PAtAlS ROYAL. 47) 



coloured paint to imitate the natural fkin, and flowing 

 hair, lay as if fleeping on a couch. A part of her 

 boforn was flightly fliaded by her difheveled ringlets, 

 the reft of her body, as far as below the knee, was co- 

 vered, if covering it may be called, by a waving 

 drapery. The work was a furprifing imitation of na- 

 ture both in fhape and colour. It is however at length 

 difmififed from the Palais Royal as an immoral and 

 indecent object. 



A jugler was alfo here fome time ago, who at once 

 gave leffons in his art, and fold the necefiary imple- 

 ments. 



In recounting the curiofities of this nature, I muft 

 not omit to mention the artificial cannon, which, the 

 moment it is noon, goes off of itfelf, and by which thou- 

 fands of clocks and watches are regulated every day. 

 In the middle of the crofs wing in the new buildings 

 a meridian is fixed, which proclaims noon by a cannon 

 fhot. The touch-hole of the cannon is half a line 

 broad and two inches long, and placed in the direction 

 of the meridian line. Two alidades, or crofs-rulers, ftand 

 vertically on a horizontal dilk, holding a burning-glafs, 

 which, by means of them, is turned every month accord- 

 ing to the fun's height, in fuch manner that the focus of 

 it every time falls on the touch-hole of the cannon. 

 So foon now as the concentrated rays of the mid-day 

 fun enter on the line that forms the touch-hole of the 

 cannon, the powder is immediately fired, and the re- 

 port is made. The inventor of this new fpecies of 

 clock is a M. Rouleau. 



It muft already have occurred to you, my dear friend, 

 to aft whether, among all the contrivances for eafe and 



luxury 



