, and only twice when it 

 checks the queen. It likewise shakes its head when a 

 false move is made, replaces the adversary's piece on the 

 square from which it was taken, and takes the next move 

 itself. In general, though not always, the automaton 

 wins the game. 



During the progress of the game, the exhibitor often 



