280 



LETTEES ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



into the arm of the figure. To permit this, the 

 arm of the figure requires to be drawn backwards ; 

 and for the purpose of conceiling, and at the 

 same time explaining this strained attitude, a pipe 

 is ingeniously placed in the automaton's hand. 

 For this reason the pipe is not removed till all 

 the. other arrangements are completed. When 

 every thing has been thus prepared, the pipe is 

 taken from the figure, and the exhibitor winds up, 

 as it were, the inclosed machinery, for the double 

 Fig. 73. Fig. 74. 



purpose of impressir.g upon the company the 

 belief that the effect is produced by machinery, 

 and of giving a signal to the player to put in 

 motion the head of the automaton. 



This ingenious explanation of the chess auto- 

 maton is, our author states, greatly confirmed by 

 the regular and undemating mode of disclosing 

 the interior of the chest ; and he also shows that 

 the facts which have been observed respecting the 

 winding up of the machine, " afford positive proof 

 that the axis turned by the key is quite free and 

 unconnected either with a spring or weight, or any 

 system of machinery." 



In order to make the preceding description 

 more intelligible, I shall add the following more 

 detailed explanation of the figures. 



