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unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,73 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 73 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN time only as astronomical, for showing the various motions and phenomena of planets and fixed stars.' Mention is also made of musical automata in imitation of singing birds and barrel organs for churches, as among Pinchbeck's manufactures. "Pinchbeck was in the habit of exhibiting collections of his automata at fairs, sometimes in conjunction with a juggler named Fawkes, and he entitled his stall "The Temple of the Muses,' Grand Theatre of the Muses,' or 'Multum in Parvo.' The Daily Journal of August 27th, 1729, announced that the Prince and Princess of Wales went to the Bartholomew Fair to see hisexhibition, and there were brief advertisements in The Daily Post of June I 2th, 1729, and the Daily Journal of August 22d and 23d, I729. There is still a large broadside in the British Museum (1850 C. 10-17) headed 'Multum in Parvo,' relating to Pinchbeck's exhibition, with a blank left for place and date, evidently intended for use as a poster. He died November 18th, 1732; was buried No- vember 2ist, in St. Denison's Church, Fleet Street. "In a copy of the Gentlemen's Magasine, printed 1732, page 1083, there is an engraved portrait by I. Faber, after a painting by Isaac Wood, a reproduction of which appears in 'Britten's Clock and Watch Maker,' page 122. His will, dated November roth, 1732, was proved in London on November r8th." During one of his engagements at the Bartholomew Fair, Pinchbeck probably met Fawkes, the cleverest sleight-of-hand performer that magic has ever known, and the two joined forces. Pinchbeck made all the auto- mata and apparatus thereafter used by Fawkes, and, in [56] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,74 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 74 | 58 LATEST MAGIC which we will call A and B respectively. From pack A take a court card (say the queen of dia- monds), and press it face down against the waxed side of the mat: then turn this over, and place the rest of the pack upon its unprepared side. On the top of pack B lay the corresponding card, in readi- ness for forcing. This pack also to be placed on table. Presentation. Advance with pack A on the mat. Invite a gentleman to take it in his own hands and after shuffling, to pick out a card, and without looking at it, lay it face down on the mat. Re- mark: "I have asked you not to look at the card, because I find people fancy I find out by what is called thought-reading, and if you don't know the card yourself, I can't find it out that way, can I? You are sure you don't know what card you have taken? I can honestly say that I don't. Now please notice that I don't look at it, or even touch it-I will place it here, where you can all keep an eye on it. You had better keep the other eye on me." You accordingly place the mat on the table, in transit keeping the card just laid upon it in place by the pressure of the thumb, and just as you reach the table, under cover of your own body, turn over the mat, SO as to bring the adhering card uppermost. You then say, picking up the reel, "I must now introduce to your notice my telepathic tape. Like | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,74 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 74 | 64 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. plate the coins collected in the hat, which will coincide with the number he has appeared to collect so magically from various sources. When adroitly done, this trick is very pleasing and ef- fective. TRICK 27.-To Furnish Ladies With a Magic Supply of Tea or Coffee, at their selection, From One and the Same Jug. PREPARATION. Havc a metal jug to hold not less than three pints. It must be constructed with two compartments in the lower part of it, holding about a pint and a quarter each, and these must each have a pipe connected with the spout of the jug and another pipe connecting with its handle, and in the handle a small hole about the size of a letter-o-ir this print. These lower com- partments must be filled with good tea and coffee before the jug is produced. The upper chamber or compartment, like the upper portion of a patent coffee-pot, must have no communication with the lower divisions, and must be well closed also at the top with a tin cov- er, closely fitting. Have half a dozen small tea-cups and half a dozen small coffee-cups ready on a tray. Begin the trick by placing openly in the upper compartment coffee-berries and tea, mixing them together. Take up, as a sudden thought, an old blacking bottle, and pretend to pour from it into the jug, to furnish highly-colored liquid to improvo the coffee; and a little gunpowder, about a teaspoonful, may bo fired off over the mixture to make the tea strong. Wavo your wand over the jug. Then you may address the ladies : inform them that the ingre- dients are well mixed, and invite them to name which they will prefer, "tea or coffee," as you can produce either at their com- mand from the same jng. Get some friend to hand the cups, while you follow him, and, by unstopping the holes in the handle for admitting air upon the coffec or tea, the one of them that each lady names will flow out from the spout of this magic jug. TRICK 28.-A Pleasing Exhibition for both the Per- former and the Audience) to view when they feel a little. Exhausted. PREP… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,74 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 74 | - Christopher linchlul A very rare mezzotint of Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., combining the work Cunningham, the greatest designer, and William Humphrey, the greatest trait etcher of his day. From the Harry Houdini Collection. [57] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,75 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 75 | A CARD COMEDY 59 myself, it isn't anything particular to look at, but it has an extraordinary talent for finding out things; even secrets that people don't know them- selves. Now you will admit that the name of that card on the table is at present an A1, copperbot- tomed secret. Even the gentleman who chose the card doesn't know what it is; you don't know: in fact nobody knows. Nothing could well be more secret than that. But this tape will find it out. Will you, Sir," (addressing the gentleman who chose the card) "be kind enough to pass this loop over your left little finger. Thank you, and now I want some lady to assist me. Perhaps you will oblige, Madam?" A sufficient length of the tape is unrolled, and the reel placed in the lady's hands. "And now I will ask you to do me the further favor of taking a card from this other pack." (The second queen is forced on the lady.) "Now, Madam, what was the card the gentleman chose? You don't know Oh, yes, you do. The tape has told you. Unless it has betrayed me for the first time in my experience, it will have com- pelled you by an effect of sympathy to draw the very same kind of card as the one freely chosen, as you will remember from the other pack. What card did you draw? The queen of diamonds? (Goes to table, and turns up card on tray.) "The tape was right, you see. The card the gentleman drew is also a queen of diamonds." In default of the card mat, the trick can be | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,75 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 75 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 65 to be filled, one with a liquid resembling port, the other with one resembling sherry ; the large bottle to be at first empty. Three opaque metal stands-the centre one to stand under the quart bottle, to have a large cavity to hold a quart, and the up- per part of this stand to be full of large holes, like a cullender, for the liquor to run from the opening at H into that cavity. Fig. 24. You must also have three metal covers, of proper size to cover the above three bottles-these covers to have handles at top, so as to be easily lifted. The large centre cover is simply a cover but the two side ones, which are to cover the pint bottles, must be made with metal cavities large enongh to hold, one a pint of port, the other a pint of sherry, at top, with a descending pipe to fall into the mouths of the pint bottles. There mnst be a small hole at top of each of the small covers, at B and C, which hole, being covered with tinfoil, will, as long Fig. 25. B D D as it i3 closed, prevent the wine from running out at D. But when the tinfoil is scraped off, and the hole admits the air, tho wine will then be able to run into the pint bottles. The above apparatus being all ready, commence by saying : "I will nuw pour this pint of port and this pint of sherry into the large bottle, mixing them inseparably together." Having | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,75 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 75 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Fawkes, he had a master-producer of his tricks. Christo- pher Pinchbeck never appeared on the program used by Fawkes, save as the maker of the automata or apparatus, but directly after the death of the elder Fawkes, and a few months before his own, the elder Pinchbeck ap- peared with the son of his deceased partner, and was advertised as doing "the Dexterity of Hand" performance. This indicates that he was inducting young Fawkes into all the mysteries of the profession at which the two elder men, as friends and business partners, had done so well. Christopher Pinchbeck was survived by two sons, Edward and Christopher, Jr. Edward, the elder, suc- ceeded to his father's shop and regular business. He was born about 1703, and was well along in years when he entered into his patrimony, which he advertised in The `Daily Post of November 27th, 1732, as follows: "The toys made of the late Mr. Pinchbeck's curious metal are now sold only by his son and sole executor, Mr. Edward Pinchbeck." This announcement settles forever the oft-disputed question as to whether the alloy of copper and zinc which bears the name of Pinchbeck was invented by Christopher Pinchbeck, Sr., or by his son Christopher, Jr. All newspaper and magazine descriptions of the auto- mata invented by the elder Pinchbeck indicate that his hand was as cunning as his brain was inventive, for they showed the most delicate mechanism, and included entire landscapes with figures of rare grace in motion. "Christopher, the second son of Christopher Pinch- beck the elder," continues the biographical sketch, "was born about I7IO and possessed great mechanical ingenuity. [ 58 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,76 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 76 | 60 LATEST MAGIC equally well performed by the aid of the card-box, or any other appliance for "changing" a card. A CARD COMEDY This may be otherwise described for programme purposes as. "A Royal Row," or "A Row in a Royal Family." Preparation. Card mat loaded with two kings of hearts: one of them taken from the pack to be used: the other a spare card. The king of clubs and queen of hearts to be laid on top of pack. The two flower-pots, on table. Presentation. Advancing to the company, palm off the two top cards, and hand the pack to be shuffled. This done, force the palmed cards on two different persons. Then say, "I want you to take notice that I do not handle or tamper in any way with either of the cards you have chosen. Please lay them yourselves face down on this mat. Thank you. Now still without touching them I will put them temporarily in this elegant flower- pot, which you observe is quite empty. You see that it has neither top nor bottom, and nothing between. You couldn't have anything much emptier than that, could you?" Having duly exhibited the flower-pot (this by the way must be the one without pocket) you let the two drawn cards slide off the mat into it, the two concealed kings going with them. Then, | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,76 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 76 | 66 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. done so, remove the stopper at bottom of the large bottle as you place it on its stand, and immediately place the large cover over it. The mixed liquid will gradually run out into the concealed cavity in the stand. You must now talk a little magic nonsense, to draw off the at- tention, while you place the special covers over each of the small bottles, so that the descending pipes in the covers fit in the necks of the bottles. Remove the tinfoil with which you had covered the holes at A and B. With a few magic waves of your wand, and words of art, say : "I shall now cause the mixed liquids in the centre bottle to ap- pear severally in their own original bottles." Let the covers re, main a few seconds. Clap your hands. saying: "Change, be- gone !" Lift the centre cover : the large bottle will be seen to be empty. Lift successively the covers from the small bottles : they will be seen to have each their proper wine-one port, the other sherry. TRICK 29.-To Furnish a Treat to the Gentlemen. For this th 3 magic bottle must be procured. One with three or four compartments is amply sufficient. In these placo gin, sherry, and port wine, respectively. The bottle will have three or four holes, on which you place your fingers as if stopping the holes of a flute. You may have a bucket of water and a com- mon bottle, resembling the magic one in size and appearance, near your table. Havo ready also a tray of wine-glasses of thick glass, and holding only a very small quantity. Exhibit the common lottle to the audience, and then place it on your table, and direct attention to somo of the other articles on your table. "Now I must begin my experiment. I will wash and drain my bottle, that you may scc the experiment from the beginning to the end." Place it in the bucket, and while shaking it about, and letting the water run out, exchange it for the magic bottle lying by the bucket. Wipe that carefully with a napkin, as if drying it, and calling two or three of the audi- ence forward at a time, inquire whic… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,76 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 76 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK While the elder son, Edward, was made executor and continued his father's trade in a quiet, conservative fashion, the younger son struck out along new lines and The Wet died the Mr. - for bis by max FAWKES The best portrait of Isaac Fawkes in existence. The original, now in the Harry Houdíni Collection, is supposed so have been engraved by Sutton Nichols. It is said that there is only one more of these engravings extant. became even more famous as an inventor than his brill- iant father had been. [ 59 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,77 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 77 | A CARD COMEDY 61 assuming a perplexed air, you say, "I don't know why it is, but I have that peculiar sensation in my left thumb that always means that something has gone wrong. What it is in this case I can't imagine, but I must find out before we go further. As the two chosen cards have passed out of my hands, I may now ask the ladies who drew them to name them. "The queen of hearts and the king of clubs, you say? Ah! that accounts for it. When those two cards come together there is sure to be trouble. The queen of hearts is a bit of a flirt, and the king of hearts is very jealous, particularly of the king of clubs, who is rather a gay dog, though he is old enough to know better. I fancy I hear some sort of commotion going on in the flower-pot." (You look into it.) "Yes, it is just as I feared. The king of hearts has found out that his queen has gone off with the king of clubs, and has followed the queen post-haste. Here he is, you see." (You plunge hand into flower-pot, and take out and exhibit the two drawn cards, and with them one of the two kings of hearts.) "It's too bad, for as a matter of fact the queen of hearts doesn't really care two-pence about the king of clubs. In fact she has even been known to call him a giddy old kipper. "But I can't have my arrangements upset by these little family jars. To teach the king of hearts better manners I shall put him in solitary | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,77 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 77 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 67 VENTRILOQUISM MADE EASY. WHAT IS VENTRILOQUISM? BEFORE we take the reader into the precise and minute instruc- tions which he will have to study and practice ere he can become the possessor of the coveted art, it will be necessary to inform him what Ventriloquism* is, and in what it consists. In doing so, we shall endeavor to be as plain and clear as possible. Ventrilo- quism may be divided into two sections, or general heads, the first of which may be appropriately designated as Polyphonism, and consists of the simple imitation of the voices of human creatures, of animals, of musical instruments, and sounds and noises of every description in which no illusion is intended, but where, on the contrary, the imitation is avowedly executed by the mimic, amongst which we may classify sawing, planing, door- creaking, sounds of musical instruments, and other similar imi- tations. Secondly, we have ventriloquism proper, which consists in the imitation of such voices, sounds, and noises, not as originating in him, but in some other appropriate source at a given or varying distance, in any or even in several directions, cither singly or to- gether-a process exciting both wonder and amusement, and which may be accomplished by thousands who have hitherto viewed the ventriloquist as invested with a power wholly denied by nature to themsclves. It is needless to observe, that when the limitations are effected without a movement of mouth, features, or body, the astonishment of the audience is considerably en- hanced. The terms polyphony, mimicry, or limitation, are employed to designate results obtained in reference to the first division of the subject, where no illusion is intended while the term ven- triloquism distinguishes those under the second division, where an illusion is palpably produced. The first is much more com- mon than the latter ; indeed, there is scarcely a public school which does not possess at least one boy capapble of limitating the mewing of a cat, the barking of a dog, or the squ… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,77 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 77 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN "He was a member and at one time president of the Smeatonian Society, the precursor of the Institution of Civil Engineers. In 1702 he devised a self-acting pneu- matic brake for preventing accidents to the men employed in working wheel-crancs. In The Gentlemen's Magazine for June, 1765, page 296, it is recorded that Messrs. Pinchbeck and Norton had made a complicated astro- it the Conk and Half Moan Tavern in Temple- Bar, r HE famons Mr. FAWKS performi moft furpriting Trick by Desterity of Hand, with Regi, curions India Birds, Mice and Money, Which Curionits no Perfon In the dom cari presend to thom To- gether with the Activity of Body perform'd by his Polture Maller, bring 9 Boy about Ten Years of Age, who Far - ceeds all that ever in Eumpe. Who Transforms his Body into fuch a various Shapes, 21 Curpaties human Faith to believe our Geting. Likewite the Rezilan Searamouch Dance, with two four Note, Legs, We have and the bur had Printe. the Body, Honour and prefent Majchy Headi, one to the Admiration of all to perterm before bis ling George, att the Quality of the whote Kirg- dom. with great Applaufe. Beginning evary Evening precifely it N.B. Any Gentiemen or Ladies may have 2 private Performance any Tirm of the Day, giving an Mour's Notick. An early Fawkes advertisement, clipped from a London paper of 1795. From the Harry Houdini Collection. noinical clock for the Queen's house, some of the cal- culations of the wheel having been made by James Fer- guson, the astronomer. There is no proof that Pinchbeck and Norton were ever in partnership, and there are now two clocks answering to the description at Buckingham Palace, one by Pinchbeck, with four dials and of a very complicated construction, and another by Norton. "Pinchbeck took out three patents: the first (No: 892), granted 1768, was for an improved candlestick with a [60] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,78 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 78 | 62 LATEST MAGIC confinement. We will drop him into the other flower-pot, which, as you see, is also empty." (The card is in this case not dropped through the pot, but into the pocket.) "Now we shall be able to get on. No ! my left thumb tells me that there is still something not quite right..' (Glance into second flower-pot.) "Upon my word, this is too bad. The king of hearts has already. got away and followed the queen again." (Lift flower-pot, and show that the king has disappeared.) "I thought I had him safe, but his prison, as you see, is empty, and here he is again in the first flower-pot." (Show the three cards accordingly.) "He is too many for me; I can't show you what I had intended. I must give it up and try something else." Variation. Load mat with a single king of hearts and the queen of clubs, the latter taken from the pack. Proceed as before up to the putting of the king in prison, and then exhibit the queen of clubs, as having come in pursuit of her spouse, the patter being modified accordingly. The impris- oned king of hearts will still be found to have escaped, but in this case to have returned to the pack. For lack of the two flower-pots, the drawn cards may be dropped with the concealed pair into a bor- rowed hat, and the jealous king made to escape from a card-box, or some similar appliance. Apropos of the card-box, by the way, I have | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,78 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 78 | 68 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. an old woman. On the other hand, from a want of the know- ledge of how to proceed, it is very seldom that even a blundering attempt at ventriloquism is heard, except from a public plat- form. There have been many statements put forward defining ven- triloquism, but we are decidedly of opinion that the theory of two of the most celebrated of foreign ventriloquists, Baron de Men- gen and M. St. Gille, who were sufficiently unselfish to avow the secret of their art, is not only the most correct, but it is at once the most reasonable and the most natural. From Baron de Mengen's account of himself, and the observa- tions made by M. de la Chapelle, in his frequent examinations of St. Gille, whom weshall afterwards refer to, it seems that the factitious ventriloquist voice does not (as the etymology of the word imports) proceed from the belly, but is formed in the in- ner parts of the mouth and throat. The art does not depend on a particular structure or organiza- tion of these parts, but may be acquired by almost any one ar- dently desirous of attaining it, and determined to persevere in repeated trials. The judgments we form concerning the situation and distance of bodies, by means of the senses mutually assisting and correct- ing each other, seem to be entirely founded on experience ; and we pass from the sign to the thing signified by it immediately, or at least without any intermediate steps perceptible to our- selves. llence it follows that if a man, though in the same room with another, can by any peculiar modifications of the organs of speech, produce a sound which, in faintness, tone, body, and every othrer sensible quality, perfectly resembles a sound delivered from the roof of an opposite house, the ear will naturally, with- out examination, refer it to that situation and distance ; the sound which he hears being only a sign, which from infancy he has become accustomed, by experience, to associate with the idea of a person speaking from a house-top. A deception of this kind is pract… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,78 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 78 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK spring socket for holding the candle firmly, and an arrangement whereby the candle always occupied an upright position, however the candlestick might be held. In 1768 (patent No. 899) he patented his nocturnal remembrancer, a series of tablets with notches, to serve as guides for writing in the dark. His snuffers (No. III9) patented 1776, continued to be made in Birmingham The Daily Poft. `KIDAY, January 21, 1726. S's and POWEL's Theatre, in in James-freet, mear the Hay-Marlet, be ving Entertainments, viz. 1726 FIRST his furprizing Dex- Hand, far exceeding all thatever Perform in this Kingdera. ad The fancus Poftare-Mafter. de The Mafics) Closk, that Play variety of Tunts, on the Orgia, Fluse, and Sine- Flageleig with Hirds, felf. Whilling and from Life the it Bath: And The 4th. wiole Powyl's Play of The Prineefs Elisabeth, er Rife of bugge Punch: With the Comical Humonrs of Enquire Punch, and his Foot- man Gudgeon. Perfoim'd by the Richeft Bnd Figures that ever was fees in England. Concluding with an Piece of Ma- chinery, after the Italian Manner, repreferring the Eplendid Palace of Diana breaking into Domble and Triple Prefpeds, with all the Changes of Srents and Decorations belonging to the Play. N. B. The poors will be open'devery Day at Five a Clock. And in Regird that Gentlemen and La- dies thall not be difappointed, we beghi exalty as Six, and none to bead- mitred afuer. Prices: S. . S. snd6d A clipping from the Taily Post, London showing that Fawkes combined forces with Powel, the famous Bartholomew Fair puppet man. From the Harry Houdini Collection. until the last forty years or so, when snuffers began to go out of use. In I774 he presented to the Society of Arts a model of a plough for mending roads. Pinchbeck's name first appears in the London directory in 1778, when it replaced that of Richard Pinchbeck, toyman, of whom nothing is recorded. "Christopher Pinchbeck, Jr., was held in considerable esteem by George III., and he figures in Wilkes' London [61] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,79 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 79 | A CARD COMEDY 63 always had a sort of affection for this in its oldest and simplest form, viz., the reversible flat box with loose flap falling from the one into the other half at pleasure. I should not recommend the use of it at a school treat, as there would be much risk of some demon small boy proclaiming to all whom it might concern that he "knows how that's done," but before an average mixed audience its use is safe enough. Should one of the spectators happen to be acquainted with the box he will probably smile in a superior way, pluming himself on having a little inside information, though he may be no nearer the complete solution of the trick than the rest of the company. The expert will easily guard himself against even this small risk. For example, he may use a duplicate box, innocent of guile, ostensibly merely to contain the cards he is about to use, and after turning the pack out of it upon the table, switch this (obviously empty) box for the faked box to be used later, or after using the latter he may extract the fake and the superseded card during the jour- ney back to his table, where the box will of course be inspection-proof. Better still, he may make matters absolutely safe by using an improved box, which has been chris- tened the "Fast and Loose'' card-box. This is a recent invention of an Italian wizard named Veroni, of Glasgow (an old soldier of Garibaldi). It is an idealised version of the old flat box, being | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,79 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 79 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 69 depend on the impulse in the ear, but on other facts, will be per- ceived when the original communication is interrupted, provided there be a sensible ccho. This circumstance will be acknowl- edged by any person who has had occasion to walk along a valley, intercepted with buildings, at the time that a peal of bells is ring- ing in it. The sound of the bells, instead of arriving constantly at the cars of the person so situated, is frequently reflected in a short time fron two or three difierent places. These deceptions are, in many cases, so much diversified by the successive interpositions of fresh objects, that the steeple appears, in the hearer's judgment, to perform the part of an expert ventriloquist on a theatre-the extent of which is adapted to its own powers, and not to those of the human voice. The similarity of effect which connects this phenomenon with ventriloquism, convinced the author, whenever he heard it, that what we know to be the cause in one instance, is also the cause in the other, viz., that the echo reaches the ear, while the original sound is intercepted by accident in the case of the bells but by art, in the case of the ventriloquist. It is the business of the ventriloquist to amuse his admirers with tricks resembling the foregoing delusion; and it will be read- ily granted that he has a subtle sense, highly corrected by exper- ience to manage, on which account the judgment must be cheated as well as the car. This can only be accomplished by making the pulses, constitu- ting his words striike the heads of his hearers, not in the right lines that join their persons and his. He must therefore, know how to disguise the true direction of his voice; because the arti- fice will give him an opportunity to substitute almost any ccho he choses in the place of it. But the superior part of the human body has been already proved to form an extensive seat of sound, from every point of which the pulses are repelled as if they diverge from a common centre. This is the reason w… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,79 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 79 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Museum (ii-33) in 177° in the list of the party who called themselves the King's friends. He died March 17th, 1783, aged 73, and was buried in St. Martin's-in-the- Fields. His will, which was very curious, is printed in full in The Horological Journal of November, 1895. One of his daughters married William Hebb, who was described as 'son-in-law and successor of the late Mr. Pinchbeck at his shop in Cockspur Street' (imprinted on Pinchbeck's portrait), whose son Christopher Henry Hebb (1772- 1861) practised as a surgeon in Worcester. There is in existence a portrait of Christopher Pinchbeck the younger, by Cunningham, engraved by W. Humphrey." The mezzotints of the Pinchbecks, father and son, herewith reproduced, are extremely rare, and when I un- earthed them in Berlin I felt myself singularly favored in securing two such treasures of great value to the history of magic. S. Wohl, the antiquarian and dealer from whom they were purchased, acquired them during a tour of old book and print shops in England, and thought them portraits of one and the same person; but by studying the names of the artists and the engravers on the two pic- tures, it will be seen that they set forth the features of father and son, as indicated by the biographical notes quoted above. Of the early history of Fawkes, whose brilliant stage performance lent to the Pinchbeck automata a new lustre, little is known. It is practically impossible to trace his family history. His Christian name was never used on his billing nor published in papers or magazines, and after repeated failures I was about to give up the task of discovering it, when in I904, aided by R. Bennett, [62] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,80 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 80 | 64 LATEST MAGIC of the same shape, but a trifle larger. The loose slab is retained, but it is only loose when the per- former desires it to be SO. The box may be handled beforehand with the utmost freedom, and after a card has been placed in it it may be closed and re-opened any number of times, nothing hap- pening till, "Presto," a mere touch in the right place, and the flap is free. When the box is now closed, this falls into the opposite portion, con- cealing the card, or producing another; and again locking itself, automatically, in its new position. The box in this condition will again stand the closest scrutiny. Whether this box is yet placed upon the market I cannot say (having myself been favoured with a sight of an "advance" model), but it will certainly commend itself to all who appreciate a good thing in the way of ingenuity of contrivance and mechanical finish. A ROYAL TUG OF WAR Preparation. Card mat to be loaded with king of hearts and king of diamonds, not taken from the pack in use. Flower-pots on table. Performer advances with ordinary pack, deliv- ering patter to something like the following effect. "It is not generally known, ladies and gentlemen, what a lot of human nature there is about a pack of cards. They have their likes and dislikes, and | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,80 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 80 | 70 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. prised that the French Academy adopted this view of the subject, and laid down that the art consists in an accurate imitation of any given sound (IS it reachis the car. In conformity with a thcory so incontrovertible, physiologists have suggested a varicty of movements of the vocal organs to explain still further the ori- ginating cause; and some have gone so far as to contend for a peculiarity of structure in these organs as an essential require- ment but they have wisely omitted to specify what. Noth- ing, however, can be more accurate than the description of "therssence" of ventriloquy in the "English Cyclopadia --name- ly, that it "consists in creating illusions as to the distance and direc- tion whence a sound has travelled." How those sounds are pro- duced, we shall show in another chapter, VENTRILOQUISM AMONGST THE ANCIENTS. Charles Lamb gave utterance to the thouglit that it was " pleasant to contemplate the head of the Ganges," but tho student of ventriloquism finds it difficult to obtain a view of the source of his art. In the dim and misty ages of antiquity, he may trace under various guises the practice of it. Many of the old superstitions were fostered by its neans ; from the cra- dle of mankind to the birthplace of idolatry, we incidentally learn of the belief in a familiar spirit-a second voice, which afterwards took the form of divination. The various kinds of divination amongst the nations of an- tiquity which were stated by the priesthood to be by a spirit, a familiar spirit, cr a spirit of divination, are now supposed to have been effected by means cf ventriloquism. Divination by a fam- iliar spirit can be tracked through a long period of time. By reference to Leviticus XX. 27 it will be seen that the Mosaic law forbade the Hebrews to consult those having familiar spirits, and to put to death the possessor. The Mosaic law was given about fifteen hundred years before Clirist. Divining by a familiar spirit was, however, so familiar to the Jews, that the prophet Isaiah d… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,80 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 80 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK the clerk of St. Martin's-in-the-Field: Parish Church, Trafalgar Square, London, England, I came upon the rec- ord of his burial. This record, which I found after many days' search among musty, faded parchments, showed that his Christian name was Isaac, and that he died May 25th or 29th, I731, and was buried in St. Martin's-in- the-Fields Parish Church. The records further show that he was buried in the Ai FAWKES's Booth in the Upper Moor- fields, will be prejented the FIRST wonderfal his Famous Dexterity of Pofture-Mafter, Bndy exceeds all Europe. The that Mulical Temple of Arts with two moving the one a Concert of the oher the Siege and of Gibraltar, of Machine being Parnaftus, the with finelt with three Piece Apollo moving of €lock-work andthe Pidtures, in the Mufes the firft World. playing on reprefents Bay 3d, the various Another Hill Nine Infiraments of Mulick, the bext a beauriful View of a River, with Syms and other Fowls and Filh, fporting as the' Alive, The lait gives a Profpeßt of the New Palace Yard, with the whole Pro- cellion of the late Coronation of their prefent Majefties murch- ing from the Hall to the Abbey, Note, Half the Performasce can't be in this Adver- tifement. Nore, We thow twice yvery Evening the Firft beginning at Five, the other & Seven. Clipping from the London Post during 1728, showing the oldest evidence procurable of the original "Two a Night" performance. From the Harry Houdini Collection. church vault, the coffin being carried by six men. Prayers were said in the church, candles were used, and the great bell was tolled. As the fees amounted to £6 I2S., a goodly sum for those days, all signs indicate that the funeral was on a scale more costly and impressive than the ordinary. Fawkes was worth at his death £10,000, which was considered an enormous sum in those days. Every penny of this he made performing at the fairs. The earliest announcements of Fawkes' performance in my collection are dated 1702 and include advertise- [63] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,81 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 81 | A ROYAL TUG OF WAR 65 their little tempers, just as we have. Some of them are bosom friends; others again hate each other like rival suitors to the same best girl. The four kings are generally pretty friendly, but there is a good deal of emulation between them, par- ticularly between the two red kings on the one hand, and the two black ones on the other. Each pair claims to be the stronger, and they are always pleased to have a chance of putting the matter to the test. "I will give you an illustration of this, by allow- ing them to hold a little tug of war. They have already had six trials, and each side has won three of them. This evening we will let them play a final game, which is to settle the matter. Will you, sir, kindly pick out the four kings for me, and lay them on this little tray. Thank you! (This done, performer lays mat with cards on table.) "I will drop the two red kings into this flower- pot." He takes them from the mat and after showing them drops them into the flower-pot (in reality into the pocket), "and the black ones into this other." (The black kings are allowed to slide directly off the mat, into the flower-pot, the con- cealed pair going with them. "Are your Majes- ties ready? Silence gives consent! Then Go!" He waits a moment or two, and then looks over into the flower-pot with the pocket. "Nothing has happened yet. Yes, there goes the king of dia- monds, pulled over to the other side. There's not | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,81 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 81 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 71 heard to speak when the first rays of the worshipped sun glanced on its impassive features. The magic words were undoubtedly pronounced by the attendant priest, for we find a similar trick prevalent throughout the whole history of ventriloquism, and even now the public professors of the art know how much dc- pends on fixing the attention of their audience on the object or placc from whence the sound is supposed to proceed. The Jews carried the art with them into Palestine, for we tracce the agency throughout their history. The Grecks practised a mode of divination termed gastromancy, where the diviner replied without moving his lips, so that the consulter believed he heard the actual voice of a spirit speaking from its residence within the priest's belly. In the Acts of the Apostles (xvi. 16), mention is made of a young woman with a familiar spirit meeting the Apostles in the city of Philippi, in Macedonia, - St. Chrysostom and other early Fathers of the Christian Church mention divination by a familiar spirit as practised in their day. The practice of similar divina- tion is still common in the East ; it lingers on the banks of the Nile, and is even practised among the Esquimaux. This divina- tion by a familiar spirit has been practised upwards of three thousand years. MODERN PROFESSORS OF THE ART. The earliest notice of ventriloquial illusion, as carried out in modern times, has reference to Louis Brabant, valet-de-chambre of Francis I., who is said to have fallen in love with a beautiful and rich heiress, but was rejected by the parents as a low, unsuitable match. However, the father dying, he visits the widow ; and on his first appearance in the house she hears accosted in a voice resembling that of her dead husband, and which seemed to proceed from above. Give my daughter in marriage to Louis Brabant, who is a man of great fortune and excellent character. I now endure