go, by which an assistant in an adjoining room can easily move the
glass in the grooves, and make the card appear or disappear at
pleasure. Or it may be done without an assistant, if a table be placed
against the partition, and a string from the glass be made to pass
through a leg of it, and communicate with a small trigger, which you
may easily push down with your foot, and at the same time wiping the
glass with your handkerchief, under the pretence that the card may
appear more conspicuous; which will also serve most effectually to
disguise the operation.
Having every thing thus arranged, you contrive to make a person draw
the same sort of card as that fixed to the mirror; if you do not
succeed in this with a stranger, make some pretence for shuffling the
cards again, and present the pack to a confederate, who, of course,
will draw the card you wish, and who is to show it to two or three
persons next to him, under the pretence that it might slip his memory.
This card you place in the middle of the pack, then _make the pass_,
and bring it to the bottom. Direct the person to look for his card in
the mirror, which the confederate behind the partition is to draw
slowly forward; or if you perform the operation yourself, press the
trigger with your foot, and the card will appear as if placed between
the glass and the quicksilver. While the glass is drawing forward, you
slide off the card from the bottom of the pack, and convey it away.
_The Card in the Opera Glass._
Procure an opera-glass, two inches and a half long; the tube to be
made of ivory, so thin that it may appear transparent. Place it in a
magnifying glass, of such a power, and at such a distance, that a
card, three-quarters of an inch long, may appear like a common-sized
card. At the bottom of the tube lay a circle of black pasteboard, to
which fasten a small card, with the pips, or figures, on both sides,
and in such a manner, that by turning the table, either side of the
glass may be visible.
You then offer two cards to two persons, similar to the double card in
the glass. You put them in the pack again, or convey them to your
pocket; and after a few flourishing motions you tell the persons you
have conveyed their cards into the glass; then you show each person
his card in the glass, by turning it in the proper position.
You may easily induce the parties to draw the two cards you wish, by
placing them first on the top of the pack, and then, by making the
pass, bringing them to the middle.
When you can make the pass in a dexterous manner, it is preferable to
the long card, which obliges the operator to change the pack
frequently, as, if the same card is always drawn, it may excite
suspicion.
_To separate the two Colours of a Pack of Cards by one Cut._
To perform this amusement, all the cards of one colour must be cut
something narrower at one end than the other. You show the cards, and
give them to any one, that he may shuffle them; then holding them
between your hands, one hand being at each extremity, with one motion
you separate the hearts and diamonds from the spades and clubs.
_The Metamorphosed Cards._
In the middle of a pack place a card that is something wider than the
rest, which we will suppose to be the knave of spades, under which
place the seven of diamonds, and under that the ten of clubs. On the
top of the pack put cards similar to these, and others on which are
painted different objects, _viz._:
First card A bird
Second A seven of diamonds
Third A flower
Fourth Another seven of diamonds
Fifth A bird
Sixth A ten of clubs
Seventh A flower
Eighth Another ten of clubs;
then seven or eight indifferent cards, the knave of spades, which is
the wide card, the seven of diamonds, the ten of clubs, and the rest
any indifferent cards.
Two persons are to draw the two cards that are under the wide card,
which are the seven of diamonds and the ten of clubs. You take the
pack in your left hand, and open it at the wide end, as you open a
book, and tell the person who drew the seven of diamonds to place it
in that opening. You then blow on the cards, and, without closing
them, instantly bring the card which is at top, and on which a bird is
painted, over that seven of diamonds. To do this dexterously, you must
wet the middle finger of your left hand, with which you are to bring
the card to the middle of the pack. You then bid the person look at
his card, and when he has remarked the change, to place it where it
was before. Then blow on the cards a second time, and, bringing the
seven of diamonds, which is at the top of the pack, to the opening,
you bid him look at his card again, when he will see it is that which
he drew. You may do the same with all the other painted cards, either
with the same person, or with him who drew the ten of clubs.
The whole artifice consists in bringing the card at the top of the
pack to the opening in the middle, by the wet finger, which requires
no great practice. Observe, not to let the pack go out of your hands.
_To discover the Card which is drawn, by the Throw of a Die._
Prepare a pack of cards, in which there are only six sorts of cards.
