Part 4
A very favourite motive power is a wound up spring, consisting of strands of vulcanized india-rubber, and here I have one of the well-known butterflies which come out in Paris in 1878, where they filled the air of the Avenue de l’Opera, the shops of which were then occupied chiefly by hawkers of toys. The motive power of this toy is nothing more than a light screw propeller or fan rotated by the untwisting of a spring, while on the body of the machine are two fixed wings or fins to prevent the whole machine from rotating. The action is wonderfully like that of an animal, perhaps most like that of a bat. Here again the same principle is applied in a running mouse, and this is especially interesting from the fact that the machine winds itself up the moment the tension of the cord is relaxed, and as the spindle of the wheels is the flexible rubber itself the peculiar scuttling action of a mouse is well imitated.
There is again a large class of mechanical toys in which there is a combination of a rubber spring with a wheel and escapement, the pallets of which by their reciprocating motion producing whatever effect may be desired; the swimming fish is one of them, the wagging of the tail being produced in the way I have described. Here is another displaying considerable ingenuity. In this case an escapement wheel works a crutch which by a pair of cranks linked together causes each of two pugilists to turn a little way backwards and forwards on one heel, and the arms being hung loosely to the shoulders by rubber hinges give to the figures the appearance of hitting out vigorously.
I have here a couple of figures which I admit do not contain their motive power within themselves but they require so little aid from outside and do so much for themselves that I have been tempted to bring them in. Here is a monkey climbing a rope, and its progression is insured by the simplest possible device, the string passes over one pin and under another in his posterior hands while the anterior pair of hands grip the rope with a slight degree of friction: if the string be tightened the lower hands act as a lever which pushes the body up, but when it is slack it slips round the pins and does no work, in other words the grip of the hands is greater than that of the feet when the cord is slack but less when it is tight.
In this little animated skeleton, we have an immense effect produced by an extraordinarily small external motion. The squeeze that I give to this U shaped spring, by varying the tension of the twisted strings, on which the skeleton is suspended, is almost infinitesimal—but it gives to the skeleton considerably more energy than is usually to be found in skeletons.
Here we have a walking figure whose action depends upon gravity, but his progression is checked by the friction of his feet on the board on which he performs, first one foot catches and then another, and each time his inertia turns him round, which gives him an appearance of having been in the company of teetotallers, or can he have been dining with the Sette of Odd Volumes?
A familiar form of mechanical or automatic toys is in the form of a box or frame having a glass front, behind which figures of acrobats, rope-dancers and moving groups are set into motion by sand falling on a wheel within the case; and it is an ingenious feature of these toys that they are “wound up” by simply rolling the box over on its edge through one revolution, which has the effect of lifting the fallen sand back into the upper reservoir.
The last great class of mechanical figures, to which I shall refer, includes those which depend for their action upon the spinning of a top or fly-wheel, and some of them are particularly pretty and ingenious.
Here, for example, is a couple of figures, which the gentleman who sold it to me told me was “a Narry and a Narriet walking hout on ‘Ampstead ’Eath.” In this case the ruling spirit and go is as usual in the _lady_, and the man has to follow whither she leads, the legs of the man are connected together at the hips by a pair of cranks so disposed, that if one leg be pushed back, the other is thereby thrown forward. Now the heels are so cut that they catch in the ground when in a forward position and can slide forward when behind; in being urged along, the forward leg catching in the ground is relatively pushed back and the other leg comes forward, which in its turn catches, and the effect of walking is produced.
And here we have (Fig. 25) another on precisely the same principle, in which an ostrich appears to draw a cart, which in reality, is pushing him along, but the effect of the ostrich’s strut is delightfully reproduced.
Here is another in which several very curious motions are reproduced. This beautiful little mechanical toy (Fig. 26) represents a circus girl riding round the ring, and occasionally leaping over a bar or bowing to the audience, while the prancing action of the horse is ingeniously imitated. The motive power is derived from the spinning of a top or fly-wheel, supported in a frame attached to the bar to which the horse is fixed; and, as the spindle of the top spins on the bevel edge of the circular base, the horse is caused to gallop round in a circle, and, being supported on the table by a roller mounted eccentrically on its axis, it prances up and down as it runs. The equestrienne is attached to a light lever pivotted on the rotating frame and revolving with it. Twice in its revolution this lever is lifted by a cam, forming part of the base; the first lift causes the figure to give a little bow, and the second, which is much greater, makes her leap over the bar under which the horse runs. This little machine is one of the most mechanically ingenious of the modern automaton toys, and it is made at the cost of only a few pence.
