88 



♦ KNOWLEDGE 



[Aic. 1, 1884. 



would have it so, he had found solidity to be one of their 

 excellencies ; and when he had ouce said it, no body would 

 be so rude as to question it. But it seems there were 

 comets much higher than the Philosophers expected, which, 

 as they pass'd along, broke the crystal heavens, and con- 

 founded the universe : But to make the best of a bad 

 market, they presently melted down their broken glass, and 

 to Aristotle's confusion, made the heavens fluid ; and by 

 the observations of these latter ages it is now out of doubt, 

 that Venus and Mercury turn round the sun, and not round 

 the earth, according to the antient system, which is now 

 every where exploded, and all the ipse Ji.rits not worth a 

 rush. But that which I am going to lay down, will solve 

 all, and is so clear, that the King of Castile himself may 

 spare his advice." 



" Metbinks," says the Marchioness, "your philosophy is 

 a kind of outcry, where he that oilers to do the work 

 cheapest carries it from all the rest." 



" 'Tis very true," said I, " Nature is a great housewife ; 

 she always makes use of what costs least, let the difference 

 be ever so inconsiderable ; and yet this frugality is accom- 

 panied with an extraordinary magnificence, which shines 

 through all her works — that is, she is magnificent in the 

 design but frugal in the execution, and wbat can be more 

 praiseworthy than a great design accomplished with a 

 little expense 1 But in our ideas we turn tilings top.sy- 

 turvy, we place our thrift in the design, and are at ten 

 times more charge in workmanship than it requires, which 

 is very ridiculous." 



" Imitate Nature, then," said she, " in your system, 

 and give me as little trouble as you can to comprehend 

 you." 



" Fear it not, madam," said I, " we have dons with our 

 impertinences. Imagine, then, a German called Coperni- 

 cus confounding everything, tearing in pieces the beloved 

 circles of antiquity, and shattering their crystal heavens 

 like so many glass windows. Seiz'd with the noble rage 

 of astronomy, he snatches up the earth from the centre of 

 the universe, sends her packing, and places the sun in the 

 centre, to which it did more justly belong. The planets 

 no longer turn round the earth, nor inclose it in the circles 

 they describe ; if they give us light it is but by chance, 

 and as they meet us in their way. All now turns 

 towards the sun, even the earth herself ; and Copernicus, 

 to punish the earth for her former laziness, makes her con- 

 tribute all he can to the motion of the planets and heavens; 

 and now, stripped of all the heavenly equipage with which 

 she was so gloriously attended, she has nothing left her 

 but the moon, which still turns about her." 



{To he continued). 



THE TKICYCLES OF TO-DAY. 



THE "K0T.5X SALVO" Xo. II. 



THE makers of this justly - celebrated, double-driving, 

 front-steering tricycle, the "Salvo," — Messrs. Starley 

 Bros. — can lay claim to the fact that the machine known 

 as the " Coventry Lsver " was the first type of tricycle 

 ever made in this country, it being the invention of the 

 late Mr. James Starley, who is rightly regarded as " the 

 father of the iron steed " ; and only quite recently the 

 mechanics of Coventry, in appreciation of the immense 

 service the founder of the present firm rendered to their 

 native town by creating an industry which has amply 

 recompensed them for the loss of their ribbon trade — for 



which Coventry was once so famous — have recently erected 

 a monument to his memory. 



Of course, not a single season has passed by without 

 finding the machine greatly improved, and the "Royal 

 Salvo " of to-day is a veiy difTsrent piece of mechanism from 

 the progenitor of its race, which, bythe-bye, was a rear- 

 steerer, having a large safety-wheel in front, which ran on 

 the ground like tlie rear-wheel. The original machine bore 

 the lengthy title of the " Salvo-Quadrioycle." After a few 

 experiments, however, it was found highly dangerous in 

 descending l.iljs at anything like a high speed, and, in con- 

 sequence, was quickly altered to a front-steerer, in which 

 form it has ever since been wisely allowed to remain. 



The Boyal Salro Tricycle. 



About four years ago, one of the firm had the honour of 

 delivering in person two machines to no less a person than 

 her Majesty herself at Osborne, her Isle of Wight resi- 

 dence, and with those machines she has since expressed the 

 greatest satisfaction. 



The " Royal Salvo " No. II. differs from the ordinary 

 " Salvo " only as regards workmanship and weight, being a 

 better-finished and considerably lighter machine than the 

 latter, though built exactly on the same lines. The frame- 

 work of the machine is constructed entirely of weldless 

 steel-tubing. The front>-steering wheel is supplied with 

 Bowu's ball-bearings, while roller ones are fitted to the 

 two driving-wheels. The latter, I believe, are the oldest 

 bearings which exist, and are unmistakably the best 

 bearings made, being well-uigh indestructible, if only kept 

 well oiled and free from grit. 



The steering-wheel in front renders a spill scarcely 

 possible when ordinary caution is used. 



It is well known that if a rider presses too hard on the 

 pedals the front wheel will leave the ground. The back- 

 stay of the " Salvo " prevents it from being lifted so far 

 off the ground as to permit of the machine turning over 

 backwards. 



The lever band-brake fitted to the machine is as perfect 

 as a brake can be, being far preferable to a tyre-brake, 

 which is not only liable to pitch an inexperienced rider 

 out if applied too suddenly, but may snap at any 

 time when least expected, and with constant usage cannot 

 fail in time to wear the tyre away or cause it to work 

 loose. 



No matter if the hill bs as steep as a roof, there need 

 be no fear of descending on the " Salvo," since the brake 

 is sufficiently powerful to check the machine on any incline 

 whatever, and at any speed. Neither need there be any 

 fear of ajjplying the brake promptly and vigorously — as, for 

 instance, one is often compelled to do in the case of un- 

 expectedly coming on children playing in the roid, who 



