{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 111, "folder": "", "text": "\"Now I am going to give these two chains an\nopportunity to convert themselves into that lucky\nnumber, by taking in this extra link, which as you\nperceive is brass, an opposition metal. Observe,\nI drop one of the chains into this glass. See that\nI do SO fairly. Then I drop in the single link,\nand lastly, the other piece of chain. And now, in\norder to set up an electrical reaction, I add just a\nfew drops from this bottle of Eau de Cologne. As\na matter of fact, a little salt and water would have"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 179, "folder": "", "text": "- -\neighths of an inch thick and covered as to its upper\nside with fine black cloth. To the cloth-covered\nside of this is attached, by means of a screw at\neach corner, a parallelogram of brass or copper\nwire enclosing a space two inches wide. The four\nscrews, which are likewise of brass, and which are\nFig. 35\nof the round-headed kind, are within the parallelo-\ngram and serve to keep the wire extended. Mid-\nway at each end is another screw, driven in out-\nside the wire, in such manner as to make all taut.\nThese last two screws, for a reason connected with\nthe working of the trick, stand up a shade higher\nthan the other four, but the difference is not great\nenough to be noticeable. See Fig. 35."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 10, "folder": "", "text": "1.665\nCopyright, 1918\nBx SPON & CHAMBERLAIN\n$ 180\nCAMELOT PRESS, 226-228 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK, U. S. A.\nCIA506691"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 26, "folder": "", "text": "10\nLATEST MAGIC\nhere is another inside it.'' (Produce second pot.)\n\"You wouldn't have thought it, would you ? In\nfact, you would never have known, if I hadn't told\nyou.\n\"Of course I could keep on doing this all the\nevening, but there wouldn't be much fun in it, and\nno time would be left for anything else, SO I will\nproceed at once to make use of the pots for a little\nexperiment with cards.\"\n(Proceed with any trick for which the card mat\nmay have been prepared.)\nN. B. It will be taken for granted, in the\ndescription of tricks dependent upon the use of the\nflower-pots, that these have been already intro-\nduced, after the above or some similar manner.\nADHESIVE CARDS AND TRICKS THEREWITH\nI believe I may safely claim that the device I\nam about to describe was, until I disclosed it some\nmonths ago in the Magazine of Magic, an absolute\nnovelty. It consists in the preparation of one card\nof a pack (or, better still, of a spare card, to be\nsubstituted at need for its double), by rubbing one\nor other of its surfaces, shortly before it is needed\nfor use, with diachylon, in the solid form.\nWe will suppose, in the first instance, that the\nback of the card is so dealt with. The rubbing\ndoes not alter its appearance, but gives it a thin\ncoating of adhesive matter, and if another card is"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 116, "folder": "", "text": "100\nLATEST MAGIC\ndoubt it would be very fine indeed. The worst of\nit is that it would take a year or two to try them,\nSO for the present I am obliged to leave things as\nthey are.\n\"You will observe that I have here three tubes\"\n(showing No. 1 and passing wand through it to\nprove it is empty), \"quite ordinary tubes, with a\nhole at each end, and nothing at all between. I\ndon't suppose you would notice anything to object\nto about them, but some people are so very par-\nticular. A gentleman who said he had an artistic\neye (I don't know which eye it was) said to me,\n'Look here, Professor, that trick of yours would be\never SO much better if you had all those tubes the\nsame size. That lot looks as if you had picked\nthem up at a jumble sale.'\u00b9 I explained to him,\nkindly but firmly, that there was a special reason\nfor having the three tubes of different sizes;\nnamely, that by so doing it was made possible\"\n(suiting the action to the word) \"to pass this one\n(No. 1) over this other (No. 2): ; and this again\nover the smallest one, thereby saving much space\nin packing. He said, \"Never mind, you take my\ntip and make 'em all the same size.' I dare say\nhe was right, but I haven't had time to do it yet.\"\nDuring this little harangue, which appears to be\nmere \"spoof,\" you have practically worked the\ntrick. Suiting the action to the word, you have\npassed the largest tube No. 1 over No. 2 and lifted\n1 Rummage,"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 118, "folder": "", "text": "102\nLATEST MAGIC\ntry it myself, but it would be no good my trying\nto grow vegetables. I shouldn't have room to\ngrow more than one radish, or one spring onion\nat a time, which would hardly be worth while. I\nfinally decided to grow a few billiard balls, for use\nin my entertainment, and I'll show you how it's\ndone.\n\"You must please imagine that these three tubes\nare three hothouses on the new system.\" (Picks\nup and exhibits one of the little white balls.) \"Of\ncourse everything has to be raised from seed in the\nfirst instance, but it would take too long to show\nyou the whole process from the beginning, SO we\nwill start with this little ball, grown from seed last\nnight. In its present condition it is too small to\nbe of any use, but by means of my intensive cul-\nture we can soon make it grow larger. I will drop\nit into No. 1 forcing house.\"\nPerformer shows little ball in right hand and\nmakes believe to transfer it to the left, in reality\nrolling it, as in the well-known \"Cups and Balls\"\ntrick, between the roots of the second and third\nfingers. The left hand, held above tube No. 1,\nmakes the movement of crumbling an imaginary\nball into it. \"Now we will plant another in the\nsame way.\"\nYou pick up apparently another little white ball,\nbut in reality the same; which has remained in the\nright hand. Now, however, it will be well to vary\nthe sleight used, so you show the ball between the"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 120, "folder": "", "text": "104\nLATEST MAGIC\nEven the warmth of the breath is generally enough\nfor these. Anyhow, we will try.\" You breathe\ninto the tube, and lifting it show the ball, then\noffering both tube and ball for inspection.\nIt will hardly be necessary to point out to the\nacute reader that the alteration of procedure in\nthe case of the last tube is rendered necessary; first,\nby the fact that the tube up to that point contains\nno ball, and secondly in order to avoid the difficulty\nof striking a match with the right hand only, the\nleft being otherwise occupied.\nThe trick may appropriately be followed by the\nexhibition of a few of the usual ball sleights. If\nit is worked on a \"black art\" table it may be\nbrought to an effective close by the \"dematerialisa-\ntion,\" in succession, of the three balls.\nTHE BOUNDING BEANS\nThis is another application of the principle\nintroduced by Signor Molini and utilised in the\ntrick last described.\nThe requisites for the trick are as follows:\n(1) Mirror glass; at the outset, empty.\n(2) Two tubes of cardboard, sheet brass, or zinc,\nas A and B in Fig. 17. The height and width of\nA are about 31/2 and 21/2 inches respectively. B is\na little taller, but a trifle less in diameter.\n(3) A third tube, C, with its lower edge turned\ninward an eighth of an inch all around. This tube"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 122, "folder": "", "text": "106\nLATEST MAGIC\nThe remainder are to be brought forward on some\nsort of tray.\u00b9\nC loaded as last described, is to be placed\nwithin B.\nThe trick may be introduced as follows:\n\"Most of you, I dare say, have seen the little\nnatural curiosity known as the Jumping Bean.\nTo all appearance these are just like other beans;\nbut if you spread a dozen or SO of them on the\ntable and watch them carefully, you presently see\none or more of them turn over, or even make a little\njump. A young and lively bean will sometimes\nhop as far as half an inch.\n\"Scientific gentlemen tell us that their agility is\ncaused by a little insect inside the bean. When\nhe wags his tail, or scratches himself with his hind\nleg, it causes the bean to turn over, or to make a\nhop. That seems to me rather a lame explanation\nbecause there is no hole in the bean that the insect\ncould possibly have got in at. I believe myself,\nthat they are in truth magic beans, and I have been\ntrying to train some beans of my own to do the\nsame thing on a larger scale, and in such a way\nthat you can all see them do it.\n\"Here are my beans.\" (Show those on tray.)\n\"Examine them as much as you like. The more\nyou examine them, the more you won't find any-\n1 The little dishes of paper pulp sold for pienic purposes will be found\nto answer this and similar purposes excellently and have the further\nadvantage of being exceptionally portable."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 124, "folder": "", "text": "108\nLATEST MAGIC\nhim. I never do with that sort of man. It is just\na question of the point of view. Anyhow, I had\nthe one made larger, or the other one smaller,\nwhichever way it is, SO that the one can go com-\nfortably over the other, like this.\"\nfirst carelessly moved about so as to show\nclearly that it is empty, is brought down over B\nand lifted off again, carrying off within it C and\nits load; after which B is in turn shown to be\nempty.\n\"Now I am goong to order the beans to jump out\nof the glass and into one or other of these empty\ntubes, at your own choice. Right? or left?\nWhich shall it be?\"\nPerformer asks the question standing behind his\ntable, and by means of the familiar equivoque\n(\"my\" or \"your\" left or right) interprets the\nanswer to mean A.\n\"And now I have only to pronounce the proper\nmagic spell. The trouble is to remember the right\none. They are rather confusing, and if you hap-\npen to pronounce the wrong one, or even pronounce\nthe right one the wrong way, the consequences may\nbe serious. But I think I know this one pretty\nwell. 'Peripatetico-paticocorum.' I fancy\nI\nhave got it right. I don't know quite what it\nmeans myself, and nobody seems to be able to tell\nme. A Japanese gentleman told me he thought it\nwas Spanish, but a Spaniard said he felt sure it\nwas Welsh. Somebody else suggested that I"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 126, "folder": "", "text": "110\nLATEST MAGIC\nLOST AND FOUND\nThis trick may be worked either upon a black\nart table or black art mat. We will assume that\nthe latter is used.\nThe requisites for this trick will in such case\nbe as follows:\n1. The mat. This may be a small circular one,\na few inches in circumference without pocket.\n2. A handkerchief, fourteen or fifteen inches\nsquare, of some gaudy pattern, carefully folded\nand placed in a square Japanese handkerchief box.\u00b9\n3. A circular velvet patch as described ante, in\nthe chapter dealing with novel applications of the\nBlack Art principle.\n4. A half-crown placed in a pochette, or other-\nwise so as to be readily get-at-able.\nPresentation. Performer opens the box and\ntakes out the handkerchief, which he carefully\nunfolds, handling it as if it were something of\nextraordinary value.\n\"I have here, ladies, a curio of an exceptionally\ncurious kind. This is said to be the identical\nhandkerchief which Othello gave to Desdemona,\nand which afterwards caused so much unpleasant-\nness. No doubt you all know your Shakespeare,\nand will remember that Othello tells his wife,\n\"There's magic in the web of it.' And there is\n1 The handkerchief should be readily recognizable as a cheap and\ncommonplace one."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 1, "folder": "", "text": "111\n.\n116"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 128, "folder": "", "text": "112\nLATEST MAGIC\nany credit for doing it. He says himself it was\njust an accident, and might have happened to any-\nbody. But he never can get anyone to believe him,\nand it has spoilt his character. He was naturally\na truthful man, but being always disbelieved has\nmade him reckless, and now, whenever he tells the\nstory he sticks another half-pound on to the sal-\nmon. I believe it is a fifteen pounder now.\u00b9\n\"With regard to the handkerchief, however, I\ncan easily prove to you that what I have stated is\ncorrect. I can't prove it quite in the same way,\nbecause even if any lady or gentleman present\nhad lost a dog, it would take the handkerchief a\nday or two to find it, and you would get tired of\nwaiting. So I must show you the virtues of the\nhandkerchief in a simpler way.\n\"Will some gentleman oblige me with the loan\nof a half-crown, marked SO that he can be sure of\nknowing it again?\nOn receiving the coin the performer returns to\nhis table, holding it on high SO that it can be seen\nthat there is no substitution, and lays it on the\nblack art mat.\n\"Presently I propose to lose this coin, and get\n1 This story, as also a few other \"yarns\" with which I have endeav-\noured to brighten my otherwise serious pages, may be suppressed if it\nis thought desirable to shorten the patter. I ought perhaps to apologise\nfor introducing such irrelevant fiction, but I am encouraged in misdo-\ning by the example of the lamented Artemus Ward, who said that the\nbest things in his lecture were generally the things that had nothing\nto do with it."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 130, "folder": "", "text": "114\nLATEST MAGIC\nthink of it, it's of no consequence. The handker-\nchief will find it wherever it is, even if it has to\nfollow it into somebody's pocket. By the way,\nwhere is the handkerchief?\" He takes it from the\nperson with whom it was left, and holding it by\ntwo of its corners, and showing both hands other-\nwise empty, lowers it down carefully over the\nblack patch on table.\n\"And now to work the spell. 'Bismillah!\nBechesm! Salaam Aleikoum!' You must excuse\nmy speaking Arabic, but that is the only language\nthe handkerchief understands. I see that the gen-\ntleman who lent me the half-crown is looking a\nlittle bit anxious. Cheer up, Sir, the handkerchief\nhas never failed me yet. But we must give it time.\nSay, half a minute.\" (Looks at watch.) \"This\nis curious. Half a minute gone. One minute,\nand nothing has happened. The handkerchief has\nmade no move. Something must have gone wrong.\nBut stay If the handkerchief has not gone to the\ncoin, perhaps the coin has gone to the handker-\nchief. Let us see!\"\nHe lifts the handkerchief by the centre, picking\nup the black patch with it, and thereby disclosing\nthe coin, which is handed back on the mat to the\nowner. Then carefully folding up the handker-\nchief, performer replaces it in its box, and in so\ndoing regains possession of the velvet patch, to be\ngot rid of at a convenient opportunity."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 132, "folder": "", "text": "116\nLATEST MAGIC\nwith some neat device. Mr. Schooling declared\nthat the original idea was too good to be abandoned,\nand offered to try his hand at bringing it to a suc-\ncessful issue. I must frankly confess that I had\nno great hope of his success; but Mr. Schooling is\na man of many talents. Apart from eminence in\nhis own profession (that of actuary and statis-\ntician) he- is not only an expert amateur conjurer,\nFig. 18\nbut an exceptionally skilful mechanic, and he\npossesses withal an unlimited capacity for taking\npains. He used these qualities to such good pur-\npose that I am enabled to include this striking\neffect among the contents of the present volume.\nThe principal item of apparatus is naturally the\npyramid itself, which is of blackened wood as\nillustrated in Fig. 18. For the sake of lightness it"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 134, "folder": "", "text": "118\nLATEST MAGIC\nproportion to its thickness much stronger than\nordinary silk thread, and, not being liable to\nuntwist, its surface remains permanently hard and\nsmooth, a great desideratum where it is important\nto minimise friction. Further, it does not \"kink\"\nas a twisted thread is liable to do.\nTwo other items of apparatus are used, viz.:\n(1) An electric torch in the shape of a wand, the\nlight appearing at the end.\nFig. 19\nFig. 20\n(2) A little knife or cutter specially designed by\nMr. Schooling for use in this trick. This consists\nof a half-inch length of a safety-razor blade, set\nin a handle consisting of a piece of tin one inch\nsquare, folded in half, and then bent back to a right\nangle on each side, the blade projecting along the\nline of juncture as shown in Fig. 19. In use the\ncutter is held by what may be called its backbone\nbetween the first joints of the first and second\nfingers of the extended hand, as shown in Fig. 20.