SCIENCE. 



"583 



CvriosWss 



in. 



PLATE 



pelen. In our Article ANDROIDBB, vol. ii. p. 65, we 

 have already given a full account of that interesting 

 piece of mechanism, and have pointed out the probabi- 

 lity that a person of small size was confined within the 

 machine. This view of the subject has been almost 

 demonstrated in a very ingenious little work, publish- 

 ed in London in 1821, and entitled an Attempt to Ana- 

 lyte the Automaton Chets Player of M. De Kempelen, 

 which was written in consequence of the reappearance 

 of the Automaton in Great Britain in 1820. The fol- 

 lowing extracts from this work will exhibit the prin- 

 cipal arguments which it contains. 



" The annexed drawings, (Plate CCCCLXXXV. 

 cccctxxxr. Figs. 10'. and 17.) represent the general appearance of 

 the machine. It runs on castors, and is either seen 

 on the floor when the doors of the apartment are thrown 

 open, or is wheeled into the room at the commencement 

 of the exhibition. 



The exhibitor, in order to show the mechanism, as he 

 informs the spectators, unlocks the door (A, Fig. 16.) 

 of the chest, which exposes to view a small cup- 

 board, lined with black or dark-coloured cloth, and 

 containing different pieces of machinery, which seem 

 to occupy the whole space. He next opens the door 

 (B, Fig. 17.) at the back of the same cupboard, and 

 holding a lighted candle at the opening, still further 

 exposes the machinery within. The candle being with- 

 drawn, the door (B) is then locked. The drawer 

 (G, G, Fig. 16.) in the front of the chest is then open- 

 ed, and a set of chess men, a small box of counters, and 

 a cushion for the support of the Automaton's arm, are 

 taken out. of it. The exhibitor now opens the two 

 front doors (C C, Fig 16,) of the large cupboard, and 

 the back door (D, Fig. 17-) of the same, and applies a 

 candle, as in the former-case. This cupboard is lined 

 with cloth like the other, but it contains only a few 

 pieces of machinery. The chest is now wheeled round, 

 the garments of the figure lifted up, and the door 

 (E, Fig. 17.) in the trunk, and another (F) in the thigh, 

 are opened. But it must be observed, that the doors 

 (B and D) are closed. 



The chest is now restored to its former position on 

 the floor ; the doors in front, and the drawer, are closed 

 '- and locked; and the exhibitor, after he has occupied 

 some time at the back of the chest, in apparently ad- 

 justing the machinery, removes the pipe from the hand 

 of the figure, winds up the works, and the Automaton 

 begins to move." 



The author then proceeds to point out a method by 

 which a person well skilled in the game, and not ex- 

 ceeding the ordinary stature, may secretly animate the 

 automaton, and imitate the movements of the chess- 

 player. This method will be easily understood from 

 the following extract : 



" The drawer (G G, Fig. 25.) when closed, does not 

 reach to the back of the chest ; it leaves a space (O) 

 behind it, about 1 foot 2 inches broad, 8 inches high, 

 and 3 feet 1 1 inches long. This space is never expos- 

 ed to view. 



The small cupboard is divided into two parts by 

 the door or screen (I, Fig. 21.) which is moveableon a 

 hinge, and is so contrived that when B is closed, this 

 screen may be closed also. The machinery (H) occu- 

 pies the whole of the front division as far as I ; the 

 hinder division is nearly empty, and communicates 

 with the space behind the drawer, the floor of this di- 

 vision being removed. 



' The back of the great cupboard is double, and the 



part (P, Q) to which the quadrants, Ac. are attached, 

 moves on a joint (Q), at the upper part, and forms, 

 when raised, an opening (S) between the two cup- 

 boards, by carrying with it part of the partition (R), 

 which is composed of cloth stretched tight. Fig. 25. 

 shows the false back closed. Fig. 26. shows the same 

 raised, forming the opening (8) between the cham- 

 bers. 



When the trunk of the figure is exposed by lifting 

 up the dress, it will be seen that a great part or 

 occupied by an inner trunk (N), which passes off to- 

 wards the back in the form of an arch, (Fig. 17.) and 

 conceals a portion of the interior from the view of the 

 spectators. This inner trunk opens to the chest by an 

 aperture (T, Fig. 24.) about 1 foot 3 inches high, by 

 1 foot broad. 



When the false back is raised, the two chambers, 

 the trunk, and the space behind the drawer, are all 

 connected together. 



The player may be introduced into the chest 

 through the s'iding pannel (U, Fig. 21.) at the end. 

 He will then elevate the false back of the large cup- 

 board, and assume the position represented by the dot- 

 ted lines in Figs. 18 and 19- Every thing being thus 

 prepared, ' the charm's wound up,' and the exhibitor 

 may begin bis operations by opening the door (A.) 

 From the crowded and very ingenious disposition of 

 the machinery in this cupboard, the eye is unable to 

 penetrate far beyond the opening, and the spectator is 

 led to conclude that the whole space is occupied with 

 a similar apparatus. This illusion is strengthened and 

 confirmed by observing the glimmering light which 

 plays among the intricacies of the machinery, and oc- 

 casionally meets the eye, when the lighted candle is 

 held at the door (B). A fact, too, is ascertained, which 

 is equally satisfactory, though for opposite reasons, to 

 the spectator and the exhibitor, viz. that no opake body 

 of any magnitude is interposed between the light and 

 the spectator's eye. The door (B) must now be locked, 

 and the screen (I) closed, which being done at the mo- 

 ment the light is withdrawn, will wholly escape obser- 

 vation. 



It has been already mentioned, that the door (B), 

 from its construction, closes by its own weight ; but as 

 the player's head will presently be very near it, the se- 

 cret would be endangered, if, in turning round the 

 chest, this door were, by any accident, to fly open ; it 

 becomes necessary, therefore, " to make assurance 

 double sure," and turn the key. If the circumstance 

 should be observed, it will probably be considered as 

 accidental, the keys being immediately wanted for the 

 other locks. 



The opening (B) being once secured, and the 

 screen (1) closed, the success of the experiment may 

 be deemed complete. The secret is no longer exposed 

 to hazard ; and the exhibitor is at liberty to shape his 

 conduct in any way he may think most likely to se- 

 cure the confidence of the spectators, and lead them 

 insensibly from the main object of pursuit. The door 

 (A) may safely be left open ; this will tend to confirm 

 the opinion, which the spectators probably formed on 

 viewing the candle through this cupboard, that no per- 

 son was concealed within it: it will further assure 

 them that nothing can pass the interior without their 

 knowledge, so long as this door continues open. 



The drawer stands next in the order of succession : 

 it is opened, generally, for the purpose of taking out 

 the chess men, cushion, &c. but really to allow time 



