OF PALMISTRY AND PASSES.
The true nature and limit of the art of Conjuring has now been
defined—what it is that we assume to do, and wherein we have
discontinued the exaggerated pretensions of the conjurors of the old
school; and I have hinted in what respects, and within what bounds, a
young amateur may gim at exhibiting some amusing experiments in our
art. But it remains for me to explain the grand pre-requisite for a
novice to cultivate before he should attempt to exhibit before others
even the simplest tricks of prestidigitation or legerdemain, to which
we at present confine our attention.
I have first to speak of PALMISTRY, not in the sense that the
fortune-teller uses the word, but as expressing the art of the conjuror
in secreting articles in the PALM of one hand while he appears to
transfer those articles to his other hand. It is absolutely necessary
that the young amateur should acquire the habit of doing this so
adroitly as to escape the observation of others while doing it openly
before their eyes.
The two principal passes are the following:
FIRST PASS; or, method of apparently carrying an object from the right
hand to the left, while actually retaining it in the right hand.
The reader will please to observe that the illustrative sketches depict
the hands of the performer as seen by himself.
FIRST POSITION OF PASS 1.
The right hand, having the knuckles and back of the fingers turned
toward the spectators, and holding openly a cent, or some similar
object, between the thumb and forefinger, must be moved toward the left
hand.
The left hand must be held out, with the back of the hand toward the
ground, as exhibited in the illustration. (Fig. 1.)
[Illustration: FIG. 1. First Position of Pass 1.]
SECOND POSITION OF PASS 1.
The left hand must appear to close over the object that is brought
toward it, at the same instant that the right hand secretes and
withdraws that object.
The left hand that appeared to receive it must continue closed. The
right hand, though it actually retains the object, must be allowed to
hang loosely over it, so that it appears to have nothing in it.
[Illustration: FIG. 2. Second Position of Pass 1.]
The performer then may blow upon the closed left hand, and may say,
“Fly,” or “Begone,” or any similar expression, and then open his
left hand, holding it forward. Of course there is nothing in it, and
the object seems to have flown from it, and the spectators are much
surprised.
SECOND PASS.—Method of apparently transferring an object from the left
hand to the right, while retaining it in the left hand.
FIRST POSITION.
Let the left hand hold up the object in its open palm. The right hand
is brought toward the left hand, but only appears to grasp it.
[Illustration: FIG. 3. First Position of Pass 2.]
SECOND POSITION.
The left hand secretes the object in its palm, while the fingers are
allowed to fall loosely down, appearing to retain nothing under them.
At the very same moment the right hand must be closed, and remain
in shape as if containing the object, with the second joints of the
fingers pointed toward the spectators, and the back of the hand toward
the ground. The performer then holding his right hand forward, may blow
on it and say “Change—fly,” and opening that hand, the spectator deems
the object has passed away from it, though in fact it has remained all
along in the left hand.
[Illustration: FIG. 4. Second Position of Pass 2.]
The illusion in either of these passes is, that the spectator seeing
both hands move as if the object were passing from one to the other,
thinks it has done so; whereas, in fact, the object always remains in
the hand where it was first visible to the spectators. The BACK of that
hand where the object is first displayed must afterwards be kept well
toward the spectators.
Observe, the eye of the performer must rest always on the hand or
object at which he desires the spectators to look, and whatever he
wishes them not to notice, he himself must refrain from looking at.
If it is not required that the very object that has been held up in
these passes be seen again by the spectators, the performer must
quietly pocket it, or drop it on a handkerchief on his table, or inside
a hat, or otherwise get rid of it as soon as he conveniently can.
On the contrary, if that very object must be again produced or
transferred to a person standing at some little distance, this must be
effected by one of the following methods:
Either you must take care beforehand to place adroitly in that person’s
cap or pocket a double or similar object.
Or, you must walk up to him, and putting your hand on his hair, sleeve,
or pocket, quickly place there the object you have all along retained,
and which you must pretend by this manœuvre to find in his possession.
Or, lastly, you will see in the first trick subjoined, a method of
substituting one object for another.
* * * * *
FIRST TRICK.—To command a dime to pass into the centre of a ball of
Berlin wool, so that it will not be discovered till the ball is unwound
to the very last of its threads.
REQUISITE PREPARATIONS, TO BE MADE PRIVATELY.
You will require a glass bowl or quart basin, and you must have a
flattened tube of tin about four inches long. It must be just large
enough to let a dime slide easily through it by its own weight. Round
the end on this tube wind a ball of Berlin wool of bright color,
covering about two inches of the tube, and projecting about an inch
beyond the end of it. Place this ball with the tube in it in your
right-hand pocket of coat tail, (or in the left breast-pocket, if that
is large enough to hold it completely covered.) Lastly, place a dime
concealed in the palm of your left hand.