\nThis cutter must be placed ready to hand upon the"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 28, "folder": "", "text": "12\nLATEST MAGIC\nthis point; but even a novice may very well carry\nit a stage further. To do so, he will in the first\nplace replace the card in the box, in such a manner\nthat it can be again \"vanished.\" In gathering\ntogether the outspread cards, he takes care to place\nthe queen of clubs on top of the rest. As this,\nhowever, is the double card, the actual top card is\nof course the missing seven of diamonds. It is\nan easy matter, in handling the cards, to detach\nthis from the queen of clubs, and, after a little\n\"talkee-talkee,\" show that it has left the box and\nreturned to the pack.\nThe above would, however, be much too crude\nand elementary a proceeding to commend itself to\nthe expert. In the trick next to be described the\nsame expedient is employed after a more subtle\nfashion.\nTHE MISSING CARD\nThe requirements for this trick consist of two\ncomplete packs of cards and an extra card, which\nwe will suppose to be the knave of diamonds. One\nof the two packs, which we will call A, has on top\na card made adhesive at the back as above\ndescribed, and its own knave of diamonds at the\nbottom. The other pack, B, is wholly unprepared.\nThe first step is to offer pack B to be shuffled,\nand when it is returned to palm on to it the spare\nknave of diamonds, after which the pack is left"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 136, "folder": "", "text": "120\nLATEST MAGIC\nland, you will have some idea of the sort of job\nthe Egyptian builders had to tackle.\u00b9 Anyhow,\nthe work was done, and as it is clear that it could\nnot have been done by any known mechanical\nmeans, we are compelled to seek some other solu-\ntion of the problem.\n\"I don't know whether any of you read novels.\nIf you do, you must often have noticed the curious\nway in which fiction constantly anticipates fact.\nThe novelist describes some utterly impossible\nthing, and a few years later some other fellow goes\nand does it. Jules Verne described a voyage\nunder the sea long before the submarine was\ninvented, and Mr. Wells wrote The War in the\nAir' while the aeroplane and the Zeppelin were\nstill in their infancy. But there is one conception\nof the novelist which has not till now been made\nan accomplished fact. That is the force called\n'Vril,' described by Lord Lytton in his novel, \"The\nComing Race.' He describes Vril as a sort of\nhyper-electricity capable in the hands of those who\nknow how to gather and use it, of producing all\nsorts of wonders, even to removing mountains.\nImprisoned in a wand and directed by a strong\nwill, it will shrivel up an enemy or a wild beast as\nby a flash of lighting.\n\"I have always had an idea that this must have\nbeen the force used by the Egyptians to build the\n1 Before an American audience the names of any two well-known\nbuildings in New York may be substituted."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 138, "folder": "", "text": "122\nLATEST MAGIC\ning it along the thread, and \"bedding\" it between\nthe \"stops\" at the left hand bottom corner of the\nboard. He then slides the other portions, one by\none, along the thread in the same way, laying them\nin a row diagonally across the board. This will\nhave taken up a considerable portion of the thread,\nbut there will still be a loop some inches in length\nhanging down near the left hand corner of the\ntable.\n\"Now please watch carefully. This wand, you\nwill remember, has been carefully charged with\nmy limitation Vril.\"\nWhile speaking these last words the performer\ngets one finger of his left hand within the loop.\nHe now turns on the light at the end of the wand,\nand with it makes a quick sweep from right to left\nover the severed parts of the pyramid, making at\nthe same time a half-turn away from the table, and\nquickly drawing away the thread. If this is done\nneatly the severed parts of the pyramid l'un\ntogether one upon the other in a single instant.\nIt is probable that the parts may not sit exactly\none upon another. Whether this is SO or not, the\nperformer makes believe to notice that it is so, as\nit gives him a needful opportunity. He remarks:\n\"The power was hardly strong enough, I see.\nThere is a block here that needs a little straighten-\ning up.\" Having meanwhile picked up the little\ncutter between the fingers he bends over the table\nand squares up the pyramid as may (or may not)"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 140, "folder": "", "text": "124\nLATEST MAGIC\ndiminish friction on a thread passing through it.\n(3) An electric torch in the shape of a bottle;\nthe light showing itself at the mouth.\n(4) A black dress-hook, sewn point upwards to\nthe lower edge of the performer's vest on the right\nFIG. 21\nor left side, as may best suit his own position in\nworking the trick, just where back and front meet.\nIt will be found on examination of the pagoda\nthat each of the parts of which it consists has a hole\nbored vertically through its centre. The topmost\nportion has in addition a pinhole passing horizon-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 142, "folder": "", "text": "126\nLATEST MAGIC\nzigzag fashion SO as prevent the possibility of\nits fouling at a critical moment.\nThe introductory patter may l'un as follows:\n\"In the course of my travels in Central Africa--\nyou didn't know that I had been in Central Africa ?\nStrange, how little the world knows of its greatest\nmen! But no matter! When I was in Africa I\nchanced to come upon the place where the Golli-\nwoggs live.\n\"It's a nice place-for those who like that sort\nof place, but most people would find it a little too\nwarm. It is so warm there that the hens lay their\neggs hard-boiled, and you dig up potatoes ready\nbaked. It is too warm for anything but simple\nlife,-the very simple life, particularly as regards\nclothing. The ordinary walking dress for a gen-\ntleman Golliwogg is a pair of braces. The king\nwears two pairs; except on state occasions, when\nhe wears one of those short shirts instead. You\nknow the kind I mean-all front. I think they\ncall them 'dickeys.'\n\"The ladies are more dressy. They get the\nfashions from back numbers of the Daily Mail;\nkimonos and camisoles and corsets all in the latest\nstyle. They are made with green paint and put\non with a shaving brush. There is only one thing\nthat bothers the court dressmakers. They can't\nmake a crinoline.\"\n[If desired to shorten the patter the fashion\ndetails may be omitted.]"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 144, "folder": "", "text": "128\nLATEST MAGIC\ntists tell us that the sun throws out three sorts\nof rays; light-rays, heat-rays, and force-rays.\nThe artful witch doctors have found out a way of\nbottling off the force rays. They are mild at first,\nbut when they get old in the bottle, so to speak, they\nbecome so strong that if you know how to do it you\ncan lift the heaviest weights with them.\n\"I managed to get hold of a small bottle of the\nrays\" (show bottle) \"and I will show you, on a\nvery small scale, how the thing is done.\n\"First, we will take the pagoda to pieces.\"\nStanding behind the table, the performer moves\nthe pagoda to the corner of the tray nearest his\nown left hand; SO as to leave space for the different\nportions when separated. He then picks up all the\nparts save the base, holding them carefully\ntogether, and drawing away with them a length\nof the thread about equal to the diagonal of the\ntray. Passing the undermost section downwards\nalong the thread, he lays it down beside the base,\nafterwards treating the other portions in the same\nway, the several portions finally resting on the tray\nsomewhat as shown in Fig. 23.\nIf the length of the thread has been properly\ngauged (this is a matter to be determined by\nexperiment beforehand), there should be some\ntwelve or fourteen inches of \"slack.\" Slipping\nthe ring at the end over the little hook before\nmentioned, the performer moves a little away\nfrom the table, SO as to draw this portion"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 146, "folder": "", "text": "130\nLATEST MAGIC\naway the line, and detaching the ring from the\nhook, lets it fall to the ground. This done, he\nreturns to the table, and shifting the restored\npagoda to the centre of the tray, brings all for-\nward, inviting anyone who cares to do so, to satisfy\nhimself that there has been \"no deception.\"\nTHE STORY OF THE ALKAHEST\nThe requirements for this trick are as follows:\n(1) Two wands, exactly alike in appearance.\nOne of them to be that just used in some previous\ntrick or tricks (which we will call No. 2), and the\nother, prepared as to be presently explained, to\nbe secretly substituted for it immediately before\nthe presentation of the present trick. This can be\neasily done by the aid of a couple of pairs of cup-\nhooks fixed behind the table or a chair after the\nmanner described in \"Later Magic,\" p. 126; or\nthe wands may be exchanged during journey to\nthe table at an early stage of the trick; by means\nof a pocket of suitable shape within the left breast\nof the coat. This is a matter as to which the per-\nformer will please himself, but the exhibition in\nthe first instance of an obviously unprepared wand\nis essential to the artistic finish of the trick.\u00b9\n1 I am indebted to a clever amateur, Mr. Gordon Powell, for the\nknowledge of a very simple but effective method of \"changing\" a wand.\nThe prepared article lies just within the forward rim of an oblong\nJapanese tray, and at a convenient moment the unprepared wand just\nused is laid behind and parallel with it. A little later this is pro-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 148, "folder": "", "text": "132\nLATEST MAGIC\nThe trick may be introduced as follows:\n\"For the next surprise I have to show you we\nare indebted to the ancient alchemists. People\nregard them as back numbers nowadays, because\nthey didn't know anything about aeroplanes, or\nappendicitis, or income tax and such-like up-to-\ndate luxuries; but they had a good many useful\nlittle secrets of their own. One of them was the\nrecipe for what was called the Alkahest, a liquid\nwhich immediately dissolved anything it touched;\nfrom a gold watch to a set of fire-irons. The secret\nof making it has long been lost, and all that still\nexists of the liquid itself I have here in this\nbottle.\"\nThe bottle is here brought forward and offered\nfor inspection.\n\"Pretty colour, isn't it? And it has a very\ndelightful perfume.\" (Takes out stopper.)\n\"You are welcome to smell it but I don't advise\nyou to taste it. If you did you would probably\nnever taste anything again. I want you to notice,\nby the way, those two letters H R on the label.\nThere is a dead secret attached to those letters.\nThey mean something, of course; but nobody\nknows what it is.\"7\nThe bottle is replaced on the table.\n\"This bottle came into my hands by inheritance.\nAn ancestor of mine, in the reign of James the\nFirst, was an alchemist in a small way. He is\nreputed to have made a handsome income by sell-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 150, "folder": "", "text": "134\nLATEST MAGIC\ngetting a bit thin on the top, and it worried him.\nOne day, thinking over the mysterious letters, an\nidea struck him. 'H R'! he explaimed, 'H R!\nwhy \"Hair Restorer\" of course, not a doubt of it!\nI'll try it this very night.' He did. He rubbed\nit in, and went to sleep quite happy, but when he\ntried to brush his hair in the morning there wasn't\nany left to brush. The Alkahest had taken it all\noff, and left him as bald as a baby.\n\"He went to bed again, and ordered a wig, but\nbefore it could be sent home he caught such a\ncold in his head that he died. Just-sneezed-him-\nself-away.\"\n(The last words to be spoken slowly and sadly.)\n\"I notice that some of you ladies are weeping.\nIt is an affecting story, no doubt, and I used to\nshed a tear over it myself. But after all, you\ndidn't know my Uncle James. Neither did I, for\nthe matter of that, and if we had known him we\nmight not have liked him. So we won't stop to\ngrieve about him.\u00b9\n\"One of the most striking experiments with the\nAlkahest is the dissolving of a paving stone, par-\nticularly if you lay a bunch of violets on it and\ndissolve them both together, when you get a scut-\ntleful of best Violet Powder. Unfortunately I\nhaven't a paving stone handy, and I don't suppose\nany gentleman present is likely to have one about\n1 If it is desired to shorten the patter the \"Uncle James\" episode\nmay be omitted without serious detriment to the trick."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 152, "folder": "", "text": "136\nLATEST MAGIC\nhave been tied. The performer returns to the\ntable to fetch the bottle; and during the transit\npasses the wand to the opposite hand, in SO doing\ndrawing off the knotted ribbon (to be dropped a\nmoment later into the profonde), and exposes the\nopposite end. He removes stopper from bottle,\nleaving it on the table.\n\"Now comes the most critical part of the opera-\ntion. I am going by means of the Alkahest to\ndissolve these knots. How many did we say there\nwere? Five ? Then I must use five drops and\nno more. If I were to overdo it in the smallest\ndegree the consequences would be serious. I\nshould destroy the ribbon altogether, and in these\nhard times ribbon is ribbon, even if it is only six-\nthree a yard.\"\nHe brings forward the bottle, and with great\npretence of accuracy lets fall on the ribbon the\nsuggested number of drops. Then slipping off the\nrubber ring he offers the end of the ribbon to some\nmember of the company to unwind, when the knots\nare naturally found to have disappeared.\n\"The Alkahest retains its virtue, you see, even\nafter SO many years. Every knot is completely\ndissolved. I will conclude by asking you an\nimpromptu riddle. Just one of those bright\nthoughts that strike me sometimes when I least\nexpect it-\n\"When is a knot not a knot\n\"When it's not there."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 154, "folder": "", "text": "138\nLATEST MAGIC\nThe general appearance of the apparatus, which\nis eight inches high by seven in outside diameter,\nis as depicted in Fig. 24. It consists of a circular\nmahogany stand or base, resting on three small\nfeet, and surmounted by a glass dome b. This last\nis in fact a bell-glass, as used by gardeners, and\nhas at top the usual knob, whereby to lift it. To\nthis is attached a short loop of narrow ribbon.\nThe glass dome does not rest directly on the stand,\nits lower edge being encased in a mahogany mount.\nFrom the centre of the stand rises a vertical pin,\na quarter of an inch in height, serving as pivot for\na metal pointer (Fig. 25), which, by means of a\nlittle cup, or socket, at its centre, can be lifted on\nand off, and revolves freely upon it, after the man-\nner of a compass. A further item of the appara-\ntus is a reversible cardboard dial, whose two sides,\nfront and back, are depicted in Figs. 26 and 27. It\nwill be seen that the circumference of this dial is\ndivided on the one side (Fig. 26) into four equal\nsections, each bearing a pip of one of the four suits.\nThe other side (Fig. 27) is divided into eight sec-\ntions, marked with the numerals, from seven to ten\ninclusive, and the letters A, K, Q, and J, answering\nto Ace, King, Queen and Jack.\nWith the Oracle is used a set of eight questions,\nand a piquet pack of cards, on the backs of which\nare written or printed thirty-two answers appro-\npriate to such questions, one of each suit to each\nquestion. The person consulting the Oracle hav-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 30, "folder": "", "text": "14\nLATEST MAGIC\nscarcely likely, that that card may have been\nshuffled into the seventh place. We will see.\"\nHe counts off cards from the top of the pack on\nto the table, faces down, not exposing any card till\nhe comes to the seventh, which he holds up so that\nall may see it. \"Now, Madam, is that your card?\nI don't want to know the name of it yet. It is not\nyour card I did not suppose it was, for the\nchances were over fifty to one against it, but you\nnever can tell!\"\nHe gathers up the cards counted off, and without\ndisturbing their order, replaces them on the top\nof the pack, thereby bringing the original top card\nto the seventh place.\n\"Now please observe that I do not touch these\ncards again till the miracle has actually happened.\nI will now ask you, madam, to be good enough to\nname your card. The knave of diamonds, you\nsay ? That is all right. Had you taken the knave\nof clubs, I should have feared for the success of\nmy experiment, for that knave always gives\ntrouble, if he can; but the knave of diamonds is a\nvery gentlemanly card, and I have no doubt that\nhe will readily oblige. Now, Percy (perhaps you\ndidn't know his name was Percy), I want you to\nleave the pack you are in, and place yourself sev-\nenth in the other pack. Go at once, like a good\nboy. Start at the top, and go straight down.