Dispose these cards in such manner that each of the six different
cards shall follow each other, and let the last of each suite be a
long card. The cards being thus disposed, it follows, that if you
divide them into six parcels, by cutting at each of the long cards,
those parcels will all consist of similar cards.
Let a person draw a card from the pack, and let him replace it in the
parcel from whence it was drawn, by dexterously offering that part.
Cut the cards several times, so that a long card be always at bottom.
Divide the cards in this manner into six heaps, and giving a die to
the person who drew the card, tell him that the point he throws shall
indicate the parcel in which is the card he drew; then take up the
parcel and show him the card.
_To tell the Number of the Cards by their Weight._
Take a parcel of cards, suppose forty, among which insert two long
cards; let the first be, for example, the fifteenth, and the other the
twenty-sixth from the top. Seem to shuffle the cards, and then cutting
them at the first long card, poise those you have cut off in your left
hand, and say, "There should be here fifteen cards." Cut them again at
the second long card, and say, "There are here only eleven cards."
Then poising the remainder, you say, "Here are fourteen cards."
_The Four Inseparable Kings._
Take the four kings, and behind the last of them place two other
cards, so that they may not be seen. Then spread open the four kings
to the company, and put the six cards at the bottom of the pack. Draw
one of the kings, and put it at the top of the pack. Draw one of the
two cards at the bottom, and put it towards the middle. Draw the
other, and put it at some distance from the last, and then show that
there remains a king at bottom. Then let any one cut the cards, and as
there remains three kings at bottom, they will then be altogether in
the middle of the pack.
_To change the Cards which several Persons have drawn from the Pack._
On the top of the pack put any card you please--suppose the queen of
clubs; make the pass, bring that card to the middle of the pack, and
offer it to a person to draw. Then, by cutting the cards, bring the
queen again to the middle of the pack. Make the pass a second time,
bring it to the top, and shuffle the cards without displacing those on
the top. Make the pass a third time, bring it to the middle of the
pack and offer it to a second person to draw, who must be at a proper
distance from the first person, that he may not perceive it is the
same card. After the like manner let five persons draw the same card.
Shuffle the pack without losing sight of the queen of clubs, and,
laying down four other cards with the queen, ask each person if he see
his card there? They will all reply, "Yes," as they all drew the queen
of clubs. Place four of those cards on the pack, and, drawing the
queen privately away, you approach the first person, and showing him
that card, so that the others cannot see it, ask if that be his card;
then patting it on the top of the pack, blow on it, or give it a
stroke with your hand, and show it in the same manner to the second
person, and so of the rest.
_The Card discovered under the Handkerchief._
Let a person draw any card from the rest, and put it in the middle of
the pack; you make the pass at that place, and the card will
consequently be at top; then placing the pack on the table, cover it
with a handkerchief; and, putting your hand under it, take off the top
card, and after seeming to search among the cards for some time, draw
it out.
This amusement may be performed by putting the cards in another
person's pocket, after the pass is made. Several cards may also be
drawn and placed together in the middle of the pack, and the pass then
made.
_The Convertible Aces._
On the ace of spades fix, with soap, a heart, and on the ace of hearts
a spade, in such a manner that they will easily slip off.
Show these two aces to the company; then, taking the ace of spades,
you desire a person to put his foot upon it, and as you place it on
the ground, draw away the spade. In like manner you place the seeming
ace of hearts under the foot of another person. You then command the
two cards to change their places; and that they obey your command, the
two persons, on taking up their cards, will have ocular demonstration.
A deception similar to this is sometimes practised with one card,
suppose the ace of spades, over which a heart is pasted lightly. After
showing a person the card, you let him hold one end of it, and you
hold the other, and while you amuse him with discourse, you slide off
the heart. Then laying the card on the table, you bid him cover it
with his hand; you then knock under the table, and command the heart
to turn into the ace of spades.
