ental cities. In 1783 and 1784, it was taken to
London by Mr. Maelzel. Of late years it has visited the principal towns
in the United States. Wherever seen, the most intense curiosity was
excited by its appearance, and numerous have been the attempts, by men
of all classes, to fathom the mystery of its evolutions. The cut on
this page gives a tolerable representation of the figure as seen by the
citizens of Richmond a few weeks ago. The right arm, however, should lie
more at length upon the box, a chess-board should appear upon it, and
the cushion should not be seen while the pipe is held. Some immaterial
alterations have been made in the costume of the player since it
came into the possession of Maelzel--the plume, for example, was not
originally worn. {image of automaton}

At the hour appointed for exhibition, a curtain is withdrawn, or folding
doors are thrown open, and the machine rolled to within about twelve
feet of the nearest of the spectators, between whom and it (the machine)
a rope is stretched. A figure is seen habited as a Turk, and seated,
with its legs crossed, at a large box apparently of maple wood, which
serves it as a table. The exhibiter will, if requested, roll the machine
to any portion of the room, suffer it to remain altogether on any
designated spot, or even shift its location repeatedly during the
progress of a game. The bottom of the box is elevated considerably above
the floor by means of the castors or brazen rollers on which it moves,
a clear view of the surface immediately beneath the Automaton being
thus afforded to the spectators. The chair on which the figure sits
is affixed permanently to the box. On the top of this latter is a
chess-board, also permanently affixed. The right arm of the Chess-Player
is extended at full length before him, at right angles with his body,
and lying, in an apparently careless position, by the side of the board.
The back of the hand is upwards. The board itself is eighteen inches
square. The left arm of the figure is bent at the elbow, and in the left
hand is a pipe. A green drapery conceals the back of the Turk, and falls
partially over the front of both shoulders. To judge from the external
appearance of the box, it is divided into five compartments--three
cupboards of equal dimensions, and two drawers occupying that portion of
the chest lying beneath the cupboards. The foregoing observations apply
to the appearance of the Automaton upon its first introduct