The Juggler's Oracle; or, The Whole Art of Legerdemain Laid Open / Consisting of all the newest and most surprising tricks and experiments with cards, cups and balls, conveyance of money and rings, boxes, fire, strings and knots; with many curious experiments by optical illusion, chymical changes, and magical cards, &c.

by H. Boaz

CUPS AND BALLS.

To pass the Balls through the Cups.

You must place yourself at the farther end of the table, and provide three cups made of tin; you must likewise have your black magical stick, to show your wonders withal. You are also to provide four small cork balls, to play with; but do not let any more than three of them be seen upon the table.

N. B.—Always conceal one ball in the right hand, between the middle finger and the ring finger; and be sure you make yourself perfect to hold it there, for by this means all the tricks of the cups are done.

Now say something to the following effect:—

Three cups, you see, have I got here,
’Tis true they are but tin;
Silver and gold are much too dear
For me to conjure in.

Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, here are no equivocations at all;
But, if your eyes are not as quick as my hands, I shall deceive you all.

View them well within,
View them all round about;
Where there’s nothing in,
There’s nothing can come out.

Then take your balls privately between your fingers, fling one of them upon the table, and say thus—

The first trick that I learned to do
Was out of one ball to make two:
Ah! since it cannot better be,
Of these two I will soon make three,
Which is called the first trick of dexterity.

So then you have three balls on the table to play with, and one left between the fingers of your right hand.

The Position of the Cups is thus—

1 2 3

Lay your three balls upon the table; then say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, you see here are three balls, and here are three cups; that is, a cup for each ball, and a ball for each cup.” Then taking the ball which you have in your right hand (which you are always to keep private) and clapping it under the first cup; and, taking up one of the three balls with your right hand, seem to put it into your left hand, but retain it still in your right, shutting your left hand in due time; then say, “Presto, begone.”

Then taking the second cup up, say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, you see there is nothing under my cup;” so clap the ball under that you have in your right hand, and then take the second ball up with your right hand, and seem to put it into your left, but retain it in your right, shutting your left hand in due time, as before, saying, “Vado, begone.”

Then taking the third cup up, saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, you see there is nothing under my last cup,” clap the ball under your right hand, and, taking the third ball up with your right hand, seem to put it into your left hand, but retain it in your right hand; so, shutting your left hand in due time, as before, saying, “Presto, make haste”: so you have your three balls come under your three cups, as thus, and so lay your three cups down upon the table.

Then with your right hand take up the first cup, and clap the ball under that you have in your right hand; saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, this being the first ball, I’ll put it in my pocket;” but that you must still keep in your right hand to play withal.

So take up the second cup with your right hand, and clap that ball under which you have concealed, and then take up the second ball with your right hand, and say, “This likewise I take and put into my pocket.”

Likewise take up the third cup, and, clapping the cup down again, convey the ball that you have in your right hand under the cup; then take the third ball, and say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, this being the last ball, I take this and put it in my pocket.” Likewise then say to the company, “Ladies and Gentlemen, by a little of my fine powder of experience I’ll command these balls under the cups again,” as thus:—

So lay them all along the table, to the admiration of the beholders.

Then take up the first cup, and, clapping the ball under that you have in your right hand, and taking the first ball up with the right hand, seem to put the same into your left hand, but retain it still in your right hand; then say, “Vado, quick, begone when I bid you, and run under the cup.”

Then taking that cup up again, and flinging it under that you have in your right hand, you must take up the second ball, and seem to put it into your left hand, but retain it in your right, saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, see how the ball runs on the table.”—So, seeming to fling it away, it will appear thus:—

Now, taking the same cup up again, clap the ball under as before; and, taking the third ball in your right hand, seem to put it under your left, but still retain it in your right hand; then with your left hand seem to fling it in the cup, and it will appear thus:—

All the balls being under one cup.

If you can perform these feats with the cups and balls dexterously, you may change the balls into apples, pears, plums, or living birds, as your fancy leads you.

A still more Extraordinary Mode of Playing at Cups and Balls.

You must provide six cups made of the same size and metal (persons with hands, as seen above, require only three), but keep three of them concealed in the juggling-bag until they are required.

