162
DOMESTIC MANNEES OF THE PRUSSIANS.
series of wheels for calculating the different ecclesiastical pro-blems, such as the Dominical Letter and the Golden Number,&c.; while the compartment on the other side is devoted to anapparatus for solving lunar and solar equations.
Immediately over the central dial is a small semi-circulartable, like the half of an enormous tambourine, projecting fromthe pedestal cornice, and on this are seen the chariots of thegods and goddesses who have lent their names to the severaldays of the week—the god of the day for the time being occu-pying the centre place. Above the chariots, again, there is anordinary clock-dial, marking the "mean time," with the figureof a winged boy, the size of life, on either side; one holding abell and hammer, and the other an hour-glass.
This completes the work of the pedestal, so to speak:that of the gigantic clock-case standing above it consists, first,of a dial, as large as the one below, and devoted to the pur-poses of an orrery, bordered with the zodiacal constellations,and indicating the place of the sun and planets. Over thisis a sphere set amid clouds, and representing the phases of themoon for the time being. Surmounting this again are twoother compartments, filled with two different sets of mecha-nical figures; the lower one of these consists of a puppetskeleton with a bone in his hand, standing beside a bell, andsurrounded with a series of small mechanical figures illus-trative of the four ages of man, one of which comes forwärdas another retires at each quarter of the hour; whilst the upper-most compartment of all is fitted with another series of littleclock-work puppets, representative of Christ and the Apostles.
This marvellous piece of horological machinery is situate inthe southern part of the transept; and it is curious, as the houradvances towards noon, to see the peasants and Sisters ofCharity, and soldiers and priests, and strangers and Citizenswith young children, that come Streaming in at the side-door.