_To tell the Card that a Person has touched with his Finger._
This amusement is to be performed by confederacy. You previously agree
with your confederate on certain signs, by which he is to denote the
suite, and the particular card of each suite; thus: if he touch the
first button of his coat, it signifies an ace; if the second, a king,
&c.; and then again, if he take out his handkerchief, it denotes the
suite to be hearts; if he take snuff, diamonds, &c. These
preliminaries being settled, you give the pack to a person who is near
your confederate, and tell him to separate any one card from the rest,
while you are absent, and draw his finger once over it. He is then to
return you the pack, and while you are shuffling the cards, you
carefully note the signals made by your confederate; then turning the
cards over one by one, you directly fix on the card he touched.
_The Card in the Pocket-book._
A confederate is previously to know the card you have taken from the
pack, and put into your pocket-book. You then present the pack to him,
and desire him to fix on a card, (which we will suppose to be the
queen of diamonds,) and place the pack on the table. You then ask him
the name of the card, and when he says the queen of diamonds, you ask
him if he be not mistaken, and if he be sure that the card is in the
pack: when he replies in the affirmative, you say, "It might be there
when you looked over the cards, but I believe it is now in my pocket;"
then desire a third person to put his hand in your pocket, and take
out your book, and when it is opened the card will appear.
_The Card in the Egg._
Take a card, the same as your long card, and, rolling it up very
close, put it in an egg, by making a hole as small as possible, and
which you are to fill up carefully with white wax. You then offer the
long card to be drawn, and when it is replaced in the pack, you
shuffle the cards several times, giving the egg to the person who drew
the card, and while he is breaking it, you privately withdraw the long
card, that it may appear, upon examining the cards, to have gone from
the pack into the egg. This may be rendered more surprising by having
several eggs, in each of which is placed a card of the same sort, and
then giving the person the liberty to choose which egg he thinks fit.
This deception may be still further diversified, by having, as most
public performers have, a confederate, who is previously to know the
egg in which the card is placed; for you may then break the other
eggs, and show that the only one that contains a card is that in which
you directed it to be.
_The Card discovered by the Touch or Smell._
You offer the long card, or any other that you know, and as the person
who has drawn it holds it in his hand, you pretend to feel the pips or
figure on the under side, by your fore-finger; or you sagaciously
smell to it, and then pronounce what card it is.
If it be the long card, you may give the pack to the person who drew
it, and leave him at liberty either to replace it or not. Then taking
the pack, you feel immediately whether it be there or not, and,
shuffling the cards in a careless manner, without looking at them, you
pronounce accordingly.
_The Inverted Cards._
Prepare a pack of cards, by cutting one end of them about one-tenth of
an inch narrower than the other; then offer the pack to any one, that
he may draw a card; place the pack on the table, and observe carefully
if he turn the card while he is looking at it; if he do not, when you
take the pack from the table, you offer the other end of it for him to
insert that card; but if he turn the card, you then offer him the same
end of the pack. You afterwards offer the cards to a second or third
person, for them to draw or replace a card in the same manner. You
then let any one shuffle the cards, and, taking them again into your
own hand, as you turn them up one by one, you easily perceive by the
touch which are those cards that have been inverted, and, laying the
first of them down on the table, you ask the person if that card be
his; and if he say _no_, you ask the same of the second person; and if
he say _no_, you tell the third person it is his card; and so of the
second or third cards. You shall lay the pack on the table after each
person has drawn his card, and turn it dexterously in taking it up,
when it is to be turned, that the experiment may not appear to depend
on the cards being inverted.
_The Transmuted Cards._
In a common pack of cards let the ace of hearts and nine of spades be
something larger than the rest. With the juice of lemon draw over the
ace of hearts a spade, large enough to cover it entirely, and on each
side draw four other spades.
Present the pack to two persons, so adroitly, that one of them shall
draw the ace of hearts, and the other the nine of spades, and tell him
who draws the latter, to burn it on a chafing-dish. You then take the
ashes of that card, put them into a small metal box, and give it to
him that has the ace of hearts, that he may himself put that card into
the box and fasten it. Then put the box for a short time on the
chafing-dish, and let the person who put the card in it take it off,
and take out the card, which he will see is changed into the nine of
spades.
