to accomplish matters of greater im- lesser doors, and a green cloth-screen, portance. An attempt, therefore, to contrived in the body of the figure, make a wooden chess-player might, and its lower parts, are likewise opened, a priori seem almost as ridiculous as so that the construction both of the to make a wooden preacher, or coun- figure and chest internally is displaysellor of state. That such a machine ed. In this state the automaton is really was made, however, the public moved round for the examination of have had ocular demonstration. The the spectators, and to banish all saspiinventor came over to Britain in 1783, cion from the most sceptical mind that and exhibited his automaton to public any living subject is concealed within inspection for more than a year. He any part of it, the exhibitor introduces paid this country a second visit in a lighted candle into the body of the 1819, when his invention excited as chest and figure, by which the interior much wonder as ever, notwithstanding of each is in a great measure rendered the vast progress made in the interim transparent, and the most secret corin mechanical science.

ner is shewp. The room where it was exhibited, The chest is divided by a partition when seen by the writer of this article, into two upequal chambers. That to had an inner apartment, within which the right of the figure is the narrowest appeared the figure of a Turk as large and occupies scarcely one-third of the as life, dressed in the Turkish fashion, body of the chest. It is filled with sitting behind a chest of three feet little wheels, levers, cylinders, and and a half in length, two feet in other machinery used in clock-work. breadth, and two feet and a half in That to the left contains a few wheels, height, to which it was attached by some small barrels with springs, and the wooden seat on which it sat. The two quarters of a circle placed hori. chest was placed upon four castors, zontally. The body and lower parts and, together with the figure, might of the figure contain certain tubes, be easily moved to any part of the which seem to be conductors to the room. 'On the plain surface, formed machinery. After a sufficient time, by the top of the chest in the centre, during which each spectator may was a raised immoveable chess-board, satisfy his scruples and his curiosity, upon which the figure had its eyes the exhibitor recloses the door of the fixed, its right arm and hand being chest and figure, and the drawer at extended on the chest, and its left arm the bottom; makes some arrangements somewhat raised, as if in the attitude in the body of the figure, winds up of holding a Turkish pipe, which was the works with a key inserted into a originally placed in its hand.

small opening on the side of the chest, The exhibitor begins by wheeling places a cushion under the left arm of the chest to the entrance of the apart- the figure, which now rests upon it, ment within which it stands, and in and invites any individual present to front of the spectators. He then opens play a game of chess. certain doors contrived in the chest, To avoid, however, the obstructions two in front and two in the back, at which might be occasioned by the inthe same time pulling out a long shal attention of stranger antagonists, in low drawer at the bottom of the chest moving the pieces as required exactly made to contain the chess-men, a in the centre of the squares, the adcushion for the arm of the figure to versary does not play at the same rest upon, and some counters. Two board with the automaton, but has a chess-board to himself, on which he its next move, upon which the motions copies the automaton's moves and of the left arm and hand follow. On makes his own; while a person who giving check to the king, it moves its attends at the automaton's board, copies head as a signal. When a false move with due precision for the automaton is made by its antagonist, which frethe adversary's moves.

