while, by alternately tightening and relaxing the string, the figure will be seen in the very act of raising and lowering the bottle.
Mr. Seymour having explained the principle of his improvement as we have above related, proceeded to exemplify it by a series of different subjects. We shall select two or three of them for the sake of illustration. A card with a jockey on one side and a horse on the other, on spinning round presented the combined figure; upon tightening the string, in the manner we have described, the card changed its axis, without the slightest halt or hesitation in its rotation, and the rider was in an instant canted over the head of his charger; in a moment, however, he appeared remounted; after which, by pulling the string, with different degrees of force, he was made to stand on the saddle, and to exhibit a number of different movements.
The figure of an Indian juggler was represented in the act of throwing up two balls; on spinning the card, and, at the same time, altering the position of the circle, in the manner already described, three, and afterwards four, became visible. When the card revolved upon its original axis, two of the balls on the reverse side coincided with the two painted on the front, so that during the revolution they fell upon the same spot on the retina, and therefore produced a single impression; but as soon as the position of the card was changed, these spots were brought upon different points, and consequently produced separate and independent images. By alternately tightening and relaxing the strings, the balls were seen in motion, arising from and falling into the hand of the juggler.
The next subject which we shall describe produced a considerable degree of merriment. The vicar inspected the drawing, and observed that he saw a pulpit placed on the banks of a pond; the card was made to spin, when a tailor was seen haranguing from the former, and a goose, at the same instant, fluttering over the water. The circle was now suddenly shifted, and the vicar was desired to state what he saw:--“Why, bless me!” exclaimed Mr. Twaddleton, “the tailor is justly served, he is ducked in the pond, while the goose has taken his place in the pulpit.”
Fearing that we may have exhausted the patience of our reader, we shall only relate one more example. It was a Turk, who, by means of the expedient we are illustrating, was made to draw his sabre, and cut off the head of his antagonist, which immediately fell into the hands of the decapitated person, who, like St. Denys, appeared as if walking off with perfect indifference.
“You must admit that these effects are no less novel than they are extraordinary, and that they are capable of almost endless variation,” said Mr. Seymour.
“I admit it all,” replied Mr. Twaddleton, “and I have only to express a hope that, amidst all your improvements, you will never lose sight of your first and most laudable design, that of rendering your toy subservient to classical illustration: your triumph will then be complete, and I shall willingly acknowledge that there is not only philosophy but literature in your sport.”
“I must not quit this subject,” said Mr. Seymour, “until I have exhibited another toy, which, like the Thaumatrope, is indebted for its effect to the optical principle, which I trust is now well understood by all present, viz. that an impression made on the retina lasts for a certain period after the object itself has been withdrawn.”
The annexed wood-cut represents the instrument to which Mr. Seymour alluded.
