A Wonderful Time=piece.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 23, 5 June 1902, Page 15

A Wonderful Time=piece.

About a quarter of a century ago a poor German watchmaker undertook to make a clock that would be more wonderful than the famous one in the Cathedral of Strasburg. He has at length finished his task, and his masterpiece deserves to rank among the wonders of the world. But at last accounts he had found no purchaser for it a very serious matter ; for hia years of toil have left him wrecked in mind, health, and fortune. He has his wonderful clock, and he has nothing else ; and but for the kindness of his parish priest he would not have completed that. The story of his trials and patience and triumph — for in spite of his trials his clock is a triumph — makes us (iw Maria) think of the potter Palisey. There was the same perseverence, the same opposition. And there were afflictions which Palissy was spared ; for our poor watchmaker was at one time put in a strait-jacket and shut up in a madhouse, so little faith was there in his endeavors. Finally he regained his liberty by promising, to keep under police surveillance ; but he was, iv the eyes of hia friends, more insane than ever ; and after parting with almost everything in the house in the attempt to keep the wolf from the door while he brought his clock to perfection, he left his home and henceforth lived among strangers. Many helped him, and the German Emperor, although having little faith in his venture, sent him a considerable sum of money. And now about the clock itself, which is imprisoned in glass, so that anyone can view all its movements. It tells the seconds, minutes, hours, days of the week, months, seasons, and all the movements of the celestial bodies, with wondrous accuracy ; and its calendar will last indefinitely. It also gives the ecclesiastical calendar with Easter and other movable feasts. There are over a hundred movable figures and pictures. Angels appear and strike the quarters of the hours ; and other angels advance with hour-glasses, scythes or trumpets, as occasion requires. Allegorical figures represent the four seasons, and the reigning morning and evening stars are in place in the firmament. Five minuteß before noon a cock appears, flaps its wings and crows three times. When the picture Bhows that spring has come, a cuckoo gives its call. At the beginning of summer a quail is the herald. A bull lyingr at the feet of St. Luke bellows to let us know that autumn's winds are near ; and the lion of St. Mark roars to indicate his regret that winter has arrived. Whenever 12 o'clock comes Christ and His Apostles greet us, and a monk rings the Angelus. After the striking of the even hours a wonderful chime is heard in many melodies, each of which lasts a minute. The clock has 12 bells and 2200 distinct parts.