quently occurs through curiosity to The automaton makes choice of the observe in what manner the automawhite pieces, and always gives the ton will act (as, for instance, if a first move. It plays with the left knight be made to move like a castle), hand, the right arm and hand being the automaton taps impatiently on the constantly extended on the chest chest with its right hand, replaces behind which it is seated. This slight the knight on its former square, and incongruitý proceeded from inadvert- not permitting its antagonist to recover ance in the inventor, who did not per- bis move, 'proceeds immediately to ceive his mistake till the machinery of move one of its own pieces, thus apthe automaton was too far completed pearing to punish him for his inattento admit of the mistake being rectified. tion. The little advantage in play At the commencement of a game, the which is hereby gained makes the auautomaton moves its head as if taking tomaton more of a match for its antaa view of the board; the same motion gopist, and seems to have been conoccurs at the close of a game. In templated by the inventor as an addimaking a move it slowly raises its left tional resource towards winning the arm from the cushion placed under it, game. and directs it towards the square of When a move is once made, no alterthe piece to be moved. Its hand and ation in it can take place, and if a piece fingers open on touching the piece be touched it must be played somewhich it takes up, and convey it to any where. This rule is strictly observed proposed square. The arm then re- by the automaton. If its antagonist turns with a natural motion to the hesitates to move for a considerable cushion, upon which it usually rests. time, it taps smartly on the chest with In taking a piece, the automaton makes the right hand, which is constantly the same motion with the arm and extended upon it, as if testifying imhand to lay hold of the piece which it patience at his delay. conveys from the board, and then re- During the time the automaton is in turning to its own piece, it takes it up motion, a low sound of clock-work and places it on the vacant square. running down is heard, which ceases These motions are performed with per- soon after its arm returns to the fect correctness, and the dexterity cushion, and then its antagonist may with which the arm acts, especially in make his move. The works are wound the delicate operation of castling, up at intervals after ten or twelve seems to be the result of spontaneous moves, by the exhibitor, who is usually feeling, bending at the shoulder, employed in walking up and down the elbow, and knuckles, and cautiously apartment in which the automaton is avoiding to touch any other piece shewn, approaching, however, the than that which is to be moved, nor chest from time to time, especially on ever making a false move.

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certain the whole mystery lies in the might occasion some disturbancea chest, and that there can be no connec- in the state. He came to a resotion with the floor or any part of the

lution, which he judged lawful, room, as the inve, or advertises his

because it seemed expedient: this willingness to exhibit at private houses. A person, who could beat M. de Kem- was moving for ever from the pelen, was of course certain of con- court the princess who was not to quering the automaton. It was made occupy the throne. He well in 1769." His own modest account of knew that a sacrifice of this kind it was • that it was a mere bagatelle, would be extremely disagreeable not without some merit as a piece of

to Vologeses, who was not the mechanism, but the effects of which depend chiefly on the happy means

less the good father than the good employed to produce illusion." king. But Udores, (this was the

high priest's name) had recourse

to his usual privilege of making CORAND AND ATHETA.

his gods speak. He framed an An ancient British Novel.

oracle entirely conformable to his Near half a century before Bri- views. Such an expedient could tain was invaded by Julius Cæsar, not fail of its effect; and the king it was then divided into two mo- dared neither to act contrary to narchial governments, distinguish the oracle, nor even doubt of it. ed by the East and West. Volo- The two princesses were theregeses, king of the West, reigned fore separated, and the younger happily, loving and beloved by his by only seven minutes difference subjects. It was much regretted in the birth, was sequestered athat so worthy a monarch had no mong the priestesses of Isis, for heir male. His whole stock of it seems that the Egyptian rites, children consisted but of two in point of religious observance, daughters, both born the same had then obtained in that part of day, beautiful beyond expression, Britain. Udores' view was, on an and exactly formed on the same emergency, to oppose one to the model. Never was resemblance other, that is to make her effectumore perfect; it extended to the ally queen who should prove more sound of the voice; the eye and tractable to his designs. ear were deceived in them. The Two years elapsed in this manchief of the Druids, who in the ner, and Atheta, the recluse prinreign of Vologeses, was more cess, was just on the point of than first minister, hoped to be completing her fifteenth year; more than king in the reign of Vologeses still reigned, but was the princess that should succeed engaged in a ruinous war with him. He only feared that the the British king of the East: equality of age, and the extreme Corand, a prince of the latter resemblance of the two sisters, king's family, commanded his

“ Hah!

army, and among other strong would not touch her veil. Corand, places, had seized upon the tem- by reiterating some pressing inple of Isis, where the princess stances, added only to her trouble, Atheta was immured. The wor- and obtained nothing more, A ship of Isis was unknown to the companion of this coy priestess Eastern Britons. They followed thinking it dangerous to urge to that of the Celtic Gauls, their extremity a young conqueror, neighbours, which, it seems, was raised without hesitation, the disnearly the same as that of the agreeable veil, and perhaps satisGreeks and Romans. On this fied two persons at once. At account, it might be presumed, least it is certain nothing could that the conqueror would be little please Corand so much. scrupulous in being over com- what do I see,” cried he, “no, plaisant to the goddess, her tem- thou art not merely a priestess, ple, treasures, and more especially thou art the deity of this temple, her priestesses.

