ON THE CONTINUITY OF TRICKS.
It may be useful now to invite attention to the theory of preserving a
continuity in the development of tricks, where circumstances admit of
this being done. Sundry displays of legerdemain admit of being adroitly
linked together; and I shall endeavor to explain why such an harmonious
continuity is preferable to an unconnected series of isolated tricks;
for when once a novice gets a clear perception of this principle, he
will be able, according to his own special taste, to produce a pleasing
variety of combinations in his experiments. He will thus rise above
being a mere copyist of the methods used by others, and so will give a
zest and freshness to his performances.
Now, there are many short and secondary dashes of legerdemain, which a
spirited performer will be able to introduce in addition to the tricks
which he is exhibiting. There are also several ornamental or fanciful
little tricks which would not rivet the attention of an audience if
exhibited by themselves. These, though unqualified to shine as the main
object of observation, may nevertheless be worked into the evening’s
entertainment as amusing by-play, and may thus prevent the interest
of the spectators from flagging. They may come in as accessories—as
stimulating side-dishes—causing the entertainment to bear a continuous
character, instead of merely consisting of sundry isolated experiments.
Let me be allowed to substantiate what I have advanced by reference to
some of the tricks which I have already described.
The reader will have seen that, in some of the tricks explained in
previous papers, there is simply some one definite object to be carried
out. For instance, in the two tricks which concluded the last paper,
the performer simply undertakes to throw the spools off the tape, or
to restore a tape which has been cut. He sets about this, accomplishes
it, and the trick is over. This is all very well as far as it goes.
If the trick is really a good one, it is like a host furnishing his
guests with a solid joint to satisfy their appetite; and it may do so.
But still it comes short of a lively entertainment. It is confessedly
dull for an audience to come to pauses or gaps between isolated tricks.
Their attention is unoccupied while the performer, having finished
off one trick, is making mute preparations to introduce some other
trick wholly unconnected with what has gone before. Such a method
will not keep awake the lively interest that the skilful combination
of the conjuror’s art will sustain. I maintain that varied by-play
and supplementary sets-off will greatly heighten the interest of the
performance.
It will also serve to disarm the suspicious and incredulous, preparing
them to believe what they might otherwise stand on their guard against.
Bare tricks brought forward as isolated experiments give time for the
mind to take its estimate of their possibility; and, of course, in
attempting to exhibit wonders, the improbability of them is apt to
stare people strongly in the face. They are perfectly convinced that
a dime cannot fly into an orange at the other end of the room, that
ink cannot become water, nor a hat be safely used as a frying-pan;
but if you interpose appearances and movements that are consistent
with such processes going on, they are gradually prepared to recognize
as a legitimate result what you have previously indicated as the
contemplated end of those processes.
The amplification or fuller development which I speak of can be
effected at any of the following stages:
1. In the introductory matter leading on to the main trick or
transformation:
2. In the subsequent stages of its development; or,
3. In the winding-up smartly or variedly the conclusion of a trick.
I do not say that every trick is to be amplified or loaded with
extraneous matter in all these different stages, (that would be to
run into the contrary extreme of over-cumbrous amplification;) but I
will endeavor to point out the effect of such development in the above
three stages of a trick, and if I can show that amplification in each
several one may be an improvement, I may be considered to have made
good my proposition that any trick may be improved and rendered more
interesting by one or other of those amplifications.
Let us see if we cannot lay down a bill of fare for our guests which,
going beyond a solid joint, (good as that may be in its way,) will
furnish them with some relishing accessory in the first course of a
trick, some stimulant side-dishes with its second course, or may please
with some bon-bons before the entertainment is quite concluded.
1. INTRODUCTORY.
Now, first as to introductory matter. Suppose a conjuror is able to
perform Trick 3—the “Dancing Egg”—it will waken up his audience if,
instead of proceeding at once with the trick, he can by sleight-of-hand
find out an egg in the whiskers or necktie of some unwatchful
spectator, and afterwards substitute for it the egg prepared with a
hair and wax.
The chief aim of introductory matter should be to enlist the thoughts
and expectations of your audience under your command, so as to preclude
their watching what you are driving at. Show all you can safely show
openly; enlarge upon the things being submitted to their own eyes and
touch; engage their eyes and ears with certain appearances leading
their thoughts to adopt your suggestions, so that, when you approach
the development intended, they have had no reason to suspect your
motives; thus having their confidence, you can jump at once to their
credulity, though there may, in fact, exist some gap, or illogical
process, which they omit to notice.
2. DURING THE SUCCESSIVE STAGES OF A TRICK.
I often vary and render more interesting the development of a trick by
some little by-play.
For instance, in the trick which I often use as my first trick I make
a candle an amusing helper, by snatching it from the candle-stick, and
asking some one to hold it wrapt up in paper.
