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Maelzel’s Chess-Player

PERHAPS no exhibition of the kind has ever elicited so general attention as the Chess-Player of Maelzel.  Wherever seen it has been an object of intense curiosity, to all persons who think.  Yet the question of its modus operandi is still undetermined.  Nothing has been written on this topic which can be considered as decisive—­and accordingly we find every where men of mechanical genius, of great general acuteness, and discriminative understanding, who make no scruple in pronouncing the Automaton a pure machine, unconnected with human agency in its movements, and consequently, beyond all comparison, the most astonishing of the inventions of mankind.  And such it would undoubtedly be, were they right in their supposition.  Assuming this hypothesis, it would be grossly absurd to compare with the Chess-Player, any similar thing of either modern or ancient days.  Yet there have been many and wonderful automata.  In Brewster’s Letters on Natural Magic, we have an account of the most remarkable.  Among these may be mentioned, as having beyond doubt existed, firstly, the coach invented by M. Camus for the amusement of Louis XIV when a child.  A table, about four feet square, was introduced, into the room appropriated for the exhibition.  Upon this table was placed a carriage, six inches in length, made of wood, and drawn by two horses of the same material.  One window being down, a lady was seen on the back seat.  A coachman held the reins on the box, and a footman and page were in their places behind.  M. Camus now touched a spring; whereupon the coachman smacked his whip, and the horses proceeded in a natural manner, along the edge of the table, drawing after them the carriage.  Having gone as far as possible in this direction, a sudden turn was made to the left, and the vehicle was driven at right angles to its former course, and still closely along the edge of the table.  In this way the coach proceeded until it arrived opposite the chair of the young prince.  It then stopped, the page descended and opened the door, the lady alighted, and presented a petition to her sovereign.  She then re-entered.  The page put up the steps, closed the door, and resumed his station.  The coachman whipped his horses, and the carriage was driven back to its original position.

The magician of M. Maillardet is also worthy of notice.  We copy the following account of it from the Letters before mentioned of Dr. B., who derived his information principal!

from the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia.