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October 02, 2008 -- Summoned back

Here we are, seven years later. A lot happened to the von Kempelens between this page and the last, though none of it's Automaton-related, because the chess-machine stayed disassembled in the attic. If I'd had the time and space, you'd have seen Herr von Kempelen publish a book of poetry in German, help move a University to Budapest, build a typewriter for a blind musician, and author a play, Perseus and Andromeda, which was presented in the National Theatre in Vienna. As I keep saying, he was quite a guy -- though his other successes would continue to be eclipsed by those of his automaton, starting again in the coming scene.