Maelzel’sChess-PlayerPERHAPSnoexhibitionofthekindhaseverelicitedsogeneralattentionastheChess-PlayerofMaelzel。Whereverseenithasbeenanobjectofintensecuriosity，toallpersonswhothink。Yetthequestionofits_modusoperandiis_stillundetermined。Nothinghasbeenwrittenonthistopicwhichcanbeconsideredasdecisiveandaccordinglywefindeverywheremenofmechanicalgenius，ofgreatgeneralacuteness，anddiscriminativeunderstanding，whomakenoscrupleinpronouncingtheAutomatona_puremachine，_unconnectedwithhumanagencyinitsmovements，andconsequently，beyondallcomparison，themostastonishingoftheinventionsofmankind。Andsuchitwouldundoubtedlybe，weretheyrightintheirsupposition。
Assumingthishypothesis，itwouldbegrosslyabsurdtocomparewiththeChess-Player，anysimilarthingofeithermodernorancientdays。
Yettherehavebeenmanyandwonderfulautomata。InBrewster’sLettersonNaturalMagic，wehaveanaccountofthemostremarkable。
Amongthesemaybementioned，ashavingbeyonddoubtexisted，firstly，thecoachinventedbyM。CamusfortheamusementofLouisXIVwhenachild。Atable，aboutfourfeetsquare，wasintroduced，intotheroomappropriatedfortheexhibition。Uponthistablewasplacedacarriage，sixinchesinlength，madeofwood，anddrawnbytwohorsesofthesamematerial。Onewindowbeingdown，aladywasseenonthebackseat。Acoachmanheldthereinsonthebox，andafootmanandpagewereintheirplacesbehind。M。Camusnowtouchedaspring；whereuponthecoachmansmackedhiswhip，andthehorsesproceededinanaturalmanner，alongtheedgeofthetable，drawingafterthemthecarriage。Havinggoneasfaraspossibleinthisdirection，asuddenturnwasmadetotheleft，andthevehiclewasdrivenatrightanglestoitsformercourse，andstillcloselyalongtheedgeofthetable。Inthiswaythecoachproceededuntilitarrivedoppositethechairoftheyoungprince。Itthenstopped，thepagedescendedandopenedthedoor，theladyalighted，andpresentedapetitiontohersovereign。Shethenre-entered。Thepageputupthesteps，closedthedoor，andresumedhisstation。Thecoachmanwhippedhishorses，andthecarriagewasdrivenbacktoitsoriginalposition。
ThemagicianofM。Maillardetisalsoworthyofnotice。Wecopythefollowingaccountofitfromthe_Letters_beforementionedofDr。
B。，whoderivedhisinformationprincipal！
fromtheEdinburghEncyclopaedia。
“Oneofthemostpopularpiecesofmechanismwhichwehaveseen，IstheMagicianconstructedbyM。Maillardet，forthepurposeofansweringcertaingivenquestions。Afigure，dressedlikeamagician，appearsseatedatthebottomofawall，holdingawandinonehand，andabookintheotherAnumberofquestions，readyprepared，areinscribedonovalmedallions，andthespectatortakesanyofthesehechoosesandtowhichhewishesananswer，andhavingplaceditinadrawerreadytoreceiveit，thedrawershutswithaspringtilltheanswerisreturned。Themagicianthenarisesfromhisseat，bowshishead，describescircleswithhiswand，andconsultingthebookasIfindeepthought，heliftsittowardshisface。Havingthusappearedtoponderovertheproposedquestionheraiseshiswand，andstrikingwithitthewallabovehishead，twofoldingdoorsflyopen，anddisplayanappropriateanswertothequestion。Thedoorsagainclose，themagicianresumeshisoriginalposition，andthedraweropenstoreturnthemedallion。Therearetwentyofthesemedallions，allcontainingdifferentquestions，towhichthemagicianreturnsthemostsuitableandstrikinganswers。Themedallionsarethinplatesofbrass，ofanellipticalform，exactlyresemblingeachother。Someofthemedallionshaveaquestioninscribedoneachside，bothofwhichthemagicianansweredinsuccession。Ifthedrawerisshutwithoutamedallionbeingputintoit，themagicianrises，consultshisbook，shakeshishead，andresumeshisseat。Thefoldingdoorsremainshut，andthedrawerisreturnedempty。Iftwomedallionsareputintothedrawertogether，ananswerisreturnedonlytothelowerone。Whenthemachineryiswoundup，themovementscontinueaboutanhour，duringwhichtimeaboutfiftyquestionsmaybeanswered。Theinventorstatedthatthemeansbywhichthedifferentmedallionsacteduponthemachinery，soastoproducetheproperanswerstothequestionswhichtheycontained，wereextremelysimple。”