The trick performed by the three first cups is as follows:—Take out of the bag your three cups, and place them on a table. You must have balls of cork provided, and concealed, but one ball must be on the table. Then say, “Ladies and Gentlemen,” turning up your three cups (though at the same time you must have a ball concealed), “you see there is nothing under my cups; I take and put this cup here; I put the second there; and the third there.” The ball you have hid must be clapped under one of the cups at the time you were placing them.

You must have a tin bottom in the inside of one of your cups, and holes punched in it like a grater. Then say, “Ladies and Gentlemen,” (taking the ball off the table, and placing it on the cup the ball is under), “observe, I cover this ball with this cup,” clapping the third cup on the other two; then say, “Presto, I command the ball from under the middle cup to the bottom.” Then taking off the first and second cups, the ball, they think, is gone to the bottom; whereas the ball that is laid on the top of the undermost sticks fast to the grater that covers it, and, when the cup is turned up, it is the ball that was conveyed first that appears.

Next place, take the ball that is on the table, and say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, there is but one ball left,” clapping the cup with the tin bottom, where the ball is concealed, over that ball on the table, so as that ball that was sticking to the tin falls down, and makes two; then clapping the cup down, convey another ball you have secured, and say, “Vene tome;” then say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, there are three balls and three cups;” first having secured two balls (having some strange gestures of body and speech to take off the eyes of the spectators), at the same time taking up one of the cups, but putting it down on one of the balls, with the two balls secured; then clap the second cup on the second ball, and the third cup on the third ball.

Now say, “I’ve covered the three balls.” Then turn up one cup, and say, “There is the first ball;” then turn up the other, saying, “There is the second ball.” Then take up either of the balls, and lay it on the top of the third cup, and cover it with the cup that has the tin bottom, clapping the third cup in the place of the other two; say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, there is one ball at the bottom, one in the middle, and the third and last ball I strike through the board, saying, ‘Presto, be gone.’”

Now, you must understand, the third ball you drop, the second sticks to the tin grater, and three balls appear under the lowermost cup; then place your three balls on the table, and your cups opposite the balls; then say, “I cover this ball with this cup, and I cover this third ball with this one cup.” Then turning up one cup, take up the ball, and say, “Presto, I command you under the second cup;” but at the same time you must retain the ball, for the ball that was sticking to the tin is dropped, and makes two; then clapping the cup down, with the ball that you have retained, turn up the cup, and say, “I’ll strike this ball to the other two;” and drop that ball, being three before.

Next place the balls and cups as they were before; then clap the first cup on the first ball, and the second on the second; then take up the cup with the grater, which generally is in the middle, saying, “I’ll put this cup in my bag;” and take up this ball, saying, “I’ll put this ball in my bag;” and take up the next ball, saying, “I’ll put this ball in my bag too,” clapping under the cup at the same time the ball you have retained. At last, say, “I shall have too many balls,” or something to that purpose; seem in a fury, and toss your cups away; then put them into your juggling-bag, that, when you show the other three, the company may think they were the first cups.

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CONVEYANCE OF MONEY, &c.

The conveyance of money is not much inferior to the tricks with Cups and Balls, but much easier to perform. The principal place to hold the coin is the palm of the hand; and the best piece to play with is a sixpence. But, by practice, all coins will be alike, unless they are very small, and then they must be kept between the fingers, almost at the fingers’ ends; whereas the ball is to be kept below, near the palm. The coin ought never to be too large, as that will considerably impede the clever conveyance of it.

To convey Money from one Hand to the Other.

Hold open your right hand and lay therein a sixpence, and on the top of it place the top of your left middle finger, which press hard upon it, at the same time using hard words. Then suddenly draw away your right hand from the left, seeming to have left the coin there, and shut your hand cleverly, as if it still were there. That this may appear to have been truly done, take a knife, and seem to knock against it, so as to make a great sound. This is a pretty trick, and, if well managed, both the eye and ear are deceived at the same time.

To convert Money into Counters, and the Reverse.

Another way to deceive the lookers-on is to do as before, with a sixpence, and, keeping a counter in the palm of your left hand, secretly, seem to put the sixpence therein, which being retained still in the right hand, when the left hand is opened, the sixpence will seem to be turned into a counter.

