An Attempt to Analyse the Automaton Chess Player of Mr. De Kempelen

This slim volume offers a careful look at the celebrated chess‑playing automaton that first amazed London audiences in the 1780s. The author walks the listener through the public demonstrations, describing how the mysterious cabinet is opened, the cloth‑lined compartments revealed, and the hidden gears set in motion. By quoting contemporary observers and sketching the device’s exterior, the text sets the stage for a technical investigation without giving away any later revelations.

Beyond the vivid scene‑setting, the work presents a step‑by‑step method for reproducing the figure’s motions, supported by original drawings that map each mechanism. It also includes an extensive catalogue of knight’s moves, inviting readers to explore the game’s geometry as the automaton does. Finally, the author classifies automata into simple, compound, and spurious types, laying out the principles that distinguish pure mechanical action from more elaborate contrivances.