\nOne. two, three, four, five, six, seven!\n\"I should think he has arrived by this time."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 156, "folder": "", "text": "140\nLATEST MAGIC\nfor in the pack, and is found to bear a more or less\nappropriate answer to the question asked.\nThe movements of the pointer are governed by\nthe fact that, imbedded in the mahogany mount\nsurrounding the base of the bell glass, is a piece\nof thick steel wire, strongly magnetised, and\nextending half way round the circle. The pointer,\nthough SO coloured as to have the appearance of\nbrass, is in reality a magnetic steel needle, and\ntherefore when resting on the pivot and covered\nby the glass, will automatically move round till\nit comes to rest between the two magnetic poles\nformed to the opposite ends of the hidden wire.\nThe operator can therefore, by placing the glass\ncover accordingly, cause the indicator to stop at\nany part of the dial that he pleases.\nIt remains to be explained what guides him in\nthe manipulation of the glass, SO as to cause the\nneedle to stop at the point he desires. It will be\nremembered that, attached to the knob at the top\nof the glass, is a loop of ribbon, serving to suspend\nthe glass in use from the forefinger, as shown in\nFig. 28. But the loop has in truth a much more\nimportant function than this. Before the loop is\nformed, the ribbon is tied tightly round the neck\nof the knob, previously waxed to prevent its slip-\nping round, and the knot is SO placed that it shall\nexactly correspond with that pole of the magnet\nto which the point of the needle is intended to be\nin use attracted. This done, a loop is formed with"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 158, "folder": "", "text": "142\nLATEST MAGIC\nplease himself in this particular. The selection of\nsuitable questions and answers is however a some-\nwhat delicate matter. The answers must on the\none hand be smart enough to afford amusement\nto the company generally; and on the other hand\nmust not be so pungent as to be likely to cause\noffence to a person putting the question.\nThe questions and answers I devised for my own\nuse ran somewhat as follows:\n1. What does my husband (or wife, as the case may b\u00e9) most\nthink about ?\nANSWERS\nSeven of Diamonds.\nYourself.\n\"\nHearts.\nMoney.\n\"\nSpades.\nDinnertime.\n\"\nClubs.\nGolf.\n2. Shall I live to grow old?\nEight of Diamonds.\nYes, if you don't worry about it.\n\"\nHearts.\nA well-spent youth will be fol-\nlowed by a happy old age.\n\"\nSpades.\nAs old as you care to be.\n\"\nClubs.\nYes, old, and fat.\n3. What is my chief fault?\nNine of Diamonds.\nYou haven't any.\n\"\nHearts.\nExcessive modesty.\n\"\nSpades.\nFlirting.\n\"\nClubs.\nSwank.\n4. Shall I have what I am wishing for ?\nTen of Diamonds. Y es, if you deserve it.\n\"\nHearts.\nIf you go the right way to get it."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 160, "folder": "", "text": "144\nLATEST MAGIC\nrather the reverse, and are intended to be used as\nreplies to gentlemen only. Bearing this arrange-\nment in mind, it is a comparatively easy matter to\nsuit the answer to the querist.\nThe questions must be memorised in proper\norder, and it is desirable to do the same with the\nanswers also, though there should be no difficulty,\nremembering the principle of arrangement, in giv-\ning a fairly appropriate answer, even though the\nmemory be for the moment at fault as to its exact\nterms. To avoid the necessity of giving the same\nanswer more than once, it is well to make a rule\nthat the same question shall not be asked more than\nthree times.\nThe Oracle may be introduced as follows:\n\"Allow me to introduce to your notice a curio of\nan exceptionally interesting kind. This elegant\nlittle affair is said to have been the private Oracle\nof Rameses the Second, a gentleman who flourished\nin Egypt about four thousand years ago. I can't\nbe sure to a year or two, because it was before my\ntime, but I believe that is about right. People\nsometimes express surprise that, being so ancient,\nthe Oracle should be in such good condition, but\nthat is accounted for by its having been preserved\nin the same case as Rammy's mummy. I don't\nmean his mamma, but the gentleman himself, in\nthe cold storage of the period. The story may or\nmay not be true. I can't take any responsibility\nfor it. Others declare that the Oracle was the fav-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 162, "folder": "", "text": "146\nLATEST MAGIC\ning over the question. Now it has come to rest,\nand it says the answer will be found in the\"\n(name suit.) \"And now to find out which is the\nright card of that suit. I take off the glass and\nturn the dial over. Please concentrate your mind\non your question. I put the glass and the pointer\non again. Again the pointer thinks it over, and\nfinally decides as you see, for the (naming\nnumber of card.) \"Now all we have to do is to\nlook out that card\" (does so) \"and here we have\nthe answer to your question.\"\nBefore inviting a fresh querist to breathe into\nthe glass, it is well to wipe it out carefully with a\nsilk pocket handkerchief, professedly to dispel the\npersonal magnetism of the last enquirer, any\nremains of which, left within the glass, might\nimperil the correctness of the anticipated answer.\nTHE MYSTERY OF MAHOMET\u00b9\nThe reader is probably familiar with the trick\nknown as \"The Silver Tube and Ball.\" If not,\nit may be stated that the \"tube\" is of metal, nick-\nelled, and about eight inches long by one and a\nhalf in diameter. With it is used an ebony ball,\nwhich is made to pass into and out of the tube in a\nvery surprising way.\nThe secret lies partly in the fact that half way\n1\nA description of this trick will be found in The Magician for March,\n1914."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 164, "folder": "", "text": "148\nLATEST MAGIC\nimprovement, and after some cogitation I suc-\nceeded in producing a new trick on somewhat sim-\nilar lines; but free from the defect mentioned above\nand capable withal of producing a far wider variety\nof effects.\nI use two tubes of stiff cardboard, each about\nfour inches long by one and a half in diameter.\nOne of these is just a plain tube with no speciality\nSECTION\nFIG. 29\nabout it. The other has a piece of fine wire cross-\ning it midway from side to side, and taking the\nform of a halfhoop, as shown in Fig. 29, the ends\nserving as pivots on which it moves freely. On the\noutside, one of its ends is turned down vertically,\nforming a tiny switch or handle. The normal\ntendency of the halfhoop is to hang downward\nacross the tube (thereby closing it to the passage of\na ball) but a touch of the finger, moving the little"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 166, "folder": "", "text": "150\nLATEST MAGIC\n\"change\" the tubes neatly during the transit, he\nmay suppress the plain tube altogether and com-\nmence at once with the exhibition of the faked tube\nfrom the platform, but the omission makes the\ntrick less convincing.\nWe will suppose that the performer goes for\nthe maximum effect and advances offering the\ndummy tube for inspection. The patter I suggest\nfor the trick in this form runs as follows:\n\"I- have here, ladies and gentlemen, a hollow tube.\nIt is not uncommon for tubes to be hollow, but this\none is, if anything, even hollower than usual. I\nshould like some lady or gentleman to examine it\ncarefully and testify that it is just a plain ordinary\ntube with absolutely no deception of any sort about\nit. If it was not so, you may be sure I should\nhardly venture to let you examine it. You can see\nthrough it, hear through it, or blow through it.\nYou are satisfied? Then 1 will show you a curious\nlittle experiment with it.\"\nDuring the return to the table the dummy is\nexchanged for the trick tube.\n\"I call the experiment I am about to show you\n\"The Mystery of Mahomet. I gave it that name\nbecause it was Mahomet who suggested the idea to\nme. I don't mean personally. I didn't know\nhim. In point of fact he did not give me the idea\ntill after he had been dead for some years. This\nsounds peculiar, but I will explain.\n\"When Mahomet died he wasn't buried like"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 168, "folder": "", "text": "152\nLATEST MAGIC\n\"As some of you have not had the opportunity\nof personally examining the tube I should like to\nprove to you in the first place that it is really what\nit appears to be, a simple cardboard cylinder, open\nfrom end to end, and as free from deception as I\nam myself.\n\"Proof 1.\" (Wand dropped through tube on\nto table.)\n\"Proof 2.\" (Tube held in front of candle show-\ning flame through it.\"7)\n\"Proof 3.\" (Tube dropped over candle as in\nFig. 30, or spun on wand, held horizontally as in\nFig. 31\nFig. 31; the halfhoop in each case being made to\nlie against the side of the tube.)\n\"I have here a little ball, of such a size that it\npasses easily through the tube.\"1 The ball is\nallowed to fall through, from the one hand to the\nother.\nNow I will place the tube upright on the\n1 If preferred the ball instead of being taken openly from the table,\nmay be produced from the wand after the fashion familiar in the Cup\nand Ball trick, but on the whole I think this is best omitted."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 170, "folder": "", "text": "154\nLATEST MAGIC\ntube.) \"I drop the ball in again, and this time it\nwill remain suspended till I permit the compressed\nair to escape.\" (Pick up tube, holding it vertically\na few inches above the table.) \"Say when you\nwould like the ball to fall. Now? Good ! I with-\ndraw my strong won't and the ball falls at once.\"\n(Switch loop, allowing it to do so, then pass tube,\nclosing it, to opposite hand and load into it dupli-\ncate ball at top; then replacing tube on table.)\n\"Now, by way of variety, we will try compress-\ning the ball instead of the air.\" (Pick up ball left\non table and make believe to transfer it to the oppos-\nite hand. Then, with the left hand empty, make\npretence of crushing it into the hand.) \"The ball\nis now resolved into its component atoms. You\ndidn't see them go? No, of course you didn't.\nFor the time being they are dematerialised: but the\ncompressed air in the tube will soon solidify them\nagain.\" (Lift tube, keeping ball suspended.)\n\"It has not got solid yet, but we shall not have long\nto wait.\" (After a few moments again lift tube,\nopening it and allowing ball to pass through.)\n\"Here is the ball, now as solid as before.\"\nTransfer tube closed to opposite hand and in SO\ndoing load in red ball at top. In replacing tube\non table open and close it again, so that the ball\nshall fall, but shall rest within the tube on the\ntable.\n\"Now I will show you another curious effect.\nA\nball which has been dematerialised in that way"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 172, "folder": "", "text": "156\nLATEST MAGIC\nknow just where it is when I want it. It saves a\nlot of trouble.\"\nTHE BEWILDERING BLOCKS\nThe blocks which give its title to this trick are\ninch-square wooden cubes, three in number, as\nillustrated in Fig. 32. Each is coloured black on\ntwo of its opposite sides; these in use being made\ntop and bottom. The four remaining sides are in\nthe case of one block red, of another white, and of\na third blue. The only other item of apparatus\nknown to the spectators is a square cardboard tube,\nas depicted in Fig. 33. This is about five inches\nlong, and of such dimensions laterally as to let\neither block slide by its own weight easily through\nit, but no more. All four items may be freely sub-\nmitted to inspection, for in this case appearances\nare not deceitful. Both the blocks and the tube are\nno more and no less than they seem to be.\nIn exhibiting the trick, the tube is placed upright\non the table, and the three blocks are dropped into\nit one after another, the company being requested\nto note particularly the order in which they are\ninserted, which we will suppose to be in the first\ninstance blue, then white, and lastly red, as shown\nwithout the tube in Fig. 32. It is clear that, once\ninserted, they cannot by any natural means alter\ntheir relative positions, but, strange to say, when\nthey are again uncovered, the red block just"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 174, "folder": "", "text": "158\nLATEST MAGIC\nafter inspection, before placing it on the table he\nsecretly introduces the trick block into its lower\nend, privately noting against which sides of the\ntube the two red faces will lie, and taking care in\nplacing the tube upon the table that the angle\nformed by these two sides shall be to the front.\nThe other three blocks are then, in accordance with\nthe patter, dropped in from above, in the order\nshown in Fig. 32, resting, unknown to the specta-\ntors, on top of the trick block. When the performer\nlifts off the tube, which he does grasping it diagon-\nally between thumb and finger at about an inch\nfrom the top, he does so with gentle pressure,\nthereby holding back the uppermost block within\nthe tube, and exposing the two others with the trick\nblock at the bottom, as indicated by Fig. 34.\nI gave a description of this trick in the Magician\nof February, 1914. The patter for its exhibition\nwas based on a popular nursery legend, and as this\nmode of presentation won general approval from\nthe juveniles I cannot do better than repeat it prac-\ntically as there given. The needful working\ninstructions will be found interspersed with the\npatter.\n\"What I am goong to show you now is not a trick,\nor, if you can call it a trick, it is one that works\nitself, for you will see for yourselves that I have\nreally nothing to do with it. It is just an illustra-\ntion of the force of bad example.\n\"No doubt you have all heard of a young gentle-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 32, "folder": "", "text": "16\nLATEST MAGIC\nthese may safely be left to the ingenuity of the\nreader. If the face, instead of the back, of a given\ncard be treated with the adhesive, that card will\nitself disappear from the pack. By due adjust-\nment two adhering cards may (the one slightly\noverlapping the other) be made to form a tem-\nporary long or wide card."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 176, "folder": "", "text": "160\nLATEST MAGIC\nin the chimney. They go in quite easily; but when\nthey are once inside they can't turn round, or turn\nover, or change places. But the curious thing is\nthat though they can't they do, as you will see\npresently.\n\"I place the chimney-pot here on the table,\nwhere you can see all round it, and I drop the\nthree bricks into it one by one. Notice particu-\nlarly the order in which I put them in. First, the\nblue. You heard it go down. Next, the white,\nand now, the red. Don't forget. Blue at the bot-\ntom, white in the middle, and red at the top.\n\"Now, without my saying or doing anything,\nthey will at once begin to shift about. They can't\nkeep still for more than a few seconds. When I\nlift off the chimney pot, you will find that they have\nchanged places.\" (It is lifted accordingly, per-\nformer holding back the uppermost block within it\nby gentle pressure on opposite angles of the tube,\nand exhibiting only the three lower blocks now as\nin Fig. 34.)\n\"There, as I told you, like Fidgety Phil, they\ncouldn't keep still. The white brick has climbed\nto the top, the red one has gone down to the bot-\ntom, and the blue one is now in the middle.\n\"We will try again. I will put the bricks in in\njust the same order, to make it easier for you to\nremember them.\"\nPerformer has meanwhile allowed the red block,\nleft in the upper part of the tube, to sink to the"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 178, "folder": "", "text": "162\nLATEST MAGIC\nthis for the trick block, which is now at the bottom\nof the tube.\n\"Once more, ladies and gentlemen, here is the\nchimney pot, and here are the three bricks, for\ninspection by any one who cares to look at them.\nPerhaps some of you may be able to account for\ntheir remarkable behaviour. It's a puzzle to me;\nbut I never was good at guessing. My own idea is\nthat they are haunted by the ghost of Fidgety\nPhil. If not, I give it up.\"\nAN \"OD\" FORCE\nTo avoid misconception, it may be well to state\nat once that the peculiar spelling of the word \"od\"\nin the above title is not a printer's error. The\nexplanation will be found in the patter, which is\nfounded on a discovery claimed to have been made\nby a scientist at one time of world-wide renown,\nand the responsibility for so spelling the word rests\nwith him. For programme purposes the reader\nis at liberty to re-name the trick according to his\nown fancy. \"Mysterious Motion,\" or \"Moved by\nMagic\" would fairly represent the effect produced,\nwhich consists in causing a borrowed coin to move\nautomatically at the will of the operator, in various\ndirections.