the inexpressible torments of purgatory, for having refused her to him ; obey this admonition and I shall soon bc d… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,81 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 81 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN ments headed "Fawkes and Powel," "Fawkes and Phillips," and "Fawkes and Pinchbeck." Powel was the famous puppet man, Phillips a famous posture master (known to-day as contortionist), and Pinchbeck was the greatest of mechanicians. Fawkes seems to have pos- sessed a singular gift for picking out desirable partners. From this mass of evidence I am producing various This prefent Evening, Room, over the Piazza's, at the to the Ray Market, the Famoes, FAWKES pet. formi molt by Mand, with Curinution al that Kind, being what has thew by any of Pelfon with the Agiviry of in Body by before Pitture the Allo or rest performed theye will be Dunces by twe Poiture ID They crimm the and ty be bure Foor righ, and Plemy Dance an tentian with Dis and but one Body ta the Admination of all ato Ing and of the Slack Reprain fishio as war never performed by any other prec Gly at and th-jors Day N. Mow the Clentlemen Place abole, and Hours every any N. may bave: privaté RE an he tof this longer whan the Stalon - to that be Acani ay and Ladies Eancies by Desterity of Hand for thake owa Diverion By Permifion, A the Chriftian Coffee-houle at Smithfield Bano the prefent Evening DE will performent - by Mr. CLENCH of who imiratey the Hom, Pack of Roundi, the Tham Doctor, old deungen Man, und the Beits 1 the Doubte Courtel, the Organ with three Volerity sul are perforged with bis Natural Volie 4 allo - Ellex song by Mt. Clench, after which ma nare - can puform. Clipping from the London Post, February 7th, 1724, in which Fawkes announces his retirement and offers to teach his tricks to all comers. Below this announcement is the advertisement of Clench, famous as an imitator and an instrumentalist. clippings. By a peculiar coincidence one of these I believe offers the most authentic and earliest record of "two a night" performances in England. In my collection are a number of other clippings from the press of the same year, in April and May, 1728, but none of them says "twice a night," therefore I judge [64] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,82 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 82 | 66 LATEST MAGIC much chance now for the poor king of hearts, left single-handed. He won't hold out long. Yes! Now he is gone too." Performer lifts flower-pot, with fingers inside pressing against pocket, and shows it apparently empty. "And here, in the other flower-pot" (lifts it and shows the four cards lying together on table) "are all four Kings. One more score to black. You didn't see the cards go ? Of course you didn't; because they fly horizontally, like the aeroplanes, and they go SO fast that they get there almost before they have started." SYMPATHETIC CARDS Preparation. Card mat loaded with two cards of different denomination, say the queen of clubs and the knave of diamonds, taken from the pack. Flower-pots on table. Presentation. Force the corresponding cards of same colour (in this case the queen of spades and the knave of hearts), lay the pack aside, and take the drawn cards back face down on the mat, leaving them thus on table till needed. The patter may run as follows: "As I think I have mentioned before, the cards of a pack, from long association, become a sort of family. They have their likes and dislikes, just as human beings have. In particular, there is a curious bond of sympathy between each pair of | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,82 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 82 | 72 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. usury, and extortion, and was haunted by remorse of conscience. After some conversation on demons and spectres, the pains of pur gatory, &c., during an interval of silence, a voice is heard, like that of the banker's deceased father, complaining of his dreadful situation in purgatory, and calling upon him to rescue him from thence, by putting into the hands of Louis Brabant, then with him, a large sum for the redemption of Christians in slavery with the Turks ; threatening him at the same time with eternal damna- tion if he did not thus expiate his own sins. Upon a second in- terview, in which his ears were saluted with the complaints and groans of his father, and of all his deceased relations, imploring him, for the love of God, and in the name of every saint in the calendar, to have mercy on his own soul and others, Cornu obeyed the heavenly voice, and gave Louis 10,000 crowns, with which hc returned to Paris, and married his mistress. The works of M. L'Abbe La Chapelle, issued 1772, and be- fore alluded to, contain descriptions of the ventriloquial achieve- ments of Baron Mengen at Vienna ; and those of M. St. Gille, near Paris, are equally interesting and astonishing. The former ingeniously constructed a doll with moveable lips, which he could readily control by a movement of the fingers under the dress ; and with this automaton he was accustomed to hold hu- morous and satirical dialogues. He ascribed proficiency in his art to the frequent gratification of a propensity for counterfeiting the cries of the lower animals, and the voices of persons with whom he was brought in contact. So expert, indeed, had prac- tice rendered him in this way, that the sounds uttered by him did not seem to issue from his own mouth. La Chapelle, having heard many surprising circumstances related concerning one M. St. Gille, a grocer at St. Germainen-Laye, near Paris, whose powers as a ventriloquist had given occasion to many singular and divert- ing scenes, formed the resolution of seeing him. Being seat… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,82 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 82 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK that the custom of giving two performances in a night was tried previously to April, 1728, and then abandoned, or after the first of May. In the London Post of February 7th, 1724, Fawkes announced an exhibition "in the Long Room over the piazza at the Opera House in the Haymarket." At this time he also advertised the fact that he was about to retire and was exposing all his tricks. The clipping of that date from my collection has the following foot-note: "Likewise he designs to follow this business no longer THISTO give Notice, That the famous Mr. at his Booth in WeR-Smirhield, the followine moft farprizing Trickt, after a new M. chad, vis. He takes ao rempry Bag. lays it on the Toble, and tarns it feveral Times infide ouf, then commanda 100 Eags our of it, and feveral Showers of real Gold and Silve: then the Bag beginning to fwen, feveral Sons of wild Fowls ron out of ir upon the Table. He throws up a Pack of Cards, and carter them to be living Birds flying aholt the Room. He caufes be any Piltérel. Re living blows Seatts, Likewife the Spors Birds, the of and the other Canda Line Creaturesto off oron, Pofture and appear Mafter, changes upon 4 them the French Ta- to Scalfold one-far Boy, aborit 9 exceeding Foor Vears bigh; ell of and that Agr. bends who how'd backward perform) in Europe. above till hir whole farprizing Rands Body upon hangs Acti- a Too ever He below his Legs, and rifes again wishnut any help of his Handv. He himfilf 6 Forte hetween two Chairs, while he plays uport the ingenious Vialin, Their Hours, Tricks every by if both Day, he was the from upon erformers, 9 in the Slick Morning Kope: redious till here With 9 ar to above Night, too the 100 laft Shows beginnion ar 3. 31 and 7. in the Evening, With . good Mulick. Pric 12 d. Clipping from the London Daily Post of August, 1735, in which Fawkes advertises his admission price as twelvepence. From the Harry Houdini Collection. than this season; so he promises to learn any lady or gentleman his fancies in dexterity of hand for the… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,83 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 83 | 67 the same colour, say the king of hearts and the king of diamonds, or the ten of clubs and ten of spades. If they are parted, and they possibly can, they will get together again. "I will try to give you an example with the cards that have been drawn. We will put them for the moment in this pretty flower-pot, which, as you see, is quite empty." (Show by lifting it up, that it is so, and then drop the two cards from the mat into it, the concealed pair going with them.) "They will only require to be assisted by a gentle electric current, which I shall create by waving my wand, SO. "Before we go any further, will the ladies who drew the cards say what they were,-1 don't mind asking you now, because they have passed ont of my control. The queen of spades and the knave of hearts, you say ? A fortunate choice, for the queen of spades and the knave of hearts happen to be particular friends, so I think we may now be sure of success. Now to establish the wireless wave, and I doubt not the queen of clubs and the knave of diamonds will speedily find them. (Make any appropriate gesture with wand.) "Did you notice a little flash, like the striking of a very inferior lucifer match in a gale of wind ? That's when they went. Quick work, isn't it ? The cards were timed by two gentlemen one even- ing, each with his own watch. By the one gentle- man's watch they started at one minute past nine, | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,83 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 83 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 73 in his countenance be discovered. But he observed that M. St. Gille presented only the profile of his face to him while he was speaking as a ventriloquist. On another occasion, M. St. Gille sought for shelter from a storm in a neighboring convent ; and finding the community in mourning, and inquiring the cause, he was told that one of their body, much esteemed by them, had lately died. Some of their rc- ligious attended him to the church, and showing him the tomb of their deceased brother, spoke very feelingly of the scanty hon- ors that had been bestowed on his memory, when suddenly, a voice was heard, apparently proceeding from the roof of the choir, lamenting the situation of the defunct in purgatory, and reproaching the brotherhood with their want of zeal on his ac- count. The whole community being afterwards convened in the church, the voice from the roof renewed its lamentations and rc- proaches, and the whole convent fell on their faces, and vowed a solemn reparation. Accordingly, they first chanted a De profun- dis in full choir ; during the intervals of which the ghost occa- sionally expressed the comfort he received from their pious exercises and ejaculations in his bchalf. The prior, when this religious service was concluded, entered into a serious conversa- tion with M. St. Gille, and inveighed against the .incredulity of our modern sceptics and pretended philosophers on the article of ghosts and apparitions ; and St. Gille found it difficult to convince the fathers that the whole was a deception. M. St. Gille, in 1771, submitted his attainments in this direction to several experiments before MM. Leroy and Fouchy, Commis- sioners of the Royal Academy of Sciences, and other persons of exhalted rank, in order to demonstrate that his mimicry was so perfect as to reach the point of complete illusion. For this purpose a report was circulated that a spirit's voice had been licard at times in the envions of St. Germain, and that the commission was appointed to verify the fact. The … | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,83 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 83 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN figure. About six years before his death he had his own theatre in James Street, near the Haymarket, in which he exhibited for months at a time before and after fairs. I reproduce a clipping from my collection showing Fawkes' last program. Here it will be seen that his first trick was causing a tree to grow up in a flower-pot on the table, and bear fruit in a minute's time. In The Gentle- men's Magazine, that oft-quoted and most reliable peri- odical, of February 15th, 1731, readers were informed that the Algerian Ambassadors witnessed Fawkes' per- We hear that young Fawkes and Pinchheck are now arrived in Town from the Bath and Saliabury; where they have, da the moft agreeable Mariger, entersained the Nobility and Quality with their very lurprieing and to whom the Tate Mr. Fawken, in his Life-tjme, had communicated all thofe wogder- fal Secrets which gave fuch univerfal Satisfaction to all his Specla tors : And we are likewife affored, that every Particular is preenvo in its utmoft Perfection, viz. His Artiticial View of the World his Turprizing Dexterity of Mand, in which he caufes a Tree to grow out of a Flower-Pot on the Table, which u Home and bears ripe Fruit in a Minute's Time; his famous little Pefture-Mafter of leven Years old, not to be equal'd in Europe, who likewile per- forms on the flack Rope to Admitation - his enternaining Muncal Clock, with two beautiful moving Piltures, and an Aviary of Bardr, ar natural as Life itlelf; alla a curious Venesian Maching, an w'i by all Artifis to be the fmefi Piece of Workmanfhip in the World; au which furgrizing Entersalnments we hear will be perf rm'd nex Week at the late Mr. Fawkes's Theatre, at the old Tennis-Court in James-fireet near the day-market. 1732 Clipping from the London Post, showing that young Fawkes collaborated with Pinchbeck and together they offered the orange-tree trick in 1739. From the Harry Houdini Collection. formance. At their request he showed them "a prospect of Algiers, and raised up an apple-tree which bo… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,84 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 84 | 68 LATEST MAGIC and by the other gentleman's watch, they arrived at one minute to nine, SO it is clear that they must have made the journey in two minutes less than no time. But let us make sure that they have arrived." Lift the flower-pot, and show the four cards lying on the table together. "And now, to convince you that there is no deception, will some lady or gentleman kindly look through the pack, and make sure that the queen of clubs and knave of diamonds have really left'it." Which is found to be the case. The trick may of course be worked with any two pairs of cards, the mat being loaded and the cor- responding cards forced accordingly. TELL-TALE FINGERS The discovery, in some more or less mysterious way, of an unknown card is one of the stock feats of the conjurer, and indeed in one shape or another is one of the most hackneyed of card tricks. But the wise magician never discards a good trick sim- ply because it is an old one. He repolishes it, adds a bit here, takes away a bit there, presents it in a new shape and with new patter, and behold! the "chestnut" of yesterday becomes a latest novelty of today. To obtain the maximum effect from a trick of the above kind, it is necessary in the first place to con- vince the spectator that the drawn card cannot pos- | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,84 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 84 | 74 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. lic and private, made his company in high request among the up- per circles. The Lord Mayor of the City, in particular, received the ventriloquist with great distinction, and invited him several times to dine at the Mansion House. But it unluckily happened that on every occasion when M. Alexandre dined there, le could not stay to spend the evening, having contracted engagements elsewhiere. The Lord Mayor expressed much regret at this, and the ventriloquist himself was annoyed on the same account, being willing to do his best to entertain the guests whom the Lord May- or had asked each time to meet him. At last, on meeting M. Alexandre one day, the Lord Mayor en- gaged him to dine at the Mansion House on a remote day. 'I fix it purposely, " said his lordship, "at so distant a period, because I wish to make sure this time of your remaining with us through the evening. Through fear of seeming purposely to slight his lordship, M. Alexandre did not dare to tell the Mayor that on that very morning he had accepted an invitation from a noble- ble man of high rank to spend at his house the evening of the identical day so unfortunately pitched on by the civic dignitary. All the ventriloquist said in reply was, "I promise, my lord to remain at the Mansion House, till you, yourself think it time for me to take my leave." Ah, well," said the Lord Mayor, and he went off perfectly satisfied. At the appointed day Alexandre sat himself down at the mag- istrate's board. Never had the ventriloquist comported himself with so much spirit and gaiety. He insisted on devoting bumpers to each and every lady present. The toasts went round, the old port flowed like water, and the artiste in particular seemed in danger of loosing his reason under its potent influence. When others stopped, he stopped not, but continued filling and emptying incessantly. By and-by, his eyes began to stare, his visage became purple, his tongue grew con- fused, his whole body seemed to steam of wine, and finally he sank from his chair … | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,84 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 84 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK by Pinchbeck the elder, for Fawkes, may have been bequeathed by the latter to his son, but, in 1732, Pinch- beck the elder and Fawkes the younger were in a booth together, and Pinchbeck was advertised as doing "the dexterity of hand" performances. After Christopher As FAWKES, Great Theatrical Booth, In Weft Smithfield, faceing the White Hart Alt- konfe near Cow-lane End, D URING the fhort Time of Bartholomew- Fair, which liegins out Monday next, the 23d Triftant, and ends the Thorfday following, the Publick will be di- verted with the fediniving Entertainments, which have gain'd fuch great Applanfe, viz. Firit, Fawkes's ducomparable Dexteriry of Hand, who perforins feveral forpriling Tricks entirely new and very curions. Secondiy, The amazing Mulical Clock, witli two curious Miving Pictures. Thirdiy, The famous yourg Pofore-Mafter, who vauls the flack Rope to the Admiration of all that have fech him, and far exceeds any riung of the Kind in Enrope: Fourthly, The Temiple of Aris, wbich is the fineft Piece of Workmanibip in the World, the Machmery confifting of valt Variery of Moving Figtires, and many other inimi- table Curioliries. Fiftlily, That fine Piece of Machinery, the Artificial View of the World, wherelo are Hiww Variery of duffercar Profpecis; parricniarly the chree following, viz. . of Windfor Caltle, wich a View of the River of Tliames, 2. The City of Grand Cairo da Egypt. 3. A Proficet of the Town, Fort and Bay of Gibraltar, N. B. To begia every Day at Ten in the Moruing and End at Ten at Niglio Aus 16 9736 Clipping from the London Post, August 16th, 1736, when young Fawkes was playing alone. From the Harry Houdini Collection. Pinchbeck, Sr., died, young Fawkes started out on his own account. In I746, according to an advertisement in my collection, a Fawkes and a Pinchbeck were together again, so the son of Pinchbeck must have joined the younger Fawkes for exhibition purposes. The accom- panying clippings from contemporary publications trace the history of young Fawkes, and prove… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,85 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 85 | TELL-TALE FINGERS 69 sibly be known beforehand to the performer; and in the second place to persuade him that it is dis- covered in some actually impossible (and therefore magical) way; taking advantage, where possible, of some known scientific truth which may lend colour to your suggestion. It is surprising, in con- juring matters, how much even the smallest per- centage of fact increases the power of the average spectator for swallowing fiction. The patter for the trick which follows has been arranged upon these lines. The requisites for the trick are a pack of cards from which three known cards have been with- drawn and palmed (or SO placed to be in instant readiness for palming), a hand-mirror, and a silk handkerchief. The introductory oration may run somewhat as follows: "You all know, ladies and gentlemen, what an important part finger-prints now play in the detec- tion of crime. Happily. there is no connection between conjuring and crime, beyond the fact that they both begin with a C. No conjurer that I know of has ever murdered anybody or been mur- dered himself, and when a conjurer borrows a half- crown, he always-well, almost always returns it. But each one of us, whether criminal or curate, burglar or bishop, possesses a definite set of finger- prints, quite unlike those of anybody else. And, what is more, we cannot touch anything, ever SO | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,85 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 85 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 75 toxication, and dressed himself anew, M. Alexandre then betook himself. himself to the mansion of the nobleman to whom he had engaged On the following day the fashionable newspapers gave a de- tailed account of the grand party at his Grace the Duke of----'s, and culogized to the skies the entertaining performances of M. Alexandre, who, they said, had surpassed himself on this occas- sion. Some days afterwards, the Lord Mayor encountered M. Alexandre. Ah, how are you?" said his lordship. " Very well, my lord," was the reply. " Our newspapers are pretty pieces of veracity, said his lordship. "Have you seen the Courier of the other day? Why, it makes you out to have cxhibit- cd in great style last Thursday night at his Grace of- "It has but told the truth, " said the mimic. 