To put a Sixpence into each Hand, and, with Words, bring them together.

He that hath once attained to the faculty of retaining one piece of money in his right hand may show a hundred pleasant deceits by that means, and may manage two or three as well as one. Thus, you may seem to put one piece into your left hand, and, retaining it still in your right, you may, together therewith, take up another like piece, and so, with words, seem to bring both pieces together. A great variety of tricks may be shown in juggling with money.

To put a Sixpence into a Stranger’s Hand, and another into your own, and to convey both into the Stranger’s Hand with Words.

You take two sixpences evenly set together, and put the same, instead of one sixpence, into a stranger’s hand, and then, making as though you put one sixpence into your own hand, with words, you make it seem that you convey the sixpence in your own into the stranger’s hand; for, when you open your said left hand, there shall be nothing seen, and he, opening his hand, shall find two sixpences, which he thought was but one.

To show the same Feat otherwise.

To keep a sixpence between your fingers serves especially for this and such like purposes: hold your hand, and cause one to lay a sixpence upon the palm thereof, then shake the same up almost to your finger’s end, and putting your thumb upon it, you may easily, with a little practice, convey the edge betwixt the middle and fore-finger whilst you proffer to put it into your other hand (provided always that the edge appears not through the fingers, on the back side); take up another sixpence, which you may cause another stander-by to lay down, and put them both together, either closely, instead of one into a stranger’s hand, or keep them still in your own hand, and, after some words spoken, open your hands, and, there being nothing in one hand, and both pieces in the other, the beholders will wonder how they came together.

To throw a Piece of Money away, and find it again.

You may, with the middle or ring finger of the right hand, convey a sixpence into the palm, with the same hand, and, seeming to cast it away, keep it still, which, with confederacy, will seem strange: to wit, when you find it again, where another has placed the like piece. But these things cannot be done without practice; therefore. I will proceed to show how things may be brought to pass with less difficulty, and yet as strange as the rest, which, being unknown, are much commended; but, being known, are derided, and nothing at all regarded.

To make a Sixpence leap out of a Pot or to run along a Table.

A juggler takes a sixpence and throws it into a pot, or lays it on the middle of a table, and, with enchanted words, causes the same to leap out of a pot, or run towards him or from him along the table, which seems miraculous till you know how it is done, which is thus: Take a long black hair of a woman’s head, fasten it to the rim of a sixpence, by means of a little hole driven through the same with a Spanish needle. In like sort you may use a knife or any small thing; but if you would have it go from you, you must have a confederate, by which means all juggling is graced and amended.

This feat is the stranger if it be done by night, a candle being placed between the spectators and the juggler, for by that means their eyes are hindered from discerning the deceit.

To make a Sixpence sink through a Table, and to vanish out of a Handkerchief.

A juggler will sometimes borrow a sixpence and mark it before you, and seem to put the same in the middle of a white handkerchief, and wind it so as you may the better see and feel it; then he will take the handkerchief and bid you feel whether the sixpence be there or no; and he will also require you to put the same under a candlestick, or some such like thing; then he will send for a basin of water, and, holding the same under the table, right against the candlestick, he will use certain words of enchantment, and, in short, you shall hear the sixpence fall into the basin. This done, let one take off the candlestick, and the juggler take the handkerchief by a tassel and shake it; but the money is gone, which seems as strange a feat as any whatsoever, but, being known, the miracle is turned to a jest; for it is nothing else but to sew a sixpence into a corner of the handkerchief, finely covered with a piece of linen a little bigger than your sixpence, which corner you must convey, instead of the sixpence given you, into the middle of your handkerchief, leaving the other in your hand or lap, which afterwards you seem to pull through the table, letting it fall into the basin.

To know if a Coin be a Head or Woman, and the Party to stand in another Room.

This is done by confederacy: he that lays it down, says, “What is it?” and that is a sign it is a head; or he says, “What is it now?” and that is a sign it is a woman: cross and pile in silver is done the same way. By confederacy, divers strange things are done: thus, you may throw a piece of money into a pond, and bid a boy go to such a secret place where you have hid it, and he will bring it, and make them believe it is the same that you threw into the pond, and no other.

