ts of the dial, 73 in
number, are still further explained, and illustrated by 17 plates,
besides a vertical section, of which last our Cut is a copy. Perhaps
these details would tire the general reader, and on that account we do
not press them: a few of them, however, may be noticed still further.

Of these, the _Bowls_ appear to be the most attractive. One on the first
piece, _by fire_ was a little glass bowl filled with clear water. This
bowl was about three inches diameter, placed in the middle of another
sphere, about six inches diameter, consisting of several iron rings or
circles, representing the hour circles in the heavens. The hour was
known by applying the hand to these circles when the sun shone, when
that circle where you felt the hand burnt by the sunbeams passing
through the bowl filled with water, showed the true hour, according
to the verse beneath it:

Cratem tange, manusq horam tibi reddet adusta.

The phenomenon is thus explained by the Professor: "the parallel rays of
the sun passing through the little bowl, are bent by the density of the
water, into a cone or pyramid, whose vertex reaches a little beyond
those hour circles, and there burns the hand applied; for so many rays
being all united into a point, must needs make an intense heat, which
heat is so powerful in the summer-time, that it will fire a piece of
wood applied to it."

To many of the Dials were suitable inscriptions as above, and these with
the references must have made the construction of the whole a task of
immense labour. It would be absurd to expect that Charles II. had much
to do with its completion, for he was, in his own estimation, more
pleasantly employed than in watching the flight of time by heavenly
luminaries. His attractions were on earth, where the splendour of
a wicked court and the witchery of bright eyes eclipsed all other
pursuits. Still, the licentious king was not forgotten by the inventer
of the dial. Among the pictures on some of the glasses were portraits of
the king, the two queens, the duke of York, prince Rupert, &c. In the
king's picture, the hour was shown by the shade of the hour-lines
passing over the top of the sceptre--perhaps the only time the royal
trifier ever pointed to so useful an end. Prince Rupert, by his
contributions to science, had a better right to be there; but Charles
was not even grateful enough for the elevation to protect the precious
Dial from rain and snow.

In the list of