MACHINE, signifies anything used to augment or to regu late moving forces or powers; or it is any instrument em ployed to produce motion, in order to save either time or Iltrce. The word is of Greek origin, and implies machine, invention,art ; it is therefore properly applied to any agent, in which these are combined, whatever may be the strength or solidity of the materials of which it is composed. The term machine is, however, generally restricted to a certain class of agents, which seem to hold a middle place between the most simple tools or instruments, and the more complicated and powerful engines; this distinction, however, has no place in a scientific point of view; all such compound agents being generally classed under the term machines, the simple parts of 'e Ilia they are compounded being termed AImen.mem, PowEns.
Machines are again classed tinder different denominations, according to the agents by which they arc put in motion. the purposes they are intended to effect, or the art in which they are employed, as—Electric, Hydraulic, Pneumatic, Architectural. &e.. Machines.
The maximum effect of machines, is the greatest effect which can be produced by them. In all machines, working with a uniform motion, there is a certain velocity and a cer tain load of resistance that yield the greatest effect, and which are therefore more advantageous than any other. A machine may be so heavily charged, that the motion resulting from the application of any given power will be only snflieient to overcome it ; and if any motion ensue, it will he very trifling, :mil the of eet stnall. Again, if the machine is very lightly loaded, it may give great velocity to the load ; but, from the smallness of its quantity, the effect may still he very considerable, consequently between these two loads there must be some intermediate one that will render the effect the greatest possible. And this is equally b • true in the application of animal strength, as in machines, and both have been submitted to strict mathematical investi gation. the former being rounded on numerous experiments and observations on the best method or app12, in strength, and the measure of it when applied in different directions.
MA I /El:NO, CHARLES, an eminent Italian architect, horn at nissona, in Lombardy, in 1556. Ile went at it very early age to Itome, where his uncle, Dominico Fontana. was it that time in full ment as an arehiteet. l lis genius for sculpture became manifest, and he was placed with an artist in that branch of the tine arts. His progress in model ling was such as led his 11111•10 to confide to 111111 the Manage !Dent of some buildings Ban in hand, which he executed w ith so much skill, that he was advised to devote himself entirely to architecture. On the death of Sixtus V., Naderno was appointed to design and execute the magnificent tomb for his interment. The public works which were carried on under Clement VIII. were chiefly committed to the care of this artist, and so high was his reputation in the succeeding pon tificate, that, on the succession of Paul V. in 1605, he was appointed to finish the building of St. Peter's; his plans being preferred to those of eight competitors, and the work was placed under his direction. l le was afterwards employed upon the pontifical palace on the Quirinal mount. Another work, for which he is celebrated, was the raising a fine fluted column Iimnd in the ruins of the Temple of Peace, and placing it on a marble pedestal in the square of St. Maria Maggiore. Ibis genius was by no means confined to a•chi tecture, he was sent. by the pope on a commission to examine the ports of the Ecclesiastical States, and afterwards surveyed the lake of Perugia, and surrounding country, in order to divert the inundations of the river Chiana. He was consulted upon most of the great edifices undertaken in his time in France and Spain, as well as in the principal towns of Italy. His last work of consequence was the Ba•berini palace of Urban VIII., which he did not live to complete. Ile died of the stone in 1629, when he had attained to the age of seventy-three. Ile had seen ten popes, by most of whom he had been regarded with favour.