Commence the exhibition of the trick by requesting one of the
spectators to mark a dime (or cent) of his own, so that he will be sure
to know it again. Then ask him to lend you that coin. Holding it up in
your right hand, you may say, “Now, ladies and gentlemen, this is the
marked dime which I shall experiment with. The gentleman has accurately
marked it, so that there can be no mistake about its identity when
reproduced.” Then by Pass 1 pretend to transfer the marked coin to your
left hand, but in reality retain it in your right hand. Next, hand with
your left hand your own dime (which had been secreted in that hand) to
some person, and request him to hold it. Choose for this person some
one three or four yards distant from yourself, and also from the person
who originally marked the coin. It is unnecessary to explain that you
do so, lest the two should compare notes. Of course, the person who
is asked to hold it will believe that it is the very dime that was
borrowed.
You may proceed to say: “Now we want a ball of worsted.” So, placing
your right hand in your pocket, pretend to feel about for something in
your pocket, and while doing so you must place the dime in the top of
the tin tube, and shake it down. Then carefully draw the tube out of
the ball of worsted; and leave the tube in your pocket, but draw the
ball out of your pocket, pressing it together while doing so.
Then request some one to feel the ball in order to ascertain that it
has no opening towards its centre.
You may here make some humorous remark about your having such a ball in
your pocket. As for instance:
“Ladies may think it odd that I have such a ball of Berlin wool in my
pocket. It was bought to please my cousin Mary Ann, or my Aunt Tabitha.
Well, it will do very fairly for our experiment.”
Then request some one to hold the glass basin containing the woollen
ball. While you retain in your hand the end of the woollen thread,
address the gentleman who has consented to hold the dime, asking him
to hand it to you. Take it in your right hand, pretend by Pass 1 to
transfer it to your left hand, but in reality keep it concealed in your
right hand.
Holding up your closed left hand, (which in fact has nothing in it,)
you may say:
“Now, dime, pass along this woollen thread into the very centre of the
woollen ball which is there held in the glass bowl or basin.”
Blow upon your left hand, and show that the dime is gone.
You must adroitly get rid of the dime, which has remained secreted in
your right hand, by placing it in your pocket or sleeve while making
some humorous remark, or while asking some lady or gentleman to draw
the woollen thread till it is all unwound. It will be done the quicker
by letting the ball be confined loosely in the bowl with two fingers
preventing its leaping out.
Draw attention to how completely the coin is wrapped up till you arrive
at the very last circles, when it will drop into the bowl.
Hand the dime to the owner who marked it, and let him declare whether
he recognizes it as the very one he lent you. His affirmative will
surprise the spectators.
SECOND TRICK.—To change a bowl of ink into clear water, with gold fish
in it.
REQUISITE PREPARATION, TO BE MADE PRIVATELY BEFOREHAND.
The same glass bowl as in previous trick. If your bowl has not a foot
to it, it must be placed on something that will hold it high above your
table. Some small fish, a white plate or saucer, a piece of black silk
just fitting the inside of your bowl, a spoon of peculiar construction,
so that in a hollow handle it will retain about a teaspoonful of ink,
which will not run out as long as a hole near the top of the handle is
kept covered or stopped. A large tumbler and two or three minnows will
do for a simpler exhibition, but will, of course, not be so pleasing to
the eye.
Place the black silk so as to cover the part of the bowl that is
shaded; when damp it will adhere to the glass. Pour in clear water to
fill the space covered by the black silk, and place the fish in the
water.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.]
Commence the trick in public thus: Holding the spoon-handle slanting up
and uncovering the hole in the handle, the ink which you have placed
in the handle will run into the bowl of the spoon, and the spoon being
held carefully to the surface of the water, concealing the black silk,
will give the spectators the impression that you fill the spoon from
the glass bowl.
Pour the spoonful of ink on a white saucer, and show it round to
convince the spectators it is ink. They will see it is undeniably ink,
and they will conclude, if the spoon were properly lifted out of the
bowl, that the glass bowl contains nothing but ink.
Borrowing a silk handkerchief, place it for a few seconds over the
bowl, and feigning to be inviting fish to come to the bowl, exclaim
“Change!” Then, placing your hand on the edge of the bowl near
yourself, draw off the handkerchief, and with it take care to catch
hold also of the black silk. The bowl when uncovered will exhibit
the fish swimming about in clear water. While the spectators are
surprised at the fish, return the handkerchief, having first dropped
out of it the black silk on your side of the table. Decline giving any
explanation, as people will not thank you for dispelling the illusion.
THIRD TRICK.—The Dancing Egg.
REQUISITE PREPARATION TO BE MADE IN PRIVATE.
An egg-shell that has been blown (my young friends will know that the
way to blow an egg is to make a small hole at each end of the egg.
Then, by blowing at one end, the yolk will be driven out, and the
egg-shell be left empty.)
