pages: practicalmagicia00harr.pdf, 97
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practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 97 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 87 POLYPHONIC IMITATIONS. The TORMENTING BEE.- is related that Mr. Love, when young, took great delight in imitating the buzzing of insects and the cries of animals ; indeed, it is difficult to decide whether he or Mr. Thurton most excelled in this particular species of mimetic illusion. In all limitations of insect noises, the, bee should be heard to hum gently at first, so as in a private party not likely to attract attention till the right pitch is obtained, and be it remem- bered that the sound, without being particularly loud, can be made to penetrate every corner of a large room. The illusion is greatly increased by pretending to catch the offending and intru- sive insect. The humble bee, the wasp, and the bluebottle fly are best to imitate, and afford an agreeable relief to the other exerci- ses of ventriloquial power. To imitate the tormenting bec, the student must use considerable pressure on his chest, as if he was about to groan suddenly, but instead of which, the sound must be confined and prolonged in the throat the greater the pressure, the higher will be the faint note produced, and which will per- fectly resemble the buzzing of the bee or wasp. Now, toimitate the buzzing of a bluebottle fly, it will be neces- sary for the sound to be made with the lips instead of the throat ; this is donc by closing the lips very tight, except at one corner, where: small aperture is left, fill that cheek full of wind, but not the other, then slowly blow or force the wind contained in the cheek out of the aperture : if this is done properly, it will cause a sound exactly like the buzzing of a bluebottle fly. These two in- stances will show how necessary it is for the ventriloquist to study minutely the different effects of sound upon his hearers in all his exploits. And to make the above properly effective, he should turn his face to a wall ; with a handkerchief strike at the pretended bee or fly, at the same time pretend to follow his victim first this way and then that, and finally to" dab " his pocket- handkerchief on the wall as though he had killed it ; the sounds should be at times suddenly louder and then softer, which will make it appear asit is heard in different parts of the room. Tire SPECTRE CARFENTER.-Th noise caused by planing and sawing wood can also be imitated without much difficulty, and it causes a great deal of amusement. The student must, however, bear in mind that every action mist be initated as well as the noise, for the cye assists to delude the car. We have even seen ventriloquists carry this cyc-deception so far as to have a few shavings to scatter as they proceed, and a piece of wood to fall when the sawing is ended. To imitate planing, the student must stand at a table a little distance from the audience, and appear to take hold of a plane and push it forward : the sound as of a |