The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 4Poe, Edgar Allan
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The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 4
Poe, Edgar Allan
American fiction -- 19th century; Fantasy fiction; Horror tales, American; Short stories
The circumstance of the Automaton’s playing with his left hand
cannot have connexion with the operations of the machine,
considered merely as such. Any mechanical arrangement which would
cause the figure to move, in any given manner, the left
arm—could, if reversed, cause it to move, in the same manner, the
right. But these principles cannot be extended to the human
organization, wherein there is a marked and radical difference in
the construction, and, at all events, in the powers, of the right
and left arms. Reflecting upon this latter fact, we naturally
refer the incongruity noticeable in the Chess-Player to this
peculiarity in the human organization. If so, we must imagine
some _reversion—_for the Chess-Player plays precisely as a man
_would not. _These ideas, once entertained, are sufficient of
themselves, to suggest the notion of a man in the interior. A few
more imperceptible steps lead us, finally, to the result. The
Automaton plays with his left arm, because under no other
circumstances could the man within play with his right—a
_desideratum _of course. Let us, for example, imagine the
Automaton to play with his right arm. To reach the machinery
which moves the arm, and which we have before explained to lie
just beneath the shoulder, it would be necessary for the man
within either to use his right arm in an exceedingly painful and
awkward position, (viz. brought up close to his body and tightly
compressed between his body and the side of the Automaton,) or
else to use his left arm brought across his breast. In neither
case could he act with the requisite ease or precision. On the
contrary, the Automaton playing, as it actually does, with the
left arm, all difficulties vanish. The right arm of the man
within is brought across his breast, and his right fingers act,
without any constraint, upon the machinery in the shoulder of the
figure.
We do not believe that any reasonable objections can be urged
against this solution of the Automaton Chess-Player.
THE POWER OF WORDS
OINOS. Pardon, Agathos, the weakness of a spirit new-fledged with
immortality!
AGATHOS. You have spoken nothing, my Oinos, for which pardon is
to be demanded. Not even here is knowledge a thing of intuition.
For wisdom, ask of the angels freely, that it may be given!
OINOS. But in this existence, I dreamed that I should be at once
cognizant of all things, and thus at once be happy in being
cognizant of all.
AGATHOS. Ah, not in knowledge is happiness, but in the
acquisition of knowledge! In for ever knowing, we are for ever
blessed; but to know all were the curse of a fiend.
OINOS. But does not The Most High know all?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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