if, indeed, Isis had ever charms Corand, who required nothing as thou hast. Thou needest only for himself of the plunder, was at shew thyself to our East Britons, least desirous of passing in review and thy worship will soon be all the virgins of the temple, established amongst them. It is which he had taken care to keep already for ever established in my untouched. Their number was heart." considerable, and the sight of of them very interesting. All wore veils. One of the youngest priestesses appeared to him veiled with much greater care, which

Travels. notwithstanding could not hide from his curious eye her graceful An Abridgment of the Travels of a motion, and the elegance of her Gentleman through France, Italy, stature, The prince could not

Turkey in Europe, the Holy Land, resist the agitations of his mind.

Arabia, Egypt, &c. He advances towards her, not as

(Continued from Page 238.) a conqueror but captive. 61

The Teverone, runs by this wish,” said he, “you would be town, and at a little distance from so kind as to remove that deceit-it forms a beautiful cascade by ful and sacrilegious veil. Let me falling down a rock; in one of see what

my
heart has

presage of the cavities whereof the Sibyl of adoring.” These words seemed Tibur is said to have uttered her to make very uneasy the person oracles. The finest villa that Tito whom they were addressed. voli; or perhaps Italy, can boast She, however, kept silence, and I of, is that belonging to the family

To be continued.

а

of Este, which for its architecture, About nine miles south-east of paintings, sculptures, and particu- this place stands Palestrina, on larly its gardens and water-works, the side of a mountain near the cannot be sufficiently admired. ruins of the ancient Præneste, fa-. The gardens lie on the side of the mous for its temple of fortune, hill, and the walks, grottos, whereof there are still some pilfountains, and labyrinths, are ex- lars of granite, and other consitremely well disposed. Every body derable remains; particularly a is astopished at the water-works, beautiful Mosaic pavement, whereespecially that representing a in we see the figures of elephants storm of rain and thunder ; and and other animals, with variety of the singing of artificial birds, put landscapes that look very lively, in motion by water, is equally de- all made out of the natural colours lightful. Tivoli is still the see of and shadows of the marble. The a bishop, though reduced to a parts of this pavement are so adsmall town, in comparison of what mirably joined together, that the it has been formerly; and would whole looks like one continued perhaps come to nothing, if the picture, and perhaps is the finest pleasantness of its situation did piece of old Roman Mosaic to be not induce the nobility and gentry met with in Italy; for the moof Rome to retire thither at con- derns, as has been already intimavenient seasons.

But I had al- ted, have made great improve most forgot the greatest curiosity ments in this art. of all, which is not far from this We returned by the way

of town, viz. the rivulet of Salfora- Frescati, or Frascati, a little town ta, and the little lake from whence on the brow of a bill, from whence it issues. An offensive sulphure- we have a pleasant prospect over ous stench arises from these wa- a plain as far as Rome, which is ters, which may be smelled at 'a about twelve miles distant. Fres. considerable distance; and in the cati is adorned with several fine lake are several floating islands, villas belonging to the Roman nofifteen or twenty yards over, sup-bility, some whereof are so parposed to be formed originally of ticularly beautiful, that they desulphureous earth, rising from the serve our attention.

That of bottom of the water. This lake is Monte Dracone, stands on an thought to have been much larger eminence in full view of Rome, than it is at present, and that the and is a large building not inuch banks have grown over it by an unlike the Pope's palace of Monte incrustation of the same inatter Cavallo. The Belvidere, is situathat has formed the islands, which ted on a high ground, somewhat in time will probably cover its like that of Monte Dracone. It whole surface.

has fine gardens, with a beautiful