So let a confederate take a shilling and put it under a candlestick on a table a good distance from you; then you must say, “Gentlemen, you see this shilling;” then take your hand and knock it under the table, and convey it into your pocket; then say, “The shilling is gone; but look under such a candlestick and you will find it.”

To command Seven Halfpence through the Table.

To do this, you must employ a tinman to make holes, with room enough for a die to go in and out, and let him clap a good halfpenny upon them all, and so make them fast, that nobody can tell them from true ones. Then get a cap to cover your halfpence, also a cap and a die for the company to fling, to amuse them; when you are thus provided, the manner of performing is thus:—Desire any body in the company to lend you seven halfpence, telling them that they will soon be returned; then say, “Gentlemen, this is made just fit for your money;” then clapping your cap on, desire somebody in the company to fling that die, and, in so doing, take off the cap, and convey your false money into it, so that the company may not see you put it in; then with your cap cover the die, while with your right hand you take up the true money, and put it into the left under the table, saying, “Vado, begone; I command the die to be gone, and the money to come in the place;” so take up the cap, and the die is gone, and the money is come. Having covered the money again with the cap, taking the true money with your right hand, and knocking under the table, also making a jingling, as though the money was coming through the table, fling them on the table, and say, “There is the money,” and, with your right hand, take off the cap, saying, “And there is the die;” so convey the false money into your lap, and there is the cap likewise.

To command a Sixpence out of a Box.

You must get a box turned with two lids (one must be a false one), and there put the counter, so that it may rattle; and you must have a small peg or button to your box, to hinder the counter from jingling, and at the bottom of the box you must have half a notch made, just fit for a sixpence to come out. So, to perform this feat, you must desire any body to lend you a sixpence, and to mark it with whatever mark he may please; then let him put it into the box himself; afterwards put the cover on, and, by shaking the box, the sixpence will come into your hand, when you may dispose of it as you please.

To blow a Sixpence out of another Man’s Hand.

Blow on a sixpence, and immediately clap it into one of the spectator’s hands, telling him to hold it fast; then ask him if he is sure he has it. He, to be certain, will open his hand and look. Then say to him, “Nay, but if you let my breath go off, I cannot do it.” Then take it out of his hand again, blow on it, and, staring him in the face, clap a piece of horn in his hand, and retain the sixpence, shutting his hand yourself. Bid him hold his hand down, and slip the sixpence into one of his cuffs; then say, “I command the money you hold in your hand to vanish; Vade, now see.” When they have looked, they will think it is changed by virtue of your stone. Then take the horn again, and say, “Vade;” and then say, “You have your money again.” He then will begin to marvel, and say, “I have not.” Then say to him again, “You have; and I am sure you have got it: is it not in your hand? If it be not there, turn down one of your sleeves, for it is in one, I am sure;” where he, finding it, will not a little wonder.

To make a Ring shift from one Hand to another, and to make it go on whatever Finger is required, while Somebody holds both Arms.

Desire some person in company to lend you a gold ring, recommending him at the same time to make a mark on it, that he may know it again. Have a gold ring of your own, which you are to fasten by a small piece of catgut string to a watch-barrel, which must be sewn to the left sleeve of your coat. Take in your right hand the ring that will be given you: then, taking with dexterity, near the entrance of your sleeve, the other ring fastened to the watch-barrel, draw it to the fingers’ ends of your left hand, taking care nobody perceives it. During this operation, hide between the fingers of your right hand the ring that has been lent to you, and fasten it dexterously on a little hook, sewed on purpose on your waistcoat, near your hips, and hid by your coat.

You will, after that, show your ring, which you hold in your left hand; then ask the company on which finger of the other hand they wish it to pass. During this interval, and as soon as the answer has been given, put the before-mentioned finger on the little hook, in order to slip on it the ring; at that moment let go the other ring, by opening your fingers. The spring which is in the watch-barrel, not being confined longer, will contract and make the ring slip under the sleeve without any body perceiving it, not even those who hold your arms: as, their only attention being to prevent your hands from communicating, they will let you make the necessary motions. These must be very quick, and always accompanied by stamping of the foot.

