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Fortunately, Madame Merckel has in a great degree met with the reward her ingenuity merits, receiving the greatest encouragement from the public, and not only having had a patent granted her to protect her inventions, but she has also been presented with medals from three scientific Societies.

It appears surprising that a business which was not known until within the last few years should have risen to such importance, as Madame Merckel not only transmits her merchandise to every town in France, but also to the principal cities throughout Europe.

When the visiter has a half hour to spare, he would not find it thrown away in visiting the establishment of Madame Merckel, she having found the means of applying the phosphorus and chemical matches, which she has invented, to such a number of purposes, and of introducing them in so curious and ingenious a manner into divers articles, calculated both for utility and ornament, that her manufactory might be considered quite a little museum; amongst a variety of pretty things, I was first struck with a time-piece which acts as an alarum, and not only answers the purpose of awakening you at any hour which you may desire, but a little figure representing a magician, at the instant strikes a magic mirror, by which means the taper he holds is ignited, and with all possible grace, he presents you with a light just as you open your eyes.

The manufactory is No. 24, Rue du Bouloi, in the Cour des Fermes; there is besides a similar establishment in London, at No. 30, Edmund Place, Aldersgate Street, which is entirely furnished by Madame Merckel, possessing the same varied assortment, and undertaking to execute the same extent of supply.