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DISCOVERIES AND INYEKTIONS 



The discoveries and inventions which natnre has 

 brought about are very interesting, and a few of them 

 will be mentioned here. The invention of the pendu- 

 lum was brought about in a novel way. The great and 

 noble Galileo was one evening attracted by the swing- 

 ing of the chandeliers in a church caused by the wind 

 blowing upon them. He thought a pendulum could 

 be invented so as to move back and forth in the same 

 manner as the lamps. After considerable work and 

 experimenting he succeeded in making one, such as 

 regulate our clocks, so the story goes. He was one of 

 the greatest philosophers of his time, and made many 

 useful discoveries, which have greatly aided in the ad- 

 vancement of science. 



The invention of the lyre originated as follows: it is 

 said that a certain gentleman in taking one of his ram- 

 bling excursions, chanced to find an old shell of a tur- 

 tle which was lying bottom upwards, plainly showing 

 the little cross bones or ribs, which were clean and dry 

 from long exposure. Although the object before him 

 was not a striking one, yet after examining it for some 

 time the thought at last occurred to him that a musical 

 instrument could be made on the same plan. He ac- 

 cordingly went to work and the lyre was the result of 

 his labors. 



The natural occurrance of the apple falling from the 

 tree upon which it grew attracted the attention of Sir 

 Isaac Newton who was one of the many great philo- 

 sophical men. History says that he was one day sitting 

 under an apple tree, when one of the apples above him 

 fell to the ground. A very simple thing indeed, and 