After this operation, show the assembly that the ring is come on the other hand; make them remark that it is the same that had been lent to you, or that the mark is right. Much dexterity must be made use of to succeed in this entertaining trick, that the deception may not be suspected.

To Transfer a Counter into a Silver Groat.

Take a groat, or a smaller piece of money, and grind it very thin on one side; then take two counters, and grind them, the one on one side, and the other on the other side; glue the smooth side of the groat to the smooth side of the counter, joining them as close together as possible, especially at the edges, which may be so filed that they shall seem to be but one piece; to wit, one side a counter and the other side a groat. Then take a little green wax, for that is softest, and therefore best, and lay it on the smooth side of the counter, as it does not much discolour the groat; and so will that counter, with the groat, cleave together as though they were glued, and, being filed even with the groat and the other counter, it will seem so perfectly like an entire counter, that, though a stranger handle it, he cannot betray it; then, having a little touched your fore-finger, and the thumb of your right hand, with soft wax, take therewith this counterfeit counter, and lay it openly upon the palm of your left hand, wringing the same hard, so as you may leave the glued counter with the groat apparently in the palm of your left hand, and the smooth side of the waxed counter will stick fast upon your thumb, by reason of the wax wherewith it is smeared: and so you may hide it at your pleasure (always be sure to lay the waxed side downward, and the glued side upward); then close your hand, and, in or after closing thereof, turn the piece, and so, instead of a counter, which they suppose to be in your hand, you shall seem to have a groat, to the astonishment of the beholders, if it be well handled. The juggler must not leave any of his tricks wanting for hard and break-jaw words.

To make a Silver Twopence be plain in the Palm of your Hand, and be passed from thence wherever you like.

Put a little red wax, not too much, upon the nail of your longest finger; then let a stranger put a two-penny piece into the palm of your hand, and shut your fist suddenly, and convey the two-penny piece upon the wax, which, with use, you may so accomplish, as no man shall perceive it; then, and in the meantime, use words of course, and suddenly open your hand; hold the tips of your fingers rather lower than the palm of your hand, and the beholders will wonder where it is gone; then shut your hand suddenly again, and lay a wager whether it be there or no, and you may either leave it there or take it away at pleasure. This, if it be well handled, hath more admiration than any other feat of the hand.—Note: This may be best done by putting the wax upon the two-penny piece, but then you must put it into your hand yourself.

To convey a Sixpence out of the Hand of one that holds it fast.

Stick a little wax upon your thumb, and take a bystander by the fingers, showing him the sixpence, and telling him you will put the same into his hand; then wring it down hard with your waxed thumb, and, using many words, look him in the face, and, as soon as you perceive him look in your face, or on your hand, suddenly take away your thumb, and close his hand, and it will seem to him that the sixpence remains. If you wring a sixpence upon one’s forehead, it will seem to stick when it is taken away, especially if it be wet; then cause him to hold his hand still, and, with speed, put out into another man’s hand, or into your own, two sixpences instead of one, and use words of course, whereby you shall make the spectators believe, when they open their hands, that, by enchantment, you have brought both together.

To convey a Shilling from one Hand into another, holding your Hands apart.

It is necessary to mingle some merry pranks among your grave miracles, as, in this case of money, to take a shilling in each hand, and, holding your arms abroad, to lay a wager that you will bring them both into one hand without bringing them any nearer together; the wager being laid, hold your arms abroad, like a rod, and, turning about with your body, lay the shilling out of one of your hands, upon the table, and, turning to the other hand, so you shall win your wager.

To transform any small Thing into any other Form, by holding of Paper.

Take a sheet of paper, and fold or double the same, so as one side be a little longer than the other; then put a counter between the two sides of the leaves of the paper, up to the middle of the top of the fold; hold the same so as it be not perceived, and lay a sixpence on the outside thereof, right against the counter, and fold it down to the end of the longer side. When you have unfolded it again, the sixpence will be where the counter was, so that some will suppose you have transformed the money into a counter; and with this many tricks may be done.

Another Trick of the same Nature.

