II.

The children were accordingly[1] all attention, while the father thus[2] proceeded[3]: “This small instrument displays[4] the most[5] perfect ingenuity of[6] construction, and[7] exquisite nicety and beauty of workmanship. From[8] its extreme[9] delicacy[10], however, it[11] is so liable to injury, that it is always protected by a[12] sort of light curtain, adorned[13] with a beautiful fringe, and[14] so placed as to fall in a moment on the approach of the slightest danger. The[15] external appearance of the instrument is always more or less beautiful, though in this respect there[16] is a great diversity in the different sorts. The[17] internal contrivance, however, is the same in all _of them_, and is so curious, and in its power[18] so astonishing, that no one who knows it[19] can suppress his surprise and admiration.”

[1] +natürlich die Aufmerksamkeit selbst.+

[2] +folgendermaßen.+

[3] proceeded = continued.

[4] displays = shows.

[5] most perfect = highest.

[6] Use the gen. of the def. art.

[7] Say ‘and is most exactly (+unübertrefflich genau+) and beautifully worked’.

[8] From = On account of, +Wegen+.

[9] extreme = extraordinary.

[10] +Empfindlichkeit+, f.

[11] it — injury = it is so easily exposed (+aus´setzen+) to (S. 3, N. 2) injury.

[12] a sort of = a certain.

[13] Use the attributive constr., S. 7, N. 3.

[14] Say ‘which is placed (+angebracht+) so that it falls down at (+bei+) the approach of the slightest danger in a moment’.

[15] The — appearance, +Das Äußere+.

[16] Render ‘there is’ in this instance by ‘+besteht+ (there exists)’, which must be placed at the end of the passage, on account of the preceding subordinative conj. +obgleich+.

[17] The internal contrivance, +Der Mechanismus+.

[18] power = efficacy, +Wirksamkeit+, f.

[19] it = the same (to agree with +Mechanismus+).

_Section 90._

A CURIOUS INSTRUMENT.