TheduckofVaucansonwasstillmoreremarkable。Itwas_of_thesizeoflife，andsoperfectanimitationofthelivinganimalthatallthespectatorsweredeceived。Itexecuted，saysBrewster，allthenaturalmovementsandgestures，itateanddrankwithavidity，performedallthequickmotionsoftheheadandthroatwhicharepeculiartotheduck，andlikeitmuddledthewaterwhichitdrankwithitsbill。Itproducedalsothesoundofquackinginthemostnaturalmanner。Intheanatomicalstructuretheartistexhibitedthehighestskill。EveryboneintherealduckhaditsrepresentativeIntheautomaton，anditswingswereanatomicallyexact。Everycavity，apophysis，andcurvaturewasimitated，andeachboneexecuteditspropermovements。Whencornwasthrowndownbeforeit，theduckstretchedoutitsnecktopickitup，swallowed，anddigestedit。
{*1}
Butifthesemachineswereingenious，whatshallwethinkofthecalculatingmachineofMr。Babbage？Whatshallwethinkofanengineofwoodandmetalwhichcannotonlycomputeastronomicalandnavigationtablestoanygivenextent，butrendertheexactitudeofitsoperationsmathematicallycertainthroughitspowerofcorrectingitspossibleerrors？Whatshallwethinkofamachinewhichcannotonlyaccomplishallthis，butactuallyprintoffitselaborateresults，whenobtained，withouttheslightestinterventionoftheintellectofman？Itwill，perhaps，besaid，inreply，thatamachinesuchaswehavedescribedisaltogetherabovecomparisonwiththeChess-PlayerofMaelzel。BynomeansitisaltogetherbeneathitthatistosayprovidedweassumewhatshouldneverforamomentbeassumedthattheChess-Playerisa_puremachine，_andperformsitsoperationswithoutanyimmediatehumanagency。Arithmeticaloralgebraicalcalculationsare，fromtheirverynature，fixedanddeterminate。Certain_data_beinggiven，certainresultsnecessarilyandinevitablyfollow。Theseresultshavedependenceuponnothing，andareinfluencedbynothingbutthe_data_originallygiven。Andthequestiontobesolvedproceeds，orshouldproceed，toitsfinaldetermination，byasuccessionofunerringstepsliabletonochange，andsubjecttonomodification。Thisbeingthecase，wecanwithoutdifficultyconceivethe_possibility_ofsoarrangingapieceofmechanism，thatuponstartingInaccordancewiththe_data_ofthequestiontobesolved，itshouldcontinueitsmovementsregularly，progressively，andundeviatinglytowardstherequiredsolution，sincethesemovements，howevercomplex，areneverimaginedtobeotherwisethanfiniteanddeterminate。ButthecaseiswidelydifferentwiththeChess-Player。Withhimthereisnodeterminateprogression。Noonemoveinchessnecessarilyfollowsuponanyoneother。Fromnoparticulardispositionofthemenatoneperiodofagamecanwepredicatetheirdispositionatadifferentperiod。Letusplacethe_firstmove_inagameofchess，injuxta-positionwiththe_data_ofanalgebraicalquestion，andtheirgreatdifferencewillbeimmediatelyperceived。Fromthelatterfromthe_data_thesecondstepofthequestion，dependentthereupon，inevitablyfollows。Itismodelledbythe_data。_Itmustbe_thus_andnototherwise。Butfromthefirstmoveinthegameofchessnoespecialsecondmovefollowsofnecessity。Inthealgebraicalquestion，asitproceedstowardssolution，the_certainty_ofitsoperationsremainsaltogetherunimpaired。Thesecondstephavingbeenaconsequenceofthe_data，_thethirdstepisequallyaconsequenceofthesecond，thefourthofthethird，thefifthofthefourth，andsoon，_andnotpossiblyotherwise，_totheend。Butinproportiontotheprogressmadeinagameofchess，isthe_uncertainty_ofeachensuingmove。Afewmoveshavingbeenmade，_no_stepiscertain。Differentspectatorsofthegamewouldadvisedifferentmoves。Allisthendependentuponthevariablejudgmentoftheplayers。NowevengrantingwhatshouldnotbegrantedthatthemovementsoftheAutomatonChess-Playerwereinthemselvesdeterminate，theywouldbenecessarilyinterruptedanddisarrangedbytheindeterminatewillofhisantagonist。ThereisthennoanalogywhateverbetweentheoperationsoftheChess-Player，andthoseofthecalculatingmachineofMr。Babbage，andifwechoosetocalltheformera_puremachine_wemustbepreparedtoadmitthatitis，beyondallcomparison，themostwonderfuloftheinventionsofmankind。Itsoriginalprojector，however，BaronKempelen，hadnoscrupleindeclaringittobea“veryordinarypieceofmechanisma_bagatelle_whoseeffectsappearedsomarvellousonlyfromtheboldnessoftheconception，andthefortunatechoiceofthemethodsadoptedforpromotingtheillusion。”Butitisneedlesstodwelluponthispoint。ItisquitecertainthattheoperationsoftheAutomatonareregulatedby_mind，_andbynothingelse。Indeedthismatterissusceptibleofamathematicaldemonstration，_apriori。_Theonlyquestionthenisofthe_manner_inwhichhumanagencyisbroughttobear。BeforeenteringuponthissubjectitwouldbeaswelltogiveabriefhistoryanddescriptionoftheChess-PlayerforthebenefitofsuchofourreadersasmayneverhavehadanopportunityofwitnessingMr。Maelzel’sexhibition。