Make a hole also on the side of the egg, in which insert a chip of
wood, or a small pin, held by a fine black silk thread, about twelve or
fourteen inches long, which must have a loop at the far end, which loop
fasten to a button on the coat or waistcoat; and have on a dark vest,
otherwise the dark thread becoming visible, will reveal the moving
power.
[Illustration: FIG. 6.]
Commence by borrowing two black hats. If there is an instrument in
the room, ask some one to play a lively tune, as “eggs are fond of
lively music to dance to.” Then, with the brim of a hat in each hand,
interpose the round of each hat successively under the thread that
holds the egg, moving them from your breast toward the egg. The egg
will appear to move of itself over the hats, as you place them under
it.
You must not allow people to handle the egg on the thread afterwards,
for when they see the simplicity of the process they will undervalue
the trick, whereas it appears marvellous as long as they do not
understand how the extraordinary movements are produced. And in these
illusions, as Hudibras expresses it,
Doubtless, the pleasure is as great
In being cheated as to cheat.
FOURTH TRICK.—The Walking Cent.
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION IN PRIVATE.
Ask for a long dark hair from some lady’s tresses. Have a pin in shape
of a hook, or a small loop affixed to the end of this hair, and fasten
a little piece of beeswax (less than a pea) at the other end of the
hair. Fasten the hair by the loop to a button on your vest, taking care
to wear a dark-colored vest. The hair may be allowed to hang from your
vest, with the beeswax visible. Have a glass of water or cup on the
table.
Commence the exhibition of the trick by borrowing a cent. While
pretending to examine the cent to see if it is a good one, press the
waxed end of the hair firmly to the under side of the cent, and place
it about a foot from the edge of a table. Then bid the cent to move
toward you, to the right or to the left, and by gently moving your body
in whatever direction you name, the hair will draw the cent in the same
direction. You may say, while your left hand is near the table, “Now,
cent, move up my arm.” Advancing your arm gently, the cent will appear
to move up to your elbow. It is your arm that moves, but it will appear
to the spectators as if the cent moved; or you may help it up the
outside of the sleeve by interposing your right hand under the hair, so
as to draw up the cent, while appearing to beckon it.
“Now, cent, as you have performed so well, you shall have a bath.”
Placing the tumbler near the edge of the table, draw the cent into it.
After exhibiting it in the water, say, “Oh, cent, you must not stay so
long in the water.” Then jerk it out upon the table. Detach the waxed
end of the hair by your nail, after which return the cent to the person
who loaned it to you.
When performing this trick, in order to keep the spectators at a little
distance, you must inform them that “the cent is very susceptible to
magnetic influences, and request ladies not to approach too near it, as
the loadstones of their eyes are the cause of the magnetic attraction.”
[Illustration: FIG. 7.]
My young friends must remember that it is absolutely necessary to
keep up in spectators their belief in the mysterious, and therefore
must decline on the spot to give explanations before or after the
performance of this trick, however they may be disposed to reveal the
secret privately to any friend. A singular instance is recorded of
a person who was grievously disappointed when by importunity he had
received an explanation of this very trick, which had appeared at
first to him a most marvellous phenomenon; and he was quite annoyed
when the gilt was stripped off his ginger-bread. It is said that a
gentleman walked into a coffee-room at Manchester, England, and was
exhibiting to a friend the above trick. A traveler at a table near them
had his attention drawn by their laughing discourse, while one of them
exhibited the trick to the other. The cold barrier of English reserve
was broken down, and he addressed one of the strangers, requesting to
be informed how the trick was done. For his part he imagined it must
be connected with some perfectly new philosophical law of attraction
involved in the experiment. “Will you be kind enough to tell me? I
shall be happy to offer a fee to learn it. I was about to proceed by
the next train, but I will gladly defer my journey to understand this,
which appears so unaccountable.”
The gentleman declined for a considerable time; but at length, being
overcome by the importunity, in order to get rid of the matter,
assented. The time of the departure of the train had arrived and passed
by, and the aspirant offered two guineas to learn the trick. The
gentleman acceded to his request on condition that he should faithfully
promise not to reveal it to others, or to make public the mystery.
“Agreed,” says the traveler. The mail train was gone—the money paid—the
trick exhibited and explained to him. “Oh!” cried the traveler,
“how easy and plain it is. What a simpleton I have been to lose my
journey and spend my money only to learn how you—.” “Stop!” cried the
gentleman, “remember you have promised not to divulge the secret.”
“Yes, but how foolish to care for an experiment which only depends
on—.” “Stop, sir, stop. Are you going to tell all the room?” and thus
a good half-hour’s amusement was caused by the traveler fretting over
his simplicity, and having relinquished an important journey for
that which, though marvellous while a secret, became so simple and
uninteresting to him after an explanation.