A U T 154 



Automa- adapted to receive through the side of the large air 



tu n . cliest a tin funnel, and a round wooden tnl 

 v v~"^' producing hissing sounds as, *, z, se/i, j. The 

 voice-pipe is placed in the huge air chest, so as to 

 be between the smaller air chi 



parts are fitted to the air chest, the 

 operation of one lever racing the valve of the first 

 smaller chest connected with the tin funnel, sounds I; 

 while the operation of another, raising the valve of 

 the second smaller chest conn, cted with the wo 

 tube, sounds sell. But it is proper further to explain, 

 , that, instead of being a simple funnel, it is in fact 

 a tin box, with a square hole in the outer end, 

 nearly covered by a slip of pasteboard ; and the 

 wooden tube is merer* the mouth piece of a com- 

 mon flute, closed at the lower extremity, and with 

 * the air-hole modified and contracted. The letter R 



is produced by the rapid vibration of the ivory slip 

 owing to a strong discharge of air. 



M. Kempeleu's bellows, which arc formed to 

 supply the place of lungs, have no peculiarities. He 

 found that his machine requ red six times the quan- 

 tity of air used by a man in speaking. The nozzle, 

 as we have observed, is inserted into the large air 

 chest, and the air which it discharges is also received 

 by the small air chest. 



With regard to the mouth, it consists of a funnel, 

 or rather bell-shaped piece of elastic gum, applied to 

 the air chest, and so adapted that the sound of the 

 reed issues from it. Elastic gum is selected for this 

 purpose, as more nearly approaching to the natural 

 softness and flexibility of the human organs. Independ- 

 ent of its communication with the reed producing the 

 sound required, a tin tube connects it with the air 

 chest, by means of which it may be kept constantly 

 full of air. This M. Kempelen considers a very 

 essential, or even an indispensible part of the ma- 

 chine. Besides these there are small additional bellows, 

 for the purpose of aiding the production of such 

 sounds as P, K, T, which need a greater emission 

 of air. 



The nose consists of two tin tubes-communicating 

 with the mouth. When the mouth-piece is closed, 

 and both tubes remain open, a perfect Mis heard ; when 

 one is closed, but the other is open, N is sounded. 



It is necessary to add to this brief account of the 

 , ' principal parts of M. Kempeleu's speaking machine, 



that the sound was regulated in a great measure by 

 various modifications and compressions of the mouth. 

 Four letters, D, G, K, T, he never could obtain 

 perfectly, and substituted a P in expressing them, 

 which was so managed as to bear a considerable re- 

 semblance, according to the mode of using it, and sulli- 

 , cient to deceive the auditor. Neverthele ss M. Kempe- 



len could produce not only words, but entire senten- 

 ces: such as opera, astronomy, Constantinopolis; or 

 vous eles man ami -jc vous ainte de tout mon cceur 

 Leopoldus seeuudus Romanorum impcraior semper 

 Augustus, and the like. We acknowledge ourselves 

 ignorant of the precise figure under which this ma- 

 chine, no less remarkable for ingenuity than simpli- 

 city, was ultimately adopted. At first it was ex- 

 hibited only with the union of its essential parts ; 

 M. Kempelen next proposed that it should be an 

 automaton like a child; and although we have rea- 



A U X 



son to believe that his intention was fulfilled, our un- 

 certainty has induced us to place our account of it 

 itler than under A\ 



The more complicated automata are greatly prized 

 in the East; and some years ago con .1 kind 



of traffic from Great Britain. China, we have under- 

 stood, was the place where the greatest prices were 

 given for them : and we know also, that some 

 automata of ingenious workmanship were ..arri, d 

 from this country with the last embassy, as the most 

 acceptable pri 1 ntthat could be offered to the Chinese 

 erajx n s 



AJLJTUN, the Augustodunum of the Romans, a 

 city of France, in the department of the Saone and 

 the Loire, situated near the river Arroux, at the 

 foot of three great mountains which supply the town 

 with water. Autun is not distinguished. either by its 

 magnitude or its public buildings. The ruins of 

 three ancient temples, a theatre, and a pyramid, and 

 two ancient gjites, are the only objects which arrest 

 the attention of the traveller. 



In the neighbourhood of this town there are mines 

 of iron, coal, and crystal, and in the canton of 

 Mont Cenis there is a foundery of cannon. A mine 

 of lead, with a mixture of silver, has been discovered 

 near the town; but the expense of working it was 

 not defrayed by the profits. The wood around 

 Autun is very abundant, and is sent in great quanti- 

 ties to Paris for fuel, and for the puqioses of car- 

 penters. Population 917 ; . East Long. 4 17' 59" ; 

 North Lat. 46 56' 48". See Gibbon ; s Hist. chap. 

 xi. vol. ii. p. '27. See also Saone and Lo in.. () 



AUVERGNE, the name of one of the province. 

 into which France was divided before the Revolution. 

 It now forms the departments of Cantal and Pi 1 

 be Dome, under which articles an account of its soil, 





Gibbc 



Hist. 



productions, &c. will be found. Se 

 chap, xxxviii. vol. vi. p. 307. (j) 



AUXERRE, a town in France, formerly the 

 capital of the Auxerrois in the duchy of Bourgogne, 

 but now the capital of the department of the Yonne. 

 It is situated on the declivity of a hill near the river 

 Yonne, which renders its situation favourable for 

 commerce, and gives it an easy communication with 

 Paris. Auxerre carries on a considerable trade in 

 wines, of which it sends a great quantity to Paris 

 and to the neighbouring provinces. Those of Cou- 

 lange and Chablis are the most celebrated. The 

 timber, which is also an article of commerce, is 

 brought down by the rivers Cure and Yonne to 

 Auxerre, from which it is sent to Paris by the 

 Yonne and the Seine. The environs of this town 

 are extremely beautiful The palace of the bishop 

 was one of the finest episcopal edifices in Fiance; 

 and the principal church is .also much admired. Po- 

 pulation 12,0-1-7. East Long. 384'6"; North Lat. 

 47 47' 57". See Peuchet's Diet. Commerc. vol. i. 

 P . 67'-'. \m) 



AUXILIARY Scales, in music, are, according 

 to Martini and Keeble, any key major with its rela- 

 tive minor, and the attendant keys of each of these, 

 six keys in all. See ATTENDANT Keys, (j) 



AUXILIARY Verb -, are those which are pre- 

 fixed to others, for the purpose of limiting their sig- 

 nification. See Grammar, {j) 



