,transcriber's ,notes #a4 ,typographical ,errors have been silently corrected4 #b4 ,variations of spelling and hyphenation are as in the original4 #c4 ,in the following text1 it is coded for italics thus italic4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,observations ,,on ,,the ,automaton ,chess ,player4 ,s4 ,gosnell1 ,printer1 ,little ,queen ,street1 ,london4 ,,observations ,,on ,,the ,automaton ,,chess ,,player1 ,,now ,,exhibited ,,in ,,london1 ,,at #d1 ,,spring ,,gardens4 ,,by ,,an ,,oxford ,,graduate4 ----ut speciosa dehinc miracula promat4--,,hor4 ,london3 ,,printed ,,for ,j4 ,,hatchard1 ,,no4 #aij1 ,,opposite ,,albany1 ,,piccadilly2 ,,and ,,sold ,,by ,,all ,,the ,,booksellers4 #ahai4 ,price ,one ,shilling4 ,,preface4 ,the science of mechanics is one of those in which the ingenuity of modern artists appears with superior advantage4 ,the ancients1 with the single exception of ,archimedes1 had but an imperfect knowledge of the mysteries of this science1 as their attempts in the construction of instruments for marking time1 and of the organ1 sufficiently prove4 ,this inferiority may be accounted for upon the principle1 that the highest discoveries in mechanics do not depend upon the capacity1 however enlarged1 of any individual1 but upon the successive discoveries of many individuals1 during ages1 combined at length1 by some powerful genius1 and directed to the completion of one great object4 ,hence it was reserved to modern times1 to witness the invention of those exquisite and grand combinations of mechanism1 which are displayed in the numerous kinds of watch and clock work1 and in the higher order of wind instruments1 in their several varieties3 and hence the present age has produced the most finished pieces of mechanical science1 in the ,flute-player of ,monsieur de ,vaucanson1 the ,trumpeter of ,maelzel#a1 the ,panharmonicon of ,mr4 ,gurk1 and the ,apollonicon of our celebrated native mechanicians1 ,messrs4 ,flight and ,robson#b4 ,notwithstanding1 however1 the superior ingenuity of modern artists1 in mechanics1 which these scientific inventions discover1 it seems to be a thing absolutely impossible1 that any piece of mechanism should be invented1 which1 possessing perfect mechanical motion1 should appear to exert the intelligence of a reasoning agent4 ,this seeming impossibility is surmounted in the construction of the ,automaton ,chess ,player4 ,the stretch of invention shown in this unparalleled instance of mechanical skill1 will be fully appreciated only by those who can form an estimate of the variety of combinations amongst the pieces which a game of ,chess presents3 the constant exercise of acute judgment required in anticipating the designs of an antagonist1 or in frustrating those which cannot be foreseen2 and the experience in the game1 which must be attained by any individual1 before he can become qualified to be a skilful ,chess ,player4 ,some accurate notion1 however1 of the surprising powers which the inventor of this singular piece of mechanism has displayed1 even they who are unacquainted1 or but slightly acquainted1 with the game of ,chess1 may derive from a faithful description of it1 with respect to its construction1 so far as that can be explained1 and its general manner of working4 ,such a description1 likewise1 may be acceptable to those who are adepts in the game1 to call to their recollection1 any interesting circumstance relating to the ,automaton1 which they may have forgotten2 and to be a slight memorial of a masterpiece of human ingenuity which excited their liveliest curiosity and admiration4 ,indocti discant1 ament meminisse periti4 ,,observations1 c4 ,the celebrated piece of mechanism1 called the ,automaton ,chess ,player1 was the invention of ,wolffgang de ,kempelen1 a ,hungarian gentleman1 ,aulic ,counsellor to the ,royal ,chamber of the domains of the ,emperor in ,hungary4 ,his genius for mechanics appeared in early life2 and when matured by study1 and experimental observation to which the leisure that his employment afforded him1 was chiefly devoted1 displayed itself in various inventions and improvements of great public utility4 ,being at ,vienna1 in the year #agfi1 upon business of office1 he was invited1 by order of the ,empress ,maria ,theresa1 to be present at certain experiments of magnetism1 which were to be exhibited before herself and the ,imperial court1 by a ,frenchman1 of the name of ,pelletier4 ,during the exhibition1 ,m4 de ,kempelen1 who was