And this unexpected service of the candle is wrought into the body of
the trick which I have in hand.
I change also a crystal ball into an orange by skilful manipulation.
By such brief diversion of the attention of the spectators, their
eyes are withdrawn from watching too narrowly some manœuvre that is
requisite to carry out the more important trick which you have in hand.
Or you may actually make an act, which is a mere accessory, cover some
important portion of the trick; as in the tape trick (No. 20.) While
PRETENDING TO SHOW YOUR ASSISTANT HOW TO HOLD the tape in HIS hand, you
slip the knot away unperceived wider YOUR OWN hand.
3. IN CONCLUDING A TRICK.
It greatly adds to the efficiency of a trick to let it finish off with
a sparkle, or some playful addition which gilds its exit.
For instance, in the trick of doubling the pocket-money, (7th trick,)
the little by-play of finding, or rather pretending to find, some
coins secreted in the sleeve of the young friend who has helped you,
is sure to bring out a good-humored laugh at the termination of the
trick. Again, in Trick 16, the additional fact of finding the watch in
the loaf makes a lively termination of the performance of the obedient
watch. In the 18th Trick, the glass of wine becoming solid might be
used as a good finish to any trick where some friend has assisted in
its exhibition.
You may often raise a good-humored laugh by appearing to swallow any
object which you have used in a trick—as an orange, ball, egg, or
dime—and afterwards bringing it out from your sleeve; or, by the use of
Pass 1, to drive a coin up one sleeve, round the back of your neck, and
down the other sleeve, into your right hand.
I not only consider such Amplifications of a trick lively and
interesting, but I maintain this to be the best way of employing
many secondary and short tricks wherever they can be brought in
appropriately as offshoots of longer and more important ones.
TRICK 21.—The invisible hen: a very useful trick for supplying eggs for
breakfast or dinner.
PREPARATION.
[Illustration: FIG. 20.]
In order to save the invisible hen trouble and delay, it will be
advisable to have eight or ten egg-shells, (as described in Trick 3;)
or some light imitation eggs, painted white, may be bought at any depot
of conjuring apparatus. A linen or camlet bag may also be procured from
the same depot, though I think a bag made at home, according to the
following directions, to be preferable.
It must be about the size of a small pillow, two feet three inches
across, and one foot nine inches deep. It has one of its sides of
double cloth, (x,) the other single, (z,) in the same way as leather
writing-cases have a pocket on one side, and a single cover on the
other. The double side is stitched together all round, with the
exception of an opening at A, which must be about five inches long, or
large enough to admit easily a hand to put in or take out the eggs.
This double side of the bag must always be kept towards the performer,
whereas the single side must be always kept towards the spectators;
and the only opening between these two sides is between C and D. On
the interior of the side of the double cloth bag, a strip or kind of
frill of the same cloth must be sewn, with an elastic binding round
the pockets or cups for eggs. The elastic binding will keep them in
these pockets, unless they are pressed by the thumb or finger, so as to
release them and let them fall into the centre of the double bag. The
strip has the appearance of a string of inverted egg-cups, thus:
[Illustration: FIG. 21.]
The position of it in the bag is indicated in Fig. 21 by the dots
running across the bag; but the strip itself is never seen by the
spectators, for it is placed on the inner side of the double bag, which
is always towards the performer.
Having carefully prepared the above apparatus, commence the exhibition
of the trick by holding up the bag by the corners C and D, as
represented in Fig. 21. Shake the bag well while so holding it, showing
it to be (apparently) empty.
After having thus exhibited the bag, thrust both your hands down
inside it to the corners A and B. Holding those corners, pull the bag
inside out, and again show it to be empty, in this reversed position,
represented in Fig. 21.
As the spectators have now seen it thoroughly, inside and outside, you
may put the question to them, “whether they admit it to be empty, as
they ought to know.”
While holding the bag by the same corners A and B, you must now gather
the bag a little closer together, and holding it well up—see Fig.
21—press with your thumb one of the eggs out of its elastic cup. This
can be easily done without any one observing the movement. This egg,
with a little gentle shaking, will fall into the large bag made by the
double side; but it cannot fall to the ground, however much you shake
it, for there is no opening but at A, and that is upwards towards your
right hand, so you may shake the bag boldly.
[Illustration: FIG. 22.]
You next lower the bag a little, and spread it on your chest, letting
it rest there while you move your hands from A and B to take hold of
the corners C and D; and you must give an opening for what had hitherto
been the higher part of the bag, to drop through between the opening
that there is between C and D. This will keep the double side of the
bag (x) still towards yourself, and the bag will now be returned to its
original position (Fig. 21.) With your left hand retaining hold of the
corner D, and lowering the bag towards your right hand, shake well the
loosened egg down towards the corner A. Search with your right hand
about that corner, and the opening of the double bag, and you will be
able to bring out the egg that had been loosened while the bag was in
position 3.
