pages: practicalmagicia00harr.pdf, 17
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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 17 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 7 in their exhibition of wonderful results. They are content to let the exhibition of their art appear marvelous They some- times mystify the matter, and so increase the puzzle, in order to heighten the interest and amusement of the spectators; but they throw asido any solemn asseveration of possessing hidden powers, or of ability to fathom mysterious secrets. It may be admitted that proficients and exhibitors still adopt language that has become current with conjurors, and in com- mon parlance it may be asserted that the wonderful Mr. So-and- So undertakes to pass some solid object through a wall or a ta- ble ; to change black into white, and white into black; to place rings in.closely-fastened boxes, or draw money out of people's ears; and conjurors may with ridiculous humor distract the at- tention of spectators, so that accurate observation is not fixed upon the object that is to undergo before their eyes some sin- gular transformation ; but no outrageous bombast or positive falsehoods are commonly advanced. And the practical meaning of any exaggerated pretension is clearly understood to mean no more than that Mr. So-and-So undertakes to present before you what, TO ALL APPEARANCE, is the conversion of black into white, or vice versa and the audience aro clearly aware that no more is assumed to bo presented to them than a very striking illu- sion, undistinguishable from a reality and how this is effected will bo in many cases wholly untraceable, and therefore the trick is inimitable. We may be permitted to feel some pleasure in the conviction that tho exhibition of our art in its more striking exploits is really marvelous, and very attractive; for we certainly havo tho power of placing some astonishing phenomena before our audience: and we may surely prize the estimation with which tho uninitiated are disposed to honor us, but we erect no vain- glorious assumptions upon these data, as we are quite contented with fair praise intelligently-accorde to us. And so far from closely concealing tho principles and arcana of our science, we are ready plainly to avow that it all depends upon faculties that all may attain by patient culture, and exhibit by careful prac- tice. Undoubtedly thero are less and greater degrees of exoel- |