Take two papers, three inches square each, divided into two folds, of three equal parts on either side, so as each folded paper remains one inch square; then glue the back side of the two together, as they are folded, and not as they are opened, and so shall both papers seem to be but one, and, which side soever you open, it shall appear to be the same, if you have handsomely done the bottom, as you may well do with your middle finger, so that, if you have a sixpence in one hand, and a counter in the other, you show but one, and you may, by turning the paper, seem to change it; this is best performed by putting it under a candlestick or a hat, and, with words, seem to do the feat, which is by no means an inferior one.

A Watch recovered after being beaten to Pieces in a Mortar.

A watch is borrowed from one of the company, and, being put into a mortar, another person is shortly after requested to beat it to pieces with a pestle. It is then shown to the company, entirely bruised; in a few minutes the watch is restored entire to its owner, who acknowledges it to be his property. It is easy to devise that, to effect this, the mortar must be placed near a concerted trap, and that it must be covered with a napkin, to afford an opportunity to the confederate to substitute another watch, unperceived by the company. In order to succeed in the illusion of this trick, you must take care to provide yourself with a second watch, somewhat resembling the first in the size, case, &c. which will not be very difficult, as you may either be furnished with a watch by a person with whom the matter is preconcerted, or by addressing yourself to some one whose watch you have before observed, and procured yourself one like it. After having placed all the pieces in the mortar, you must cover them a second time with a napkin, and whilst you amuse the company with some trick or story, you afford time to your confederate to take the bruised pieces away, and replace the first watch in the mortar.

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TRICKS WITH BOXES, &c.

The Egg-Box.

This is the Egg-box, put together like two beehives—one on the top of another. The following is the under-shell,

covered over artificially with the white thin skin of a real egg. The upper shell is of the same shape, but

larger, and is merely the lid of the box. The following

is the lower part of the box. Put B, which is the outward shell, upon C, and both upon D, which arrangement puts all in readiness for the performance of the trick. Now call for an egg, and bid all the bystanders look at it, to see that it is a real egg. Then take off the upper part, B C, with your fore-finger and thumb, and placing the egg in the box, say, “Ladies and Gentlemen, you see it fairly in the box;” and, uncovering it again, say, “You shall see me fairly take it out;” putting it into your pocket in their sight. Now open your box again, and say, “There’s nothing;” close your hand about the middle of the box, and, taking B by the bottom, say, “There is the egg again;” which appears to the spectators to be the same that you put in your pocket; then clapping that on again, and taking the lid of C between your fore-finger and thumb, say, “It is gone again.”

The Penetrative Guinea.

Provide a round tin box, of the size of a large snuff-box, and likewise eight other boxes, which will go easily into each other, and let the least of them be of a size to hold a guinea. Each of these boxes should shut with a hinge, and to the least of them there must be a small lock, that is fastened with a spring, but cannot be opened without a key; and observe, that all these boxes must shut so freely, that they may be all closed at once. Place these boxes in each other, with their tops open, in the drawer of the table on which you make your experiments; or, if you please, in your pocket, in such a manner that they cannot be displaced. Then ask a person to lend you a new guinea, and desire him to mark it, that it may not be changed. You take this piece in one hand, and in the other you have another of the same appearance, and, putting your hand in the drawer, you slip the piece that is marked into the least box, and, shutting them all at once, you take them out. Then showing the piece you have in your hand, and which the company suppose to be the same that was marked, you pretend to make it pass through the box, and dexterously convey it away. You then present the box, for the spectators do not yet know there are more than one, to any person in company, who, when he opens it, finds another, and another, till he comes to the last, but that he cannot open without the key, which you then give him; and, retiring to a distant part of the room, you tell him to take out the guinea himself, and see if it be that he marked.

This trick may be made more surprising by putting the key into the snuff-box of one of the company; which you may do by asking for a pinch of snuff: the key, being very small, will lie concealed among the snuff. When the person who opens the box asks for the key, tell him that one of his friends has it in his snuff-box, which will cause much amazement and merriment. This part of the trick may be done with a confederate.

The Chest which opens at Command.