_The Convertible Cards._
To perform this amusement you must observe, that there are several
letters which may be changed into others, without any appearance of
the alteration, as the _a_ into _d_, the _c_ into _a_, _e_, _d_, _g_,
_o_, or _q_; the _i_ into _b_, _d_, or _l_; the _l_ into _t_; the _o_
into _a_, _d_, _g_, or _q_; the _v_ into _y_, &c.
Take a parcel of cards, suppose twenty, and on one of them write with
juice of lemon or onion, or vitriol and water, the word law, (these
letters should not be joined;) and on the other, with the same ink,
the words _old woman_; then holding them to the fire, they both become
visible. Now, you will observe, that by altering the _a_ in the word
_law_ into _d_, and adding _o_ before the _l_, and _oman_ after the
_w_, it becomes _old woman_. Therefore you make those alterations with
the invisible ink, and let it remain so. On the rest of the cards you
write any words you think fit.
Present the cards in such manner to two persons, that one of them
shall draw the word _law_, and the other the words _old woman_. You
then tell the person who drew the word _law_, that it shall disappear,
and the words on the other card shall be written in its place; and,
that you may not change the cards, desire each of the parties to write
his name on his card. Then putting the cards together, and holding
them before the fire, as if to dry the names just written, the word
_law_ will presently change into _old woman_.
_The Enchanted Palace._
On the six-sided plane A B C D E F, Fig. 21, draw six semi-diameters;
and on each of these place perpendicularly two plane mirrors, which
must join exactly at the centre, and which, placed back to back, must
be as thin as possible. Decorate the exterior boundary of this piece,
(which is at the extremity of the angles of the hexagon,) with six
columns, that at the same time serve to support the mirrors by grooves
formed on their inner sides. Add to these columns their entablatures,
and cover the edifice in whatever manner you please. In each one of
these six triangular spaces, contained between two mirrors, place
little figures of pasteboard, in relief, representing such subjects,
as, when seen in an hexagonal form, will produce an agreeable effect.
To these add small figures of enamel, and take particular care to
conceal by some object that has no relation to the subject, the place
where the mirrors join, which, as before observed, all meet in the
common centre.
[Illustration: Fig. 21.]
When you look into any one of the six openings of this palace, the
objects there contained, being reflected six times, will seem entirely
to fill up the whole of the building. This illusion will appear very
remarkable, especially if the objects chosen are properly adapted to
the effect which the mirrors are intended to produce.
If you place between two of these mirrors part of a fortification, as
a curtain, and two demi-bastions, you will see an entire citadel with
six bastions; or if you place part of a ball-room, ornamented with
chandeliers and figures, all these objects being here multiplied, will
afford a very pleasing prospect.
_Opaque Bodies seemingly Transparent._
Within the case A B C D, place four mirrors O P Q R, Fig. 22, so
disposed, that they may each make an angle of 45 degrees, that is,
that they may be half-way inclined from the perpendicular, as in the
figure. In each of the two extremities A B, make a circular overture;
in one of which fix the tube G L, in the other the tube M F, and
observe, that in each of these is to be inserted another tube, as H
and I. [_Observe._ These four tubes must terminate in the substance of
the case, and not enter the inside, that they may not hinder the
effect of the mirrors. The four-fold reflection of the rays of light
from the mirrors, darkens in some degree the brightness of the object;
some light is also lost by the magnifying power of the perspective.
If, therefore, instead of the object-glass at G, and concave eye-glass
at F, plain glasses were substituted, the magnifying power of the
perspective will be taken away, and the object appear brighter.]
[Illustration: Fig. 22.]
Furnish the first of these tubes with an object-glass at G, and a
concave eye-glass at F. You are to observe, that in regulating the
focus of these glasses with regard to the length of the tube, you are
to suppose it equal to the line G, or visual pointed ray, which
entering at the aperture G is reflected by the four mirrors, and goes
out at the other aperture F, where the eye-glass is placed. Put any
glass you please into the two ends of the moveable tubes H and L; and
lastly, place the machine on stand E, moveable at the point S, that it
may be elevated or lowered at pleasure.
When the eye is placed at F, and you look through the tube, the rays
of light that proceed from the object T, passing through the glass G,
are successively reflected by the mirrors O P Q and R to the eye at F,
and there point the object T in its proper situation, and these rays
appear to proceed directly from that object.
