▁a ▁mayor ▁of ▁Font en ay - aux - R oses , ▁and ▁Jacques ▁August e ▁Led ru , ▁an ▁inspect or ▁of ▁pa wn - sh ops . ▁The ▁latter ▁is ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁Alexandre ▁August e ▁Led ru - R ol lin , ▁a ▁lawyer ▁and ▁a ▁French ▁politician . ▁ ▁Nicolas - Ph ili ppe ▁Led ru ▁sty led ▁himself ▁Com us ▁after ▁the ▁Greek ▁god ▁of ▁m irth ▁and ▁revel ry , ▁and ▁ent ert ained ▁royal ty , ▁arist ocr ats , ▁and ▁the ▁general ▁public ▁with ▁his ▁scientific ▁experiments . ▁He ▁tra ve led ▁extens ively ▁throughout ▁Europe ▁demonstr ating ▁his ▁tr icks ▁and ▁acquired ▁a ▁huge ▁reputation . ▁He ▁had ▁an ▁office ▁in ▁Paris ▁where ▁he ▁performed ▁various ▁experiments ▁for ▁the ▁public ▁on ▁sound , ▁light , ▁electric ity , ▁magnet ism , ▁in com press ibility ▁of ▁water ▁and ▁so ▁on . ▁At ▁his ▁office ▁he ▁also ▁introduced ▁tr icks ▁of ▁ill usion , ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁female ▁robot ▁getting ▁dressed ▁when ▁asked , ▁a ▁small ▁face ▁with ▁eyes ▁taking ▁on ▁the ▁color ▁of ▁the ▁pup il ▁of ▁the ▁one ▁who ▁looked ▁at ▁it , ▁an ▁artificial ▁hand ▁writing ▁thoughts ▁of ▁a ▁spect ator , ▁a ▁" s ir en " ▁answering ▁questions ▁and ▁so ▁on . ▁Com us ▁occasionally ▁introduced ▁his ▁tr icks ▁at ▁the ▁court ▁of ▁Louis ▁XVI , ▁and ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 7 7 7 ▁he ▁gave ▁a ▁performance ▁in ▁Paris ▁for ▁Joseph ▁II , ▁Holy ▁Roman ▁Emperor . ▁ ▁A