There is a little figure of Mahomet within the chest, in the body of which is a spring, made of brass wire, twisted in a spiral form. By this means the little figure, though higher than the chest, can, by the accommodation of the spring, be contained within when it is shut, as the spring in the body closes and shortens. The chest is placed on levers concealed in the table, which communicate their motions by the assistance of the confederate to the bolt and lock. As soon as the staple is disengaged, the spring in the body of the figure, finding no resistance but the weight of the lid, forces it open.

The Melting-Box.

The melting-box is made in the fashion of a screw, so that the lips may hang without discovery.

F G

F is the outer part of the box; G, the first inside part;

H I

H, the second inside part; and I, the round case, made of leather, with a button on the top, and wide enough to slip on and off, half in the bottom of the box, into which put a small quantity of quicksilver, killed or amalgamated, which may be done with the shavings of pewter. In the second part, which is H, let there be six single pence: put these in the first or outermost part, then put G to H, and the box is perfect.

When you go to show this trick, desire any in the company to lend you a sixpence, saying, “you will return it safe”; requesting, withal, that none will meddle with any thing they see, unless you desire them, lest they prejudice you and themselves. Then take the cap off your box, and bid any one see it and feel it, that there be no mistrust; so likewise take the box entire, holding your fore-finger on the bottom, and your thumb on the upper part, turning it upside-down, and say,—“You see here is nothing:” then putting in the sixpence, put the cap over the box again; as the box stands covered upon the table, put your hand under the table, using some cant words; then take off the cap with your fore-finger and thumb, so as you pinch the innermost box with it and set it gently on the table; then put the dead quicksilver out of the lower part, into your hand, turning the box with the bottom upwards, and stirring it about with your fore-finger; then say, “Here you see it melted, now I will put it in again, and turn it into single pence;” suddenly take the cap as you took it off, and return it again; bid them blow on it; then take off the cap as you did before, only pinching the uppermost lid in it, and setting it upon the table; hold the box at the top and bottom, with your fore-finger and thumb; then put the six single pence, after they are viewed, and seen to be so, in again, and return the cap as before, saying, “Blow on it if you would have it in the same form you gave it me;” then taking the cap by the bottom, holding the box as before, put out the sixpence, and return the box into your pocket. This is a very good sleight, if well performed.

Trick upon the Globe-Box.

This is a trick not inferior to the best that is shown with boxes: it is a box made of four pieces, and a ball, so big as is imagined to be contained therein; the ball serves in the same way as the egg does in the egg-box, only to deceive the hand and eye of the spectators: this ball, made of wood or ivory, is thrown out of the box upon the table, for every one to see that it is substantial; then, putting the ball into the box, and letting the standers-by blow on the box, taking off the upper shell with your fore-finger and thumb, there appears another, and of another colour,—as red, blue, yellow, or any variety of colours upon each ball that is so imagined to be, which, indeed, is no more than the shell of wood, ingeniously turned and fitted for the box, as you may see in the following figures:—

N L

P M
R O
Q S

L is the outer shell of the globe, taken off the figures M N, an inner shell; O, the cover of the same; P, the other inner shell; Q, the cover of the same; R, the third shell; S, that which covers it. These globes may be made of more or less variety, according to the wish of the operator.

Trick with the Funnel.

You must get a double funnel; that is, two funnels soldered one within the other, so that you may, at the least end, pour in a quantity of wine or water; this funnel you must have ready filled beforehand, with whatsoever liquor you please, and call for some of the same kind; then draw the funnel, and, setting your middle finger under the bottom of it, bid somebody (or do it yourself) pour it full, and drink it up before them, and turn the broad end of the funnel downwards, saying, “Gentlemen, all is gone;” and in a thrice turn yourself about, and, in turning, pronounce some term of art; withdraw your finger from the narrow end, and let the liquor out between the funnels, and it will be thought to be that which you drank out of the funnel, and so you may persuade them it is the same.

The Magical Bell and Bushel.

This bushel must be turned neatly, like the egg-boxes, so that they cannot find out where it opens; and you must have a false lid to clap on and off, and upon that false lid glue some bird-seed; and then you must have a true lid made to clap neatly upon the false one; now you must have your artificial bell to show with your bushel.

You may make your bell with wood or brass; but it must be made to unscrew at top, that it may hold as much seed as your bushel will when it is filled; and you must have the handle of your bell made with a spring, so as to let the seed fall down at your word of command.

