Thus, by-an artificial disposition of these pegs in different parts of the cylinder, the statue was made, by the successive ele vation of the proper levers, to exhibit all the different motions of a flute-player, to the admiration of every one who saw it. Another figure,_constructed by the same artist, Vaucanson, played on the Pro vencal shepherd's held in its left hand, and with the right beat upon a drum.
The performances of Vaucanson were imitated, and even exceeded, by NI. de Kempelin, of Presburg, in Hungary. The androides constructed by this gentleman, in 1760, was capable of playing chess. It was brought over to England in 1783, and remained here for more than a year. It is thus described : The figure is as large as life, in a Turkish dress, seated behind a table, with doors 31 feet long, 2 deep, and 21 high. The chair on which it sits is fixed to the table, which is made to run on four wheels. It leans its right arm on the table, and in its left hand holds a pipe; with this hand it plays after the pipe is removed. A chess-board of 18 inches is fixed before it. The table, or rather chest, contains wheels, levers, cylinders, and other pieces of mechanism, all of which are publicly displayed. The vestments of the figure were then lifted over its head, and the body seen full of similar wheels and levers. There is a little door in its thigh, which is likewise opened : and with this, and the table also open, and the figure uncovered, the whole is wheeled about the room. The doors arc then shut, and he automaton is ready to play ; and it al ways takes the first move. At every mo tion the wheels are heard, the image moves its head, and looks over every part of the chess-board. When it checks the queen it shakes its head twice, and thrice in giving check to the king. It likewise shakes its head when afalse move ismade, replaces the piece, and makes its own move, by which means the adversary loses one. M. de Kcmpclin exhibited his auto. maton at Petersburg, Vienna, Paris, and London, before thousands, many of whom were mathematicians, and chess-players, and yet the secret by which he governed the motion of its arm was never discover ed. Ile valued himself upon the construe. tion of a mechanism, by which the arm could perform ten or twelve moves. It then needed to be wound up like a watch, after which it was capable of continuing the same number of motions. This auto maton could not play unless M. de Kern.
pelin, or his assistant, was near it, to di rect its movements. A small square box was ftequently consulted by the exhibitor during the game, and in this consisted the secret, which the inventor declared he could communicate in a moment. Any person who could beat M. de Kempelin at chess, was sure of conquering the au tomaton.
Remark by the British Editor.—When this piece of mechanism was exhibited in London, it played a great number ofmoves without requiring to be wound up, and it was worked by a M. Anthon, who walked about the room,without any apparent com munication, during the performance. The chess-board was part of the top of the square counter, or table, to which the figure was attached in a leaning posture. When the back of the figure was opened, an upright iron axis was seen, with two strong springs, which apparently were in tended to restore the quiescent position after any move ; and when the doors of the counter were opened, two compart ments were seen, formed by an upright partition in the interior space. In one of them was seen a brass barrel, resembling that of a barrel organ, having sixteen ver ticle bars or levers, so placed as if to be tripped by the barrel; and there was also some wheel-work : and in the other com partment there was little, except a brass horizontal arc, or quadrant, with a brass radius, most probably capable of beingset to different angular situations. The hand of the figure lay upon a cushion, andevery approaching move was announced by the discharge of a click, and the buzzing noize ofa fly was beard until the move was com pleted. The fore-arm was first raised about two inches by a vertical motion at the elbow : it was then carried horizon tally, until the hand was immediately over the piece to be taken up, at wider' time the fingers suddenly opened, the hand dropped, seized the piece, rose again, made the move, and dropped the piece on the square to which it had arrived. But in case the adversary's piece were to be taken,it wasfirst seized tbe manner here described, and carried clear off the board. and chopped, and the subsequent move then made into the empty square. After the game was played, the Baron Kempe lin gave the figure a knight, and it moved the pi ece in succession, without any pause, by the proper course, till it had passed every square in the board, as was shewn by an assistant placing a counter on each square, as the knight quitted it.