'What? impossible!" cried the Mayor. " You do not remember, then, the state into which you unfortunately got at the Mansion House? And thereupon the worthy magistrate detailed to the ventriloquist the circumstances of his inotxication, and the care that had been taken with him, with other points of the case. M. Alexandro heard his lordship to an cnd, and then confessed the stratagem which he had played off, and the cause of it. " I had promised," said Alexandre, "to be with his Grace at half-past ten. I had also promised not to leave you till you your- self considered it fit time. I kept my word in both cases-you know the way.' The civic functionary laughed heartily, and on the following evening Alexandre made up for his trick by making the Mansion House ring with laughter till daylight. Many anecdotes are told respecting M. Alexandre's power of assuming the faces of other people. At Abbotsford, during a visit there, he actually sat to a sculptor five times in the char- acter of a noted clergyman, with whose real features the sculp- tor was well acquainted. When the sittings were closed and the bust modelled, the mimic cast off his wig and assumed dress, and appeared with his own natural countenance, to the terror almos… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,85 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 85 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN which bore fruit in a minute's time was still on his pro- gramme. For many years it was supposed that only one portrait of Fawkes was in existence, but it now seems that three were made. I publish them all, something which no one has ever before been able to do. One was taken from a Setchels fan published about 1728, although some Reproduction of page 1996 of Hone's "Every-Day Book" in the Harry Houdini Collection. This is a portrait of Fawkes, engraved on a fan by Setchels in 1721 or 1728. Fans like these were distributed at the Bartholomew Fair. authorities say I72I. It appeared in Hone's "Every- Day Book," page 1226. Another, I believe, was en- graved by Sutton Nicols, as Hone mentions it in his description of Fawkes. In the fan engraving, it will be noticed that there appears a man wearing a star on his [68] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,86 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 86 | 70 LATEST MAGIC lightly, without leaving upon it our sign manual in the shape of a more or less perfect impression of our fingers, imperceptible to ourselves, but quite visible to the expert in such matters. "Practice in distinguishing such points forms a highly interesting study. Of course it must be pursued with a proper amount of tact, or it may get you into trouble, as in the case of a gentleman I once heard of who took up the study with more zeal than discretion. He said to his wife, not lead- ing up to the subject gently, as he should have done, but in a peremptory sort of way, 'Maria, I want your finger-prints.' Unfortunately, Maria was rather a quick-tempered lady, and she had just been having a few words, of a hostile nature, with the cook. She slapped his face, and said, 'Well, now you've got 'em.' He had They were very distinct, but not quite in the shape he wanted. I am going to ask permission to read some of your finger-prints, but, I trust without fear of such painful results. "In the first place, I should like this pack of cards to be thoroughly well shuffled." While this is done, performer palms the three known cards, and when the pack is returned, pro- ceeds to force them on different members of the company. Each of the drawers is requested to allow his or her card to lie for a few moments face down on the palm of the outspread hand. The cards drawn are then returned to the pack, which | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,86 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 86 | 76 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. voice urged them to make haste, but the feelings of the people may be imagined when the cart was empty and nobody was found, while Alexandre and his friend walked off laughing at the unex- pected results of their trick. It would be obviously invidious to compare the merits of liv- ing professors. Mr. Maccabe, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Thurton and Mr. Macmillan have long been favorites with the public. -- THE THEORY OF VENTRILOQUISM. Many physiologists aver that ventriloquism is obtained by speaking during the inspiration of air. It is quite possible to ar- ticulate under these circumstances, and the plan may with advan- tage be occasionally adopted; but our own practical experience and close observation of many public performers, and of not a few private friends who have attained distinctness and no smallamount of facility in the art, convince us that-the general current of utterance is, as in ordinary speech, during oxpiration of the breath. Some imagine that the means of procuring the required imitation are comprised in a thorough management of the echoes of sound. Unfortunately, however, for this theory, an ccho only repeats what has been already brought into cxist- ence. Several eminent ventriloquists, including the late Mr. Matthews, have displayed the vocal illusion while walking in the streets. Baron Mengen describes as follows his mode of speaking, when he desired the illusion to take the direction of a voice emanating from the doll : "I press my tongue against the tecth, and then circumscribe a cavity between left check and teeth, in which the voice is produced by the air held 723 receive in the pharynx. The sounds thus reccive a hollow and muffled tonc, which causes them to appear to come from a distance." The Baron furthermore mentions that it is essential to have the breath well under control, and not to respire more than can be avoided. M. St. Gille was scen to look somewhat exhausted when the vo- cal illusion grew less perfect. Wc ourselves, and all ventrilo- quists with whom we … | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,86 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 86 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK left breast. It is said that this is Sir Robert Walpole, who was Prime Minister while Fawkes was at the height of his success, and who was one of the conjurer's great admirers. Hogarth also placed Fawkes in one of his engravings as the frontispiece of a most diverting brochure on "Taste," in which he belittles Burlington Gate. This makes the third portrait from my collec- tion herewith reproduced. According to an article contributed by Mons. E. Ray- naly in the Illusionniste of June, 1903, the orange tree next appeared in the répertoire of a remarkable peasant conjurer, whose billing Mons. Raynaly found among "Affiches de Paris." This performer was billed as the Peasant of North Holland, and gave hourly performances at the yearly fairs at Saint-Germain. It is more than possible that he purchased this trick from Fawkes or Pinchbeck, having seen it at the Bar- tholomew Fair in England. He featured the orange tree as follows: "He has a Philosophical Flower Pot, in which he causes to grow on a table in the presence of the spectators trees which flower, and then the flowers fall, and fruit appears absolutely ripe and ready to be eaten." His posters are dated I746-47 and 1751. The next programme on which the mysterious tree ap- pears is a Pinetti handbill, dated in London, 1784, when the following announcement was made: "Signore Pinetti will afterwards present the assembly with a Tree called Le Bouquet-philosophique composed of small branches of an orange-tree, the leaves appearing green and natural. He will put it under a bottle, and at [69 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,87 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 87 | TELL-TALE FINGERS 71 is again shuffled, and spread face upward on the table. "Each of the three cards which have been drawn now has a complete set of finger-prints upon its surface, but there are no doubt others on many other cards, the result of previous handling. To enable me to distinguish the right ones, I must ask each person who chose a card to give me, for the purpose of comparison, a fresh impression, on the glass of this mirror. First, however, we must remove any prints that may already be upon it." He accordingly breathes upon the glass, and wipes it carefully with the handkerchief. "Now, Sir" (to the person who first drew), "will you kindly press your hand flat against the glass. Thank you. Not a very clear impression, but I dare say it will be good enough. I have now only to discover the card bearing the same imprint, and I shall know that it was the one you drew." (He picks it out from the exposed cards on the table.) "Here it is, I think, the of " (as the case may be). The other two cards are then discovered after the same fashion. As the performer knows beforehand what they are, this will give him little trouble, but he will be wise, for the sake of effect, not to discover them too readily. For the same reason, great importance should ostensibly be attached to the thorough cleaning of the hand mir- | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,87 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 87 | THE PRACTICAL MAG:CIAN. 77 distinctions of pitch, loudness, and quality, by the ordinary ac- tions of the vocal organs. In ordinary language, we speak of noise, of common sound, and of musical sound-terms employed by Dr. Thomas Young in illustrating the mechanical agencies of articulation A quill striking against a piece of wood causes a noise, but striking successively against the teeth of a wheel, or of a comb, a continued sound, and, if the teeth of the wheel are at equal distances, and the velocity of the rotation is constant, a musical sound. The general terms-pitch, loudness, quality, and duration, embrace all the distinctions with which the musician has to deal, and which he uses in his art." The distinguishing feature of musical sound is its uniform pitch througliout its duration, and acoustically musical sound is composed of an equal number of impulses or noises produced in equal tones. The general terms-pitch, loudness, quality, and duration, also embrace all the distinctions heard in ordinary sounds. These sounds differ from the musical in the pitch constantly varying throughout their duration, as the human voice in speaking, and the voice of quadrupeds. Acoustically such sounds are composed of an unequal number of impulses or noises produced in equal tones. And from this circumstance pitch, in the strictly musical sense, is not a property of ordinary sound. The general erms-loudness and quality, embrace all the dis- tinctions heard in a noise, as in the collision of two unclastic sticks. Pitch and duration can scarcely be considered as belong- ing to common noise. Thus we have-(1) noise whose audible distinctions are comprehended under the general terms loudness and quality ; (2) common sound, whose audible distinctions are comprehended under the general erms-loudness, quality, duration, and every varying pitch (3) musical sound, whose audible distinctions are comprehended under the general terms- loudness, quality, duration, and uniform pitch. Phonation, or the production of voice, is a result of act… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,87 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 87 | MASQUERADE Masquerade and opera at Burlington Gate. Reproduction of Hogarth's engraving entitled "Taste," belittling the artistic taste of London. This caricature verifies the Fawkes advertisement, reproduced on page 64, for here the conjurer is pictured leaning from the window of the 'long room" and calling attention to his performances. From the Harry Houdini Collection. | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,88 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 88 | 72 LATEST MAGIC ror before each new attempt, so as to get a clear impression. The trick as above described can be worked with any pack of cards, but where those used are the performer's own property, he can make it even more effective by marking the three cards to be freed in such a way as to be distinguishable (by himself only) by their backs. The drawers in this case are requested to press their hand against the back of the card, and the cards are spread face down upon the table, the performer apparently not knowing the nature of the card indicated to him until he has turned it up. DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT This trick, though it merely rests upon a com- bination of methods already familiar to the expert, may as a whole fairly claim to be a complete nov- elty. The mise en scène is SO simple, and the room for deception apparently SO small, that to the uninitiated it seems like a genuine miracle. Unlike most card tricks, it is even better adapted to the stage than to the drawing-room. The effect of the trick, baldly stated, is that the performer divines the nature of nine cards, selected apparently quite haphazard, and then picks out the corresponding cards from another pack, freely shuffled and covered by a handker- chief. | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,88 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 88 | 78 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. or contracting the pharynx; by dilating or contracting the mouth ; by contracting the communication between the pharynx and mouth, so as to constitute them distinct chambers, or by dila- ting the opening so as to throw them into one, which is chiefly attained by movements of the soft palate and by altering- the form of the mouth'scavity, which is effected by varying the position of the tongue. Each of these modifications of the vocal tube con- veys a peculiarity of quality to the voice,-all however, being local or laryngeal sounds. Moreover, sounds can be produced in the vocal tube, apart from the larynx. These, strictly speaking, are not vocal sounds, though some of them may be of a definite and uniform pitch, while others are mere noises-as rustling, whisper- ing, gurgling, whistling, snoring, and the like. Now, as every- thing audible comes under the classes of noise, sound, or musical sound, and as each variety originates in the vocal apparatus of man, it is obvious that an ordinary vocal apparatus is all that is required foi the achicvement of the fents of ventriloquism. A person having an ear acutely perceptive to the nice distinc- tions of sounds, may, by a little practice, imitate many sounds with accuracy. Those persons, however, who are highly endow- ed with the mental requisites, which consist of an intense desire to mimic, coupled with the ability to originate mimetic ideas, are able to imitate sounds at first hearing. We next proceed to treat of those illusions, where the voice so perfectly counterfeits the reality intended, that it appears not to issue from the mimic, but from an appropriate source, in what- ever direction, and at whatever distance the source may be. Wo do not hear the distance which a sound has travelled from its source, but we judge the distance from our former experience, by comparing the loudness which we hear with the known distance and known loudness of similar sounds heard on former occasions. Common experience will prove that we oftener err in esti… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,88 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 88 | own composition, the leaves will begin to change and the bouquet will produce natural flowers and various fruits." Pinetti is one of the most fascinating and picturesque figures in the history of magic. His full name was Joseph Pinetti de Willedal, and, like Pinchbeck and Fawkes, he was a man of parts and readily made friends with the nobility. In fact, there is some question as to whether he did not come of a noble family. He was born in 1750 in Orbitelle, a fortified town once claimed by Tuscany. What can be gleaned regarding his early history goes to prove that his family connections were excellent and his education of the best. One of his portraits, reproduced herewith, shows a half-crown of laurel decorating the frame, and on one side of the bust is a globe, while in the rear of the picture is a stack of books. This would establish his claim that he was once a professor of physics and geography. In fact, the legend beneath the portrait, being translated from the French, runs: "I. I. Pinetti Willedal de Merci, Professor and Dem- onstrator of Physics, Chevalier of the Order of St. Philipe, Geographical Engineer, Financial Counselor of H.R.H. Prince of Linbourg Holstein, Born in Orbitelle in 1750." As it has so often happened in the history of savants and students, there ran in Pinetti's blood a love of the mys- terious with that peculiar strain of charalatanism which went to make up the clever performer in old-time magic. Evidently he resigned his duties as a professor for the more picturesque life of the travelling magician, and he is first heard from in this capacity in the French provinces [71] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,89 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 89 | DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT 73 The requirements for the trick consist of two packs of cards, and an envelope with adhesive flap, of such a size as to accommodate one of them. One of the two packs is a "forcing" pack, consisting of three cards only, each seventeen times repeated. The cards of each kind are however not grouped all together, as is usually the case, but are arranged after the manner explained in More Magic (p. 13), viz. : assuming the three cards to be the knave of clubs, the seven of spades, and the nine of dia- monds, the pack will consist of groups of those three cards, in the same order, repeated through- out. The effect of this arrangement is that, wherever the pack be cut, the three cards above or below the cut will always be a set of those three cards: and the same result follows, however many times the pack may be cut, or however many such groups may have been taken from it. The second pack has no preparation, but the three cards corresponding to those of which the forcing pack is composed are SO placed as to be ready to hand for palming. The performer advances with the forcing pack, meanwhile executing a false shuffle of the kind which leaves the pack as if cut, but otherwise undisturbed as to order. Holding the pack on the outstretched palm of his left hand, he invites some- one to cut it. This done, he takes back with the other hand the upper portion of the cut, and says, "You have cut where you pleased, have you not ? | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,89 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 89 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 79 comes seemas to be judged of by the right or left ear receiving the stronger impression, which, however, can only take place when the sound's source is in a planc, or ncarly so, with a line passing through both ears. It is familiarly known that a person in a house cannot by the noise of an approaching carriage judge with certainty whether it is coming from the right or left. lic accu- rately judges it to bc approaching, passing, or