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.