The two moveable tubes H and I, at the extremity of which a glass is
placed, serve only to disguise the illusion, for they have no
communication with the interior of the machine. This instrument being
moveable on the stand E, may be directed to any object; and if
furnished with proper glasses, will answer the purpose of common
perspective.
The two moveable tubes, H and I, being brought together, the machine
is directed towards any object; and, desiring a person to look at the
end F, you ask him if he sees that object distinctly. You then
separate the two moveable tubes, and, leaving space between them
sufficiently wide to place your hand or any other solid body, you tell
him that the machine has the power of making objects visible through
the most opaque body; and as a proof, you desire him to look at the
same object, when to his great surprise he will see it as distinctly
as if no solid body interposed.
This experiment is the more extraordinary as it is very difficult
to conceive how the effect is produced; the two arms of the
case appearing to be made for the purpose of supporting the
perspective-glass; and to whatever object it be directed, the effect
is still the same.
_The Deforming Mirrors._
If a person look in a concave mirror placed perpendicularly to
another, (that is, supposing one mirror to be laid on the floor, and
the other attached to the ceiling,) his face will appear entirely
deformed. If the mirror be a little inclined, so as to make an angle
of 80 degrees, (that is, one-ninth part from the perpendicular,) he
will then see all the parts of his face, except the nose and forehead.
If it be inclined to 60 degrees; (that is, one-third part,) he will
appear with three noses and six eyes: in short, the apparent deformity
will vary at each degree of inclination, and when the glass comes to
45 degrees, (that is, half-way down,) the face will vanish. If,
instead of placing the two mirrors in this situation, they are so
disposed that their junction may be vertical, then different
inclinations will produce other effects, as the situation of the
object relative is quite different.
_The Magic Tube._
Procure a small tube of glass, whose canal is extremely narrow, and
open at both ends; let one end of it be plunged in water, and the
water within the tube will rise to a considerable height above the
external surface: or if two or more tubes be immersed in the same
fluid, the one with a narrow canal, and the other wider, the water
will ascend higher in the former than the latter.
_The Magician's Mirror._
Construct a box of wood, of a cubical shape, A B C D, Fig. 23, of
about fifteen inches every way. Let it be fixed to the pedestal P, at
the usual height of a man's head. In each side of this box let there
be an opening, of an oval form, ten inches high, and seven wide. In
this box place two mirrors, A D, with their backs against each other.
Let them cross the box in a diagonal line, and in a vertical position.
Decorate the openings in the side of this box with four oval frames
and transparent glasses, and cover each with a curtain so contrived as
all to draw up together.
[Illustration: Fig. 23.]
Place four persons in front of the four sides, and at equal distances
from the box, and then draw them up that they may see themselves in
the mirrors, when each of them, instead of his own figure, will see
that of the person next to him, but who will appear to him to be
placed on the opposite side. Their confusion will be the greater, as
it will be very difficult, if not impossible, for them to discover the
mirrors concealed in the box. The reason of this phenomenon is
evident; for though the rays of light may be turned aside by a mirror,
yet they always _appear_ to proceed in right lines.
_The Perspective Mirror._
Provide a box, A B C D, Fig. 24, of about two feet long, 15 inches
wide, and 12 inches high. At the end A C, place the concave mirror,
the focus of whose parallel rays is 18 inches from the reflecting
surface. At I L place a pasteboard, blacked, in which a hole is cut,
sufficiently large to see on the mirror H the object placed at B E F
D. Cover the top of the box, from A to I, close, that the mirror H may
be entirely darkened. The other part, I B, must be covered with glass,
under which is placed a gauze, or oiled paper, to prevent the inside
from being seen. Make an aperture at G, near the top of the side E B,
beneath which, on the inside, place in succession, paintings of
vistas, landscapes, figures, &c., so that they may be in front of the
mirror H. Let the box be placed that the objects may be strongly
illuminated by the sun, or by wax-lights placed under the enclosed
part of the box A I. By this simple construction, the objects placed
at G D will be thrown into their natural perspective, and if the
subjects be properly chosen and well executed, the appearance will be
both wonderful and pleasing.
[Illustration: Fig. 24.]