TheAutomatonChess-Playerwasinventedin1769，byBaronKempelen，anoblemanofPresburg，inHungary，whoafterwardsdisposedofit，togetherwiththesecretofitsoperations，toitspresentpossessor。
{2*}SoonafteritscompletionitwasexhibitedinPresburg，Paris，Vienna，andothercontinentalcities。In1783and1784，itwastakentoLondonbyMr。Maelzel。OflateyearsithasvisitedtheprincipaltownsintheUnitedStates。Whereverseen，themostintensecuriositywasexcitedbyitsappearance，andnumeroushavebeentheattempts，bymenofallclasses，tofathomthemysteryofitsevolutions。ThecutonthispagegivesatolerablerepresentationofthefigureasseenbythecitizensofRichmondafewweeksago。Therightarm，however，shouldliemoreatlengthuponthebox，achess-boardshouldappearuponit，andthecushionshouldnotbeseenwhilethepipeisheld。SomeimmaterialalterationshavebeenmadeinthecostumeoftheplayersinceitcameintothepossessionofMaelzeltheplume，forexample，wasnotoriginallyworn。{imageofautomaton}
Atthehourappointedforexhibition，acurtainiswithdrawn，orfoldingdoorsarethrownopen，andthemachinerolledtowithinabouttwelvefeetofthenearestofthespectators，betweenwhomanditthemachinearopeisstretched。AfigureisseenhabitedasaTurk，andseated，withitslegscrossed，atalargeboxapparentlyofmaplewood，whichservesitasatable。Theexhibiterwill，ifrequested，rollthemachinetoanyportionoftheroom，sufferittoremainaltogetheronanydesignatedspot，orevenshiftitslocationrepeatedlyduringtheprogressofagame。Thebottomoftheboxiselevatedconsiderablyabovethefloorbymeansofthecastorsorbrazenrollersonwhichitmoves，aclearviewofthesurfaceimmediatelybeneaththeAutomatonbeingthusaffordedtothespectators。Thechaironwhichthefiguresitsisaffixedpermanentlytothebox。Onthetopofthislatterisachess-board，alsopermanentlyaffixed。TherightarmoftheChess-Playerisextendedatfulllengthbeforehim，atrightangleswithhisbody，andlying，inanapparentlycarelessposition，bythesideoftheboard。Thebackofthehandisupwards。Theboarditselfiseighteeninchessquare。
Theleftarmofthefigureisbentattheelbow，andinthelefthandisapipe。AgreendraperyconcealsthebackoftheTurk，andfallspartiallyoverthefrontofbothshoulders。Tojudgefromtheexternalappearanceofthebox，itisdividedintofivecompartmentsthreecupboardsofequaldimensions，andtwodrawersoccupyingthatportionofthechestlyingbeneaththecupboards。TheforegoingobservationsapplytotheappearanceoftheAutomatonuponitsfirstintroductionintothepresenceofthespectators。
Maelzelnowinformsthecompanythathewilldisclosetotheirviewthemechanismofthemachine。Takingfromhispocketabunchofkeysheunlockswithoneofthem，doormarked~inthecutabove，andthrowsthecupboardfullyopentotheinspectionofallpresent。Itswholeinteriorisapparentlyfilledwithwheels，pinions，levers，andothermachinery，crowdedverycloselytogether，sothattheeyecanpenetratebutalittledistanceintothemass。Leavingthisdooropentoitsfullextent，hegoesnowroundtothebackofthebox，andraisingthedraperyofthefigure，opensanotherdoorsituatedpreciselyintherearoftheonefirstopened。Holdingalightedcandleatthisdoor，andshiftingthepositionofthewholemachinerepeatedlyatthesametime，abrightlightisthrownentirelythroughthecupboard，whichisnowclearlyseentobefull，completelyfull，ofmachinery。Thespectatorsbeingsatisfiedofthisfact，Maelzelclosesthebackdoor，locksit，takesthekeyfromthelock，letsfallthedraperyofthefigure，andcomesroundtothefront。ThedoormarkedI，itwillberemembered，isstillopen。Theexhibiternowproceedstoopenthedrawerwhichliesbeneaththecupboardsatthebottomoftheboxforalthoughthereareapparentlytwodrawers，thereisreallyonlyonethetwohandlesandtwokeyholesbeingintendedmerelyforornament。Havingopenedthisdrawertoitsfullextent，asmallcushion，andasetofchessmen，fixedinaframeworkmadetosupportthemperpendicularly，arediscovered。