The magic lantern, or phantasmagoria, may be used in a number of
marvelous ways, but in none more striking than in raising an apparent
specter. Let an open box, about three feet long, a foot and a half
broad, and two feet high, be prepared. At one end of this place a small
swing dressing-glass, and at the other let a magic lantern be fixed
with its lenses in a direction towards the glass. A glass should now
be made to slide up and down in the groove, to which a cord and pulley
should be attached, the end of the cord coming to the back part of the
box. On this glass the most hideous specter that can be imagined may
be painted, but in a squat or contracted position, and when all is
done, the lid of the box must be prepared by raising a kind of gable at
the end of the box, and in its lower part an oval hole should be cut
sufficiently large to suffer the rays of light reflected from the glass
to pass through them. On the top of the box place a chafing-dish, upon
which put some burning charcoal. Now light the lamp in the lantern,
sprinkle some powdered camphor or white incense on the charcoal, adjust
the slide on which the specter is painted, and the image will be thrown
upon the smoke. In performing this feat the room must be darkened, and
the box should be placed on a high table, that the hole through which
the light comes may not be noticed.