222 
H O H 
zer, at whofe defire he undertook the conftruftion of a 
machine tor noting down any piece of mulic when played 
on a harpiichord. A machine of this kind had been be¬ 
fore invented by Mr. Von Unger; but Hohlfeld, from a 
very imperfect defcription, completed one without any 
other afliftance than that of his own genius. Of this ma¬ 
chine, now in pofifeflion of the Academy of Sciences at 
Berlin, Sulzergavea figure, from which it was afterwards 
conftrufted in England. This ingenious piece of mecha- 
nifrn was univerfaliy approved, though leveral things 
may be wanting to render it complete; but no one was 
fo generous as to indemnify the artift for his expences, or 
to reward him for his labour. 
About the year 1756, the Pruflian minilter, count de 
Podewils, took him into his fervice, chiefly for the pur- 
pote of conftruftitig water-works in his magnificent gar¬ 
dens at Gufow. There he invented his well-known threfh- 
ing-mill, and another for chopping ftraw more expedi- 
tioufly. He alfo dilplayed his talent for invention, by con- 
ftrufting a machine, which, being faftened to a carriage, 
indicates the revolutions made by the wheels. Such ma¬ 
chines had been made before, but his far exceeded every 
thing of the like kind. Having loll this machine by a 
fire, he invented another, ftill more Ample, which was fo 
contrived as to be buckled between the fpokes of the 
wheel. This piece of mechanifm was in the pofleflion of 
Sulzer, who ufed it on his tour, and found that it an- 
fwered the intended purpofe. In 1765, when the duke 
of Courland, then hereditary prince, redded at Berlin, he 
paid a vifit to Hohlfeld, and endeavoured to prevail on 
him to go to Courland, by offering him a penfion of eight 
hundred rix-dollars; but this ingenious man was fo con¬ 
tented with his condition, and fo attached to his friends, 
that he would not merely for felf-intereft quit Berlin. 
His refufal, however, obtained for him a penfion of one 
hundred and fifty dollars from the king. 
Befides the before-mentioned machines, he conftrufted, 
occafionally, feveral ufeful models. Among thele were a 
loom for weaving figured fluffs, fo contrived that the 
weaver had no need for any thing to flioot through the 
woof; a pedometer for putting in the pocket; a conve¬ 
nient and Ample bed for a lick perfon, which was of l'uch 
a nature, that the patient, with the fmalleft ftrength, could 
at any time raife or lower the breaft, and, when necefiary, 
convert the bed into a ftool; and a carriage fo formed, 
that if the horfes took fright, or ran away, the perfon in 
it could, by a Angle pufh, loofen the pole, and let them at 
liberty. The two laft models have been loft. Every ma¬ 
chine that this Angular man faw, he altered and improved 
in the fimpleft manner. All his own inftruments he made 
himfelf, and repaired them when damaged. But, as he 
was fonder of inventing than of following the plans of 
others, he made them in fuch a manner that no one ex¬ 
cept himfelf could ufe them. Several of his improve¬ 
ments were, however, imitated by common workmen, 
though in a very clumfy manner. It is worthy of remark, 
that he never beftowed ftudy upon any thing; but, when he 
had once conceived an idea, he immediately executed it. 
He comprehended, in a moment, whatever was propofed; 
and, at the fame time, faw how it was to be accomplifhed. 
He could, therefore, tell in an inftant whether a thing was 
practicable; if he thought it was not, no perfuafion or 
offer of money could induce him to attempt it. He ne¬ 
ver purfued chimeras, like thole mechanics who have not 
had the benefit of education or inftruftion ; and, though 
this may be afcribed to the intercourfe he had with great 
mathematicians and philofophers, there is every reafon 
to believe, that he would have equally guarded againft 
them, even if he had not enjoyed that advantage. The 
lame quicknefs of, apprehenfion which he manifefted in 
mechanics, he (bowed alfo in other things. His obferva- 
tions on moll fubjefts were judicious, and peculiar to 
himfelf; fo that it may be faid, without exaggeration, 
that he was born with a philofophical mind. 
