FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   >>  
e rolling and pitching of the vessel. Breguet conceived the bold thought of enclosing the whole mechanism of the escapement and the spring in a circular envelope, making a complete revolution every two minutes. The inequality of position is thus, as it were, equalised on that short lapse of time; the mechanism itself producing compensation, whether the chronometer is subjected to any continuous movement, or kept steady in an inclined or upright position. Breguet did still more: he found means to preserve the regularity of his chronometers even in case of their getting any sudden shock or fall, and this he did by the parachute. Sir Thomas Brisbane put one of them to the proof, carrying it about with him on horseback, and on long journeys and voyages; in sixteen months, the greatest daily loss was only a second and a half--that is, the 57,600th part of a daily revolution. Such is the encouraging example of Breguet, who was at first only a workman. And to this he owes his being the best judge of good workmen, as he was the best friend to them. He sought out such everywhere, even in other countries; gave them the instruction of a master of the art; and treated them with the kindness of a father. They were indebted to him for their prosperity, and he owed to them the increase of fortune and of fame. He well understood the advantages of a judicious division of labour, according to the several capabilities of artisans. By this means, he was able to meet the demand for pieces of his workmanship, not less remarkable for elegance and beauty than for extreme accuracy. It may indeed be said, that Breguet's efforts gave a character to French horology that it has never lost. So much may one man do in his day and generation to give an impetus to an important branch of national industry. SAINT ELIZABETH OF BOHEMIA. 'Would that we two were lying Beneath the church-yard sod, With our limbs at rest in the green earth's breast, And our souls at home with God!'[4] I never lay me down to sleep at night But in my heart I sing that little song: The angels hear it, as, a pitying throng, They touch my burning lids with fingers bright, Like moonbeams--pale, impalpable, and light. And when my daily pious tasks are done, And all my patient prayers said one by one, God hears it. Seems it sinful in His sight That round my slow burnt-offering of que
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   >>  



Top keywords:

Breguet

 

mechanism

 

revolution

 

position

 

generation

 
offering
 

industry

 

ELIZABETH

 

BOHEMIA

 

national


branch
 

impetus

 

important

 

horology

 

character

 

remarkable

 

elegance

 
beauty
 

workmanship

 

pieces


demand

 

extreme

 

efforts

 

accuracy

 

French

 

sinful

 
fingers
 
bright
 

burning

 
angels

prayers

 

pitying

 

throng

 
artisans
 

impalpable

 

church

 

Beneath

 

moonbeams

 
breast
 

patient


instruction

 

upright

 

preserve

 

inclined

 

steady

 

subjected

 
chronometer
 
continuous
 

movement

 

regularity