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

It is obvious to remark that the hand of many an amateur artist will readily be able to form the oval without having recourse to the pierced card; but as this portion of our work is intended for all, we have suggested the above mode as sure to succeed under every circumstance.

Following the same plan in every particular, we subjoin some examples of what may be done with the square.

The dotted lines (figs. 7, 8) represent the traced or sketched square and plan lines; the firmer lines suggest objects formed upon that figure. In the same way the thin square outline (fig. 9) suggests the inner sketch of a church.

I stated before that the size of the fundamental oval or square made little difference; but I would recommend my younger readers to get these as large as possible, or convenient. If a large black board, such as is used in most schools, could be obtained, and the tracings prepared proportionably large (pounded chalk being used instead of the black or red powder in transferring the forms thereto), and the designs made upon these with a piece of chalk, so much the better. However, this matters little; and each one will suit his or her own taste in that respect. I now proceed to submit some examples of what may be done with other rudimentary forms.

Following the instructions previously given, in place of the square suggested in Figs. 7, 8, 9, describe a circle. This may be done with a pair of compasses, or simply sketched or traced by means of any round object, such as a coin laid flat upon the paper. Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, are given merely as suggestions, the circle forming an important part of their figure. The mind of the experimenter will immediately revert to other objects—thousands such are to be met with around us—having the circle or the sphere for their basis. And it will be no mean result of my labors, if any number of my younger readers are led thereby to a habit of observation, whereby they will not fail to notice that nearly all natural objects have the curved line for a basis, if they are not actually distinguishable thereby from those that are artificial.