honoured with the familiar conversation of the ,empress1 dropped a hint that he thought himself competent to construct a piece of mechanism1 which should produce effects far more surprising and unaccountable than those which she then witnessed4 ,the curiosity of the ,empress being strongly reused1 she impressed a lively desire to see his idea carried into execution1 and drew from him a promise that he would gratify her wishes without delay4 ,m4 de ,kempelen kept his word2 and within the space of six months completed his ,automaton ,chess ,player4 ,at ,vienna1 where it was first produced1 it excited the highest astonishment and admiration of the ,empress and her court1 and of many illustrious and scientific persons1 who examined its extraordinary powers4 ,the report of them quickly spread2 and the newspapers of the time speak of them in unmeasured terms of approbation4 ,the inventor1 however1 with that indifference to popular favour which characterizes true genius1 not only declined making public exhibition of his ,automaton1 and refused considerable pecuniary offers from persons desirous of purchasing it2 but in his ardour for prosecuting some new mechanical pursuit1 actually laid it aside1 and even proceeded in part to take it to pieces4 ,in this disordered state it remained during many years1 when1 on the occasion of a visit made by the ,grand ,duke ,paul1 of ,russia1 with his consort1 to the court of ,vienna1 the ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii4 recollecting the invention of ,m4 de ,kempelen1 signified a wish that he should exhibit it for the gratification of these august personages4 ,in the course of five weeks1 the numerous repairs which it required1 were completed by the indefatigable genius of its inventor2 and on being produced before the ,imperial visitors1 it excited no less astonishment and admiration than at its first appearance4 ,upon this occasion1 ,m4 de ,kempelen was urged and prevailed upon to satisfy general curiosity by exhibiting it publicly in ,germany and in other countries4 ,accordingly1 the ,emperor having granted him permission to absent himself from the duties of his employment during two years1 he travelled with his ,automaton1 into various parts of ,germany and to ,paris2 and in the year #aghe1 he visited ,england4 ,at his death1 which took place about the year #ahjc1 the ,automaton came into possession of his son1 who sold it to the present exhibiter1 a man1 apparently of great ability in the science of mechanics1 and inferior only to ,m4 de ,kempelen himself4 ,this short historical notice1 touching the inventor of the ,automaton ,chess ,player1 and the circumstances which led to its invention and first exhibition1 naturally precedes a description of the ,automaton itself4 ,the room where it is at present exhibited1 has an inner apartment1 within which appears the figure of a ,turk1 as large as life1 dressed after the ,turkish fashion1 sitting behind a chest of three feet and a half in length1 two feet in breadth1 and two feet and a half in height1 to which it is attached by the wooden seat on which it sits4 ,the chest is placed upon four casters1 and together with the figure1 may be easily moved to any part of the room4 ,on the plain surface formed by the top of the chest1 in the centre1 is a raised immovable chess-board of handsome dimensions1 upon which the figure has its eyes fixed2 its right arm and hand being extended on the chest1 and its left arm somewhat raised1 as if in the attitude of holding a ,turkish pipe1 which originally was placed in its hand4 ,the exhibiter begins by wheeling the chest to the entrance of the apartment within which it stands1 and in face of the spectators4 ,he then opens certain doors contrived in the chest1 two in front1 and two at the back1 at the same time pulling put a long shallow drawer at the bottom of the chest made to contain the chess men1 a cushion for the arm of the figure to rest upon1 and some counters4 ,two lesser doors1 said a green cloth screen2 contrived in the body of the figure1 and in its lower parts1 are likewise opened1 and the ,turkish robe which covers them is raised2 so that the construction both of the figure and chest internally is displayed4 ,in this state the ,automaton is moved round for the examination of the spectators2 and to banish all suspicion from the most sceptical mind1 that any living subject is concealed within any part of it1 the exhibited introduces a lighted candle into the body of