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584 PROFESSOR MORSE AND THE TELEGRAPH. gical Cabinet of the University, Washington Square, to witness the operation of the electro-magneti telegraph, at a private exhibition of it to a few friends, previous to its leaving the city for Washington. "The apparatus will be prepared at precisely 12 o'clock, on Wednesday, 24th instant. The time be limited, punctuality is specifically requested. "New York University, June 22, 1938." One of the first messages on that wire was given to Mr. Cummings (yet in his possession) in these words : "Attention in the Universe-By Kingdoms, right wheel-Facetiously." It may be explained by the fact that Mr. Cummings had just received military promotion to the command of a division. It is probably the first message of the recording telegraph now extant, and how prophetic! Professor Morse found very little encouragement at Washington, and he went to Europe with the hope of drawing the attention of foreign governments to the advantages, and securing patents for the invention, having already filed a caveat at the patent office of his own country. His mission was a failure. England refused to grant him a patent, and France only gave him a useless brevet d'invention, which did not secure for him any special privilege. So he returned home, disappointed but not discouraged, and waited [*picture of a man and woman together below. Beneath it, it says "FAC-SIMILE OF THE FIRST DAGUERREOTYPE OF THE FACE MADE IN AMERICA.] patiently four years longer, before he again attempted to interest Congress in his invention. The year before he went to Europe, Professor Morse suffered a severe disappointment in the way of his profession. He was an unsuccessful applicant for a commission to paint one of the pictures for the eight panels in the Rotunda of the national Capitol, which a law of Congress had authorized. Morse was greatly disappointed. His artist friends showed their sympathy in the practical way of giving him an order to paint a historical picture, raising funds for the payment for it in shares of $50 each. The first intimidation the Professor had of their generous design, was when two of his professional brethren called upon him and gave the order, and at the same time informed him that $3,000 had already been subscribed. "Never have I read or known such an act of professional generosity," exclaimed Morse. He agreed to paint for them the picture he had projected for the Government-"The Signing of the First Compact on board the Mayflower"-and addressed himself to the task. But the telegraph soon absorbed his attention, and so won him from painting that he almost abandoned its practice. In 1841 he returned to the subscribers in full, with interest, which had been paid to him, and so canceled the obligation. "Thus," wrote General Cummings, "while the world won a belt of instaneous communication, the subscribers lost the pleasure of his triumph as an artist. The artist was absorbed in the electrician." While Professor Morse was in Paris, in the spring of 1839, he formed an acquaintance with M. Daguerre, who, in connection with M. Niepce, had discovered the method of fixing the image of the camera obscura, which was then creating a great sensation among scientific men. These gentlemen were then considering a proposition from the French government to make their discovery public, on condition of their receiving a suitable pension. Professor Morse was anxious to see the photographic results before leaving for home, and the American Consul (Robert Walsh) made arrangements for an interview between the two discoverers. The inventions of each were shown to the other; and Daguerre promised to [[image: black and white image of a painting of 2 women, one younger, one older]] FAC-SIMILE OF THE FIRST DAGUERREOTYPE OF THE FACE MADE IN AMERICA.