\nThe requirements for the trick are as follows:\n(1) The \"tramway\" whereon the coin is to be\nmade to travel. This consists of a' slab of wood"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 180, "folder": "", "text": "164\n*LATEST MAGIC\n(2) A special \"pull\" carried on the person of\nthe performer. This consists of a fine black\nthread, to one end of which is attached a weight\ntravelling up and down the trouser leg, after the\nmanner described (in connection with a self-sus-\npending wand) at page 111 of \"Later Magic.\" In\nthe present case, however, the weight is much\nsmaller, being in fact just large enough to rather\nmore than counterbalance the coin used in the\ntrick, plus the friction to be overcome by the thread\nin the working of the trick. The degree of such\nfriction is an uncertain quantity, as it will largely\ndepend on the nature of the operator's underwear\nand its closeness to his own body. The precise\nweight most effective must be ascertained by pre-\nvious experiment, and regulated accordingly.\nIt will be found convenient to use by way of\nweight a glass tube, closed at the bottom like a\ntest-tube and loaded with buckshot, more or less\nin quantity according to the weight required.\nThe mouth of the tube is closed by a cork, through\nwhich one end of the thread is passed, and secured\non the under side by a knot and a spot of gum.\nWhen the minimum weight that will effectually\nserve the desired purpose has been ascertained, any\nvacant space above the leaden pellets should be\nfilled with cotton wool (to prevent rattling) and the\ncork should then be cemented into the tube. If\npreferred, the wool may be interspersed among the\nbuckshot."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 182, "folder": "", "text": "166\nLATEST MAGIC\nin the choice of their parents. He invented a lot of\nuseful things, among them creosote and paraffin.\nNeither of them smells very nice, but they don't\ntrouble about that in Germany.\n\"Besides being a great chemist, Von Thingany\ndabbled in what are called the occult sciences, and\nhe claimed to have discovered a new force (a sort\nof magnetism, only different) and which, he\ndeclared, pervaded every thing in nature, espe-\ncially crystal. Directed by a strong will, like his\nown, or mine, it would do all sorts of wonderful\nthings. It seemed to me that such a force would\ncome in very handy for magical purposes, and I\nset to work to invent it over again, and I have at\nany rate produced something very like it. The\nBaron called his force 'odd,' but he spelt it 'od,'\nwhich is odd too. You must judge for yourselves\nwhether my force is the same as his, and you can\nspell it which way you like.\n\"I have only been able so far to work up a very\nsmall amount of the force, say about six-mouse-\npower, SO it won't turn tables, or lift pianos. I can\nonly get it, SO far, to move a small weight like a\nflorin or a half-dollar, and that only for a very short\ndistance. For greater conveniences I have made\nthis little tramway for the coin to perform upon.\nThese wires which you see are not for it to travel\non, but merely to get more equal distribution of\nthe force. There is nothing out of the way about"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 184, "folder": "", "text": "168\nLATEST MAGIC\n\"I shall now, by means of the 'od' force, compel\nthe coin to move towards This he does\naccordingly, by relaxing the pressure of the thumb\nupon the thread and merely bringing the pull of\nthe weight into operation. When the coin has all\nbut reached the nearer end of the tramway, he says,\n\"We will now see if we can make it travel a little\nlonger distance.\" So saying he draws the thread\nout again and lays the coin on the farther end of\nthe tram, and again makes it travel slowly back.\nA good effect may be here produced by making it\nstop half-way, and (after remarking in a casual\nway that the power is hardly strong enough) pick-\ning up the ball, again rubbing it upon the sleeve\nand moving it, a few inches distance, in the direc-\ntion in which the coin is to travel, when it resumes\nits journey accordingly.\nOnce more picking up the coin, he replaces it at\nthe farther end of the tramway, but in so doing\npasses the thread outside and around the screw at\nthat end. He then remarks, as if bethinking him-\nself : \"By the way, a lady suggested the other\nnight that the coin was attracted towards me by\nmy personal magnetism. I know I am an attrac-\ntive man : I have been told so frequently but that\nis not the explanation in this case, as I will prove\nto you by making the coin travel away from me.\"\nSo saying, he draws the coin towards him, easing\noff the pressure on the thread to enable him to do\nso, and leaves it at the inner end. The ball is"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 186, "folder": "", "text": "170\nLATEST MAGIC\nTHE MYSTERY OF THE THREE SEALS\nThis is a trick involving some little trouble in\nthe way of preparation, and perhaps a little more\nthan average address on the part of the performer,\nbut on the other hand it costs little; for all the\nneedful appliances may be homemade, and in the\nhands of an expert the trick will amply repay the\ntime and trouble expended upon it. Baldly stated,\nits effect consists in the magical introduction of a\nmarked coin into the innermost of a nest of three\nenvelopes, each securely sealed.\nThe requirements for the trick are as under:\n1. Two nests of envelopes. The innermost of\neach is one of the little square kind used in shops\nto contain copper \"change,\" or to hold the weekly\nwage of an employee. It should be of cartridge or\nstout manila paper, and about two inches square.\nThe next larger is of the ordinary square or so-\ncalled square-note size, and the third a little larger\nstill. Envelopes of the two last mentioned sizes\nare not always to be obtained made of cartridge\nor manila, but this condition is not in their case\nabsolutely essential. The flap of each envelope\nmust be stuck down and sealed with red wax.\u00b9\n2. A special envelope, which we will call the\n1 If the performer does not object to the slight additional trouble,\nhe will find an easy method of obtaining envelopes exactly square and\nof any desired description of paper, indicated in the chapter entitled\n\"A Few Wrinkles,\" post."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 188, "folder": "", "text": "172\nLATEST MAGIC\nas yet lacks the connecting medium for actually\nsecuring it.\n3. The \"coin mat\" (page 4) freshly treated\nwith the usual adhesive. The side so treated is to\nbe turned downwards on the table with a shilling\npressed against the adhesive portion.\n4. A penknife, to be used as envelope opener.\nAs shortly as possible before the presentation of\nthe trick, the trick envelope must be further pre-\npared by spreading a thin layer of seccotine on that\nportion of the underside of the flap immediately\nunder the seal.\nN. B. This must not be done too long before-\nhand, as it is essential to the success of the trick\nthat the envelope be used while the seccotine is still\nin a \"tacky\" condition.\nThe envelope prepared as above, to be laid on the\ntable, behind some small object, or preferably just\ninside the foremost rim of a Japanese tray; at one\ncorner, mouth uppermost, and flap to the rear.\nUnder these conditions, the butting of the opposite\nedge of the envelope against the forward wall of\nthe tray will be found greatly to facilitate the sub-\nsequent introduction of the borrowed coin. Before\nso placing the envelope, its edges on each side\nshould be pressed slightly inwards, SO as to make\nit expand a little at the opening.\nThese arrangements duly made, the performer\nmay introduce the trick as follows:\n\"I don't know whether anybody here remembers"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 190, "folder": "", "text": "174\nLATEST MAGIC\nout how it was done, or die. They haven't come\nagain: SO I suppose they died.\u00b9\n\"As you are prepared to run the risk I will ask\nsome gentleman to oblige me with the loan of a\nshilling, marked in some unmistakable way.\nThank you, Sir. You have marked the coin?\nThen please place it here, on this little tray. I\nwon't touch it myself at present. All please keep\none eye upon it, the other eye you had better keep\non me.\"\nReceive the coin on the mat, held in right hand.\nAfter showing the left hand empty, transfer the\nmat to that hand and show the right empty.\nReturn the mat to right hand, but before doing SO\nturn that hand over SO as to receive the mat with\nthumb undermost. Just as you reach the table\nto place the mat upon it bring the second and third\nfingers over the borrowed coin, and under cover\nof your own body turn the mat over. In putting it\ndown on the table draw away the borrowed coin\ninto the hand and palm it. To the eye of the spec-\ntator the state of things will be unaltered, your\nown coin, now uppermost on the mat, being taken\nfor the borrowed one.\nYou continue, standing behind your table, and\nresting the right hand, with the palmed coin, close\nto the trick envelope, and holding up the two nests\n1 This rigmarole may equally well be used by way of introduction to\nany other trick of sufficient importance. King George's puzzlement\nabout the dumplings is said to be a matter of history, but, I do not\nguarantee it as a fact."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 192, "folder": "", "text": "176\nLATEST MAGIC\nduce anything into the innermost of those three\nenvelopes without breaking all three seals. When\nI say impossible, of course I mean impossible to a\nmere man. To a magician there is no such word as\nimpossible, except in the dictionary. In fact, the\nmore impossible a thing is, the more any respect-\nable magician makes up his mind to do it. Watch\nme carefully, please. I want you to be quite sure\nall through that there is no deception.\n\"Now then, to pass the coin into this other envel-\nope.\" As you say this, you pick up the coin mat,\ndepress it enough for all present to see the coin\nupon it, and make the motion of sliding it off into\nthe left hand. This should be done while standing\na little in front of your table. In turning to\nreplace the mat, reverse it and lay it with the side\nto which the coin adheres downwards. If deftly\nexecuted, this reversal of the mat will be imper-\nceptible, as it is covered by the turn to the table.\nEven if it were noticed it would have practically no\nsignificance for the spectators, who naturally take\nit for granted that the coin has passed from the\nmat into your hand. The moment you have laid\ndown the mat, the now disengaged hand picks up\nthe nest of envelopes, and you make believe to rub\nthe coin (supposedly in left hand) into it. This\ndone, you hold the envelope aloft in each hand\nalternately, allowing it to be seen that the hands\nare otherwise empty.\n\"So far, SO good! The coin has passed from my"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 194, "folder": "", "text": "178\nLATEST MAGIC\npicious feature about the envelope. Even in the\nunlikely case of his tearing open the envelope,\ninstead of cutting it, it is doubtful whether he\nwould detect the use of the seccotine, which should\nby this time be practically dry; and by the rest of\nthe spectators it would still be taken for granted\nthat this envelope, like the rest, was sealed in the\nordinary way.\nIt will be obvious to the expert reader that the\ncentral idea, viz., the transformation by the use\nof seccotine of an open envelope into one appar-\nently sealed in the regular way, is one that admits\nof a wide variety of detail as to the mode of pres-\nentation. For instance: The procedure sug-\ngested for getting rid of the duplicate coin, and\napparently rubbing it into the envelope, is but one\nof many alternatives. The coin might be\n\"passed\" by the agency of fire, i.e., wrapped in a\npiece of flash paper with open fold at bottom and\nflared off at the psychological moment over a candle\nflame), or it might be got rid of by vanishing it into\nthe pocket of a black art mat, or by the use of a\nblack art patch, as described at page 20.\nThe critical part of the trick is the \"switching\"\nof the two envelopes at the final stage, but in view\nof their small size this is a matter of very little\ndifficulty. The expert will probably do this after\nsome fashion of his own. The less instructed\nreader may use the following plan, which he will"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 34, "folder": "", "text": "18\nLATEST MAGIC\ndeal short of those of the actual table, will answer\nmany of its purposes, apart from special merits of\nits own, and which has the further recommenda-\ntion of exceptional portability. It may be appro-\npriately entitled the Black Art Mat. It consists\nof a piece of Bristol board of size and shape suit-\nable to the purpose for which it is to be used, COV-\nered on both sides with black velvet and edged with\nnarrow ornamental braid or binding. The one\nFIG. 8\nside has no speciality, but the other has a flat\npocket across one or more of its corners; as indi-\ncated in Fig. 8. In the case of a mat of small size\nthe pocket may extend diagonally from corner to\ncorner as in Fig. 9. The edge of the pocket may be\nbraided if preferred (the rest of the surface being\nornamented to correspond) but if the mat be well\nmade this is not necessary. The mouth of each\npocket is made slightly \"full,\" and is held open"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 196, "folder": "", "text": "180\nLATEST MAGIC\nTHE WIZARD'S POCKETBOOK\nThis is an extremely small volume, consisting\nin fact of six pages only, and no letterpress, the\ninstructions for its use being embodied in a sepa-\nrate leaflet. On each of its pages are miniature\nreproductions of thirty-six playing cards, six in a\nrow; every card of the pack being represented once\nat least among the whole number. The object of\nthe book is to enable the owner to discover the\nname of a card drawn (or merely thought of) by\nsome member of the company. The chooser is\nonly asked to look at the book, and state on which\none or more of its pages the card in question\nappears, when the performer, without seeing or\nhandling the book himself, can instantly name the\ncard. The six pages of the book are reproduced\nin the diagrams which follow. Figs 37-42.\nTo be in a position to work the trick, it is neces-\nsary in the first place to memorise each of the fifty-\ntwo cards of the pack in connection with a particu-\nlar number. This may at first sight appear a for-\nmidable undertaking, but it is not SO in reality.\nAll that really needs to be memorised is the order\nof the suits; which is as under:\n1. Clubs.\n2. Hearts.\n3. Spades.\n4. Diamonds.\nThis order may be instantly recalled by using as"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 198, "folder": "", "text": "182\nLATEST MAGIC\n8\n8\nof\nFig. 39\n8\na\nFig. 40"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 200, "folder": "", "text": "184\nLATEST MAGIC\na memory-peg the word CHaSeD, which contains\nthe initials of the four suits in the proper order, or\nthe reader may if he prefers it recall them by\nreflecting that\nCool Heads Soon Decide.\nThe arrangement of each suit follows the natural\norder, the ace of clubs being No. 1; the deuce 2;\nand the trey 3; knave 11; queen 12 and king 13.\nThe card next following, viz., the ace of hearts, will\nbe 14; the deuce of hearts 15, and so on, the com-\nplete arrangement being as shown below:\n1. Ace of clubs.\n22. Nine of hearts.\n2. Deuce of clubs.\n23. Ten of hearts.\n3. Trey of clubs.\n24. Knave of hearts.\n4. Four of clubs.\n25. Queen of hearts.\n5. Five of clubs.\n26. King of hearts.\n6. Six of clubs.\n27. Ace of spades.\n7. Seven of clubs.\n28. Deuce of spades.\n8. Eight of clubs.\n29. Trey of spades.\n9. Nine of clubs.\n30. Four of spades.\n10. Ten of clubs.\n31. Five of spades.\n11. Knave of clubs.\n32. Six of spades.\n12. Queen of clubs.\n33. Seven of spades.\n13. King of clubs.\n34. Eight of spades.\n14. Ace of hearts.\n35. Nine of spades.\n15. Deuce of hearts.\n36. Ten of spades.\n16. Trey of hearts.\n37. Knave of spades.\n17. Four of hearts.\n38. Queen of spades.\n18. Five of hearts.\n39. King of spades.\n19. Six of hearts.\n40. Ace of diamonds.\n20. Seven of hearts.\n41. Deuce of diamonds.\n21. Eight of hearts.\n42. Trey of diamonds."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 202, "folder": "", "text": "186\nLATEST MAGIC\nof the pocket-book is associated a special number,\nknown as its \"key\" number. These are as under:\nPage 1\nKey Number 1\n\"\n2\n\"\n\"\n2\n\"\n3\n\"\n\"\n4\n\"\n4\n\"\n\"\n8\n\"\n5\n\"\n\"\n16\n\"\n6\n\"\n\"\n32\nThe memorising of these is also a very simple\nmatter, for it will be noted that the key numbers\nare the first six factors of the familiar geometrical\nprogression, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Printed as below:\n1, 2. 