It will not appear strange to find the inventor of the steam engine engaged toying with an artificial bird, an imprisoning chair, a brazen head, or a riding horse, when it is remembered that for a hundred years later such automata were highly prized by the nobility and gentry, and proved extemely lucrative to the public exhibitors of such mechanical imitations of life. M. Vaucanson’s inventions were of this chararcter, attracting admiring audiences among the learned and the vulgar, on the Continent and in England. A learned society received his communication in Paris, while in London it had the unquestionable honour of being translated by Dr. Desaguliers, who says in his preface, “In giving this paper an English dress, I am still acting in my province, which has been for many years to explain the works of art, as well as the phenomena of nature;” and his translation is given under the following elaborate title:—
“An account of the mechanism of an automaton or image playing on the German Flute: as it was presented in a memoire, to the gentlemen of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris. By M. Vaucanson, Inventor and maker of the said machine. Together with a description of an artificial Duck, eating, drinking, macerating the food, &c. As also that of another image, no less wonderful than the first, playing on the tabor and pipe; as he has given an account of them since the memoir was written. Translated out of the French original, by J. T. Desaguliers, LL.D., F.R.S., Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 4to. 1742.” [24 pages, and an engraved frontispiece.]
47.
To make a Ball of any metal, which thrown into a Pool or Pail of water shall presently rise from the bottom, and constantly shew by the superficies of the water the hour of the day or night, never rising more out of the water then just to the minute it sheweth of each quarter of the hour; and if by force kept under water, yet the time is not lost, but recovered as soon as it is permitted to rise to the superficies[9] of the water.
Footnote
[9]surface. P.
[An Hour Water-ball.] The 4th article of his selected list of his inventions supplies the following varied reading:—
“By these (his quintessence of Motion) I can make a ball of silver or gold, which thrown into a pail, or poole of water, shall arise again to the perfect hour of any day or night. The superficies of the water shall still show the hour distinctly; even the minutes, if I please.” See [Appendix A.]
Many curious specimens of these Horologies occur in the description of M. Grollier de Servière’s cabinet, published 1719.
48.