pages: practicalmagicia00harr.pdf, 51
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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 51 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 41 nor will experiments that are interesting as chemical curiosities produce the same excitement and pleasing surprise that the wonders of sleight-of-hand do. In a word, such experiments in a private circle of young friends fail to constitute the most amu- sing kind of parlor magic, while upon a public stage they are too minute for any large audience to trace and comprehend. Lest, however, my young readers should think that I have any desire to shut them out from any field of reasonable pleasure, I will now carefully select one or two examples of tricks connected with the sciences of magnetism and chemistry, and which may even in the hands of amateurs, produce a safe and pleasing ex. hibition. In the following trick they will find an amusing instance of the combination of science with rational recreation. TRICK 16.-The watch obedient to the word of com- mand. The magnet is a well-known agent in producing several toys for the entertainment of the young, and though its attraction is wonderful, there is no danger likely to arise from employing it, in the same way as might arise from unskilful dabbling with electricity, galvanism, or chemical powers, and a strange and singular effect nay be produced by placing a magnet of some little strength near a watch. Supposing the young conjuror to have provided himself with a powerful but not very large magnet, let him conceal it in the palm, or under a thin glove in his left hand, or near the edge of the cuff of his sleeve. Let him then borrow a lady's watch, (without chain,) and the thinner the watch-case is, and if it has a glass, the better. Let him then call forward a youth, and pla- cing the watch in his own right hand, and near to the ear of the other, ask him if he hears it going he will answer "Yes." Let him next bid the watch to stop; and on taking it in his left hand, where the magnet is concealed, it will stop, if held steadily ; and on inquiring of his young friend whether he can hear it, he will reply "No." Observe: you must keep systematically to using your right hand when you wish to make the watch go on, and to your left when you wish it to stop. Appealing to others among the com- pany, the performer may then tell the watch to go on, and hold- ing it in his right hand, and giving it a slight shake, apply it to |