3, 4, 5, 6\n1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32\nthe upper figures, in ordinary type, expressing the\nnumbers of the pages, and the lower, in black type,\nthe corresponding key numbers, a very small\namount of study will associate them so closely in\nthe mind as to fix them firmly in the memory.\nHaving mastered these two simple lessons, the\nlearner is in a position to use the pocket-book. To\nascertain the card chosen, he has only to add\ntogether the key numbers of the pages in which\nhe is told that such card appears. The total will\nbe the number at which that card stands in the list\ngiven on page 185, and, this being known, it be-\ncomes an easy matter to name, the card itself.\nWe will suppose, for instance, that performer"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 204, "folder": "", "text": "188\nLATEST MAGIC\n8 + 2 = 10\n8+2+1=11\n8+4=12\n8+4+1==\nand SO on throughout up to 52, which being the\nlimit of the pack, is the highest number with which\nwe need concern ourselves.\nIn making up the pages of the pocket-book,\nadvantage has been taken of this principle. A\ngiven card is inserted on that page or pages (and\nthose only) whose key numbers, alone or added\ntogether, correspond with the position which the\ncard holds in the list. Thus the ace of clubs\nwill appear on the first page (not because it is the\nfirst card, but because the key number of that page\nis 1) and on no other. The deuce of clubs, in like\nmanner, on page 2, the key number of that card\nbeing two. The next card, the three of clubs, must\nappear on page 1 and page 2, their key numbers\ntogether amounting to 3. The process as to cards\nstanding at higher numbers is the same. Thus, the\nace of spades, being the twenty-seventh card, and\ntwenty-seven being the aggregate of 16, 8, 2 and 1,\nwill appear on the first, second, fourth and fifth\npages. Conversely, if the performer is told that\nthe card appears on the four pages last named, he\nknows that it is the twenty-seventh card, i.e., the\nace of spades. Any spaces remaining vacant on\nthe page after the whole pack has been dealt with,\nare filled up by duplicates of cards already figur-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 206, "folder": "", "text": "190\nLATEST MAGIC\nplease remember I have not touched since you\nshuffled it yourself, into six portions, one for each\npage of the book.\" This is done, the six packets\nbeing turned face down on the table.\nWe will suppose that the chosen card is not found\non the first page. \"Then,\" says the performer,\n\"this first packet will tell me nothing, and may be\ndisregarded. Now, for the second page, is your\ncard upon that ? It is ? Then I draw two cards\nfrom the second heap, and turn up one of them.\nAnd now for the third page. Do you find your\ncard there? You do ? Then I take up three cards\nfrom the third packet, and again turn up the last\none.\"\nWe will suppose that the chosen card is not found\nin either the fourth or the fifth page, but re-appears\non the sixth, whereupon six cards are counted off\nfrom the corresponding packet, and the last of\nthem turned up. The performer has by this time\nmentally added up the key numbers of the second,\nthird and sixth pages: viz., 2, 4 and 32, together\nmaking 38, and knows therefrom that the card is\nthe thirty-eighth in the list, viz., the queen of\nspades. He does not however at once display his\nknowledge, but pretends to make a mental calcula-\ntion from the cards exposed upon the table, giving,\nif he so pleases, and the cards lend themselves to\nit, some fanciful explanation of his method. It\nseems to me, however, that this last is a needless\nelaboration. Personally, I should prefer merely"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 210, "folder": "", "text": "194\nLATEST MAGIC\na \"giant's robe upon a dwarfish thief,\" or the\nreverse, cannot be expected to be a becoming gar-\nment. Every man has, or should have, a style of\nhis own, and it is rarely good policy to imitate that\nof somebody else. If a low comedy man were to\nessay to play Hamlet, or a tragedian, however\neminent, were to try to give an limitation of Harry\nLauder, the result would be likely to be disappoint-\ning.\nThe reader, undertaking to write his own patter,\nand desirous of making it just what patter should\nbe, will find counsels of perfection in \"Our Magic,\"\nand the more nearly he can approach them the\nbetter. As, however, all have not the good fortune\nto possess that admirable work, I venture to indi-\ncate what to my own mind seem to be the chief\npoints to be aimed at.\nIt is almost a commonplace to say that the main\nobject of patter is misdirection. As the term is\nmore usually applied, this means something said or\ndone midway in the course of a trick to draw away\nthe attention of the audience at some critical\nmoment, and to create what the French conjurers\ncall a \"temps,\" i.e., an \"opportunity\" for doing,\nunnoticed, some necessary act. But misdirection\nmay very well start at an earlier stage than this:\nin fact, well in advance of the actual execution of\nthe trick. Each trick should have some sort of\nintroduction, and the patter serving this purpose\nshould be such as to lead the mind of the hearer"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 212, "folder": "", "text": "196\nLATEST MAGIC\nby the introduction, among the \"properties\" used,\nof some object professedly essential to the trick,\nbut as a matter of fact having no real concern with\nthe effect produced. The audience take for\ngranted that it must have something to do with the\neffect, or it would not be used, and are thereby led\naway the more effectually from the actual explana-\ntion. Numerous illustrations of the use of this\ndevice will be found in the foregoing pages.\nIf, in the case of a given trick, the performer\nis absolutely at a loss to produce a satisfactory\nfable to introduce it, he may evade the difficulty\nby stating that he is about to produce an effect for\nwhich he cannot himself account, and inviting the\nassistance of his audience in doing SO.\nThe second function of patter is the calling of\nthe attention of the audience to matters which you\ndesire them to take note of, and to give oppor-\ntunity to do SO. There is small credit to be gained\nby changing the ace of clubs into the ace of hearts,\nor making a given article pass invisibly from one\nspot to another, unless the spectators have been\nfirst made to realise the original state of things, and\nthey must be allowed sufficient time to do SO. I\nhave more than once seen an otherwise brilliant\nshow spoilt by being rushed through at railroad\nspeed. The mind of the spectator had not been\nallowed time to receive clear impressions. The\ncompany in such a case disperses with a conscious-\nness of having had a rapid succession of surprises,"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 214, "folder": "", "text": "198\nLATEST MAGIC\nto change the mode of presentation altogether, and\nto make the illusion no longer objective, but subjec-\ntive. He announced that by means of his magic\npower he could take away the strength of the\nstrongest man, and render him weak as a little\nchild. The \"chest\" was in this case merely\nbrought forward in a casual way, as a convenient\nobject wherewith the assertion of the magician\ncould be tested. The strongest man in the com-\npany was invited to come forward, and try whether\nhe could lift that little box. Of course he could,\nand did; a child could have done the same. \"You\nlifted it because I permitted you to do.so,\" said the\nmagician. \"But I take away your strength. Try\nto lift it now!'\nAgain the athlete tries his strength, but now he\nfails. With teeth set, and every muscle tense, he\nstrains, and strains, but in vain, and he has to con-\nfess that the infidel wonder-worker has, for the\ntime, taken away all his strength. Here was a\nwizard indeed!\nIn arranging your patter, be humorous if you\ncan, but if, like the gentleman we have all heard\nof, you \"joke with difficulty,\" don't force yourself\nto be funny. That it is possible for a man lacking\nhumour still to be a great conjurer is proved by\nthe case of Hartz, who was notably deficient in this\nparticular, but by his excellence in other directions\nwon a place in the very first rank of his profession.\nBut if you cannot be humorous, at any rate be"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 18, "folder": "", "text": "2\nLATEST MAGIC\nborder as depicted in Fig. 1, and about seven inches\nin diameter. In the centre of each is an embossed\nshield, ostensibly a mere ornament, but in reality\nserving, as will presently be seen, an important\npractical purpose.\nFig. 1\nTo the casual observer the two mats look pre-\ncisely alike, but there are in reality important\npractical differences between them. The \"coin\"\nmat is covered with leather on both sides, and each\nhas the embossed shield, so that, whichever side is\nuppermost, no difference is perceptible to the eye.\nIn the case of the \"card\" mat the upper surface\nonly is of leather, the under side being covered with\nbaize. The object of this difference is that the\nexposure (accidental or otherwise) of the baize-\ncovered side of the card mat may induce in the\nmind of the spectator the assumption that the\nunder side of the coin mat is covered in the same\nway, such assumption naturally precluding the\nidea that it is reversible."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 36, "folder": "", "text": "20\nLATEST MAGIC\nThe utility of the black art mat, however, does\nnot depend upon the pocket only. Its unbroken or\n\"plain\" side, or indeed a mat wholly without\npockets may also be very effectively used for van-\nishing purposes. In this case a little auxiliary\nappliance comes into play. This is a small velvet\npatch, serving as an \"overlay.\" It may be round\nor square, according to the purpose for which it is\nintended to be used. For coin-vanishing purposes\nit is best circular, and about two inches (or less,\nas the case may be) in diameter. The foundation\nis in this case a disc of thin card covered on both\nsides with velvet, in colour and texture exactly cor-\nresponding with that of the mat, under which con-\nditions the patch, when laid on the mat, will be\ninvisible. The exact similarity of the two surfaces\nis a point of the highest importance for black art\neffects, and the velvet used, if not actually silk vel-\nvet, should at least be of the silk-faced kind. Vel-\nvet which is all cotton will never give satisfactory\nresults.\nIf a coin be laid on any part of the mat the\nperformer has only (in the supposed act of picking\nit up) to lay the velvet patch over it to render it\ninvisible. If it is desired to reproduce the coin, a\nhandkerchief shown to be empty, may be laid over\nthe patch, and a moment or two later picked up\nagain, bringing away the overlay within it, and\nagain revealing the coin in statu quo. A practical\nexample of the use of this device will be found in"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 216, "folder": "", "text": "200\nLATEST MAGIC\nited in the right hand, he has only to say, \"Now I\nwant you particularly to keep an eye on this\"\nwhatever the article in the right hand may happen\nto\nbe. All eyes are for the moment, instinctively\ndrawn to the object in question, and in that moment\nthe deed is done. The artifice is ridiculously sim-\nple, but it is effective, and it is on being fully pre-\npared with the right thing to say and do at the crit-\nical moment that the success of a magical enter-\ntainment largely depends. Careful rehearsal, pre-\nferably before an expert friend, will furnish the\nbest hints as to the danger-spots in the working\nof a trick, and how best to devise patter to meet\nthem.\nA final word of advice-advice that has been often\ngiven, but cannot be too often repeated if you\nreally aim to carry your audience with you. Never\nlose sight of the fact that you are, in the words of\nRobert-Houdin, \"an actor playing the part of a\nmagician,\" and take your office seriously. In par-\nticular, never before an audience use the word\n\"trick,\" which at once gives away all your preten-\nsion to magical power. An actor never tells his\naudience that he is an actor or that he is playing a\npart. He does not call their attention to his\nmake-up, however excellent, or tell them that his\nwig comes from Clarkson. On the contrary, he\ndoes his best to make his audience for the time for-\nget that he is Hubert de Barnstormer, or whatever\nhis stage name may be, and to keep up the illusion"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 218, "folder": "", "text": "202\nLATEST MAGIC\nbe left to take care of itself. It should auto-\nmatically improve with each of its earlier repeti-\ntions as good wine improves in bottle. Faults will\ncorrect themselves, and being made perfect by\npractice, the performer will thenceforth be able to\n\"speak his piece\" without effort, and devote his\nwhole energies to the actual working of the trick.\nTo the amateur, only performing on special occa-\nsions, with perhaps considerable intervals between\nthem, I commend a plan from which I myself\nderived great benefit, viz.: Write out from\nmemory the patter for each trick on the pro-\ngramme a day or two before a coming performance.\nAfter you have given your show, go through your\nmanuscript again carefully, noting and correcting\nit in any point in which the patter failed to be ex-\nactly right. The interpolation of a single sen-\ntence, the transposition in point of sequence of two\nmovements, or the alteration of some trifling detail,\nsuch as standing at a different angle to your table\nat a given moment, may make all the difference be-\ntween partial failure and complete success."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 220, "folder": "", "text": "204\nLATEST MAGIC\nthe first difficulties of the novice, as he comes for-\nward to introduce himself to his audience, is to\nknow what to do with his hands. He can hardly\nadvance with hand on heart, within his vest, \u00e0 la\nPecksniff. Held open, with arms hanging down\nby the sides, the hands look too stiff, and to advance\nwith them in his pockets would hardly be good\nform. By coming forward wand in hand, he\navoids these difficulties. The hand holding it auto-\nmatically assumes an easy and natural position,\nand he ceases to think about the other. With the\nwand held in the right hand across the body, its\nfree end resting on the palm of the opposite hand,\nhe is in an ideal attitude for delivering his intro-\nductory patter. Later on, by holding the wand in\nthe hand, he effectually disguises the fact that he\nhas some object, a card, a coin, or a watch con-\ncealed therein. If he has occasion to call atten-\ntion directly to any object, the wand forms the most\nnatural pointer. If he finds it necessary, for some\nreason connected with the trick in hand, to make\na turn or half-turn away from the spectators, the\nfact that he has left his wand upon the table affords\nhim the needful opportunity.\nLastly, if the wand is habitually used as the pro-\nfessed instrument of a desired transposition or\ntransformation, a certain portion of an average\naudience gradually becomes impressed with the\nidea that there really must be some occult connec-\ntion between the touch of the wand and the effect"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 222, "folder": "", "text": "206\nLATEST MAGIC\ncards, or to effect some other substitution neces-\nsary for the purpose of his next item.\nVerbum sap, by all means cultivate the use of the\nwand, and for the sake of effect, let it be of an ele-\ngant and distinctive character. An office-ruler or\na piece of cane would serve many of its mechanical\npurposes, but would lack the prestige attached to\nwhat is, professedly, the genuine article.\nOne of the most striking proofs of the extensive\nuse and appreciation of the wand by modern\nmagicians is furnished by the remarkable collec-\ntion of such implements got together by Dr. Saram\nR. Ellison, of New York.\nDr. Ellison\u00b9 is an eminent and popular phy-\nsician, whose ruling passion is wanting to know\nthings, particularly things that other people don't\nknow. Such being his temperament, it goes almost\nwithout saying that at an early period of his\ncareer he became a Freemason. Having been duly\ninitiated into the mysteries of the ordinary lodge,\nand learnt all it had to teach him, he still yearned\nfor \"more light,\" and accordingly worked his way\nup step by step through intervening degrees in\nmasonry till he reached what is known as the\nthirty-third degree, an order even more exclusive\nthan that of the Garter, and claiming to possess\nsecrets as to which the ordinary \"blue\" mason,\n1 Since this was written Dr. Ellison has passed into the mysterious\nbeyond."