the chest and figure1 by which the interior of each is1 in a great measure1 rendered transparent1 and the most secret corner is shown3 ,here it may be observed1 that the same precaution to remove suspicion is used1 if requested1 at the close as at the commencement of a game of ,chess with the ,automaton4 ,the chest is divided1 by a partition1 into two unequal chambers4 ,that to the right of the figure is the narrowest1 and occupies scarcely one third of the body of the chest4 ,it is filled with little wheels1 levers1 cylinders1 and other machinery used in clock-work4 ,that to the left contains a few wheels1 some small barrels with springs1 and two quarters of a circle placed horizontally4 ,the body and lower parts of the figure contain certain tubes which seem to be conductors to the machinery4 ,after a sufficient time1 during which each spectator may satisfy his scruples and his curiosity1 the exhibiter recloses the doors of the chest and figure1 and the drawer at bottom2 makes some arrangements in the body of the figure1 winds up the works with a key inserted into a small opening on the side of the chest1 places a cushion under the left arm of the figure1 which now rests upon it1 and incites any individual present1 to play a game of ,chess4 ,at one and three o'clock in the afternoon1 the ,automaton plays only ends of games1 with any person who may be present4 ,on these occasions the pieces are placed on the board1 according to a preconcerted arrangement2 and the ,automaton invariably wins the game4 ,but at eight o'clock every evening1 it plays an entire game against any antagonist who may offer himself1 and generally is the winner1 although the inventor had not this issue in view as a necessary event4 ,in playing a game1 the ,automaton makes choice of the white pieces1 and always has the first move4 ,these are small advantages towards winning the game which are cheerfully conceded4 ,it plays with the left hand1 the right arm and hand being constantly extended on the chest1 behind which it is seated4 ,this slight incongruity proceeded from absence of mind in the inventor1 who did not perceive his mistake till the machinery of the ,automaton was too far completed to admit of the mistake being rectified4 ,at the commencement of a game1 the ,automaton moves its head1 as if taking a view of the board2 the same motion occurs at the close of a game4 ,in making a move1 it slowly raises its left arm from the cushion placed under it1 and directs it towards the square of the piece to be moved4 ,its hand and fingers open on touching the piece1 which it takes up1 and conveys to any proposed square4 ,the arm1 then1 returns with a natural motion to the cushion upon which it usually rests4 ,in taking a piece1 the ,automaton makes the same motions of the arm and hand to lay hold of the piece1 which it conveys from the board2 and then returning to its own piece1 it takes it up1 and places it on the vacant square4 ,these motions are performed with perfect correctness2 and the dexterity with which the arm acts1 especially in the delicate operation of castling1 seems to be the result of spontaneous feeling1 bending at the shoulder1 elbow1 and knuckles1 and cautiously avoiding to touch any other piece than that which is to be moved1 nor ever making a false move4 ,after a move made by its antagonist1 the ,automaton remains for a few moments only inactive1 as if meditating its next move2 upon which the motions of the left arm and hand follow4 ,on giving check to the ,king1 it moves its head as a signal4 ,when a false move is made by its antagonist1 which frequently occurs1 through curiosity to observe in what manner the ,automaton will act3 as1 for instance1 if a ,knight be made to move like a ,castle1 the ,automaton taps impatiently on the chest1 with its right hand1 replaces the ,knight on its former square1 and not permitting its antagonist to recover his move1 proceeds immediately to move one of its own pieces3 thus appearing to punish him for his inattention4 ,the little advantage in play which is hereby gained1 makes the ,automaton more a match for its antagonist1 and seems to have been contemplated by the inventor as an additional resource towards winning the game4 ,it is of importance that the person matched against the ,automaton1 should be attentive1 in moving a piece1 to place it precisely in the centre of its square2 otherwise the figure1 in attempting to lay hold of the piece1 may miss its hold1 or even sustain some injury