receding, as the case may be, by the gradations of loudness, but is unable to de- cide with certainty whether its approach or recession is from up Or down the street. Enough has been stated to show that we do not hear, but that we judge the direction a sound has travilicd from its source on reaching the car." The ventriloquist indicates, either di- rectly or indirectly, the direction from which he wishes his audience to believe the sound is coming. Thus he directly indi- cates it by words, such as- Arc you up there?" "He is up the chimney, " He is in the cellar," " Are you down there?' &c., ns illustrated in the various examples. He indirectly indicates it by some suggestive circumstance, as an action or gesture, which is so skilfully unobtrusive and natural as to effect its object with- out being discovered. Thus, when the ventriloquist looks or listens in any direction, or even simply turns towards any point, as if he expected sound to come thence, the attention of 7722 auaience is by that means anstantly directed also to the same place. Thus, before a sound is produced, the audience expect it to come in the suggestcd direction ; and the ventriloquist has mercly, by his adjustment of tocal loudness, to indicate the necessary distance, when a misjudg- ment of the undienre will complite the illusion which he has begun." The effect which 1S produced on sound by its travelling from a distance, is observed to be :- (1) That its loudness is reduced in proportion to its dis- tance. (2) That its pitch remains unaltered. (3) That its quality or tone is somewhat alte… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,89 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 89 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN in 1783. His fame quickly carried him to Paris, where in I784 he appeared before the court of Louis XVI. His arrival was most opportune, for just then all Paris I.I.PINETTI Ritterund Konigh: Freus Hopphyficus by yeiner infeclungin Hamburg A wood-cut used by Pinetti during his engagement at Hamburg, Germany, in October, 1796. From the Harry Houdini Collection. and, for that matter, all Europe had been aroused to a new interest in magic by the brilliant Cagliostro. From Paris he went to London, playing at the Hay- market and creating a sensation equal to that which he made in France. Later he toured Germany, playing in [72] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,90 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 90 | that I have not sought to influence the choice of these gentlemen" (or ladies, as the case may be) "in the slightest degree, and it must be equally clear to you that I cannot possibly know even one of the cards that have been chosen. To make sure that I do not get sight of them in any way, we will have them placed, with the remainder of the pack, in this envelope." He collects the cards accord- ingly, allowing each person who drew to replace his cards himself in the envelope, and requesting the last person to moisten the flap, and make all secure. Returning to his table, he places the closed envelope in full view. "I shall now want the assistance of some gentleman. Thank you, sir. | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,90 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 90 | 80 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. with the previous chapter, as to the effect to be produced, not on himself, but on the spectators and audience. And we may assure him, that if he has a fair range of voice, a dilligent observance of the rules which we are about to lay down, coupled with attention to the nature of sound as it falls upon the ear, will lead him to such triumphs as, in all probability, he never imagined he could have attained-ar assurance which we are emboldened to offer from our own pursuit and practical realization of the art. The student must bear in mind that the means are simply natural ones, used in accordance with natural laws. We have given him the acoustical theory of the effect on the auric nerve, and the means are the organs of respiration and sound, with the adjoining muscles. They are the diaphragm, the lungs, the trachea, the larynx, the pharynx, and the mouth. The diaphragm is a very large convex muscle, situated below the lungs, and having full power over respiration. The lungs are the organs of respiration, and are seated at each side of the chest ; they consist of air-tubes minutely ramified in a loose tissue, and terminating in very small sacs, termed air-cells. The trachea is a tube, the continuation of the larynx, commonly called the windpipe : through this the air passes to and from the lungs. Iti formed of cartilaginous rings, by means of which it may be clongated or shortened. The larynx is that portion of the air-tube immediately above the trachea : its position is indicated by a large projection in the throat. In the interior of this part of the throat are situated the vocal chords. They are four bands of clastic substance somewhat similar to India-rubber. The cavity, or opening between these vocal chords is called the glottis : it possesses the power of expanding or contracting under the influence of the muscles of the larynx The pharynx is a cavity above the larynx, communicating with the nasal passages : it is partially visible when the mouth is opened and the tongue lowered. Ne… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,90 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 90 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK Berlin and Hamburg. Next he went back to his native land, Italy, but later returned to Germany for a second engagement. In 1789 he appeared in Russia and never I.I.PINETTI willidal de merdi profes et demonstrateus de philoso, chevalier de Cordre de pt argenieur glographe it Constiller der france prince de hotatein Orlandle preidar the and The only authentic portrait of Pinetti in existence, the only known copy extant being in the Harry Houdini Collection. left that country. There he married a Russian girl, daughter of a carriage manufacturer. They had two children. Pinetti would have left enormous wealth, but [73] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,91 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 91 | DIVINATION DOUBLY DIFFICULT 75 Will you kindly shuffle this other pack for me." (He runs the cards over fanwise, showing their faces, SO as to prove that they are an ordinary mixed pack: then hands them to be shuffled, and while this is being done, palms the three secreted cards. "Shuffle them thoroughly, please, and then spread them a little, faces down, upon the table, and lay your handkerchief over them. "Now I am going, in the first place, to attempt a little thought-reading. I shall endeavour by that means to discover the three cards each person chose, and then, by means of the sense of touch, which I have cultivated to a rather unusual degree, to pick them out, without seeing them, from among the cards under the handkerchief. I shall only ask one indulgence. To leave a little margin for possible mistakes. I shall ask your permission to pick out four cards instead of three for each per- son, SO as to give me one extra chance. Will the gentleman who drew first kindly look my way, and say to himself slowly, the names of the cards he drew. Thank you, Sir! I think I read them right." He inserts his hand under the handker- chief, and after a little pretended fumbling, brings out the three palmed cards, with one indifferent card in front of them. He does not show or look at them, but asks the second chooser to think hard of his three cards, afterwards taking four more from under the handkerchief. Having done the same in the case of the third drawer, he spreads | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,91 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 91 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 81 Too much attention cannot be bestowed on the study of sound as it falls on the car, and an endeavor to imitate it as it is heard- for the "secret" of the art 1S, that as perspective is to the eye so is ventruloquism to the car. When we look at a painting of a land- scape, some of the objects appear at a distance ; but we know that it is only the skill of the artist which has made it appear as the eye has seen it in reality. In exactly the same manner a ven- triloquist acts upon and deceives the ear, by producing sounds as they are heard from any known distances. PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS. No. I. THE VOICE IN. THE CLOSET This is the voice in which Mr. Frederic Maccabe, the celebra- ted mimic and ventriloquist, excels, and the clever manner in which he can adapt it off-hand, as it were, will be best illustrated by the fact mentioned to us by the gentleman in question, whom we call Mr. B. in Mr. Maccabe's presence. Mr. B., who was an invalid, suffering from some nervous disorder, originating by over- work and anxiety, was travelling in Ireland in search of health, and when on his way from Dublin to Cork, lic lay exhausted in a corner of a railway-carriage, muflled up in cloaks and wrap- pers in a paroxysm of pain. At Mallow, two gentlemen entered the carriage, one of whom was in exuberant spirits, and commenc- ed telling some amusing anecdotes. At length the porter came to collect the tickets. They were all handed in but one, when the following colloquy ensued :- l'orter.- gentleman hasn't given me his ticket. Gentleman.-Bill, in the next compartment, has the ticket, (tap- ping at the partition). Haven't you, Bill ? The imaginary Bill, who appeared to be suffering from a se- vere cold, replied that he had, and the porter would not take it. The official went off to find the ticket, but Bill, in the mean time had vanished. Back came the porter and indig- nantly demanded the ticket. He was interrupted by a shrill voice in the opposite compartment, crying,- Porter ! porter ! why don't you come a… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,91 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 91 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN in his later years he became interested in ballooning, the sensation of the hour, and spent his entire fortune on balloon experiments. He died in Bartichoff, Volhinie, aged fifty years. Pinetti was a man of rare inventive genius and almost N° a Beduer en and Henri Decremps, the French author who exposed and endeavored to ruin Pinetti, but succeeded only in immortalizing him. reconstructed the art of conjuring, so numerous were his inventions. For half a century after his death his suc- cessors drew upon Pinetti's inventions and répertoire for their programmes. Naturally such ability aroused bitter jealousies, especially as Pinetti made no attempt to con- [74] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,92 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 92 | 76 LATEST MAGIC the twelve cards he has taken from under the hand- kerchief, and shows them fanwise. Addressing the first drawer, he says, "Your three cards are among these, I think, sir?" and the same question is then addressed to the other two choosers, the answer being of course in the affirmative. "'Now, gentlemen, in order to prove that there is no deception, I will take away three cards at a time, one from each set of three. Pray observe that from beginning to end, I have not looked at the face of any card."7 He accordingly removes one of the forced, and two of the indifferent cards, making however some pretence of selection and throws them aside. "There are now only two cards belonging to each gentleman left. That is so, is it not?" The question is addressed to each of the three drawers in turn, and answered accordingly, after which the same process is again twice repeated. "And now, gentlemen, we have three cards left, belonging to neither of you, which is just as it should be. It is a peculiarity of this experiment that if it comes out right it always brings good luck to those taking part in it, SO you may all fairly expect to live happily ever afterwards, and I trust you will." If the performance is given before the family circle, or very intimate friends (who sometimes consider themseles privileged to be disagreeable), it is just possible that some ill-mannered person, | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,92 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 92 | 82 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. was thrown out, and the train moved on. And Mr. Frederic Maccabe stood confessed, but not penitent. Voice No 1. .-To acquire this voice, which we so name for dis- tinction's sake, speak any word or sentence in your own natural tones ; then open the mouth and fix the jaws fast, as though you were trying to hinder any one from opening them farther or shut- ting them ; draw the tongue back. in a ball ; speak the same words, and the sound, instcad of being formed in the mouth will be formed in the pharynx. Great attention must be paid to holding the jaws rigid. The sound will then be found to imi- tate a voice heard from the other side of a door when it is closed, or under a floor, or through a wall. To ventriloquize with this voice, let the operator stand with his back to the au- dience against a door. Give a gentle tap at the door, and call aloud in a natural voice, inquiring "Who is there ?" This will have the effect of drawing the attention of the audience to a person supposed to be outside. Then fix the jaw as de- scribed, and utter in voice No. 1, any words you please, such as "I want to come in.' Ask quostions in the natural voice and answer in the other. When you have done this, open the door a little, and hold a conversation with the imaginary person. As the door is now open, it is obvious that the voice must be altered, for a voice will not sound to the car when a door is open the same as when closed. Therefore the voice must be made to ap- pear face to face, or close to the ventriloquist. To do this the voice must not be altered from the original tiote or pitch, but be made in another part of the mouth. This is done by closing the lips tight and drawing onecorner of the mouth downwards, O) towards the ear. Then let the lips open at that corner only, the other part to remain closed. Next breathe, as it were, the worde out of the orifice formed. Do not speak distinctly, but expcl tho breath in short puffs at each word, and as loud as possible. By so doing you will cousc the illusio… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,92 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 92 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK ciliate his contemporaries, either magicians or writers on magic. He issued one book, whose title-page reads: "Amusements Physiques et Differentes Expériences Di- vertissements, Composées et Executées, tant a Paris que dans les diverses Courts de l'Europe. Par M. Joseph Pinetti de Willedal, Romain, Chevalier de l'Ordre Mérite de Saint-Phillipe, Professeur de Mathématiques et de Physiques, Protégé par toute la Maison Royale de France, Pensionnaire de la Cour de Prusse, etc., 1785.' The work, however, was not a clear and lucid explana- tion of his methods and tricks. In fact some of his con- temporaries claimed that he deliberately misrepresented his methods of performing tricks. Among these writers was Henri Decremps, a brilliant professor of mathematics and physics in Paris, who proceeded to expose all of Pinetti's tricks in the book referred to in the preceding chapter, "La Magie Blanche Dévoilée." This work was in five volumes and was so popular in its day that it was translated into nearly every modern language. The fol- lowing explanation of the trick is taken from page 56 of the English translation, entitled "The Conjurer Unmasked : "The branches of the tree may be made of tin or paper, so as to be hollow from one end to the other in order that the air which enters at the bottom may find its exit at the top of the branch. These branches are so adjusted that at intervals there appear twigs made from brass wire, but the whole so decorated with leaves made from parchment that the ensemble closely resembles nature. "The end of each branch is dilated to contain small pieces of gummed silk or very fine gold-beater's skin, [75] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,93 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 93 | A NEW LONG CARD PACK 77 in the hope of embarrassing the conjurer, may ask at the close to be allowed to examine the envelope containing the drawn cards. Such an examina- tion, if permitted, would of course largely give away the trick. If the performer has any reason to fear such a contingency, he may guard against it by "switching" the envelope, during his return to the table with it, for a duplicate containing an ordinary mixed pack. In some part of this the three cards corresponding to those drawn should be placed together, as the obnoxious person, if him- self one of the drawers, will naturally expect SO to find them. At a public performance such a precaution would be supererogatory. A NEW LONG CARD PACK AND A TRICK DEPENDENT ON ITS USE Some few months ago I was shown by a clever amateur, Mr. Victor Farrelly, a pack of cards pre- pared, after a method of his own, to replace in a more subtle form, the familiar biseauté pack. Mr. Farrelly's plan is to round off, in a very minute degree, three of the corners of an ordinary pack. If a given card be turned round in a pack SO treated, it is obvious that its unfiled corner will project, to a microscopic extent, beyond those above and below it, rendering the card instantly discoverable by touch. | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,93 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 93 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 83 STUDENT (pointing to the box with an air of astonishment) : What is that ? VOICE: 1 won't do so any more. I am nearly dead. STUDENT : Who are you How came you there ? VOICE : I only wanted to see what was going on. Let me out, do. STUDENT : But I don't know who you are. VOICE : Oh yes, you do. STUDENT : Who are you ? VOICE : Your old schoolfellow, Tom, . You know me. STUDENT : Why, he's in Canada. VOICE (sharply) : No he aint, he's here ; but be quick, STUDENT (opening the lid) Perhaps lic's come by the under- ground railroad ? Hallo ! VOICE (not so muffled as described in direction) : Now then, give us a hand. STUDENT (closing the lid or door sharply) : No, I wont. VOICE (ns before) : Have pity (Tom, or Jack, or Mr. , as the case may be), or I shall be choked. STUDENT : I don't believe you are what you say. VOICE : Why don't you let me out and see before I am dead ? STUDENT (opening and shutting the lid or door and varying the voice accordingly) : Dead ! not you. When did you leave Can- ada ? VOICE : Last week. Oh ? I am choking. STUDENT : Shall I let him out ? (opening the door). There's no one here. 2. THE MILKMAN AT THE DOOR.