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CLOCKS.
CLOCKS.
The invention of Clocks, such as are now in use, is as-cribed to Pacificus, archdeacon of Verona, who died in846. Clocks were first known in England in 1368. Theywere ultimately improved by the application of pendulums,in 1657, by Huygens, a Dutch astronomer and mathema-tician. Although Beckmann differs in some slight degreefrom the previous relation concerning clocks, yet he says,vol.i. p.433. “ It is sufficiently apparent that clocks, moved“ by wheels and weights, began certainly to be used in the“ monasteries of Europe, about the 11th century.” He doesnot think, liosvever, that Europe has a claim to the honourof the invention, but that it is rather to be ascribed to theSaracens; this conjecture he confesses is chiefly supportedby what Trithemius tells us of one which was sent by theSultan of Egypt to Frederick II. in 1232. He thinks thewriters of tli'at century speak of clocks as though they hadbeen then well known: he adds, that in the fourteenth cen-tury, mention is made of the machine of Richard cle Wal-lingford, which has been hitherto considered as the oldestclock known. This machine is thus described by Leland,the historian: — “ Elect us in monasterii prasidem — cum“ jam per amplas licebat forthnas, voluit illuslri aliquo“ opere non modo ingenii, verum etiam eruditionis ac artis“ excellentis miraculum ostendere. Ergo talem horologji“ fabricam magno labore, majore sumptu, arte vero maxima“ compegit, qualem non habet tota, mea opinione, Europa“ secundam; sive qids cursum solis ac luna, seu fixa sidera“ notet, sive iterum marls incremenfa et decrementa, seu“ lineas una cum figuris ac demonstrationibus ad infinitum“ pene variis consideret: cutnque opus aternitate dignis-“ simum ad umbilicum perduxisset, canones, ut erat in ma-“ thesi omnium sui temporis facile primus, edito in hoc libro“ scripsit, nc tarn insignis machina errore monachorum vi-“ lesceret, aut incognito structure ordine sileket.”
The fabricator of this machine called it Albion.
It appears that clocks had been hitherto shut up in monas-teries and other religious houses, and that it was not till afterthis time they were employed for more general purposes, asthe convenience of cities. The first instance on recordthat has been yet noticed occurs where Hubert, prince ofCarrara, caused the first clock, that was ever publicly ex-posed, to be erected at Padua, as Peter Paul Vergerius