The Deceitful BALANCE, or that which cheats by the inequality of its brachia, is founded on the same principle as the steel-yard. Let there be, for example, a balance so constructed, that both the brachia with their scales shall equiponderate, but that the length of the one arm shall be to that of the other as 10 to 9. In this case, a weight of nine pounds put into the longest arm, will counterpoise one of ten pounds put into the shorter one: but the cheat is immediately discovered
by shifting the weight from one scale to the other; in which case, the balance will no longer remain in equilibrio. Balance.