“Inside the box was a doll, a living doll that moved just like a little girl. Descartes had constructed the doll himself out of clockwork and metal. It was indeed his progeny but not the one that the sailors imagined. Francine was a machine. When the ship’s Captain was shown the machine he was convinced that it was some instrument of dark magic - responsible for the bad weather that had hampered their journey. Descartes’ daughter was thrown overboard.”

—
Emily Wardill, ‘The Diamond (Descartes’ Daughter)’ 2011