The last I shall show you is this elephant. In this little machine we have a fly-wheel, which with its vertical shaft looks like an umbrella over the Nabob who sits on the top, the vertical shaft passes into the body of the elephant, and there by a simple frictional gearing, rotates a couple of cranks to which the legs are connected. The effect of spinning the umbrella is therefore merely to move the legs backwards and forwards; and, if that were all, no progression could be effected; but each foot rests on a little wheel or roller, which can only rotate in one direction so that while it catches the ground in its backward stroke it rolls freely over it while it is moving forward, and thus each leg in its turn contributes to the progressive movement of the toy.
Now I have come to the end, and it only remains to me to thank you all for having supported me by your presence in such numbers to-night, and to say to you in the words of Othello:
“It gives me wonder great as my content, To see you here before me.”
Footnotes:
[1] The “Iliad” of Homer, translated by Alexander Pope, xviii. 440-444.
[2] “_Mathematicall Magick_, or the Wonders that may be performed by Mechanicall Geometry.” London, printed by _M. E._ for _Sa: Gellibrand_ at the Brasen Serpent in _Paul’s_ Churchyard, 1648 (page 173).
[3] “Saturnaliorum Conviviorum,” Lib. I. cap. xxiii.
[4] Aulus Gellius, “Noctes Atticæ.” Lib. X. cap. xii.
[5] “_New and Rare Inventions of Water Workes_, shewing the easiest waies to raise water higher than the spring. By which invention the Perpetual Motion is proposed, many hard labours performed And variety of Motions and Sounds produced. First written in French by Isaak de Caus a late famous engineer; and now translated into English by John Leak. London, Printed by Joseph Moxon. Folio. 1659.”
[6] See page 30.
[7] “De Syria Dea.”
[8] Mem. Acad. Sc. Paris, 1729.
[9] Beckmann in his “History of Inventions,” says that these automata found their way to St. Petersburg, and that in 1764, he himself saw them at the Palace of Zarsko-Selo, where he learnt that they had been purchased from Vaucanson, but they were not, at that time, in working order.
[10] “An Attempt to Analyse the Automaton Chess Player of Mr. de Kempelen, with an easy method of imitating the movements of that celebrated figure. Illustrated by original drawings. 8vo. London. 1821.”
[11] The author exhibited Edison’s talking doll at the Conversazione of the Sette of Odd Volumes which was held the following month.
THE FOLLOWING EDITIONS OF OLD WORKS, IN ILLUSTRATION OF THE PAPER, WERE EXHIBITED BY THE AUTHOR.
1. John Wilkins, (Bishop of Chester,) _Mathematicall Magick_. (First Edition.) Sm. 8vo. London, 1648.
2. —— _Ditto_. (Third Edition.) Sm. 8vo. London, 1680.
3. —— _Ditto_. (Fourth Edition.) Sm. 8vo. London, 1691.
4. Aulus Gellius, _Noctes Atticæ_. Folio. Paris, 1530.
5. —— _Ditto_. Sm. 8vo. Lyons, 1546.
6. —— _Ditto_. 12mo. (Elzevir.) Amsterdam, 1651.
7. Hero, of Alexandria. _Spiritalia_. (Commandinus Edition.) Sm. 4to. Urbino, 1575.
8. —— _Ditto_. (Aleotti Edition.) Sm. 4to. Ferrara, 1589.
9. —— _Ditto_. (Georgi Edition.) 4to. Urbino, 1592.
10. —— _Ditto_. (Aleotti Edition.) Sm. 4to. Amsterdam, 1680.
11. —— _De gli automati overo machine se movente_. Sm. 4to. Venice, 1589.
12. —— _Quatro theoremi aggiunti a gli artifitiosi Spiriti_. Sm. 4to. Ferrara, 1589.
13. John Bate, _The Mysteries of Nature and Art_. Sm. 4to. London, 1654. 14. Edward Somerset (Marquis of Worcester). _A Century of the Names and Scantlings of such Inventions, as at present I can call to mind_. 12mo. London, 1746.
