478 THE CENTURY, 



It represents a globular metallic vessel A, with a jet and 

 stop-cock at B, and another stop-cock at D, through 

 which water can be injected by means of a syringe. The 

 jet B, is the top end of a pipe C, which nearly touches the 

 bottom of the inside of the hollow sphere. Supposing 

 the globe to be half or two thirds full of water, and 

 placed on a fire, the heat will presently raise a quantity 

 of steam, which, as it increases in quantity, will occupy 

 the upper empty space of the sphere, and by its pressure 

 on the surface of the boiling water, cause the same to 

 rise rapidly up the vertical pipe C, and produce the 

 jet-d eau above B, the instant the stop-cock is opened. 

 And this operation will continue so long as any water 

 remains for the bottom end of the pipe C, to dip into ; 

 after which it can only be renewed by refilling the 

 vessel, and re-boiling the fresh supply of water. 



De Caus, in his large folio work, in which varieties 

 of fountains are explained by elaborate copper-plates, 

 and minute descriptions, satisfies himself with the above 

 brief explanation of the simple woodcut figure, which 

 we have here reproduced ; from which we infer that he 

 laid no claim to its being his own invention, or at all 

 events that he presented it to his readers as a gratuitous 

 offering, for its curious and amusing results. It is not 

 likely that the author of a considerable work, amidst 

 recondite descriptions and sumptuous engravings of com 

 paratively common affairs would consign his own most 

 valuable contribution to a few lines of bare description 

 and a coarsely engraved diagram. It is obvious, there 

 fore, that De Caus himself, set no great store by this 

 toy fountain ; he saw no great scope in its application, 

 and certainly never assumed it to be of greater value 

 than as an amusing experimental fountain. To claim 

 more for an Inventor, than an Inventor claims for 

 himself is mere infatuation. To sav that De Caus had 