Take out that egg; shake the bag well, as if it were quite empty: and
then, thrusting both your hands into the interior corners at A and B,
turn the bag inside out; bring it to position 2, ready to re-commence
bringing out the other eggs one by one, as long as the spectators are
interested. While you hold the bag in position 2, you can safely let
any young person feel to the bottom of the bag, as he will not be
likely to suspect the eggs are towards the top of the bag on the side
near to yourself.
The same bag may be used also much to the amusement of children, by
your loading it with walnuts, chestnuts, small apples, or pears, or any
bon-bon of about the size of an egg; and then allowing the children,
one by one, to feel in your lucky bag for what you take care they shall
find in their successive searches.
A SERIES OF TRICKS, 22, 23, 24.—The chief agent being a plain gold ring.
PREPARATION.
You must be provided with a small thin wire pointed at both ends,
which, being bent round, will resemble an ordinary plain gold ring.
You must also have on your table an orange or a lemon, a box or bowl, a
tumbler, and a dessert-knife.
And you must have four or five needlefuls of thick cotton, which have
been previously steeped for about an hour in a wine-glass of water,
with a teaspoonful of salt in it; and have been afterwards completely
dried, so as to burn easily.
TRICK 22.
Having the fictitious ring in the palm of your hand, commence by
requesting any lady present to oblige you by lending you a plain gold
ring, and borrow also from some gentleman a colored silk handkerchief.
Appear to place the borrowed ring in that handkerchief, but in reality
place in it the rounded fictitious ring. Doubling the centre of the
handkerchief round it, request some gentleman to hold it, so as to
be sure he has got the ring in the handkerchief—while you fetch a
slight cord to fasten it. While going to your table to fetch this
cord, you slip the real ring into a slit in the orange which you had
prepared, and which closes readily over it. You then tie the cord
round the handkerchief, about two inches from the ring, and, calling
the spectators to notice how it is secured, take hold of that part of
the handkerchief which incloses the fictitious ring in your own hand,
and tell the gentleman to place one by one the four corners of the
handkerchief over your hand. Directly he has begun to do this, your
fingers must proceed to unbend and open the fictitious ring, and to
press it by its pointed end through the silk, and conceal it in your
own palm. You tell your assistant to blow upon the handkerchief and
open it—the ring is gone, and you return the handkerchief to the owner.
Fetch the orange from your table, and ask some one to cut it open, and
he will find the lady’s ring in the centre of the orange.
TRICK 23.
You are now to proceed immediately to the next development of the
mysterious powers of the plain ring, which ladies so much admire. You
may commence by remarking that “you have little doubt that this symbol
of love and obedience will at your command pass through the table,
solid as it is. Let us try.”
Place the tumbler on the table—produce your own silk handkerchief, to
the centre of which a plain ring is already fastened by a doubled silk
thread of about 4 inches length.
Use Pass 1 with the real ring, as if passing it into the handkerchief:
conceal that ring, and substitute for it the fictitious ring.
Then addressing the spectators, say:
“Now, ladies and gentlemen, I will drop this ring into the glass, so
as you shall hear it fall.” Do so. Let the handkerchief rest over the
glass for a minute or two. “Now I must place this bowl under the table
to receive the ring.” In so placing the bowl, you must silently place
the real ring in it. Then say aloud, “Change, ring; pass from the glass
through the table into the bowl below.” Lift up the handkerchief, and
while inviting one or two to come and examine the glass and the bowl,
smooth your forehead with the handkerchief as if heated, and pass it
into your pocket. Your young friends will be astonished to find the
ring not in the glass, where they heard it tinkle, but in the bowl
underneath the table.
TRICK 24.
“Now, ring, you have amused us so well, that you shall, like Mahomet,
be sustained in the air without visible support.”
Place over a common walking-stick some of your prepared cotton
threads, having twisted two or three of them together, and united them
in a loop, which you draw through the ring, and then slip the ring
through the end of the loop. The ring will then hang suspended about a
foot below the stick. The stick itself may be steadily fixed, resting
on the back of two chairs at an elevation, so as to be easily seen by
the company.
When the ring has been thus suspended, set fire to the cotton about two
inches above the ring; the flame will run upwards towards the stick;
blow it out when about two inches from the stick, and the ring will
remain pendulous in the air for some little time after the cotton has
been burnt.
The suspension is said to be caused by a filament, or fine thread of
glass—which has been formed by the ashes of the cotton uniting with the
heated salt, with which the cotton had been prepared.
Now this trick would be too simple an experiment to be exhibited by
itself; but coming as a finish to two other tricks, which have been
performed with the same ring, the spectators
Will give it honor due.
I trust that I have satisfactorily established the assertion that a
combination of congenial tricks will often tell more effectively than
the same tricks would if exhibited without such combination.