The Magician's Own Book, or, the Whole Art of Conjuring / Being a complete hand-book of parlor magic, and containing over one thousand optical, chemical, mechanical, magnetical, and magical experiments, amusing transmutations, astonishing sleights and subtleties, celebrated card deceptions, ingenious tricks with numbers, curious and entertaining puzzles, together with all the most noted tricks of modern performers.

by George Arnold; Frank Cahill

Ask in which of the rows, C or D, is the number thought of: in the case supposed it is in D.

Take up the rows C D, and put one underneath the other, as at M, taking care that the half-row in which is the number thought of, shall be above the other.

Divide it again into two rows, as at E F, on each side of B, in the same way as before. Ask again in which row it is: it is now in E.

Place one row under the other, as at N, and divide again into two rows, which will now be as G H.

You will be informed that the number is in row H, and you may then announce it to be the top number of that row.

The number thought of will always be at the top of one of the rows after three transpositions. If there were 32 counters it would be at the top after four transpositions.

MAGIC SQUARES.

The name "Magic Square" is given to a square divided into several smaller squares, in which numbers are placed in such a manner that every column of numbers, whether vertical, horizontal, or from corner to corner, shall amount to the same sum.

They are divided into three principal classes: 1st, Those which have an odd number of squares in each band; 2d, Those which have an even number of squares in each band, this even number being divisible exactly by 4; 3d, Where the even number of squares in each band cannot be divided by 4 without a fraction.