15. Agostino Ramelli. _Le Diverse et artificiose Machine_. Folio. Paris, 1588.
16. Athanasius Kircher. _Magnes sive de Arte Magnetica_. Folio. Rome, 1641.
17. Vaucanson. _An Account of the Mechanism of Automaton or image playing on the German Flute_. 4to. London, 1742.
18. Peter van Musschenbroeck. _Introductio ad Philosophiam Naturalem_. 4to. Padua, 1768.
19. Jacques Ozanam. _Recréations Mathématiques et physiques_. 8vo. Paris, 1696.
20. Anonymous, (believed to be by Thomas Powell, D.D.) _Humane Industry, or a History of most Manual Arts_. Sm. 8vo. London, 1661.
21. Anonymous, (probably Professor Willis.) _An attempt to Analyse the Automaton Chess player of Mr. de Kempelen_. 8vo. London, 1821.
22. Cox’s Museum. _Descriptive Catalogue of the Superb and Magnificent pieces of Mechanism and Jewellery in Cox’s Museum_. Sm. 4to. London, 1772.
23. Henry Van Etten, _Mathematicall Recreations_. 12mo. London, 1633.
O. V.
A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE PRIVATELY PRINTED OPUSCULA
_Issued to the Members of the Sette of Odd Volumes_.
“Books that can be held in the hand, and carried to the fireside, are the best after all.”—_Samuel Johnson_.
“The writings of the wise are the only riches our posterity cannot squander.”—_Charles Lamb_.
1. =B. Q.= A Biographical and Bibliographical Fragment. 22 Pages. Presented on November the 5th, 1880, by His Oddship C. W. H. WYMAN. 1st Edition limited to 25 copies. (Subsequently enlarged to 50 copies.)
2. =Glossographia Anglicana=. By the late J. TROTTER BROCKETT, F.S.A., London and Newcastle, author of “Glossary of North Country Words,” to which is prefixed a Biographical Sketch of the Author by FREDERICK BLOOMER. (pp. 94.) Presented on July the 7th, 1882, by His Oddship BERNARD QUARITCH. Edition limited to 150 copies.
3. =Ye Boke of Ye Odd Volumes=, from 1878 to 1883. Carefvlly _Compiled_ and painsfvlly _Edited_ by ye vnworthy Historiographer to ye Sette, _Brother_ and _Vice-President_ WILLIAM MORT THOMPSON, and produced by ye order and at ye charges of Hys Oddship ye President and Librarian of ye Sette, Bro. BERNARD QUARITCH. (pp. 136.) Presented on April the 13th, 1883, by his Oddship BERNARD QUARITCH. Edition limited to 150 copies.
4. =Love’s Garland;= Or Posies for Rings, Hand-kerchers, & Gloves, and such pretty Tokens that Lovers send their Loves. London, 1674. A Reprint. And Ye Garland of Ye Odd Volumes, (pp. 102.) Presented on October the 12th, 1883, by Bro. JAMES ROBERTS BROWN. Edition limited to 250 copies.
5. =Queen Anne Musick=. A brief Accompt of ye genuine Article, those who performed ye same, and ye Masters in ye facultie. From 1702 to 1714. (pp. 40.) Presented on July the 13th, 1883, by Bro. BURNHAM W. HORNER. Edition limited to 100 copies.
6. =A Very Odd Dream=. Related by His Oddship W. M. THOMPSON, President of the Sette of Odd Volumes, at the Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen Street, on June 1st, 1883. (pp. 26.) Presented on July the 13th, 1883, by His Oddship W. MORT THOMPSON. Edition limited to 250 copies.
7. =Codex Chiromantiae=. Being a Compleate Manualle of ye Science and Arte of Expoundynge ye Past, ye Presente, ye Future, and ye Charactere, by ye Scrutinie of ye Hande, ye Gestures thereof, and ye Chirographie. _Codicillus I_.—CHIROGNOMY. (pp. 118.) Presented on November the 2nd, 1883, by Bro. ED. HERON-ALLEN. Edition limited to 133 copies.
8. =Intaglio Engraving: Past and Present=. An Address, by Bro. EDWARD RENTON, delivered at the Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen Street, on December 5th, 1884. (pp. 74.) Presented to the Sette by His Oddship EDWARD F. WYMAN. Edition limited to 200 copies.