-TI affords a capital op- portunity of introducing a beggar, watercress or milkman, and may be varied accordingly. We will take Skyblue, the milkman; and we would impress on the student, that, although we give these simple dialogues, they are merely intended as illustrations for the modest tyro, not to be implicitly followed when greater confidence and proficiency are attained. VOICE : Milk below ! STUDENT : Is it not provoking that a milkman always comes when he is not wanted, and is absent when we are waiting for the cream ? VOICE : (whistling a bar of 11 Shoo Fly"). STUDENT : Oh, yes, always the broken-hearted milkman as if he was not as happy as a king. VOICE (nearer) : Milk below ! Why, Sally, where's the can ? ] STUDENT : Sally will be long in answering, I think. VOICE : Sally's gadding with the police. Milk below ! STUDENT (slightly opening the door.) : W… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,93 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 93 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN which are to catch the figures of the flowers and fruit when the latter expand by the air driven through the branches to which they were fastened by a silk thread. "The tree or nosegay is then placed on a table, through Decremer which runs a glass tube to supply air from beneath the stage, where a confederate works this end of " the trick, and causes the tree to 'grow' at the prearranged sig- nal." Decremps's signature writ- ten by himself on the last Later it was described as being page of a copy of his book now in the Harry Houdini accomplished entirely by springs, Library. and real oranges were first stuck on the tree by means of pegs or pins, and the leaves were so secured around them that at first appearance they could not be seen. Then a piston was used to spread all the leaves, another that forced the blossom up through the hollow branches, etc. Pinetti's personality was almost` as extraordinary as his talents. A handsome man who knew how to carry himself, acquiring the graces and the dress of the nobility, he became rather haughty, if not arrogant, in his bearing. He so antagonized his contemporaries in the fields of magic and literature that he was advertised as much by his bitter enemies as by his loving friends. Many of his methods of attracting attention to himself were singularly like those employed by modern press agents of theatrical stars. He never trusted to his performances in theatres and drawing-rooms to advertise his abilities, but demon- strated his art wherever he appeared, from barber-shops to cafés. [76] - | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,94 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 94 | 78 LATEST MAGIC Mr. Farrelly's idea is decidedly ingenious, but the uses of the biseauté pack are rather limited, and the fact that the pack must be reversed before the card is replaced in it is a drawback. It struck me, on reflection, that the idea might be developed, in a slightly different direction, to greater advan- tage. My own plan is as follows: Two packs, exactly alike are used. As to one of these, I treat all four corners after the manner indicated by Mr. Far- relly, when any card of the second pack, inserted into the one so treated, naturally becomes in effect, a long card. There is in this case no need to reverse the pack, and as the minute projection is duplicated at each end of the diagonal, a less degree of rounding off is necessary. As a practical illustration of the possible uses of such a pack, I offer the trick which I am about to describe. The expert will recognise that, save for the use of the new pack, it is merely a combination of well-known methods, but as regards the mode of presentation it is original, and I think will be found worthy of a place in the répertoire of the card-conjurer. For the purpose of description we will call the pack with rounded corners the "short," and the other the "long" pack. Three known cards are borrowed from the long pack, which may then be put aside, as it plays no further part in the trick. These three cards are palmed, and after the short | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,94 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 94 | 84 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. ANOTHER VOICE : Watercresses ! STUDENT : Really, this is too bad. Go away. VOICE : You owe mc ten cents for last week's milk; I was to wait. STUDENT : This is intolerable. I'll send for the police. VOICE [ironically] ; Send for Sally and p'lice, l'll foller. STUDENT ; Impudent rascal : VOICE ; Keep your compliments at home, Master Idlebones. STUDENT [opening the door]: I'll report you to your master. VOICE [louder, as the door is opened] ; Will you, young Whipper- snapper, pay us the dime, and let us go? STUDENT offers to pay, while the voice gets weaker in the dis- tance with Milk below !" until it becomes inaudible. A conversation may be held in a similar strain with thecellarman : and, as a rule, the lowernotes of the voice will be best for voices in the basement, and formed as low in the chest as possible. STUDENT : Thomas, are you coming? VOICE BELOW [grufty] ; I should think I was. STUDENT ; We are waiting for the beer. VOICE [partly aside]: The longer you wait, the greater our honor. Mary, have another drop. STUDENT ; Why, the scamp is drinking the beer ! Thomas ! Who's there with you? VOICE : Myself. [Aside] Make haste with the pot, Mary ; he's in such a hurry. STUDENT ; You drinking rascal, how dare you ! VOICE : Coming, sir. The barrel's nearly empty. STUDENT : I should think so, tippling: as you are at it. VOICE ; Now don't be saucy. STUDENT : The fellow is getting intoxicated. Thomas ! Vorca ; Wait till I come. I have waited for you many times. STUDENT : I suppose it is of no use hurrying you? VOICE ; No, it isn't, my young tippler. I'm COMING ! coming ! ! coming ! ! ! From this illustration the student may proceed to try the second voice. No. II. Voice No. 2. - -This is the more easy to be acquired. It is the voice by which all ventriloquists make a supposed person speak from a long distance, or from, or through the cciling. In the first place, with your back to the audience, direct their attention to the ceiling by pointing to it or by intently nt it. Call loudly, and ack … | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,94 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 94 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK Perhaps the best pen pictures of Pinetti and his methods are furnished by E. G. Robertson in his "Memoirs." Robertson was a contemporary of Pinetti, and, like him, a pioneer in ballooning. His "Memoirs," written in the French language, were published in 1831. The following extracts from this interesting book tell much of Pinetti's life in Russia and of his professional history as tradi- tion and actual acquaintance had presented it to M. Robertson: 'Pinetti had travelled a great deal and for a long time had enjoyed a great European reputation. He had done everything to attain it. There was never a man that carried further the art of the 'charlatisme.' When he arrived in a town where he intended to give a show, he took good care to prepare his public by speeches, which would keep it in suspense. In St. Petersburg great and incredible examples of mystification and of prestidigi- tation were told about him. "One day he went to a barber-shop to get shaved, sat down in the chair, had the towel tied around his neck, and laid his head back ready for the lather. The barber left him in this position to get hot water, and when he returned, guided by force of habit, he applied the lather where the chin should be, but he found feet, arms, hands, and body in a coat, but no head! Such lamentations! No more head! What could it mean? He opened the door, and, frightened to death, ran away. Pinetti then went to the window and called the barber back. He had put his head in his coat in such a clever way, covering it with his handkerchief, that the surprise and the fright of the barber were quite natural. Of course this barber { 77 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,95 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 95 | A NEW LONG CARD PACK 79 pack has been shuffled by one of the company, are added to it, and forced upon three different spec- tators. We will suppose that the three selected cards are the queen of hearts, forced on a gentle- man; the king of clubs and the ten of diamonds; the two last mentioned forced on ladies. This done, each of the drawers is invited to replace his or her card in the pack, which is passed from the one to the other for that purpose, and before it is returned to you is once more shuffled. You then deliver a "yarn" to something like the following effect: "Please bear in mind, ladies and gentlemen, exactly what has been done. To begin with, you have seen that the pack was thoroughly well shuffled. Three cards were then freely chosen from it. They have been put back, not by me, but by the persons who drew them, and the pack has since been shuffled again. It is therefore obviously impossible that I should know either what cards have been chosen, or whereabouts they may now be in the pack. But I enjoy impossibili- ties. The more impossible a thing is, the more I want to do it. I will find out these cards or die! Don't be alarmed, I don't mean to die just yet; SO I must do the other thing. It's easy enough, if you know how to do it. "In the first place I cut the pack into three por- tions." (You cut three times, nipping the "long:" corners between second finger and thumb, at each | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,95 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 95 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 85 Then in exactly the same tone and pitch answer ; but, in order that the same voice may seem to proceed from the point indicated, the words must be formed at the back part of the roof of the mouth. To do this the lower jaw must be drawn back and held there, the mouth open, which woll, cruse il.c palate to be devated (in il 10 and the sound will be reflected in that cavity, and appear 1,0 come from the roof. Too much attention cannot be paid to the man- ner in which the breath is used in this voice. When speaking to the supposed person, expel the words with a deep, quick breath. When answering in the imitative manner, the breath must be held buck and exp. lled very slowoly, and the voice will come i? a subducd and muffled manner, little above a whisper, but so as to be well distinguished. To cause the supposed voice to come nearer by degrees, call loudly, and say, I want you down here,' or words to that effect. At the same time make a motion dounwar is with your hand Hold some conversation with the voice and cause it to say, I am coming," or, "Ilcre I am, each time indienting the descunt with the hand (scecramples). When the voice is supposed to approach nearer, the sound must alter, to denote the progress of the movement. Therefore let the voice at every suppcsed step, roll, as it were, by degrees, from thepharynx more into the cavily of the mouth, and at each supposed stcp, contracting the opening of the mouth, until the lips are drawn up as if you were whistling. By so doing the cavity of the mouth will be very much enlarged. This will cause the voice to be obscurid, and so "ppear to come nearer by de- grees. At the same time, care must be taken not to articulate the consonant sounds plainly, as that would cause the disarrangement of the lips and cavity ofthe mouth ; and in all imitation roicis the consonants must scarcely bc articulated at all, especially if the t'ent- riloquist facis the audience. For cxample ; suppose the imitative voice i3 made to say, "Mind what you are doing, you… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,95 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 95 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN 8 the JOSEPH PINETT! wh Day genier placess to bunke de A le Preferrer PINE T T2) Bown to ample des Arts, does inition our 2 Phinique or of Medications Frontispiece of Pinetti's book, "Amusements Physiques," pub- lished in Paris. 1785, one of the first treasures of the Evanion Collec- tion purchased by the author. [78] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,96 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 96 | 80 LATEST MAGIC of the drawn cards in succession, and placing the cards left at bottom on one or other of the three heaps; then solemnly rub your wand, without remark, with a silk handkerchief, and lay it across the tops of the three packets.) "Now, if the electric influence is strong enough, the three chosen cards will gradually sink down to the bottom of these three heaps. A nice easy way of finding them out, is it not ? It will take a minute or two for the charm to operate, so in the meantime I will try to find out the names of the cards for myself by thought-reading. You drew a card, I think, Sir? Will you kindly think of that card, as hard as you can, and meanwhile look straight at me? Thank you. Judging by physiog- nomy, I should say that you were rather a ladies' man. Don't blush, Sir. It's nothing to be ashamed of, is it, ladies ? But he did blush, didn't he? Now, being a ladies' man, you will naturally have chosen one of the ladies of the pack, that is to say one of the queens, and your blush suggests that it was a red queen. Now there are only two red queens to choose from. The queen of hearts rep- resents Love, and the queen of diamonds Money. If I read your thoughts aright I feel safe in declar- ing that you chose the queen of hearts. That is right, I think? Quite simple, when you know how it's done. "And now, Madam, for your card. I can see at a glance that you have a liking for aristocratic | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,96 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 96 | 86 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. VOICE : Hallo ! who's that? STUDENT ; It's I ! Are you nearly finished? VOICE : Only three more slates to put on, master. STUDENT ; I want you here, Jem. VOICE ; I am coming directly. STUDENT : Which way, Jem? VOICE : Over the roof and down the trap. (Voice is supposed to be moving as the student turns and points with his finger.) STUDENT Which way? VOICE (nearcr) Through the trap and down the stairs. STUDENT : How long shall you be? VOICE : Only a few minutes. I am coming as fast as I can. The voice now approaches the door, and is taken up by the same tone, but produced as in the first voice. As another illus- tration, we will introduce the reader to THE INVISIBLE SWEEP.-This is a striking example of the second voice. Let the student pretend to look up the chimney, and rehearse the following or some similar colloquy :- STUDENT : Are you up there? VOICE : Yes. Chimley want sweep? STUDENT : Really, it is extraordinary. What are you doing? VOICE : Looking for birds'-nests. STUDENT : Birds'-nests ! There are none there. VOICE : Dick says there be. STUDENT : Come down ! VOICE : I shan't. STUDENT : (stirring the fire) ; I'll make you show yourself. VOICE : I say, don't ; it's so hot. STUDENT ; Come down, then. VOICE ; Don't be so stupid. Let I alone. STUDENT ; Will you come down? VOICE : Yes, I will. STUDENT : What's your name? VOICE (much nearer) : Sam Lillyvite. I sdy, what do you want mc for among company? STUDENT : To show yourself. VOICE (nearer) : What for? STUDENT : To let these ladies and gentlemen see that there are many strange things between heaven and carth, but not Sam Lillyvite, the sweep. Another good illustration is to hold a conservation with a friend wholives on the first floor, and with whom you can con- verse on any subject-as the retired and mystcrious student-but the moment the student can master the elementary sounds, he will not need our assistance in providing him with dialogues, which, however simple they may be to rend, have an extraordinary effect when properly sp… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,96 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 96 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK did not fail to spread over the whole town that he had shaved a man who could take his head off and on to his wish. "Pinetti met in a summer-garden a young Russian who sold small cakes. He bought a few cakes, bit into them, and complained of finding a hard substance. The youth protested, but Pinetti opened the cake before him and found inside a gold piece. The magician pocketed the gold piece, bought another cake, then a third cake, and in fromph Pinettin If Hammeth Willed Pinetti's autograph, written by him on the back of the frontispiece, reproduced on page 78. Original in the Harry Houdini Collection. each case found a new gold piece inside. He tried to buy the rest of the cakes. The passers-by had in the mean time come round the seller, and everybody wanted to buy as well. The market seemed to be all right, a ducat for a kopeck! Twelve francs for a cent! The young man refused to sell any more, hurried away, and when alone opened the cakes that were left. He found only the substances of which the cakes were made-nothing else. [79] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,97 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 97 | A NEW LONG CARD PACK 81 society, and you will therefore naturally have chosen a king. But which king? Think hard of your card, please. A picture of a dark-complex- ioned gentleman comes up before my mind's eye, and I feel that I can say with confidence that the card you chose was the king of clubs. Am I right? "And you, Madam. I have an idea that you have a taste for pretty things, particularly jew- ellery. Such being the case, you would naturally choose diamonds. Think of your card, please. Thank you. I see I was right in my guess. The card you chose was the ten of diamonds. "And now to verify my discoveries. If my wand has done its work, those same three cards will now have percolated through the rest, and settled down at the bottom of these three heaps. Let us see whether they have done so." (The three heaps are-turned over.) "Yes, here we have them: the king of clubs, the queen of hearts, and the ten of diamonds. It is a curious thing for the cards to do, and I daresay you would like to know how it is done. As a matter of fact, it is done by synthetic readjustment of dissociated atoms. You don't know what that means, perhaps? Well, to say the truth, I don't quite know myself, but that is the scientific explanation, so no doubt it is correct." The trick may very well end at this point, but if the reader possesses a card-box, or other appar- atus adapted for "vanishing" cards, he may bring | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,97 | 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… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,97 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 97 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN He had two left, so he hurried back to offer these to Pinetti. Pinetti bought them from him, opened them and showed in each one the gold piece, which the young man could not find in the two dozen cakes which he had spoilt. The poor boy bit his lips and looked at Pinetti with wondering, frightened eyes. This little adventure was advertised here, there, and everywhere, and was told in the clubs and in the society gatherings, and very soon the name of Pinetti gave the key to the enigma, and Pinetti was in demand by everybody. "When Pinetti came on the stage, he had the knack of attracting members of the nobility around his table, by letting them learn some small secrets. This would render them confederates in working his tricks. He would appear in rich suits, embroidered in gold, which he changed three and four times in the evening. He would not hesitate to deck himself in a quantity of foreign decora- tions. In Berlin it was told how Pinetti would go through the streets, in a carriage drawn by four white horses. He was clad in fine embroidery and decorated with medals of all nations. Several times it happened that, as he passed by, the soldiers would call arms and salute, taking him for a prince. One day the King of Prussia rode out in his modest carriage drawn by two horses. Ahead of him drove the supposed prince. When the King witnessed the mistake made by his soldiers, he made inquiries as to the rank of this man to whom his men were paying such honor, then gave the Cavalier Pinetti twenty-four hours to get beyond Prussia's borders." Whatever may be said of Pinetti's charlatanism, it must be admitted that he gave to the art of conjuring a [80] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,98 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 98 | 82 LATEST MAGIC it to a still more striking conclusion. In this case he may continue as follows: "Now, I should like to show you a curious effect of sympathy. I take away these three cards and hand the rest of the pack to the gentleman who drew the queen of hearts. Kindly hold it up above your head where all can see it. The three drawn cards" (show them one by one) "I place in this box. Again I electrify my wand a little, and lay it across the box. Now I want each gentleman or lady to think of his or her card. Think of it kindly, and feel as if you would like to see it again. Think hard, please, because it is you, not I, that perform this experiment, and if you don't think hard it will be a failure. I am pleased to see by the expression of your countenances that you are all thinking hard. Thank you very much. You may leave off now. The deed is done. The three cards have left the box, and gone back to the pack. Please look it through, sir, and tell the company whether it is not so." The reader, being familiar with the wiles of con- jurers, will doubtless have guessed that the three cards supposed to have returned to the pack have in fact never left it, being those naturally belong- ing to it, corresponding with the three long cards. But to the outsider their supposed return will be, in the words of the lamented Lord Dundreary, "one of those things that no fellow can under- stand." | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,98 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 98 | 88 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. plane