Stretch a sheet of wet paper over the mouth of a glass tumbler which
has a footstalk, and glue or paste the paper at the edges. When the
paper is dry, strew dry sand thinly upon its surface. Place the tumbler
on a table, and hold immediately above it, and parallel to the paper,
a plate of glass, which you also strew with sand, having previously
rubbed the edges smooth with emery powder. Draw a violin-bow along any
part of the edges; and as the sand upon the glass is made to vibrate,
it will form various figures, which will be accurately imitated by the
sand upon the paper; or if a violin or flute be played within a few
inches of the paper, they will cause the sand upon its surface to form
regular lines and figures.