334 LETTERS OK NATURAL MAGIC. 



then put in in succession, and upon these it delineated in 

 the same manner different subjects. On the first card it 

 drew " elegant portraits, and likenesses of the king and 

 queen facing each other;" and Mr. Collinson remarks, 

 that it was curious to observe with what precision the 

 figure lifted up its pencil in its transition from one point 

 of the drawing to another without making the slightest 

 mistake. 



M. Maillardet has executed an automaton which both 

 writes and draws. The figure of a boy kneeling on ono 

 knee holds a pencil in his hand. When the figure begins 

 to work, an attendant dips the pencil in ink, and adjusts 

 the drawing-paper upon a brass tablet. Upon touching a 

 spring, the figure proceeds to write, and when the line is 

 finished its hand returns to dot and stroke the letters 

 when necessary. In this manner it executes four beauti- 

 ful pieces of writing in French and English, and three 

 landscapes, all of which occupy about one hour. 



One of the most popular pieces of mechanisn which we 

 have seen is the magician constructed by M. Maillardet 

 for the purpose of answering certain given questions. A 

 figure, dressed like a magician, appears seated at the 

 bottom of a wall, holding a wand in one hand and a book 

 in the other. A number of questions ready prepared are 

 inscribed on oval medallions, and the spectator takes any 

 of these which he chooses, and to which he wishes an 

 answer ; and having placed it in a drawer ready to receive 

 it, the drawer shuts with a spring till the answer is returned. 

 The magician then rises from his seat, bows his head, 

 describes circles with his wand, and, consulting the book 

 as if in deep thought, he lifts it toward his face. Having 

 thus appeared to ponder over the proposed question, he 

 raises his wand, and striking with it the wall above his 

 head, two folding-doors fly open, and display an appropri- 

 ate answer to the question. The doors again close, the 



