pages: practicalmagicia00harr.pdf, 49
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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 49 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 39 CHAPTER V. TRICKS BY MAGNETISM, CHEMISTRY, GALVANISM, OR ELEC- TRICITY. a class of tricks about which I must say a few viz., those that require to be exhibited by the help of magnetism, chemistry, galvanism, or electricity. I need not dwell long on them, for I do not consider them such as the young people, for whom these notes are written, can be recom- mended to devote their attention to, for the following reasons : in the first place, they are, with a few exceptions, attended with considerable expense. Secondly, the tricks connected with the powerful agencies of galvanism and electricity are dangerous to the unskilful operator and, even in experienced hands, the most effective of them are uncertain things to manage; there- fore their effect cannot be depended on. Some very interesting tricks have, doubtless, at times been exhibited by the help of galvanism and electricity. We havo read of a conjuror by such help confounding a powerful Arab, by first letting him lift with ease a box, and afterwards rendering it impossible for him to raise it, when an,electric current had, to his dismay, paralyzed all his strength. It is evident that an ex- periment of this kind could not be safely attempted by any but a very experienced person. We read also of conjurors who have surprised their audience by receiving them in a dimly-lit thea- tre, and then firing off a pistol, (to startle the audience and cover the real mode of operation,) they have by electricity lighted up |