The manner of using them is as follows:—Fill the top with bird-seed, before you begin to exhibit, saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, you see I have nothing in my bell,” (which they cannot do, if you hold it by the handle,) “nor have I any thing in my bushel; therefore I will fill the bushel with bird-seed.” In filling it, clap on the false lid, and no person will be able to discover the deception.

Now ask any one of the company to hold it in their hands whilst you command all the seed to appear under the magic bell. Then clap the true lid on, and ring the bell; accordingly, the seed will be gone out of the bushel into the bell, to the great wonder of the bystanders.

Out of an Empty Bag to bring upwards of an Hundred Eggs; and, afterwards, a living Fowl.

First, buy two or three yards of printed calico, or linen, and make a double bag, at the mouth of which, on that side next you, make four or five little purses, in each of which put two or three eggs, and do so till you have filled that side next to you. Have a hole made at one end of the bag, that no more than two or three eggs may come out at once. Then have another bag like unto that exactly, that one must not be known from the other; put a hen into that bag, and hang it on a hook on the side you stand. The manner of performing it is thus: take the egg-bag and put both your hands in it; then turn it inside out, and say, “Ladies and gentlemen, you see here is nothing in my bag;” and in turning it again you must slip some of the eggs out of the purses, as many as you think fit: then turn your bag again, and show the company that it is empty, and in turning it command more eggs to come out. When all are come out but one, you are to take that egg and show it to the company, and then drop down the egg-bag and take up the hen-bag. Now, shake out the hen, pigeon, or other fowl. This, altogether, is a noble trick, if well executed.

Bonus Genius; or, Hiccius Doctius.

You must have the figure of a man made of wood, about the bigness of your little finger, the head whereof must be made to take off and put on at pleasure, by means of a wire that is in the neck; also, you must have a cloth cap, with a little bag within, to convey the head into; the bag must be neatly made, that it may not easily be perceived; show your man to the company, and say, “Ladies and gentlemen, this I call my Bonus Genius;” then show the cap, saying, “This is his coat;” say moreover, “look now as steadfastly as you can, nevertheless I will cozen you, for therefore am I come;” then hold your cap above your face, and take your man in your right hand, and put his head through the hole of the cap, saying, “Now he is ready to go on any message I have to send him,—to Spain or Italy, or where I will, but he must have somewhat to bear his charges;” with that, pull out your right hand from under your cap, and therewith the body, but, privately putting your right hand into your pocket, as if you felt for money, where you may have the body, and take out your hand and say, “There are three crowns for you, now begone;” then turn the head, and say, “But he will look about him before he goes;” then say (setting your fore-fingers upon his crown), “Just as I thrust my fore-finger down, so he shall vanish;” and therewith, by the assistance of your left hand that is under the cap, convey his head into the little bag within the cap; then turn your cap about, and say, “See here, he is gone;” then take your cap and hold it up again, drawing the head out of the little bag, and say, “Hic mecut genius;” and in the meantime thrust the head through the hole of the cap, and, holding the head by the wire, turn it about presently, and put the head into your pocket.

To make a Knife leap out of a Pot.

Have a pot full of water standing on a table; then take a piece of whalebone, about three inches long,—let it be pretty stiff, that it may spring the better: take also a new stiff card, and fold it down the middle, longways; cut a hole through both folds at each end, half an inch, or more, from the ends; put one end of the whalebone in at one end of the card, bend it like a bow, and then put the other end of the whalebone into the other end of the card; set this in the pot, two inches deep in the water; then place the handle of the knife upon the uppermost part of the whalebone, with the point upwards, and use some words of art, as Presto, begone! when it springs out.

To turn a Box of Bird-seed into a living Bird.

You must have a box made on purpose, with a false lid. It must be turned neatly, like the egg-boxes, so that it cannot be perceived where it opens. You must likewise have a false lid to clap on and to take off. On that lid glue some bird-seed. Before you show the box to the company, put a bird into it; put on the false lid, and then show the box to the bystanders. It will seem to be full of seeds. Now put on the true lid, saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, I command all the seeds out of my box, and order a living bird to appear;” which it will do when the cover is taken off.

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