The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 5, April, 1836Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 5, April, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
10. Sir David Brewster states the figure of the Turk to be of the
size of life--but in fact it is far above the ordinary size. Nothing
is more easy than to err in our notions of magnitude. The body of
the Automaton is generally insulated, and, having no means of
immediately comparing it with any human form, we suffer ourselves to
consider it as of ordinary dimensions. This mistake may, however, be
corrected by observing the Chess-Player when, as is sometimes the
case, the exhibiter approaches it. Mr. Maelzel, to be sure, is not
very tall, but upon drawing near the machine, his head will be found
at least eighteen inches below the head of the Turk, although the
latter, it will be remembered, is in a sitting position.
11. The box behind which the Automaton is placed, is precisely three
feet six inches long, two feet four inches deep, and two feet six
inches high. These dimensions are fully sufficient for the
accommodation of a man very much above the common size--and the main
{325} compartment alone is capable of holding any ordinary man in
the position we have mentioned as assumed by the person concealed.
As these are facts, which any one who doubts them may prove by
actual calculation, we deem it unnecessary to dwell upon them. We
will only suggest that, although the top of the box is apparently a
board of about three inches in thickness, the spectator may satisfy
himself by stooping and looking up at it when the main compartment
is open, that it is in reality very thin. The height of the drawer
also will be misconceived by those who examine it in a cursory
manner. There is a space of about three inches between the top of
the drawer as seen from the exterior, and the bottom of the
cupboard--a space which must be included in the height of the
drawer. These contrivances to make the room within the box appear
less than it actually is, are referrible to a design on the part of
the inventor, to impress the company again with a false idea, viz.
that no human being can be accommodated within the box.
12. The interior of the main compartment is lined throughout with
_cloth_. This cloth we suppose to have a twofold object. A portion
of it may form, when tightly stretched, the only partitions which
there is any necessity for removing during the changes of the man's
position, viz: the partition between the rear of the main
compartment and the rear of the cupboard No. 1, and the partition
between the main compartment, and the space behind the drawer when
open. If we imagine this to be the case, the difficulty of shifting
the partitions vanishes at once, if indeed any such difficulty could
be supposed under any circumstances to exist. The second object of
the cloth is to deaden and render indistinct all sounds occasioned
by the movements of the person within.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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