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 224, "folder": "", "text": "208\nLATEST MAGIC\nfamous magicians, past and present, especially in\nthe shape of wands, as being the most characteristic\npossession of the wizard. Accordingly, some\nyears ago, he began to collect wands, and he now\npossesses more than eighty such, each a wand which\nhas been habitually yielded by some more or less\nfamous magician. By the courtesy of Dr. Ellison\nI am enabled to furnish particulars of some of\nthem; as given in a very interesting pamphlet by\nEpes W. Sargent, a well-known American writer.\nThe catalogue commences with a wand formerly\nbelonging to Professor Anderson, the once famous\n\"Wizard of the North.\" Here are found also the\nwands used by the two Herrmanns (Carl and\nAlexander), Buatier de Kolta, Lafayette, Martin\nChapender, Carl Willmann and others who tread\nthe stage no more. As regards the living, there is\nhere a memento of nearly every English-speaking\nconjurer of note: besides many others of cosmopol-\nitan celebrity.\nThe wand here exhibited is not always the con-\nventional ebony and ivory affair, some of the speci-\nmens being indeed of a highly original character.\nFor instance, the wand contributed by a Hindu\nmagician consists of the leg bone of a sacred mon-\nkey from the temple of Hanuman, the monkey\ngod, at Benares. The wands of Madame Adelaide\nHerrmann and Chung Ling Soo take the shape of\nfans. Horace Goldin's is a cut-down whip-handle,\nand those of Clement de Lion and Imro Fox are"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 226, "folder": "", "text": "210\nLATEST MAGIC\nsies are chary of speaking Rommany except\namong their own people, and the inquisitive strang-\ners were frequently told that there was no such\nlanguage; whereupon, one of them would turn to\nthe other, and in purest Rommany quietly express\nan opinion that their temporary hosts were not\nthorough-bred gipsies, but of some inferior stock.\nThis produced Rommany in plenty, and the visi-\ntors were energetically taken to task for that,\nbeing themselves gipsies, they should ape the dress\nand manners of the Gorgio. A friendly explana-\ntion made all end happily.\nPalmer made his first start in life as a clerk in\nthe City of London, where in his spare time he\nmade himself master of French and Italian. A\nlittle later he took up the study of Persian, Arabic\nand Hindustani, and speedily conquered them:\nIn 1867, after taking his degree at the University\nof Cambridge, he was elected a Fellow by his Col-\nlege, an honour conferred on him in recognition of\nhis mastery of the Oriental languages. During\nthe years 1868-1870 he was employed on behalf of\nthe Palestine Exploration Fund, to make a survey\nof Mount Sinai, in the course of which he became\nupon friendly and indeed almost brotherly terms\nwith many of the wild Arab tribes, among whom\nhe was known as the Sheikh Abdullah. As in Eng-\nland he had been made free of the gipsy tent, so in\nPalestine he could drop in upon many a Bedouin\nencampment, and be sure of a hearty welcome."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 228, "folder": "", "text": "212\nLATEST MAGIC\nhaving been executed as a special favour to Pal-\nmer, by Hassoun, an eminent professional\n\"scribe.\"\nI am reluctantly bound to admit that the Pal-\nmer wand, in my hands, did not exhibit any special\nmagical virtues, and when I ceased myself to use\nit, it seemed to me that it could not find a worthier\nhome than in Dr. Ellison's fine collection.\nReverting for a moment to the subject of patter,\nI will conclude by quoting, for the amusement\nrather than the instruction of the reader, an ora-\ntion which (with variations) now and then formed\nmy introductory boniment, and might on occasion\nstill serve, in default of better.\n\"Ladies and Gentlemen, and members of the\nRoyal Family, if any happen to be present, I am\nabout to exhibit for your amusement, a few experi-\nments in Unnatural Philosophy, otherwise Magic.\n\"Magic in the olden times was a very different\nthing, as I daresay you know, from what it is at\npresent. In those days every respectable wizard\nkept a familiar spirit: a sort of magical man of all\nwork. He cleaned the boots and knives, and\nwhen his master gave a show, it was the familiar\nwho worked all his miracles for him. The\nmagician only did the talking, and pocketed the\ntakings. But the familiar did much bigger things\nthan that. If his master's next-door neighbour\nmade himself disagreeable, the familiar would"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 230, "folder": "", "text": "214\nLATEST MAGIC\nI should like to mention. You hear people talk\nabout the quickness of the hand deceiving the eye.\nI don't know whether the quickness of the hand\never does deceive the eye, but I want you to under-\nstand that you must not expect anything of that\nsort from me. I am naturally slow. I was born\ntwenty minutes after I was expected, and I have\nbeen getting slower and slower ever since.\n\"To-night, I intend to do everything even more\nslowly than usual: SO that you will only have to\nwatch me closely to see exactly how it is all done.\nThen, when you go home, if you do as I do, and say\nas I say, without making any mistakes, no doubt\nyou will be able to produce the same results. If\nnot, there must be 'something wrong with the\nworks.''"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 232, "folder": "", "text": "216\nLATEST MAGIC\n1. For woodwork on a small scale, an old cigar\nbox will often be found suitable material. Where\nsuch a box is not available or not suitable for the\nparticular work in hand, what is called \"three-\nply\" may supply the need. This consists of three\nlayers of thin wood glued together under pressure,\nwith the grain of the intermediate layer running\ncrossway to that of the other two, the tendency\nto warp being thereby greatly reduced. Drawing-\nboards are, for this reason, now usually made of\nwood SO combined, and a drawing-board makes for\nmany purposes a good enough extempore work-\nbench. For a finer class of work, the amateur\nmechanic, if he is willing to take the trouble, may\nmake his own three-ply. For this purpose he\nshould procure a supply of what is called \"knife-\ncut' veneer, i.e., thin sheets of walnut, mahogany,\nsatin,-0 other hard wood, and glue them together\nwith the white glue to be presently described. Ve-\nneer merchants form a distinct trade, and are com-\nparatively few in number, but the resident in Lon-\ndon can obtain veneer and thin woods of all descrip-\ntions from Messrs. McEwan & Son, 282 Old Street,\nE. C. In country districts the shops which hold\nagencies for \"Hobbies' materials also sell planed-\nup woods of various kinds, ranging like veneer\nfrom one-sixteenth to half an inch in thickness.\n2. As a handy substitute for glue, most people\nare acquainted with the virtues of Seccotine, in its\nway a most useful preparation. But there are"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 234, "folder": "", "text": "218\nLATEST MAGIC\nthat the \"marker\" is replaced by a little spade-\npointed cutter. This tool is only available for cut-\nting wood up to say eight inches in width, but to\nthe amateur attempting small work only, it will be\nfound invaluable.\n5. For staining wood or cardboard a deep dead\nblack I have found nothing better than the \"Record\nJet Stain,\" manufactured by the Record Polish\nCompany, Eccles, Manchester. It is normally\ndesigned for staining leather only, the makers not\nhaving apparently realised its usefulness in other\ndirections. It is to be had of any dealer in leather\ngoods, in twopenny and sixpenny bottles. In\nmany cases I have found it best to rub it in with\na pad, rather than to apply it with a brush, but\nthis will of course depend largely on the nature\nof the article to be treated.\n6. An excellent polish for use after staining, or\nfor other purposes, is made by dissolving white\nwax in turpentine, to the consistency of cream.\nApplied sparingly, with plenty of friction to fol-\nlow, this produces a clean hard gloss, free from the\nstickiness which is sometimes left after the use of\nother polishes.\n7. For enamelling small articles use Maurice's\nPorceleine (the makers of which are Walter Car-\nson & Sons, Grove Works, Battersea, S. W.) pro-\ncurable at \"oil and colour\" men in tins from three-\nhalfpence upwards.\n8. For any article to be made of flat card or"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 38, "folder": "", "text": "22\nLATEST MAGIC\nway for \"changing\" a borrowed coin. The per-\nformer, asking the loan of a marked coin, brings\nforward held in his left hand a velvet mat (of small\nsize) whereon to receive it; the right hand mean-\nwhile holding palmed against the second and third\nfingers the velvet patch, and between this and the\nhand a substitute coin of similar kind. Turning\n(to the left) towards his table, with the coin in full\nview on the mat, he (apparently) picks it up and\nholds it aloft with the right hand, placing the\nnow empty mat alone on the table. What he\nreally does is to lay the velvet patch over the bor-\nrowed coin and to pick the substitute in its place.\nThe original lies perdu on the mat, whence it is\nchild's play to gain possession of it at any later\nstage of the trick.\nThe process may be varied by placing the mat,\nafter receiving the borrowed coin upon it, at once\non the table, and a little later picking up the mat\nwith the left hand, then proceeding as above indi-\ncated. The advantage of this plan is that the turn\nto the table to pick up the mat masks for the\nmoment the right side of the performer and gives\nhim a convenient opportunity to palm the coin and\npatch, bestowed in readiness in the pochette on\nthat side.\nThe same principle may be applied with appro-\npriate modifications to card tricks. The idea of\nthe black ait mat is so completely a novelty that I\nhave not found leisure to give it the full considera-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 236, "folder": "", "text": "220\nLATEST MAGIC\nyard lengths, and in half a dozen grades of thick-\nness, the finest being not much thicker than a hair\nline. The breaking strain of this is much greater\nthan that of ordinary thread, and it has the fur-\nther advantage that being plaited instead of\ntwisted it does not unroll or \"kink\" in use. All-\ncock, of Redditch, a name familiar to all anglers,\nis a noted maker of such line, but he has no mo-\nnopoly of its manufacture. It is usually sold\nwhite, but may be easily dyed any desired colour.\nFor this last valuable \"tip\" I am again indebted\nto my often-quoted friend, Mr. Holt Schooling,\nwho, as an enthusiastic angler, is an expert as to\nlines of all descriptions. The reader will find\nnumerous instances of the practical use of such\nline in the earlier part of this book.\nA good way of dyeing line is to thread a needle\non to one end, and pass it by the aid of the needle\nthrough one corner, moistened with the appropri-\nate dye, of a soft sponge, and then back again\nthrough the dry part of the sponge to clean off any\nexcess of moisture. When dry, if necessary,\nrepeat the process.\n12. Square envelopes, for the purpose of form-\ning \"nests\" or otherwise, are now and then needed\nby the conjurer, but envelopes precisely square\n(save the small variety known as \"pence\" envel-\nopes) are not kept in \"stock\" by stationers in the\nordinary way. When such are needed the readiest\nplan is to take an envelope of the long \"bag\" shape"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 40, "folder": "", "text": "24\nLATEST MAGIC\nout any quickness at all. I will prove it to you by\nmeans of these two cards which have been chosen.\nPlease give me one of them. I don't mind which.\"\nWe will suppose that the card handed up is the\neight of hearts.\n\"Notice please what card this is; the eight of\nhearts. You can't possibly mistake it for any\nother card, can you? I will turn it down here on\nthe table. And now for the other card.\" (It is\nheld up that all may see it.) \"This one, you see,\nis the seven of spades. No mistake about that,\neither! I will lay that one here.\" The card is in\neach case laid upon the velvet-covered card of the\nopposite kind.\n\"Please don't forget which is which. There has\nbeen no quickness of the hand so far, has there ?\nNow I am going to make these two cards change\nplaces.\" (You touch each with the wand.)\n\"Presto, change!\" (Picking up the upper and\nlower cards exactly one upon the other you show\nwhat was a moment previously the eight of hearts,\nbut which now appears to be the seven of spades.)\n\"One card has changed, you see. And now for\nthe other.\" (You show the other pair after the\nsame fashion.) \"And here we have the eight of\nhearts. I will now order them to change back\nagain.\" You lay both pairs again face down.\n\"Now I again give the cards a touch with my\nwand, and say 'Right about! Change!' and now,\nyou see\" (showing the faces of the original cards),"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 42, "folder": "", "text": "26\nLATEST MAGIC\nAn illustration of the use of the same device\nin a somewhat different form will be found in the\nitem next described, and in the trick entitled\n\"Where is it?'' post. Other ways of using it will\nsuggest themselves to any reader of an inventive\nturn.\nTHE DETECTIVE DIE\nThis is another of the new departures dependent\nupon the use of the velvet mat. Broadly stated,\nthe effect of the trick is as follows.\nOne of a group of six different cards laid out in\na row or rows repeatedly changes place with some\nother, the position which it occupies, or to which it\nhas moved, being indicated by the cast of an ordi-\nnary die. This may be repeated any number of\ntimes.\u00b9\nThe requirements for the trick are as follows:\n1. The Velvet Mat. This should be one with\na plain surface, diniensions preferably eighteen\ninches by ten, so as to admit of the six cards being\nlaid in one row. A smaller size, say twelve by\nnine, may suffice, the six cards in this case being\narranged in two rows. In either case there must\nbe a space of an inch or SO between each pair.\n1 Since the description which follows was written. it has come to my\nknowledge that there is already on sale a trick on somewhat similar\nlines in point of effect entitled The Educated Die. I need hardly say\nthat my own trick, so far as I am concerned, is absolutely original. The\nadvertised description of The Educated Die would suit either trick, but\nthere is little further resemblance between them."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 44, "folder": "", "text": "28\nLATEST MAGIC\nare laid on the mat, which may partially cover two\nor more of the six cards.\nPresentation. Performer, picking up the pack\nof cards with his right hand, transfers it to his left,\nleaving the queen of diamonds palmed in the right.\nPicking up the tray and its contents with the right\nhand and advancing with it, he offers the pack to\nsome member of the company, saying: \"Will you\nkindly look well over this pack of cards and satisfy\nyourself that there is nothing exceptional about\nthem; and when you have done SO give them a\nthorough shuffle. And you, Sir\" (handing tray\nand die to another spectator), \"please test this die\nin any way your please. Throw it as many times\nas you like. I want you to be quite sure that it\nthrows a different number each time, and that it is\nnot loaded, or 'faked' in any way.\n\"I don't like bothering people to examine things,\nfor in most cases it is a mere waste of time. But in\nthis case I have a special reason for asking. There\nis something about this pack of cards and this die\nwhich I myself don't understand; and I shall be\nmuch obliged to anyone who will help me to do SO.\nAs a matter of fact, these cards, though quite ordi-\nnary in other respects, are afflicted with a peculiar\nrestlessness. They change places without notice\nand without any apparent reason. If I were to\ntry to play bridge with them, for instance, I should\nfind as likely as not that my best trump had invis-\nibly left my hand and passed over to the enemy,"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 46, "folder": "", "text": "30\nLATEST MAGIC\ncard the lady chose. At what number it stands\nnobody knows (I can assure you that I don't), but\nthe die will tell us instantly. May I ask you,\nMadam, to name your card. The queen of dia-\nmonds; you say? Good! Now will the gentle-\nman who holds the die kindly throw it. What is\nthe number thrown? A three?\" (Whatever the\nnumber happens to be.) \"The die says the card\nstands number three. Let us see whether that is\ncorrect.