in the delicate mechanism of the fingers4 ,when the person has made a move1 no alteration in it can take place3 and if a piece be touched1 it must be played somewhere4 ,this rule is strictly observed by the ,automaton4 ,if its antagonist hesitates to move for a considerable time1 it taps smartly on the top of the chest with the right hand1 which is constantly extended upon it1 as if testifying impatience at his delay4 ,during the time that the ,automaton is in motion1 a low sound of clock-work running down is heard1 which ceases soon after its arm returns to the cushion2 and then its antagonist may make his move4 ,the works are wound up at intervals1 after ten or twelve moves1 by the exhibiter1 who is usually employed in walking up and down the apartment in which the ,automaton is shown1 approaching1 however1 the chest from time to time1 especially on its right side4 ,at the conclusion of the exhibition of the ,automaton1 on the removal of the chess men from the board1 one of the spectators indiscriminately is requested to place a ,knight upon any square of the board at pleasure4 ,the ,automaton immediately takes up the ,knight1 and beginning from that square1 it moves the piece1 according to its proper motion1 so as to touch each of the sixty-three squares of the chess board in turn1 without missing one1 or returning to the same square4 ,the square from which the ,knight proceeds is marked by a white counter2 and the squares successively touched1 by red counters1 which at length occupy all the other squares of the board4 ,the description now given of the ,automaton ,chess ,player1 with respect to its construction1 so far as that can be explained1 and its general manner of working1 naturally suggests an interesting inquiry3 ,what are the immediate causes by which its unparalleled phenomena are produced8 ,to this inquiry no satisfactory answer has yet been made4 ,it is allowable1 therefore1 to hazard some observations in reply to it4 ,the causes sought for appear to be two1 which are distinct from each other--a moving force from which the left arm and hand of the ,automaton derive the action peculiar to those parts of the body2 and a directing force1 by which the same arm and hand1 when raised and prepared to act1 are guided on this side or that1 according to circumstances1 many of which cannot possibly be anticipated1 and each of which requires the exertion of the reasoning faculty1 sometimes in a high degree4 ,to explain the nature of the moving force1 which is employed1 is the province of the professed mechanician1 who can account for it upon fixed mechanical principles4 ,the operation of that force at a certain time after each move of an antagonist1 seems to depend upon the momentary interference of the exhibiter1 who though usually employed in walking up and down1 approaches the chest when the ,automaton is about to make a move 7p4 #bj71 and appears to touch some spring1 near to the arm of the figure1 on the right side1 which spring may set in motion the works by which the arm and hand of the ,automaton are raised from the cushion1 are made to bend at their several joints1 so as to grasp the piece to which they may be guided by the directing force1 and to retain it for a given moment of time1 after which1 on disposing of the piece1 the arm and hand become relaxed1 and are brought back to their usual position4 ,in case a piece is to be taken1 or a false move is made by an antagonist1 or the ,automaton castles 7p4 #ba71 by a peculiar manner of touching the spring1 these mechanical motions of the arm and hand might be repeated de suite2 with a variation only in the return of the arm1 which would not take place until the end of the repetition4 ,but the mystery in the action of the ,automaton--a mystery not less hard to be solved by professed mechanicians1 than by persons unacquainted with the science of mechanics1 arises from the nature and operation of the directing force by which the arm and hand of the ,automaton1 when raised and prepared to act by the moving force1 are guided with a precision and judgment that baffles the skill even of experienced chess players4 ,various conjectures have been made upon this subject4 ,it was supposed1 for a time1 that the directing force was some concealed loadstone1 until the inventor of the ,automaton showed the groundless nature of such a supposition1 by permitting any person to place the most powerful loadstone in contact with the figure1 or upon any part of the chest