With regard to his moral character, he was very dif- 
H O L 
ferent from thofe of the fame clafs. Though he ftill re¬ 
tained fomething of the manners of his former condition* 
his mild and civil deportment rendered his company and 
converfation agreeable. He poflefled a good heart, and 
his life was fober and regular. Though he was every day 
welcome at the beft tables, he ftaid for the moft part at 
home, through choice; went to market for his own pro- 
viiions, which he cooked himfelf; and was as contented 
over his humble meal as Curius was over his turnips. A 
little before his death, he had the pleafure of feeing a cu¬ 
rious harpfichord he had made, and which was purchafed 
by his Pruffian majefty, placed in an elegant apartment in 
the new palace of Potfdam.. As he had for fome time 
neglefted this inftrument, the too great attention which 
he beftowed on putting it in order, contributed not a lit¬ 
tle to bring on that difeafe whicli at laft proved fatal to 
him. His clock having become deranged during his ill- 
neis, he could not be prevented, notwithftanding the ad¬ 
monition of his friend and phyfrcian, Dr. Stahls, from re¬ 
pairing it. Clofe application occafioned fome obltruc- 
tions which were not obferved till too late; and, an in¬ 
flammation taking.place, he died, in 1771, at the houfe of 
count de Podewils, in the 60th year of his age. 
HOHN, a river of Germany, in Weftphalia, which 
runs into the Lehn, near Werdohl, in the county of 
Mark. 
HOHN'STEIN, a county of Germany, fituated in Thu¬ 
ringia, which takes its name from an ancient chateau. 
The ancient counts were defcendants of Charles, duke of 
Lorraine, of the family of Charlemagne. This family be¬ 
coming extinft, the eftates are divided between the counts 
of Stoliberg, and the duke of Brunfwick Luneburg. 
HOI'DEN,y. \hoeden , Wellh ; fcemina kvioris jama, Lat.j 
An ill-taught aukward country girl. 
To HOI'DEN, v.n. To romp indecently.—Some of them 
would get a fcratch; but we always dilcovered, upon ex¬ 
amining, that they had been hoidening with the young 
wenches. Swift. 
To HOISE, to Hoist, v.a. [ haujj'er , Fr.] To raile up 
on high.—They loofed the rudder bands, and hoifed up the 
mainfail to the wind, and made toward (hore. Acis xxvii. 40. 
What hafte (he made to hoijl her purple fails. 
And to appear magnificent in flight. Dryden. 
HOIS'TING,yi The aft or procefs of lifting up, the 
operation of drawing up any body by the alfiftance of one 
or more tackle. 
HOI'TY TOI'TY, inter). An exclamation of contempt. 
— Hoity-toity! what have I to do with dreams? Congreve. 
FIOKE-DAY. See Hocx-day. 
HOLABRUN', a town of Germany, in Auftria: two 
miles north of Sonneberg. 
HOLABRUN', a town of Germany, in Auftria : feven 
miles north of Korn Neuburg. 
HO'LANDS, a town of Norway, in the diocefe of Chrif- 
tianfand : eight miles fouth of Stavangar. 
HOLA'TEN, a town of Poland, in the palatinate of 
Volhynia : twenty-four miles fouth-weft of Lucko. 
HOL'BEACH, a fmall town in Lincolnftiire, with a 
market on Thurfday ; and fairs on May 7, and the fecond 
Tuefday in September. It is leated in a flat among the 
dykes, and is of great antiquity, as appears from the re¬ 
mains of walls and pavements that have been dug up, toge¬ 
ther with urns and coins. 1 he church is a noble Go¬ 
thic building, with a lofty tower and fpire. It is twelve 
miles fouth of Bofton, and 115 north of London. Hol- 
beach-Thurn is fouth-eaft of Holbeach, in the marlhes 
HOL'BECK, a feaport town of Denmark, in the ifland 
of Zealand, fituated in the Gulf of Ifefiord, with a good 
harbour, from which great quantities of corn are annually 
exported. In 1190, this town was deftroyed by a fleet 
from Norway : thirty miles weft of Copenhagen. Lat. 55. 
42. N. Ion. 11.44. E. Greenwich. 
■ HOL'BEIN (Hans), a very eminent painter, born at 
Bafil in 1498. His father was a painter at Augft>urg» 
and 
