PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 563 



with the back corners roundec^ off. The sweep is very graceful, and the 

 ugly square box is transformed into an elegant piece of furniturti, beauti- 

 fully finished all round, forming an ornament to the parlor, and taking up 

 much less space than the ordiTiary square piano. 



The object designed to be obtained bj- this change of form is elegance, 

 compactness and strength. In the square piano the sides and back are 

 glued together, and to strengthen these weak points heavy blocks of wood 

 are inserted so that the whole space of the two back corners is utterly 

 nseless for reverberating purposes. They are simply wasted wood, and 

 are only valuable inasmuch as the blocking they contain strengthens the 

 inherent weakness of the square case. 



The cycloid piano achieves the form of the arch, which is recognized as 

 the type of strength, and is in fact a solid case, in one piece, with no weak 

 spot about it. By the system of constructing the case, more strength is 

 obtained than could be got from a solid block, either cut out, or bent to 

 the cycloid form. The case in fact consists of from twenty-four to twentv- 

 six veneers, one-fourth of an inch thick, of maplewood, glued together; 

 these are placed in a press of the cycloid form to which are affixed screws 

 of great power. This force is applied equally to every part, which forces 

 out the superfluous glue, and, when cold, these veneers come out a solid 

 mass, having the require'd cycloid form, with all the strength of an arch, 

 and capable of sustaining any strain of strings that can be applied to it, 

 without " giving" a hair's breadth. The scale of the instrument follows 

 the circle of the case, so that not an inch of space is lost; and there is not 

 an angle in the interior to break the continuous fiow of the soun I. The 

 theory of acoustics in its general laws, as laid down by Chladui and others 

 may be looked upon as exact and thorough, but individual cases seem to 

 defy all rule and set the most well considered theories at defiance. Whether 

 the cycloid form or the square form is the better in theory is a point for 

 savans to decide upon, but the result of the two forms is palpable to every 

 ear, learned or unlearned. The tone of the cycloid is as solid as that of 

 a grand pianoforte; it is not merely loudness, which is always liable to 

 impure and loose vibrations, but it is the largest amount of sonority, with 

 the greatest purity in quality of tone. A powerful player can use it as he 

 would a, grand, and he cannot break thj tone; he cannot thin it or confuse 

 it by forced diverging vibrations. Gottschalk tested it in every way to 

 the utmost, and acknowledged that it triumphed over the test that he had 

 applied. 



After further remarks relating to various musical instruments by several 

 members, the subject of "Tanning" was selected for the next discussion. 

 Adjourned. 