to which it is attached4 ,the most obvious solution of the nature and operation of the directing force may be drawn from the hypothesis1 that a living subject is enclosed within the left or larger chamber of the chest1 who guides the arm and hand of the ,automaton when raised1 either in this or that direction1 according to the ever varying appearance of the game1 which might be discerned through a transparent chess-board4 ,it is sufficient1 however1 in order to refute this hypothesis1 to repeat what has been already mentioned in page #ag1 that both before and after the exhibition of the ,automaton1 the exhibiter is willing to lay open for the examination of every spectator its entire construction internally1 so as to satisfy the most incredulous person1 that no concealment whatsoever of a living subject can take place4 ,with more semblance of reason1 it has been conjectured that there is a communication between the left arm and hand of the ,automaton1 and a person placed in an adjoining room1 who1 though unseen1 himself1 is a spectator of the game2 and that by means of this communication1 the directing force required may be conveyed at the time when the arm and hand are raised4 ,this conjecture1 however plausible1 may be answered by the statement of a plain fact1 referred to before1 that ,m4 de ,kempelen exhibited his ,automaton1 on two different occasions1 at the ,imperial palace of ,vienna2 and it is absolutely chimerical to suppose1 that upon those occasions1 any communication could be opened with an adjoining apartment in the palace to that in which the ,automaton was exhibited4 ,still the question returns1 ,what is the nature and operation of the directing force1 by which the left arm and hand of the ,automaton when raised1 and prepared to act1 are guided8 ,with respect to the nature of this directing force1 there can be only one reasonable opinion1 that it must proceed from the immediate direction of some human agent2 and since there is no communication with such an agent concealed within the chest1 or in a room adjoining1 it must proceed from the immediate direction of the exhibiter himself4 ,nevertheless the operation of this directing force1 or in what secret manner the exhibiter directs the arm and hand of the ,automaton when raised1 yet remains to be explained4 ,m4 de ,kempelen once threw out a hint1 that the chief merit of his invention lay in the successful manner in which he deceived the spectators2 by which hint he seemed to imply not only that the exhibiter does interfere in an unperceived manner in directing the arm and hand of the ,automaton when raised1 according to the varying circumstances of a game of ,chess2 but that the mode of such interference is very simple4 ,in fact1 when the arm and hand are raised and prepared to act by the operation of the moving force already explained1 the action of a wire or piece of catgut1 not much thicker than a hair1 would be sufficient to guide them in any direction2 which action1 from the delicacy of the medium used1 might be communicated in a manner wholly unperceived by the spectators#c4 ,probably the precise time and instrument of communicating this action1 which are circumstances systematically kept secret1 will never be discovered2 and the conception of them1 reflects the highest honour upon the ingenuity of the inventor4 ,to construct an arm and hand capable of performing the ordinary functions of those parts1 would be of itself sufficient to secure the reputation of an artist2 but to make the same arm and hand almost counterparts of living members in a reasoning agent1 displays a power of invention as bold and original1 any that has ever been exhibited to the world4 ,footnote #a3 ,this piece of mechanism is shown1 together with the ,automaton ,chess ,player1 at #d1 ,spring ,gardens4 ,footnote #b3 ,this grand instrument1 which performs by mechanical action1 or may be played upon by five professors at once1 is shown at the rooms1 ,no4 #aja1 ,st4 ,martin's ,lane4 ,footnote #c3 ,there can be little doubt that the peculiar action of the ,automaton 7p4 #bd71 by which the ,knight is made to touch each of the #fh squares of the chess-board in turn1 depends upon the action of machinery alone1 without any interference of the exhibiter1 except in previously winding up the works4 ,the motions of the head of the figure1 and its tapping on the chest 7pp4 #bj-bc71 are a kind of hors d'8uvre4 ,,the ,,end4 ,s4 ,gosnell1 ,printer1 ,little ,queen ,street1 ,london4