9. =The Rights, Duties, Obligations, and Advantages of Hospitality=. An Address by Bro. CORNELIUS WALFORD, F.I.A, F.S.S., F.R. Hist. Soc., Barrister-at-Law, Master of the Rolls in the Sette of Odd Volumes, delivered at the Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen Street, on Friday, February 5th, 1885. (pp. 72.) Presented to the Sette by His Oddship EDWARD F. WYMAN. Edition limited to 133 copies.
10. =“Pens, Ink, and Paper:” a Discourse upon Caligraphy=. The Implements and Practice of Writing, both Ancient and Modern, with Curiosa, and an Appendix of famous English Penmen, by Bro. DANIEL W. KETTLE, F.R.G.S., Cosmographer; delivered at the Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen Street, on Friday, November 6th, 1885. (pp. 104.) Presented to the Sette on January 8th, 1886, by Bro. DANIEL W. KETTLE. Edition limited to 233 copies.
11. =On Some of the Books for Children of the Last Century=. With a few Words on the Philanthropic Publisher of St. Paul’s Churchyard. A paper read at a Meeting of the Sette of Odd Volumes by Brother CHARLES WELSH, Chapman of the Sette, at the Freemasons’ Tavern, on Friday, the 8th day of January, 1886. (pp. 108.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. CHARLES WELSH. Edition limited to 250 copies.
12. =Frost Fairs on the Thames=. An Address by Bro. EDWARD WALFORD, M.A., Rhymer to the Sette of the Odd Volumes, delivered at Willis’s Rooms, on Friday, December 3rd, 1886. (pp. 76.) Presented to the Sette by His Oddship GEORGE CLULOW. Edition limited to 133 copies.
13. =On Coloured Books for Children=. By Bro. CHARLES WELSH, Chapman to the Sette. Read before the Sette, at Willis’s Rooms, on Friday, the 6th May, 1887. With a Catalogue of the Books Exhibited. (pp. 60.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. JAMES ROBERTS BROWN. Edition limited to 255 copies.
14. =A Short Sketch of Liturgical History and Literature=. Illustrated by Examples Manuscript and Printed. A Paper read at a Meeting of the Sette of Odd Volumes by Bro. BERNARD QUARITCH, Librarian and First President of the Sette, at Willis’s Rooms, on Friday, June 10th, 1887. (pp. 86.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. BERNARD QUARITCH.
15. =Cornelius Walford: In Memoriam=. By his Kinsman, EDWARD WALFORD, M.A., Rhymer to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at Willis’s Rooms, on Friday, October 21st, 1887. (pp. 60.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. EDWARD WALFORD, M.A. Edition limited to 255 copies.
16. =The Sweating Sickness=. By FREDERICK H. GERVIS, M.R.C.S., Apothecary to the Sette of Odd Volumes, delivered at Willis’s Rooms, on Friday, November 4th, 1887. (pp. 48.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. FRED. H. GERVIS. Edition limited to 133 copies.
17. =New Year’s Day in Japan=. By Bro. CHARLES HOLME, Pilgrim of the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at Willis’s Rooms on Friday, January 6th, 1888. (pp. 46.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. CHARLES HOLME. Edition limited to 133 copies.
18. =Ye Seconde Boke of Ye Odd Volumes=, from 1883 to 1888. Carefvlly _Compiled_ and painsfvlly _Edited_ by ye vnworthy Historiographer to ye Sette, Bro. WILLIAM MORT THOMPSON, and produced by ye order and at ye charges of ye Sette. (pp. 157.) Edition limited to 115 copies.
19. =Repeats and Plagiarisms in Art, 1888=. By Bro. JAMES ORROCK, R.I., Connoisseur to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at Willis’s Rooms, St. James’s, on Friday, January 4th, 1889. (pp. 33.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. JAMES ORROCK, R.I. Edition limited to 133 copies.
20. =How Dreams Come True=. A Dramatic Sketch by Bro. J. TODHUNTER, Bard of the Sette of Odd Volumes. Performed at a Conversazione of the Sette at the Grosvenor Gallery, on Thursday, July 17th, 1890. (pp. 46.) Presented to the Sette by His Oddship Bro. CHARLES HOLME. Edition limited to 600 copies.
21. =The Drama in England during the last Three Centuries=. By Bro. WALTER HAMILTON, F.R.G.S., Parodist to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at Limmer’s Hotel, on Wednesday, January 8th, 1890. (pp. 80.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. WALTER HAMILTON. Edition limited to 201 copies.
