ation came and there was danger of its being destroyed, it was
moved to Wells Cathedral, and there a part, at least, of the original
structure still remains. In 1835, however, its works were found to be
pretty well worn out (scant wonder, too) and therefore new works were
put in and the dial was repaired. Evidently, long before, the clock had
had at its base some revolving horseman which probably delighted the
people of that time who were always pleased by automatic figures and
scenes in pantomime. Many ancient clocks reflected this childish taste
by having attached to them all sorts of figures representing the hours,
days of the week, or feasts of the Church. Probably one reason for this
was that as the education of the populace was too meager to give them
much knowledge of numerals, and as they had but little business of
importance to transact, they were far less interested in the time than
in the dumb show gone through with by the little carved dolls.
Furthermore, having no calendars, these figures served the purpose of
telling them what day it was and reminding them of the church holidays.
This explains why so many of the early clockmakers devoted such a degree
of energy and skill to fashioning all sorts of pantomimes to be enacted
by miniature figures at certain hours.

"There was the Exeter clock, for instance, which Jacob Lovelace took
thirty-four years to make, and which had thirteen different mechanisms.
It did no end of ingenious things. Figures passed in procession at the
arrival of the hour; tiny bell ringers rang miniature chimes. In fact,
so many things went on that to see it was almost as good as a play. No
wonder that when Jacob Lovelace died in 1716 it was called his
masterpiece."

"Wasn't there some sort of wonderful clock at Venice?" Christopher asked
timidly.

"Yes, indeed! There was a very celebrated seventeenth century clock
there, with a blue and gold dial which had above it bronze figures that
struck the hour on a bell. Moreover, when the noon of Ascension Day
came, the people were reminded of this holy feast by seeing the Magi
issue forth from a little door and how before the Virgin, who held in
her arms the Christ Child. Every noontime for two weeks this scene was
enacted, to the vast delight of a simple, childish people. This is the
reason why most clocks of the period had only an hour hand and stressed
events of the calendar rather than pointing the flight of the minutes."

"It seems funn