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

Or, put a few grains of chlorate of potash into a tablespoonful of spirit of wine; add one or two drops of sulphuric acid, and the whole will burst into a beautiful flame.

TO COOL FLAME BY METAL.

Encircle the very small flame of a floating night light, with a cold iron wire, which will instantly cause its extinction.

PROOF THAT FLAME IS HOLLOW.

Pour some spirit of wine into a watch-glass, and inflame it; place a straw across this flame, and it will only be ignited and charred at the outer edge; the middle of the straw will be uninjured, for there is no ignited matter in the center of the flame.

TO HOLD A HOT TEA KETTLE ON THE HAND.

Be sure that the bottom of the kettle is well covered with soot; when the water in it boils, remove it from the fire, and place it upon the palm of the hand; no inconvenience will be felt, as the soot will prevent the heat being transmitted from the water within and the heated metal, to the hand.

INCOMBUSTIBLE LINEN.

Make a strong solution of borax in water, and steep in it linen, muslin, or any article of clothing; when dry, they cannot easily be inflamed. A solution of phosphate of ammonia with sal ammoniac answers much better.

THE BURNING CIRCLE.