22. =Gilbert, of Colchester=. By Bro. SILVANUS P. THOMPSON, D.Sc., B.A., Magnetizer to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, July 4th, 1890. (pp. 63.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. SILVANUS P. THOMPSON. Edition limited to 249 copies.
23. =Neglected Frescoes in Northern Italy=. By Bro. DOUGLAS H. GORDON, Remembrancer to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, December 6th, 1889. (pp. 48.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. DOUGLAS H. GORDON. Edition limited to 133 copies.
24. =Recollections of Robert-Houdin=. By Bro. WILLIAM MANNING. Seer to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Delivered at a Meeting of the Sette held at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, December 7th, 1890. (pp. 81.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. WILLIAM MANNING. Edition limited to 205 copies.
25. =Scottish Witchcraft Trials=. By Bro. J. W. BRODIE INNES, Master of the Rolls to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at a Meeting held at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, November 7th, 1890. (pp. 66.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. ALDERMAN TYLER. Edition limited to 245 copies.
26. =Blue and White China=. By Bro. ALEXANDER T. HOLLINGSWORTH, Artificer to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Delivered at a Meeting of the Sette held at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, February 6th, 1891. (pp. 70.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. ALEXANDER T. HOLLINGSWORTH. Edition limited to 245 copies.
27. =Reading a Poem=. A Forgotten Sketch by WM. M. THACKERAY. Communicated by Bro. CHAS. PLUMPTRE JOHNSON (Clerke-atte-Lawe to the Sette of Odd Volumes), to the Sette at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, May 1st, 1891. (pp. xi and 66.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. CHAS. PLUMPTRE JOHNSON. Edition limited to 321 copies.
28. =The Ballades of a Blasé Man=, to which are added some Rondeaux of his Rejuvenescence, laboriously constructed by the Necromancer to the Sette of Odd Volumes, (pp. 88.) Presented to the Sette by Bro. EDWARD HERON-ALLEN, in October, 1891. Edition limited to 99 copies.
29. =Automata Old and New=. By Bro. CONRAD W. COOKE, Mechanick to the Sette of Odd Volumes. Read before the Sette at a Meeting held at Limmer’s Hotel, on Friday, November 6th, 1891. (pp. 118). Presented to the Sette by Bro. CONRAD W. COOKE. Edition limited to 255 copies.
YEAR-BOKES.
I. =The Year-Boke of the Odd Volumes: An Annual Record of the Transactions of the Sette. Eleventh Year, 1888-9=.
Written and compiled by Bro. W. MORT THOMPSON, Historiographer to the Sette. Issued November 29th, 1890.
II. =The Year-Boke of the Odd Volumes: An Annual Record of the Transactions of the Sette. Twelfth Year, 1889-90=.
III. =The Year-Boke of the Odd Volumes: An Annual Record of the Transactions of the Sette. Thirteenth Year, 1890-1=.
Compiled mainly from the Minute Book of the Sette, and imprynted for private circulation only. Edition limited to 133 copies.
FOLIA.
ORIGINATED BY BROTHER HOLME, _Pilgrim_, WHO PRESENTED EACH BROTHER WITH A SPECIAL PORTFOLIO.
=1. The Victualling Crew=. Presented by Bro. HENRY MOORE, A.R.A., _Ancient Mariner_.
=2. Proud Maisie=, from a drawing by Frederick Sandys. Presented by Bro. TODHUNTER, _Playwright_.
=3. A Rainy Day in Hakone, Japan=. Presented by Bro. ALFRED EAST, _Landscape Painter_.
=4. The Shelley Memorial=. Photogravure from the original Statue. Presented by E. ONSLOW FORD, A.R.A., _Sculptor_.
MISCELLANIES.
1. =Inaugural Address= of His Oddship, W. M. THOMPSON, Fourth President of the Sette of Odd Volumes, delivered at the Freemasons’ Tavern, Great Queen Street, on his taking office on April 13th, &c. (pp. 31.) Printed by order of Ye Sette, and issued on May the 4th, 1883. Edition limited to 250 copies.
2. =Codex Chiromantiae=. _Appendix A_. Dactylomancy, or Finger-ring Magic, Ancient, Mediæval, and Modern, (pp. 34.) Presented on October the 12th, 1883, by Bro. ED. HERON-ALLEN. Edition limited to 133 copies.