The Automaton Ear, and Other Sketches by Florence McLandburgh
"The Automaton Ear, and Other Sketches" by Florence McLandburgh is a collection of stories likely written in the late 19th century. The opening sketch, "The Automaton Ear," revolves around a passionate and determined protagonist who aspires to invent a device that amplifies sounds, allowing him to hear music and voices from the past. The narrative delves into themes of ambition, isolation, and the quest for knowledge, as the inventor grapples with the
possibility of madness and obsession. At the start of the sketch, the protagonist is introduced as a college professor who is inspired by an idea encountered while reading in nature. He becomes fixated on creating an instrument that could capture and magnify all sounds, leading him to experiment tirelessly despite initial disappointments. As he immerses himself in his invention, he navigates feelings of despair and obsession while also experiencing moments of hope and creativity. Eventually, he constructs the device, which allows him to hear echoes of the past, including music and conversations. However, the narrative also hints at a darker outcome as he confronts the burden of his own creation and the unpredictable nature of ambition. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
The automaton ear -- The paths of the sea -- Reinhart, the German -- Silver Islet -- Boydell, the stroller -- The death-watch -- The man at the Crib -- Prof. Kellermann's funeral -- The feverfew -- Old Simlin, the moulder -- The anthem of Judea.
Credits
Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 76.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