is made as though you were dwelling on the last part of the word hush-dwell upon the sh a little, as tsh, and then clip it short by, causing the tongue to close with the palate, then over again. Letters will not convey the peculiar sound of sawing-it must be studied from nature. A MOUNTAIN ECHO. Some persons imagine ventriloquism to be an echo ; but, as wo have said, an echo only repeats what has been said before-it could not answer a question. An echo is reflected sound, and the reflecting body must be at such a distance that the interval between the perception of the original and reflected sounds may be sufficient to prevent them from being blended together. No reflecting surface will produce a distant echo, unless its distance from the spot where the sound proceeds is at least 562 feet, because the shortest interval sufficient to render sounds distinctly appreçiable by the ear is about onc- tenth of a second ; therefore, if sounds follow at a shorter inter- val, they will form a resonance instead of an echo ; and the time a sound would take to go and return from a reflecting surface, 561 feet distance, would be onc-tenth of a second. It would, therefore, be impossible for a ventriloquist to produce an echo in a room of ordinary size, as the walls, being so near, would cause the sounds to be blended, and would only produce one impression on the car ; and yet the skilled ventriloquist can with case imitate, in a room, a mountain ccho. We will give the instructions, as it is very amusing. Turn your back to the listeners ; whistle loud several short, quick notes, just as if you were whistling for a dog then, as quick as possible, after the last note, and as softly and subdued as possible to be heard, whistle about a third the number of notes, but it must be in the same note 01° pitch ; this will cause the last whistle to appear just like an echo at a great distance. This im- itation, if well donc, never fails to take the listeners by surprise, and causes astonishment. The same thin… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,98 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 98 | THE ORANGE-TREE TRICK great impetus which was felt for several generations. It is not remarkable, therefore, that when the French magi- cian Cornillot appeared in London in 1822 he announced himself as the pupil and successor of Pinetti. This was Extraordinary Chemical Iliustrations, and FEATS or LEGERDEMAIN, M. CORNILLOT, PUPIL AND SUCCESSOR OF THE FANED PINETTI, Seppostfully informe the of the K tropolia, that be contiones . gire Every WEDNESDAY, At the Paul's Head Cateaton Street, And every MONDAY, THURSDAY, and SATURDAY, At the Great Room, in Spring Gardene. AMAZUNG ust PEILOSOPEY AND CHEMISTRY, And FEATS OF LEGERDEMAIN, Whish hore escited the admiretion of the le all - principal Toome of - - - - - de - Tes GARDEN, eli Ninde of Revers - - Se - - and - - assudy. - the - of - The de dess - . Novel Sahibilie GLASS or - purprising Ibemical de PURSTITS MYSTSRIOUS PENDULUN, which - - - - Theaghte of - Reholders á. " - pasplesing - gredune - - - aparationa, b, the ald of - THE GRAND TRIUMPH OF PINETTI. OF TUR sum. chich - - - estenales Thestra. Tes INCONCBIVABLE CHALLESOS or being . encessuive - Incresse of is - - of THE GRAND TRIUMPH OF COMUS, Brough - perfoctice by a. CORNILLOT, ANAZING PERFORMANCE OF CAUSING A LIVING PERSON To be is . plase chese be - - beea Revillimitate Thunder 80 naturally, that it will be thought to proceed from the Clouds These - be varied t, of lisporiments esth the Presente, Pome -- Feste of Legordomale, the preseding Eshibitions. x - - Dotal - / - - de - Preparations - f Boncer s. - Opm Pofermances degla precionly, to T. T6, - Asse, N. - de at - - of - - may le - de Seht 18:11 .. - - - - Reproduction of a handbill distributed on the streets of London in Sep- tember, 1829. The orange-tree trick is on the bill under the name of "En- chanted Garden." From the Harry Houdini Collection. when Robert-Houdin was seventeen years of age, twenty-three years before he made his professional début, and on Cornillot's programme we find another version of the now famous and almost familiar tree trick. As… | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,99 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 99 | THE MASCOT COIN BOX 83 As regards the disappearance of the three cards, the performer is of course by no means restricted to the use of the card-box. If he is an expert in sleight-of-hand, he may with even better effect, "vanish" them one by one by means of the back palm, dropping them a moment later into the pro- fonde. THE MASCOT COIN BOX This is a little device on the same principle as the well-known flat card-box, but adapted for use with coins, and with an addition which largely increases its utility inasmuch as it will not only enable the performer to "change" or "vanish," but to get instant and secret possession of a coin placed in it. The box (see Fig. 14) is of ebonized wood, unpolished, and in size about three inches square. It consists of two parts (a and b), which are alike in size and appearance, so that either half may be regarded as "box" and either as "lid," at pleasure, according as the one or the other is made uppermost, no difference being perceptible be- tween them. In the centre of each half is a cir- cular well, not quite two inches in diameter. Used with the box is a thin dise of wood corre- sponding to that of which the box is made. This is of such diameter as to fall easily from the one well into the other, according to the way in which the box is turned, but on the other hand fits so | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,99 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 99 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 69 that the power and acuteness of hearing is possessed in , veater or less degree by different individuals, and depends upon the sen- sibility of the auric nerves. It will not be out of place nor unin- teresting to show the effect of sound and the manner in which it is heard by the organs of the car. It is said that the human car is capable of appreciating as many as twenty-four thousand vibra- tions ina sccond, and that the whole range of human liearing, from the lowest note of the organ to the highest known cry of in- sects, as of the cricket, includes ninc octaves. Sound first strikes the drum or tympanum, a thin membrane which closes the aperture of the car ; when this drum vibrates by the sonorous undulations of the external air ; the vibrations are communicated by minute bones, muscles, and fluid in the cavity of the car, and are then conveyed to the brain ; and to show how absolutely necessary it is that all the organs of the would-be ven- triloquist should be entire and without fault to succeed well, we will show how the ventriloquist makes that nice distinction of the gradation of sound, and by which he is cnabled to judge whether lic is causing his voice to "ppcar at the proper distance from his audience or not. Let any one firmly closc both cars by stopping them, then speak a few words: now, as the cars are stopped, the sound cannot enter immediately to the drum of the car, but it takes cognizance of the sound by a passage called the custachian tube, which ex- tends from the back part of the mouth to the cavity immediately behind the drum of the car. The sound vibrations made in the mouth are transmitted along this tube to the interior part of the organs of hearing. Now it is by a nice judgment of sound by this tube that the profes- sional ventriloquist judges the majority of his voices, especially thosc greatly obscured or mufiled. Not only must the auric nerves of the would-be ventriloquist be perfect, but he will become more proficient as he is able to study and understand t… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,99 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 99 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN believed, Cornillot had improved the trick and was using more than one tree or plant. Cornillot remained in England for some time and is classed among the conjurers of good repute. Another bill in my collection shows that he played at the Theatre of Variety, Catherine Street, Strand, in October, 1823. He was then assisted by several singers and dancers, including the famous Misses Hamilton and Howe, pupils of M. Corri. In his company was also an Anglo-Chinese juggler, who, in addition to feats of juggling, "swallows an egg, a sword, and a stone, a la Ramo Samee." To sum up the evidence against Robert-Houdin in this particular trick: Four magicians of high repute gave public performances before Robert-Houdin knew and operated the orange-tree trick. Three eminent writers exposed it clearly and accurately. Robert-Houdin, as an indefatigable student of the history of magic, must have known of the trick and its modus operandum. He may have purchased it from Cornillot, or as a clever mechanician he had only to reproduce the trick invented by his predecessors, train his confederate in its operation- and-by his cleverly written autobiography-attempt to establish his claim to its invention. [ 82 ] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,100 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 100 | 84 LATEST MAGIC closely within that its presence or absence is not perceptible to sight. If a coin be laid in the box upon the disc and the box is then closed and turned over, the disc settles down over the coin in the opposite half, either leaving the box apparently b a C FIG. 14 empty or exhibiting in place of the original coin a substitute with which the opposite side of the box has been previously loaded. Thus far, as the reader will doubtless have per- ceived, the effect produced (save that a coin instead of a card is dealt with) is precisely the same as in | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,100 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 100 | or at a distance. Ample directions have been given how all this is donc, but let it be understood that it is most essential. The stu- dent may then practice before a friend, and he will be astonished to find that he can deceive any listener, as to the point from which the sound comes ; and will be gratified that he has become the source of great amusement to himself as well as in the circle in which he moves. Thus we have acquired a working power in the art which, we trust, we have now explained to the satisfaction of the reader. The progress of the student will, of course, be facilitated by an inherent propensity of mimicry, which often approaches some of the minor attainments of ventriloquism. In every company some person may be found who, without any professional instruction, can give admirable limitations, of the voice, gait, and peculiarities of a frient or acquaintance; thus proving that Nature, to some extent, supplies the basis upon which, if we may use the phrase, | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,100 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 100 | CHAPTER III THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE I N his "Memoirs" Robert-Houdin eulogizes the vari- ous automata which he claims to have invented. The picturesque fashion in which he describes the tre- mendous effort put forth ere success crowned his la- , bors would render his arguments most convincing-if stern historical facts did not contradict his every statement. One of the most extraordinary mechanical figures which he exploits as his invention was the writing and drawing figure, which he exhibited at the Quinquennial Exhibition in 1844, but never used in his public perform- ances, though he asserts that he planned to exhibit it between performances at his own theatre. This au- tomaton, he says, laid the foundation of his financial success and opened the way to realizing his dream of appearing as a magician. On page 196 of his "Memoirs," American edition, he starts his romantic description of its conception and manufacture. According to this he had just planned what promised to be the most brilliant of his mechanical in- ventions when financial difficulties intervened. He was obliged to raise two thousand francs to meet a pressing debt. He applied to the ever-convenient Monsieur G-- who had bought automata from him before. He described the writing and drawing figure minutely to his patron, [83] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,101 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 101 | THE MASCOT COIN BOX 85 the case of the card-box. But the "mascot" has a speciality of its own, in the fact that in that half of the box marked a (see Fig. 14) a horizontal slot is cut on the side opposite to the hinge, just long enough and wide enough to allow the passage of a halfcrown. The wood being dead black, this small opening is invisible save to close inspection, which the box is never called upon to undergo. When it is desired to gain secret possession of a coin lent by one of the company, the lender is invited to place it himself in the box, held open bookwise as in Fig. 14, the side b of the box having been previously loaded with a duplicate coin. The lender of the coin may place it in whichever side of the box he pleases, but the manner of clos- ing the box will vary accordingly. If he places it in the side a, the opposite (or loaded) side is treated as the lid and turned down over a. In this case, the coin being already in the slotted half, no turn- over of the box is necessary, the performer having merely to allow the coin to slip out into his hand. In the opposite case, viz., that of the coin being placed in b, a is treated as the lid, and the coin being in this case above the disc the box must be turned over before it can be extracted. If pre- ferred the performer can hold the box SO that the coin will naturally be placed in b, but in this case the turn-over is unavoidable. When the box is again opened, the duplicate coin is revealed in place of the original, which is mean- | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,101 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 101 | THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. 91 the complete superstructure of vocal illusion may be raised. The possession of this quality would amount, comparatively, to little, without instruction and perseverance. Here, as in other respects, practice makes perfect ; and, more than that, a dilligent applica- tion of our rules will invest the originally defective ainateur with an attainment which the ignorant will attribute to the possession of a supernatural gift. All we need say in conclusion is, that the rules propounded will not only clear away imaginary difficulties from the path of the student, but entitle him, like ourselves, to an acquirement more or less near perfection, according to a natural gift of mimicry, and to the zeal with which he may study and practice the art. THE MAGIC WHISTLE. It will be pleasant when the wind is howling without, among the snow-laden limbs of the trees, to be reminded of the gay sum- mer by the counterfeit notes of the woodland songsters ; or, wan- dering among the woods and fields in spring or summer time, how glorious to challenge the feathered musicians to a contest of skill with you in their own sweet language. Wc propose to in- struct the reader in the manufacture of a little instrument by which the notes of birds, voices of animals, and various peculiar sounds may bc imitated. First, look at the annexed diagram, and then procure a leek and cut off from the green leaf thereof a piece about the size of the diagram ; then lay it on a smooth table, and with the thumb-nail delicately scrape away a small semi-circular patch of the green pulpy substance of the leaf [as represented in the diagram], being careful to leave the fine membrane of outer skin of the leaf un- injured-and there is the instrument complete. It may require several experimens to make the first onc, but once having discov- cred the right way, they are very casily manufactured. The reader may not be aware of the fact that the leaf of the leck has a fine transparent outer skin, which is quite tough, but by breaking and carefull… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,101 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 101 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN 1 who immediately agreed to advance two thousand five hundred francs, and if the figure was completed in eight- een months, two thousand five hundred francs more were to be paid for it, making five thousand francs in all. If the figure was never completed, then Monsieur G was Writing and drawing figure claimed by Robert-Houdin as his invention. From Manning's Robert-Houdin brochure. to reimburse himself for the amount advanced by select- ing automatic toys from Robert-Houdin's regular stock. After liquidating his debt, Robert-Houdin retired to Belleville, a suburb of Paris, where for eighteen months he worked upon the figure, seeing his family only twice a week, and living in the most frugal fashion. He employed a wood-carver to make the head, but the result was so unsatisfactory that in the end he was obliged, not only to make all the complicated machinery which operated the figure, but to carve the head itself, [84] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,102 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 102 | 86 LATEST MAGIC while dealt with as may be necessary for the pur- pose of the trick. After the borrowed coin has been extracted, the further fall of the disc closes the slot, and bars any possibility of the substitute coin escaping in the same way. The following will be found an easy way of working the exchange. "For the purpose of my next experiment,' says the performer, "I shall have to ask the loan of a halfcrown; marked in such a way that you can be sure of knowing it again. I should like one, if possible, that has seen some service, for a coin in the course of circulation imbibes a certain amount of magnetic fluid from each person who handles it ; and this renders a well-worn coin more susceptible to magical influences than a new one." The reason alleged for asking the loan of an old coin is of course "spoof," but there is a reason; and it is twofold. In the first place it ensures your getting a coin tolerably like your own; which you have chosen in accordance with that description, and which you have marked after some common- place fashion, say with a cross scratched upon one of its faces. Secondly, a well-worn coin, having lost the sharp edge which is caused by the milling in a new one, passes the more easily through the slot, which for obvious reasons is kept as narrow as possible. Performer, advancing toward the person offer- ing the coin, continues: | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,102 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 102 | 92 THE PRACTICAL MAGICIAN. imitate the barking of a dog and the neighing of a horse. With two or three weeks' practice, you will be able to imitate some of the song birds ; but to produce exact counterfeits of the best sing- ing birds will probably require months of study ; the result, how- ever, will reward you for all your pains, for certainly to be able to carry a mocking bird, canary, thrush, cat-bird and sucking-pig in your vest pocket, is no small accomplishment. When not using the instrument, it should be kept in a glass of water to prevent its drying. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,102 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 102 | THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE which, he adds, in some miraculous fashion, resembled himself. This resemblance, however, cannot be traced in existing cuts of the figure. The chapter devoted to this particular automaton is so diverting that I quote literally from its pages, thus giving my readers an opportunity to take the true measure of the writer and the literary style of his "Memoirs." Here is his description of his moment of triumph: "I had only to press a spring in order to enjoy the long-waited-for result. My heart beat violently, and though I was alone I trembled at the mere thought of this imposing trial. I had just laid the first sheet of paper before my writer and asked him this question : 'Who is the author of your being?' I pressed the spring, and the clockwork started-began acting. I dared hardly breathe through fear of disturbing the operations. The automaton bowed to me, and I could not refrain from smiling on it as on my own son. But when I saw the eyes fix an attentive glance on the paper-when the arm, a few seconds before numb and lifeless, began to move and trace my signature in a firm hand-the tears started in my eyes and I fervently thanked Heaven for granting me success. And it was not alone the satisfaction I ex- perienced as an inventor, but the certainty I had of being able to restore some degree of comfort to my family, that caused my deep feeling of gratitude. "After making my Sosia repeat my signature a thou- sand times, I gave it this question: 'What o'clock is it?' The automaton, acting in obedience to the clock, wrote, 'It is two in the morning.' This was a timely warning. I profited by it and went straight to bed." [85] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,103 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 103 | THE MASCOT COIN BOX 87 "I don't want even to touch the coin myself till the very last moment, so I will ask you meanwhile to put it in this little box. I believe it was built for a watch-case, but as I don't happen to need one, I use it to hold my money, when I have any, or when I can get somebody to lend me some." The box is held open bookwise, as above men- tioned, and closed according to circumstances, in one or the other of the two ways described. "I will now ask some gentleman to take charge of the coin in the box. Who will do so? You will, Sir? Thank you. But stay! I think I heard somebody say (it was only said in a whisper but I heard it) 'I don't believe the halfcrown is in the box.' It is very sad to find people so suspicious, especially when I take such pains to prove that there is 'no deception.' But the gentleman was wrong, you see." (He opens box, and shows the substitute coin.) "Here it is. Take it out, sir, and keep it in your own hands till I ask you for it again." During the delivery of the patter the borrowed coin has been extracted, and the coin exhibited in the box and handed for safe-keeping is, of course, the substitute. The box, as being no longer needed, is laid without remark upon the table, and the trick proceeds, after whatever may have been its intended fashion. | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,103 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 103 | THE Hunters' and Trappers' COMPLETE GUIDE. A MANUAL OF INSTRUCTION IN THE ART OF HUNTING, TRAPPING AND FISHING. This book will be found very valuable to those who have not had exporience in these healthy, manly and profitable pursuits. The book is thorough in detail in every respect. The young sporteman can learn bow to use the Guu or Rifle with earc and precision. and become an unerring shot. The mystery of making, setting and baiting Traps successfully, is shown. The Best Methods of Catching all kinds of Fish, Either in the Sca, Lake or River, is told practically and understandingly. The whole Art of Managing and Training Dogs for Spcrting Purposes, and all about the care of Skins and Furs, so that they will fetch the highest market price, is given, with a vast amount of other valuable information relating to the Hunters Craft. ABOUT GUNS. TRAPPING. How TO SELECT A GUN. How TO MARE Trars. BREECH-LOADERS. SETTING AND BAITING Trars. llow TO LOAD A GUN. PROPER SEASON FOR TRAPPING. The ART OF GUNNING. HINTS TO TRAPPERS. THE RIFLE, AND How TO Use IT. SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS FOR Trap- ABOUT Dogs. ring AND SNAREING ALL KINDS MANAGEMENT OF Dogs. OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS. TRAINING OF DoGs. FISHING. BEST Dogs FOR SHOOTERS. BAITS. Hooks, Lines, Rods, &c. HUNTING, GUNNING AND SHOOTING. HIow TO CATCH VARIOUS KINDS or RABEIT SHOOTING. FISII. SNIPE SHOOTING. THE ART OF STRETCEING AND PARTRIDGE SHOOTING, CURING SKINS, WOODCOCK SUOOTING. DRESSING AND TANNING SKINS AND WILD Fowl SHOOTING. Funs. DEER HUNTING. COLORING AND Dreing SKINS AND BUFFALO HIUNTING. Frns. The Book is indispensable to all who delight to Fish, llunt or Trap, either for sport or profit. The instructions will enable anyone to become thoroughly expert in the Sports and Pastimes of the River, Field or Forest. Illustrations are given, where needed, to clucidate matters, as in the construction of traps, &c. This book will place many in a position to turn their spare time to a very profitable account. Furs and Skins are always in demand, and if properly caught and managed,… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,103 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 103 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN Robert-Houdin injects a little humor into this chapter, for he relates that as Molière and J. J. Rousseau con- sulted their servants, he decided to do likewise; so early the next morning he in- Lebe hich ulu schoene vited his portress and Stadt Dresden her husband, Auguste, a stone-mason, to be pres- else Sode ent at the first perform- ance of the figure. The Les Androides mason's wife chose the question, "What is the vienment reveir emblem of fidelity?" The automaton replied leur pays by drawing a pretty lit- tle greyhound, lying on Specimens of penmanship executed by the Droz writing automaton in 1796 and a cushion. The stone- 1906 respectively. From the brochure mason wished to see the issued by the Society of History and Archaeology, Canton of Neuchatel, Switz- works, saying: "I under- erland. stand about that sort of thing, for I have always greased the vane on the church steeple, and have even taken it down twice." When the work was completed, according to page 208 of the American edition of his "Memoirs," he returned to Paris, collected the remaining two thousand five hundred francs due him from Monsieur G , to whom he delivered the figure, and two thousand francs more on an automatic nightingale made for a rich merchant of St. Petersburg. Incidentally he men- tions that during his absence his business had pros- pered, but he fails to state who managed it for him, and here is where I believe credit should be given Opre, [86] - | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,104 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 104 | MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY Requirements. Coin mat loaded with two double pennies, shell side undermost. Lighted candle and velvet mat (with pocket) on table. Presentation. Performer comes forward with coin mat hanging down in his right hand (mouth of loaded space upwards), and asks for the loan of a penny, marked in some conspicuous way. Receiv- ing it on the mat, he shows it, so placed, to the per- sons, seated on each side of the owner, in so doing making it obvious to them, without remark, that his hands are otherwise empty. Then returning to his table, with the mat and the coin on it still in his hand, he delivers patter to the following effect: "Now I am going to show you a nice easy way of making money. I was told when I was a small boy, "Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.' I believe they do. The pounds take such good care of themselves that very few of them seem to come my way. But you can make a bit even with pennies, if you know how to set about it. All you need is a really good penny to start with. It doesn't matter how you get the penny. You may beg, borrow, or steal it. Per- 88 | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,104 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 104 | CHEAPEST AND BEST IN THE WORLD. THE N. Y. HOME MAGNET Is a Beautifully Iilustrated, Large, 32 Column Paper, Published regularly every month, at the low rate of FIFTY CENTS A YEAR. The price is the only "cheap" thing about it. Haudsomely illastrated. 1t is first class in every way, shape and manner. BOYS will read it, for it has the best Hunting, Indian and Sea Stories tells how to make traps, toys, bows and arrows, etc., etc. GIRLS will like to hare it, for it is brimful of superior Tales of the Affecions and of Home Life ; will any quantity of articles on Love-making, Household Managemeut, Fashions, 1.10 ' oilet Mysteries, l'eserving, Cutting Dresses, Workiug Crochet, Lace, Brald, etc., etc. MEN willlike it for i18 vast amount of valnable information on every subject that can improve the mind, the morals and the habits. Givingall new phases of thouglit, all new luventions, aud particularly those by which mouey can be easily made. LADIES go to embeillsh nome, and render it nore attractive; tenchings in every kind of willlike The MAGNET, for in its columns will be foand everything detailed that can culinary ecounty, and modes ef making little money go a good way In household mauagement. EVERYBODY will like THE MAONET, for in its columns will be tound somithing to sult every taste, whether grave or gay; whether in search of amusemient, In- struction or protit, you will became for its pernsal wiser, better and richer. Nothlug 18 tou light and amusing, nothing too grave, learued or uneful to flud a fit place 111 THE MAONET'S varied pages. These are a few of the subjects that will befound in every number of THE MAGNET : Tales and Romances. Maids, Wives aad Widows. Ways that are Dark. Lively Editorials. Young Folks' Department. Humorous Department. our knowledge Hox. Poetry. Mousehold Hints. Health Hints. Facts und Figures. Portfollo of Iuformation. Answers to Correspondents. Coujuring. Aud hundreds of other useful and profitable employments will be written upon and explained by experts, 80 tuat the reader cau both inf… | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,104 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 104 | THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE the Dutch inventor, who was unquestionably Robert- Houdin's assistant for years. In 1844 he claims to have borrowed the writing and drawing figure from the obliging Monsieur G- to exhibit it at the Quinquennial Exposition, where it attracted the attention of Louis Philippe and his court, thus insuring its exhibitor the silver medal. At this point Robert-Houdin deliberately drops the writing and drawing figure, leaving his readers to believe that it was returned to its rightful owner, Monsieur G , but, unfortunately for his claims, another historian steps in here to cast reflections on Monsieur G- owner- ship of the figure. This writer is the world's greatest showman, the late P. T. Barnum, who purchased the figure at this same exposition of 1844, paying for it a goodly sum, and this incident is one of the significant omissions of the Robert-Houdin "Memoirs." Either Robert-Houdin sold the figure to Mr. Barnum for Mon- sieur G , or such a person as Monsieur G never existed, for in his own book Mr. Barnum writes: "When I was abroad in 1844 I went to Paris expressly to attend the "Quinquennial Exposition'-a exhibition then held every five years. I met and became well ac- quainted with a celebrated conjurer, as he called himself, Robert-Houdin, but who was not only a prestidigitateur and legerdemain performer, but a mechanic of absolute genius. I bought at the exposition the best automaton he exhibited and for which he obtained a gold medal. I paid a round price for this most ingenious little figure, which was an automaton writer and artist. It sat on a small table, pencil in hand; and, if asked, for instance, [87] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,105 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 105 | MONEY-MAKING MADE EASY 89 sonally, I prefer to borrow it. If you try the other two ways you get yourself disliked, but you can always get people to lend you things, if you ask prettily; and I've always been celebrated for my nice borrowing manner. You must all have no- ticed that the gentleman lent me a penny without the slightest hesitation. I daresay if I had asked him, he would have made it two-pence, or even six- pence, if he had as much about him. In this case, however, one penny is enough for my purpose; and here it is with the owner's own mark upon it. Observe that it is just a plain ordinary penny, and you can see for yourselves that it is the only one I have-in my hands, I mean. I am always truth- ful. As a matter of fact, I believe I have another in my left trouser-pocket, but I promise you that I won't use it.'' Pass mat, with coin on it, from one hand to the other, showing the hands otherwise empty, and leaving the mat finally in the right hand: then let the marked coin slide off it into left hand, the concealed coins passing with it. Put down the mat, and show all three coins together (the marked coin in front) held between fore-finger and thumb, broadside toward the spectators. Thus held, they are, even at a few feet distant, undistinguishable from a single coin. "Now I am going to make money. Not much, perhaps, in fact only a penny at a time. I shall start by making this one penny into two. Cent | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,105 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 105 | THE Book OF KNOWLEDGE AND Sure Cuide to Rapid Wealth. Fortunes are mado every day by the manufacturing selling of some of tho articles here given. Directions are given for making all kinds of Cosmetics, Lotions, Ointments, Patent Medicines, Soaps, Cements, etc. The secrets used by Metal workers, how to make Gold, Silver and the various precious stones, with many practical directions for working and using the commoner metals. The secrets of the Liquor trade are fully detailed, and the choiccst receipts and formulas are given for the making of different kinds of liquors, including the new method of making Cider without Apples, all without the use of poisons or poisonous drugs. It is arranged and divided into departments for the use of Liquor Dealers, Tho Household, Druggists, Confectioners, Manufacturers, Hunters & Trappers, Farmers, Perfumers, Medical Men, Artists. No one, whatever be his position in life, can fail to find some- thing in this book that will repay a hundredfold its price. Many of the receipts have been advertised and sold for sums ranging from 25 cents to ten dollars. We send the whole book, postage free, for 25 cents. SINGING MADE EASY. This book shows how any one with an ordinary voice can, by proper management, as here indicated, becomo proficient in singing. It explains the pure Italian method of producing and cultivating the voice, the management of the breath and voice organs, the best way of improving the ear, how to sing a ballad, with much other valuable information equally useful to Profes- sional Singers and Amateurs. Price 20 cents. RIDDLES, CONUNDRUMS AND PUZZLES, The choicest, newest and best collection of Riddles, Conun- drums, Charades, Enigmas, Anagrams, Rebusses, Transpositions, Puzzles, Problems, Paradoxes and other entertaining matter, ever published. Here is Fun for the Mirthful, Food for the Curious. and Matter for the Thoughtful. Price 20 cents. Address all orders to HURST & Co., 75 Nassau Street, N. v. | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,105 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 105 | THE UNMASKING OF ROBERT-HOUDIN for an emblem of "fidelity,' it would instantly draw the picture of a handsome dog; if love was wanted, a cupid was exquisitely pencilled. The automaton would also answer many questions in writing. I took this curiosity The late P. T. Barnum, the world's greatest showman, who bought the writing and drawing figure from Robert-Houdin, and wrote at length of the French conjurer is his autobiography. Born July 5, 1810. Died April 7, 1891. From the Harry Houdini Collection. to London, where it was exhibited for some time at the Royal Adelaide Gallery, and then I sent it across the Atlantic to my American Museum, where it attracted great attention from the people and the press. During my visit, Houdin was giving evening legerdemain per- [88] | |
latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf,106 | latestmagicbeing00hoff.pdf | 106 | 90 LATEST MAGIC per cent is not bad, is it ? Observe, I use no vio- lence. It's all done by kindness. I just warm the coin a little over this candle-flame. That softens the metal and I am able to squeeze another penny out of this one, so!" Show as two accordingly, by sliding off the hindermost coin in its shell, exhibiting it on both sides, and laying it on the table. "You have all heard of turning an honest penny. Well, this is one way of doing it. It is said, too, that one good turn deserves another, so we'll try again. I warm the first penny a little more, and again I pull another out of it.'' (Draw second double coin from behind the original penny.) "Now we have three, two in my hands" (showing one in each hand) "and one on the table. "I think I heard somebody say that I couldn't make any more I don't like to do it, because the process takes a good deal out of the original penny, and I might spoil it. On the other hand, I don't like to decline a challenge, so here goes! I warm these two again, and then, with a little extra pres- sure, because it naturally becomes more difficult each time, I get yet another penny, as you see. So now, in all, we have four." (Show those in hand as three, by drawing solid coin out of shell, then, picking up double coin from mat, show as four accordingly.) "Did I hear a lady say 'Just one more'? Well, then, one more." (Develop the double coin just picked up, and show as five.) | |
practicalmagicia00harr.pdf,106 | practicalmagicia00harr.pdf | 106 | Fortlune Telling Made Easy; OR, THE DREAMERS' SURE GUIDE. CONTAINING PLAIN, CORRECT AND CERTAIN RULES FOR FORETELLING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BY THE CELEBRATED GABRIEL, The Astrologer of the 19th Century. A Complete Oracle of Destiny. In this Book yon have all that was ever made known by the ancient Egyp. tians, Assyrians, Persians, Grecks, Chinese and Hindoos relating to the occult sciences. Much has been procured from overlooked sources, and transcribed from the original hieroglyphies. The substance, also. of all that has been brought to light by the researches and investigations of modern Astrologers and Professors is here laid before the reader in a plain and intelligible manner. This Book contains The celebrated Grecian Oracle of Destiny.- -The renowned Egyptian Fortune Telling Tablets.-Th Great Hindoo Trial of Destiny.-Palmistry the art of telling fortunes by the lines on the hand.-Fity-two Grecian observations on moles.-Hlow - to make the Dumb Cake.-The - birth of children, and forc- telling other events by the moon's age and the days of the week.-Tc know if yourlovcofa person will be mutual.-Charms, Spells and Incantations, To procure Dreams, Tokens, and other insights inio futurity.-Fast of St. Agnes -The Nine Keys. Magic Rose.-Cupid's Nosegay.- - The Ring and the Olive Branch.-Love's Cordial.-TheWitches Chain.-Love Letters.- Strange Bed. - To see a uturehusband.- - Toknow whatfortune your future husband will have.-The Lovers'Charm.-Ilymenial Charm. -For a girl to ascertain if she willsoon arry.-Physiognomy: the art of discovering a person's disposition by their features.- -How to tcll a person's character by means of Cabalistic calculations.- -Fortune-telling by means of a tea or cof- fec cup-How to read your fortune by the white of an egg.-To chcose a husband by the hair.-Lucky day8.-Fortune telling by dice. -Fortune tell- ing by cards.-Dreams and their interpretation.-s complete dictionary of dreams. This Book will acquaint you truthfully about What your pertico in life will be. Whether you will dio … | |
unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf,106 | unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 106 | THE WRITING AND DRAWING FIGURE formances, and by his pressing invitation I frequently was present. He took great pains, too, to introduce me to other inventors and exhibitors of moving figures, which I liberally purchased, making them prominent features in the attractions of the American Museum." Barnum then continued to describe Robert-Houdin's greatness and his cleverness in the use of electricity. The showman was always a welcome guest at the magi- cian's house, and he relates how, at luncheon time, The figure of Cupid as executed by the Droz drawing figure. From the brochure issued by the Society of History and Archacology, Canton of Neu- chatel, Switzerland. Robert-Houdin would touch a knob and through the floor would rise a table, laden with inviting viands. These details in the Barnum book make it all the more inex- plicable that Robert-Houdin should omit all mention of the great showman's name in his "Memoirs." Just at this time the amusement-seeking public seemed greatly interested in automata, so it was only natural that Barnum, great showman that he was, should scour Europe for mechanical figures. Soon after he purchased the writing and drawing figure claimed by [89] |
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