\"\nHe picks up the two cards occupying the posi-\ntion indicated, and shows the face of the under-\nmost, which is of course seen to be the queen of\ndiamonds.\n\"But now we come to the more remarkable fea-\nture of the case. I told you about the queer way in\nwhich the cards change places. Even in this short\ntime I daresay the lady's card has got tired of\nbeing number three, and has moved away to some\nother number. If so, the die will tell us. Throw\nit again, Sir, please.\"\nThis is done, the die bringing up a new num-\nber, say \"five.\"\n\"The die declares that the card has moved, and\nnow stands fifth. We shall soon see whether such\nis really the case. First, however, let us see\nwhether it has really departed from number\nthree.\"\nPerformer has meanwhile replaced the two\ncards just lifted. He now lifts the upper one only,"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 48, "folder": "", "text": "32\nLATEST MAGIC\ning meanwhile noted the marked card, does not call\nattention to the disappearance of the queen from\nthat number, but proceeds at once to show that it\nhas moved to its new position. There is not the\nsmallest fear that anyone will notice the omission.\nTHE DISSOLVING DICE\nTo be worked on a Black Art Table\nThe requisites for this trick are as under:\n1. Three small billiard balls, one red, two white.\n2. A white half-shell to correspond, vested or\nplaced in a pochette.\n3. Three hollow wooden dice, each of such a size\nas just to contain one of the balls, and lined inside\nwith velvet to prevent \"talking.\" One side of\neach is left open, but the opening can be closed\nat pleasure by the insertion of a loose side with a\nbeveled edge. When this is in position, the die\nappears solid. The inner surface of each of the\nloose sides is also covered with black velvet, so that\nwhen lying with that side upwards on a black art\ntable it is practically invisible.\n4. Three cardboard covers, fitting easily over\nthe dice. In preparation for the trick the three\nballs are placed inside the dice, and these are\nplaced on the table, open side upward, but with the\nloose sides inserted on top, and the covers over\nthem."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 50, "folder": "", "text": "34\nLATEST MAGIC\neach of them.\" (Take off all three covers, placing\neach beside its own die. Then, placing one of them\non the end of your wand, advance with it to the\ncompany, tacitly inviting anyone who pleases to\ntake it off and examine it.) \"I use these covers\nto spare the feelings of the dice at the critical\nmoment. Like myself, they are rather bashful.\nThey don't mind doing the Jekyll and Hyde busi-\nness, but they don't like to be seen doing it. By\nthe way, there is a very ancient trick (believed to\nhave been invented by Noah in the Ark, to amuse\nthe boys on a wet Sunday), which is worked by\nmeans of a sham die fitting over the real one.\nPlease take my word for it that I do not use any\nsuch stale device. If I did, you may be quite sure\nI should not mention it. These are all three gen-\nuine dice. They are rather too large to play back-\ngammon with, but save as to size, they are merely\nbig brothers of the regular article. Most of you\nknow, no doubt, that in properly made dice, the\npoints on opposite sides always together make\nseven. Notice please, that each of these dice has\nthe numbers placed correctly.\" (Taking up one\nof the dice and turning it about.) \"You see, five\non this side, two on that; together, seven. Three\non this side, four on that; together, seven. Six on\nthis side, one on that; again seven.\"\nThis is repeated, in a casual way, with the other\ntwo dice, the object being two-fold, viz.: first, by\nshowing all six sides, to induce the belief that the"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 52, "folder": "", "text": "36\nLATEST MAGIC\nThe right hand lifts the first cover, pressing its\nsides sufficiently to lift the die within it, exposing\nthe ball, and in bringing it down again lands it\nclose to one of the wells of the table. The exposed\nball is picked up with the left hand, and while the\nattention of the company is attracted in that direc-\ntion, the die is allowed to slide out of its case into\nthe well, after which the ball and cover are brought\nforward and handed to someone of the company.\nThe other two balls are now uncovered in the\nsame way, but in this case the dice may be left in\ntheir covers, the offer of the first cover, found\nempty as above, having sufficiently proved that\nthey really disappear.\n\"Well, we have got our three billiard-balls.\nGood, SO far. Next, can any gentleman oblige me\nwith the loan of a billiard table? Nobody offers:\nthat's unfortunate. Well, does any gentleman\nhappen to have a cue about him. No again ?\nWell, perhaps it would be 'cuerious' if any gen-\ntleman had. I beg your pardon, it slipped out\nunawares. It shall not occur again.\n\"It's unfortunate that I can't borrow a billiard\ntable and a cue, because it prevents my showing\nyou my celebrated break of ninety-three off the\nred with my eyes shut. When I showed it to Gray,\nhe turned green, but that is another story. You\ndon't believe it? Well, I told you it was a story.\n\"Anyhow, as we have got the balls, we must do\nsomething with them.\""}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 54, "folder": "", "text": "38\nLATEST MAGIC\nIf the reader (being an expert) is provided with\na spare red ball and red shell, he may offer the\nchoice as to which shall be the colour of all three,\nfinally causing their disappearance after the man-\nner above described, or his own version thereof.\nWHERE IS IT?\nThis is another of the tricks dependent on the\nnovel application of the black art principle.\nFor programme purposes the trick may, if pre-\nferred, be entitled \"The Erratic Shilling.\" Its\neffect may be broadly described as follows:\nA marked shilling, lent by some member of the\ncompany, after being professedly magnetised or\nmesmerised by rubbing, is laid upon a black velvet\nmat and covered with a playing card, face down.\nTwo other cards are laid (also faces down), one on\neach side of the first, at a few inches distance from\nit, and the audience are given to understand that\nthe rubbing has imparted to the coin the power to\ntravel from card to card at command, and indeed\nsometimes of its own accord. When the card\nwhich covered the coin is lifted, this is found to be\nthe case. The shilling is no longer where first seen,\nbut is found to have placed itself under one of the\nother two cards. The spectators may be invited\nto say under which of the cards they would like the\ncoin to pass, when it will place itself accordingly."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 20, "folder": "", "text": "4\nLATEST MAGIC\none upon the other, a couple of half-crowns, or\ncoins of similar size.\u00b9\nWhen required for use, the coin mat is prepared,\nshortly beforehand, by rubbing the whole of the\nspace within the ornamental border on one of its\nfaces with diachylon, in the solid form. The\nFIG. 3\ndiachylon is used cold, the necessary rriction melt-\ning it sufficiently, without any additional heating.\nThis treatment renders the surface of the mat, for\nthe time being, adhesive, without in any way alter-\ning its appearance. To make sure of its being just\nright, press a half-crown or penny down firmly\n1 Where coins of English denominations are referred to in the text,\nthe American wizard will naturally replace them by corresponding coins\nof the U. S. currency."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 56, "folder": "", "text": "40\nLATEST MAGIC\napart, as shown in Fig. 11, under which circum-\nstances they are invisible to the spectators at a few\nfeet distance, and very nearly so to the performer,\nsave that their white edges, turned towards him-\nself, furnish him with an exact guide to their posi-\ntion. On the top of the pack are laid, first the two\nknaves. On these the queen overlay, and upper-\nmost the unprepared queen.\nFig. 11\nIn presenting the trick the borrowed shilling\nis laid on the mat midway between the two\noverlays already on the table, and is covered with\nthe top card of the pack, the third overlay being\nlifted off with it, and resting beneath it with its\ncentre as nearly as possible over the coin.\nThe two following cards are now laid one on each\nside of the first, as in Fig. 12, each on the corre-\nsponding overlay, the white edges of these, visible"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 58, "folder": "", "text": "42\nLATEST MAGIC\nplaces under one of the thimbles, all three of which\nhe then shifts about on the tray; inviting the spec-\ntators to bet with him as to which thimble the pea\nis under. He has two or three confederates, who\nbet, and naturally win, but if an outsider is rash\nenough to back his own supposed smartness he\nloses; for as a matter of fact the pea is not placed\nunder either of the thimbles at all until after the\nbet is made, when it is skilfully introduced under\nwhichever thimble best suits the performer.\n\"The trick is in truth a mere affair of dexterity;\nthe performer having acquired by long practise\nthe power of placing the pea under any thimble\nhe pleases. What I propose to show you is a sim-\nilar effect, but more surprising, because, as you will\nsee, there is no room for dexterity, or indeed any\nform of trickery; so that I have to depend entirely\nupon my magic power. I shall use a shilling, as\nbeing more easily seen than a pea, and three cards\nfrom this pack to represent the thimbles.\n\"Will some gentleman oblige me with the loan\nof a shilling; marked in such a way that he may\nbe sure of knowing it again.\"\nReceiving the coin in his right hand, the per-\nformer makes believe to transfer it to his left;\nwherein he already has a shilling of his own.\nSurreptitiously depositing the coin lent to him\nbehind the pack of cards on the table, he exhibits\nthe substitute on the palm of the left hand and rubs\nit with the fingers of the right."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 60, "folder": "", "text": "44\nLATEST MAGIC\npositions have been shown, the audience being\nallowed to say under which card the coin shall\nappear, and the last shift having been to one of\nthe side positions, the performer says: \"I should\nlike you to be satisfied that it is really the marked\ncoin and no other, that wanders about in this way.\nI will ask the gentleman who lent it to me to verify\nhis mark.\"\nHe picks up from one of the side positions the\ncoin last uncovered and brings it forward, but in\ntransit \"switches\" it for the borrowed coin, which\nhe has a moment previously picked up from its\nresting place behind the pack. It is, of course,\nthis last which he offers for identification, again\nexchanging it for The substitute before replacing\nthis in its former position. The final reproduc-\ntion must be from under the centre card, the per-\nformer again ringing the changes before returning\nthe coin to the owner. At the close of the trick all\nthree cards are placed on the pack, the centre over-\nlay going with them. The other two overlays are\nleft on the mat, each still covering its own coin,\nand the whole being carried off together. If the\nmat is of the folding kind it can be closed before\nremoval, effectually concealing the accessories\nused in the trick.\nSome amount of skill will be found necessary\nto pick up the card with or without the correspond-\ning overlay, as may be desired. The difficulty\nhowever speedily disappears with practice.- On"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 64, "folder": "", "text": "48\nLATEST MAGIC\nthere are lot of clever people about, if you know\nwhere to look for them.\n\"Now I want to show you that the cards know\nall about it themselves; in fact, they are just as\nclever at doing sums as we are. I will take these\ntwo cards and drop them into one of these pretty\nflower-pots. Let me show you first that it is quite\nempty.\"\nHe lays the cards on the little mat while show-\ning inside of flower-pot (the one with secret\npocket), then picks up mat, and transfers it from\nhand to hand, showing, without remark, that the\nhands are otherwise empty, and lets the two cards\nslide off it into the flower-pot, the concealed cards\nnaturally going with them.\n\"Now, ladies and gentlemen, what shall the cards\ndo for you, the addition, or the subtraction sum ?\nIt is all the same to me. The addition ? Very\ngood. They can't talk, SO they will call another\ncard from the pack to give you the answer. Yes,\nhere we have it. Five-and two-are-seven.'\nAs he names each card, he produces it from the\nflower-pot, the third being the double-faced card,\nshown as the seven.\n\"Now I can hear what some of you are thinking.\nOh, yes! I often hear what people think. You\nare thinking that if you had said subtraction\ninstead of addition, I should have been in what is\npopularly called a hole. But you are mistaken.\nNow we will ask the cards to do the subtraction"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 66, "folder": "", "text": "50\nLATEST MAGIC\nPresentation. Advance, palming off the knave\nof clubs, and offer pack to be shuffled. When it is\nreturned, force the knave on one of the company.\nBorrow a hat, and after showing that it is empty,\nplace it, crown downwards, on the table. Receive\nback the drawn card upon the mat, remarking that\nyou will place it in the hat, which you do accord-\ningly, the other three knaves going in with it.\nThen, assuming a worried expression, deliver pat-\nter to something like the following effect.\n\"I am afraid, ladies and gentlemen, that I shall\nnot be able to show you the experiment I had\nintended. I have a telepathic nerve in my left\nthumb, a sort of private fire alarm, only more so,\nwhich always gives me warning when things are\ngoing wrong, and I feel it now. If you have read\n'Macheth,' you will remember that one of the\nwitches says:\n'By the pricking of my thumbs,\nSomething wicked this way comes.'\n\"I have often wondered whether that old lady\ncould have been a sort of great-great-great grand-\nmother of mine. Magic certainly runs in the\nfamily, and we may have inherited it from her.\nAnyhow, I have just the same sort of sensation\nmyself. Unfortunately, in my case the warning is\nincomplete. I dare say you will remember that\nstory (I rather think it's in Macaulay's 'Lays of\nAncient Rome'), about Little Queen Cole. Her"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 68, "folder": "", "text": "52\nLATEST MAGIC\nmunicates with them by means of a sort of wire-\nless telegraphy, and when he calls they go to him\nat once.\" (You here make the \"click.\"7 \"Did\nyou hear that sound? That's his call now,\ndespatched by wireless from the hat to the very\nmiddle of the pack. I have no doubt that we shall\nfind that the other three knaves have already left it,\nand joined him in the hat.\" (Make believe to look\nover the pack, and hand it to a spectator.) \"Yes!\njust as I thought: they are all gone.\" (To a spec-\ntator.) \"See for yourself, sir. Not a single\nknave left. And here they all are, in the hat.\"\n(Whence they are produced accordingly.)\nAs the \"click\" in some cases adds much to the\neffect of a trick, and as it may to some readers be\nan unfamiliar sleight, I may pause to explain that\nit is executed as follows: Take the pack in either\nhand, held upright between forefinger and thumb,\na little more than half-way down, with the middle\nfinger curled up behind it as in Fig. 13. With the\ntip of the third finger bend back the extreme bot-\ntom corners of the last half dozen or SO of the\ncards, allowing them to escape again smartly.\nThe sound made by the corners in springing back\nagain constitutes the \"click.\" It needs a little\npractice, but if the cards are held properly, and\nthe sleight worked smartly, the sound will be\naudible at a considerable distance, whilst the move-\nment of the finger producing it is quite invisible\nto the spectators."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 70, "folder": "", "text": "54\nLATEST MAGIC\nwith the left hand. When the knaves have been\nlaid upon it, you transfer it to the opposite hand,\nand palm on to them the three concealed cards,\nbut immediately slide them off again, with the\nuppermost of the four knaves beneath them. You\nhold them up in a careless way, so that the\naudience, catching sight of this card, may be con-\nfirmed in the belief that the cards exhibited in the\nright hand are really the four knaves.\n\"Here we have the four knaves, at present all\ntogether. I will now distribute them in different\nparts of the pack, as far apart as possible. One\nhere, nearly at the bottom, one a little higher up,\nanother about the middle, and this last\" (you show\nit carelessly), \"close to the top.