THE WORKS OF A WATCH. 385 



In conclusion, we perceive the dependence of 

 the wheels of a watch upon each other ; they are 

 nothing singly ; they have no energy inherent in 

 them. In the animal frame it is otherwise ; each 

 distinct portion has a quality belonging to it, 

 which stands in relation to the quality of some 

 other part. 



Were any property different from that of form, 

 which gives the mechanical power, possessed by 

 part of the watch, it might derange the movements. 

 It would be foolish to imagine any endowment 

 like that of life, but we may suppose some such 

 property as polarization, or magnetism, added to 

 a wheel or lever: what could result but disturb- 

 ance of the mechanical adjustment ? We take the 

 following fehcitous example : 



A watchmaker had put into his hands a time- 

 piece ; but notwithstanding the excellence of the 

 workmanship, it went irregularly. He took the 

 work to pieces and put it together twenty times : 

 no defect could be discovered, and yet it was im- 

 perfect — it was a bad watch ! At last, it occur- 

 red to him that the defect must be in the balance- 

 wheel, (which we have seen to be the regulator of 

 the watch ;) he thought it possible that this part 

 had become magnetized, and on applying a needle 

 to it he found his suspicion true. By coming ac- 

 cidentally into contact with a magnet, the metal 

 of the balance-wheel had acquired an attraction 

 for the steel work of the watch. A property, su- 

 peradded to a part of the watch, and at variance 

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