\" (This, being a\ngenuine knave, must be placed among the other\nknaves.) \"They could hardly be placed farther\napart than that: but to make things a little more\ndifficult for them, I will ask some lady to cut the\ncards.\"\nThis done, and the cards handed back to you,\nyou repeat the click. \"There it is again: the wire-\nless signal. You can all bear witness that I have\nnothing to do with the matter. Now, Sir, will you\nkindly examine the pack, and unless I am much\nmistaken, you will find that the other three knaves\nhave answered Black Jack's call, and that the four\ncheerful blackguards have got together again, in\nwhich case, with your permission, I will leave them\nseverely alone, and try some other experiment.\""}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 72, "folder": "", "text": "56\nLATEST MAGIC\n\"I want three ladies each to choose a card from\nthis pack.\" (He forces the ten of spades, allow-\ning the other two cards to be chosen freely, and\ntakes all three back, face down, on the mat, keep-\ning in mind which of them is the forced card. \"I\nwill take one of these cards.\" (He picks up the\nforced card, and holds it aloft.) \"Please all\nnotice what it is: I don't want to see it myself. I\ndrop it into this pretty flower-pot\" (actually drop-\nping it into the secret pocket). \"And now as to\nthese other two.\" (He picks them up and shows\nthem, then replacing them on the mat.) \"These\nI will place in the other flower-pot. First, how-\never, I will show you that at present it is empty.\"\nHe does so, and then lets the two cards slide off\nthe mat into the pot, the concealed card going with\nthem.\n\"Now I take this magnet. It is a very power-\nful magnet, and I make it still more vigorous by\nrubbing it on my left coat sleeve. Do you know\nwhy on the left ? You all give it up ? Because in\nthis case the left happens to be right. Simple,\nwhen you know it, isn't it? Again, you will\nobserve that one-half of this magnet is painted\nred. Can you guess why that is? It's so that\nwhen it is wanted it is sure to be 'reddy.' I hear\na lady smile! Thank you so much! This is the\neleven hundred and third time I have let off that\nlittle impromptu joke, and no one has ever laughed\nat it till now."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 74, "folder": "", "text": "58\nLATEST MAGIC\nwhich we will call A and B respectively. From\npack A take a court card (say the queen of dia-\nmonds), and press it face down against the waxed\nside of the mat: then turn this over, and place the\nrest of the pack upon its unprepared side. On the\ntop of pack B lay the corresponding card, in readi-\nness for forcing. This pack also to be placed on\ntable.\nPresentation. Advance with pack A on the mat.\nInvite a gentleman to take it in his own hands\nand after shuffling, to pick out a card, and without\nlooking at it, lay it face down on the mat. Re-\nmark: \"I have asked you not to look at the card,\nbecause I find people fancy I find out by what is\ncalled thought-reading, and if you don't know the\ncard yourself, I can't find it out that way, can I?\nYou are sure you don't know what card you have\ntaken? I can honestly say that I don't. Now\nplease notice that I don't look at it, or even touch\nit-I will place it here, where you can all keep an\neye on it. You had better keep the other eye on\nme.\"\nYou accordingly place the mat on the table, in\ntransit keeping the card just laid upon it in place\nby the pressure of the thumb, and just as you\nreach the table, under cover of your own body, turn\nover the mat, SO as to bring the adhering card\nuppermost.\nYou then say, picking up the reel, \"I must now\nintroduce to your notice my telepathic tape. Like"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 22, "folder": "", "text": "6\nLATEST MAGIC\nthe first instance as one only, the one within the\nother. The professedly single pot, after being\nproved empty by exhibiting the interior and pass-\n0\n0\nFIG. 5\nFIG. 6\ning the hand through it, is made into two, by sim-\nply drawing out the inner one. The duplication\nis not presented as a trick, the modus operandi"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 76, "folder": "", "text": "60\nLATEST MAGIC\nequally well performed by the aid of the card-box,\nor any other appliance for \"changing\" a card.\nA CARD COMEDY\nThis may be otherwise described for programme\npurposes as. \"A Royal Row,\" or \"A Row in a\nRoyal Family.\"\nPreparation. Card mat loaded with two kings\nof hearts: one of them taken from the pack\nto be used: the other a spare card. The king of\nclubs and queen of hearts to be laid on top of pack.\nThe two flower-pots, on table.\nPresentation. Advancing to the company, palm\noff the two top cards, and hand the pack to be\nshuffled. This done, force the palmed cards on\ntwo different persons. Then say, \"I want you to\ntake notice that I do not handle or tamper in any\nway with either of the cards you have chosen.\nPlease lay them yourselves face down on this mat.\nThank you. Now still without touching them I\nwill put them temporarily in this elegant flower-\npot, which you observe is quite empty. You see\nthat it has neither top nor bottom, and nothing\nbetween. You couldn't have anything much\nemptier than that, could you?\"\nHaving duly exhibited the flower-pot (this by\nthe way must be the one without pocket) you let\nthe two drawn cards slide off the mat into it, the\ntwo concealed kings going with them. Then,"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 78, "folder": "", "text": "62\nLATEST MAGIC\nconfinement. We will drop him into the other\nflower-pot, which, as you see, is also empty.\"\n(The card is in this case not dropped through the\npot, but into the pocket.)\n\"Now we shall be able to get on. No ! my left\nthumb tells me that there is still something not\nquite right..' (Glance into second flower-pot.)\n\"Upon my word, this is too bad. The king of\nhearts has already. got away and followed the\nqueen again.\" (Lift flower-pot, and show that the\nking has disappeared.) \"I thought I had him\nsafe, but his prison, as you see, is empty, and here\nhe is again in the first flower-pot.\" (Show the\nthree cards accordingly.) \"He is too many for\nme; I can't show you what I had intended. I must\ngive it up and try something else.\"\nVariation. Load mat with a single king of\nhearts and the queen of clubs, the latter taken from\nthe pack. Proceed as before up to the putting of\nthe king in prison, and then exhibit the queen of\nclubs, as having come in pursuit of her spouse, the\npatter being modified accordingly. The impris-\noned king of hearts will still be found to have\nescaped, but in this case to have returned to the\npack.\nFor lack of the two flower-pots, the drawn cards\nmay be dropped with the concealed pair into a bor-\nrowed hat, and the jealous king made to escape\nfrom a card-box, or some similar appliance.\nApropos of the card-box, by the way, I have"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 80, "folder": "", "text": "64\nLATEST MAGIC\nof the same shape, but a trifle larger. The loose\nslab is retained, but it is only loose when the per-\nformer desires it to be SO. The box may be\nhandled beforehand with the utmost freedom, and\nafter a card has been placed in it it may be closed\nand re-opened any number of times, nothing hap-\npening till, \"Presto,\" a mere touch in the right\nplace, and the flap is free. When the box is now\nclosed, this falls into the opposite portion, con-\ncealing the card, or producing another; and again\nlocking itself, automatically, in its new position.\nThe box in this condition will again stand the\nclosest scrutiny.\nWhether this box is yet placed upon the market\nI cannot say (having myself been favoured with a\nsight of an \"advance\" model), but it will certainly\ncommend itself to all who appreciate a good thing\nin the way of ingenuity of contrivance and\nmechanical finish.\nA ROYAL TUG OF WAR\nPreparation. Card mat to be loaded with king\nof hearts and king of diamonds, not taken from\nthe pack in use. Flower-pots on table.\nPerformer advances with ordinary pack, deliv-\nering patter to something like the following effect.\n\"It is not generally known, ladies and gentlemen,\nwhat a lot of human nature there is about a pack\nof cards. They have their likes and dislikes, and"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 82, "folder": "", "text": "66\nLATEST MAGIC\nmuch chance now for the poor king of hearts, left\nsingle-handed. He won't hold out long. Yes!\nNow he is gone too.\"\nPerformer lifts flower-pot, with fingers inside\npressing against pocket, and shows it apparently\nempty. \"And here, in the other flower-pot\" (lifts\nit and shows the four cards lying together on\ntable) \"are all four Kings. One more score to\nblack. You didn't see the cards go ? Of course\nyou didn't; because they fly horizontally, like the\naeroplanes, and they go SO fast that they get there\nalmost before they have started.\"\nSYMPATHETIC CARDS\nPreparation. Card mat loaded with two cards\nof different denomination, say the queen of clubs\nand the knave of diamonds, taken from the pack.\nFlower-pots on table.\nPresentation. Force the corresponding cards\nof same colour (in this case the queen of spades\nand the knave of hearts), lay the pack aside, and\ntake the drawn cards back face down on the mat,\nleaving them thus on table till needed. The patter\nmay run as follows:\n\"As I think I have mentioned before, the cards\nof a pack, from long association, become a sort of\nfamily. They have their likes and dislikes, just\nas human beings have. In particular, there is a\ncurious bond of sympathy between each pair of"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 83, "folder": "", "text": "67\nthe same colour, say the king of hearts and the king\nof diamonds, or the ten of clubs and ten of spades.\nIf they are parted, and they possibly can, they will\nget together again.\n\"I will try to give you an example with the cards\nthat have been drawn. We will put them for the\nmoment in this pretty flower-pot, which, as you see,\nis quite empty.\" (Show by lifting it up, that it is\nso, and then drop the two cards from the mat into\nit, the concealed pair going with them.) \"They\nwill only require to be assisted by a gentle electric\ncurrent, which I shall create by waving my wand,\nSO.\n\"Before we go any further, will the ladies who\ndrew the cards say what they were,-1 don't mind\nasking you now, because they have passed ont of\nmy control. The queen of spades and the knave\nof hearts, you say ? A fortunate choice, for the\nqueen of spades and the knave of hearts happen to\nbe particular friends, so I think we may now be\nsure of success. Now to establish the wireless\nwave, and I doubt not the queen of clubs and the\nknave of diamonds will speedily find them.\n(Make any appropriate gesture with wand.)\n\"Did you notice a little flash, like the striking\nof a very inferior lucifer match in a gale of wind ?\nThat's when they went. Quick work, isn't it ?\nThe cards were timed by two gentlemen one even-\ning, each with his own watch. By the one gentle-\nman's watch they started at one minute past nine,"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 84, "folder": "", "text": "68\nLATEST MAGIC\nand by the other gentleman's watch, they arrived\nat one minute to nine, SO it is clear that they must\nhave made the journey in two minutes less than no\ntime. But let us make sure that they have\narrived.\" Lift the flower-pot, and show the four\ncards lying on the table together. \"And now, to\nconvince you that there is no deception, will some\nlady or gentleman kindly look through the pack,\nand make sure that the queen of clubs and knave\nof diamonds have really left'it.\" Which is found\nto be the case.\nThe trick may of course be worked with any two\npairs of cards, the mat being loaded and the cor-\nresponding cards forced accordingly.\nTELL-TALE FINGERS\nThe discovery, in some more or less mysterious\nway, of an unknown card is one of the stock feats\nof the conjurer, and indeed in one shape or another\nis one of the most hackneyed of card tricks. But\nthe wise magician never discards a good trick sim-\nply because it is an old one. He repolishes it, adds\na bit here, takes away a bit there, presents it in a\nnew shape and with new patter, and behold! the\n\"chestnut\" of yesterday becomes a latest novelty\nof today.\nTo obtain the maximum effect from a trick of the\nabove kind, it is necessary in the first place to con-\nvince the spectator that the drawn card cannot pos-"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 86, "folder": "", "text": "70\nLATEST MAGIC\nlightly, without leaving upon it our sign manual\nin the shape of a more or less perfect impression\nof our fingers, imperceptible to ourselves, but quite\nvisible to the expert in such matters.\n\"Practice in distinguishing such points forms\na highly interesting study. Of course it must be\npursued with a proper amount of tact, or it may\nget you into trouble, as in the case of a gentleman\nI once heard of who took up the study with more\nzeal than discretion. He said to his wife, not lead-\ning up to the subject gently, as he should have done,\nbut in a peremptory sort of way, 'Maria, I want\nyour finger-prints.' Unfortunately, Maria was\nrather a quick-tempered lady, and she had just\nbeen having a few words, of a hostile nature, with\nthe cook. She slapped his face, and said, 'Well,\nnow you've got 'em.' He had They were very\ndistinct, but not quite in the shape he wanted. I\nam going to ask permission to read some of your\nfinger-prints, but, I trust without fear of such\npainful results.\n\"In the first place, I should like this pack of\ncards to be thoroughly well shuffled.\"\nWhile this is done, performer palms the three\nknown cards, and when the pack is returned, pro-\nceeds to force them on different members of the\ncompany. Each of the drawers is requested to\nallow his or her card to lie for a few moments face\ndown on the palm of the outspread hand. The\ncards drawn are then returned to the pack, which"}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 88, "folder": "", "text": "72\nLATEST MAGIC\nror before each new attempt, so as to get a clear\nimpression.\nThe trick as above described can be worked with\nany pack of cards, but where those used are the\nperformer's own property, he can make it even\nmore effective by marking the three cards to be\nfreed in such a way as to be distinguishable (by\nhimself only) by their backs. The drawers in this\ncase are requested to press their hand against the\nback of the card, and the cards are spread face\ndown upon the table, the performer apparently not\nknowing the nature of the card indicated to him\nuntil he has turned it up.\nDIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT\nThis trick, though it merely rests upon a com-\nbination of methods already familiar to the expert,\nmay as a whole fairly claim to be a complete nov-\nelty. The mise en sc\u00e8ne is SO simple, and the\nroom for deception apparently SO small, that to the\nuninitiated it seems like a genuine miracle.\nUnlike most card tricks, it is even better adapted\nto the stage than to the drawing-room.\nThe effect of the trick, baldly stated, is that the\nperformer divines the nature of nine cards,\nselected apparently quite haphazard, and then\npicks out the corresponding cards from another\npack, freely shuffled and covered by a handker-\nchief."}
{"path": "latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf", "page": 92, "folder": "", "text": "76\nLATEST MAGIC\nthe twelve cards he has taken from under the hand-\nkerchief, and shows them fanwise. Addressing\nthe first drawer, he says, \"Your three cards are\namong these, I think, sir?\" and the same question\nis then addressed to the other two choosers, the\nanswer being of course in the affirmative.\n\"'Now, gentlemen, in order to prove that there\nis no deception, I will take away three cards at a\ntime, one from each set of three. Pray observe\nthat from beginning to end, I have not looked at\nthe face of any card.\"7 He accordingly removes\none of the forced, and two of the indifferent cards,\nmaking however some pretence of selection and\nthrows them aside. \"There are now only two\ncards belonging to each gentleman left. That is\nso, is it not?\"\nThe question is addressed to each of the three\ndrawers in turn, and answered accordingly, after\nwhich the same process is again twice repeated.\n\"And now, gentlemen, we have three cards left,\nbelonging to neither of you, which is just as it\nshould be. It is a peculiarity of this experiment\nthat if it comes out right it always brings good\nluck to those taking part in it, SO you may all fairly\nexpect to live happily ever afterwards, and I trust\nyou will.\"\nIf the performance is given before the family\ncircle, or very intimate friends (who sometimes\nconsider themseles privileged to be disagreeable),\nit is just possible that some ill-mannered person,"}