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

Having previously looked at a card, bid the person draw one, taking care to show him that which you know; when he has it, let him put it at the bottom; let him shuffle the cards, then look at them again, and, finding the card, place it at the bottom; then cut them in half; give the party that half which contains his chosen card at the bottom, to hold between his finger and thumb, just at the corner; bid him pinch them as tight as he can; then striking them pretty sharply, they will all fall to the ground, except the bottom one, which is the card he has chosen. This is a very curious trick, and, if cleanly done, is really astonishing. It may be accounted for from the nature of the nerves, which are always more retentive when any thing is attempted to be taken, either by force or surprise.

To make the Constable catch the Knave.

Take a pack of cards, and look out the four knaves; lay one of them privately on the top of the pack, and the other three down upon the table, saying, “Here, you see, are three knaves got together, about no good you may be sure;” then lay down a king beside them, saying, “But here comes the constable and catches them together: ‘Oh, says he, have I caught you? Well, the next time I catch you together, I’ll punish you severely for all your rogueries.’ ‘Oh,’ but say they, ‘you shan’t catch us again together in haste;’ so they conclude to run three several ways. ‘Well, I’ll go here,’ says one (so take one of the knaves, and put him at the top of the pack). ‘And I’ll go here,’ says another (so put him at the bottom). ‘Then I’ll go here,’ says a third (so put him in the middle). ‘Nay,’ says the constable, ‘if you run, I’ll make sure of one; so I’ll follow the first.’” Then take the king and put him at the top, and let any one cut the cards asunder two or three times; then deal, cut the cards one by one, and you shall find three together, and the constable with them.

Note.—This feat would be best done with a pack of cards that has two knaves of that sort which you put in the middle.

To change a Card into a King or Queen.

To do this, you must have the picture in your sleeve, and, by a swift sleight, return the card, and fetch out the picture with a back bending. The manner of doing this is better learnt by frequent trials than can be taught by many words. But, if you would do this feat, and yet hold your hand straight and unmoved, then you must peel off the spots or figure of a card, as thin as you can, and just fasten it on the picture with something that will make it stick a little; then, having shown the spots or figure of the card, you may draw it off, and roll it up with your thumb into a very narrow compass, holding it undiscovered, between the inside of the thumb and the ball of your fore-finger; and so produce the picture, to the admiration of the beholders.

To tell a Person what Card he took Notice of.

Take any number of cards, as ten, twelve, and then, holding them with their backs towards you, open four or five of the uppermost, and, as you hold them out to view, let any one note a card, and tell you whether it be the first, second, or third from the top; but you must privately know the whole number of those cards you took. Now shut up your cards in your hands, and take the rest of the pack, which place upon them; then knock their ends and sides upon the table; so it will seem impossible to find the noted card, yet it may easily be done, thus: subtract the number of cards you held in your hand from fifty-two, the whole number in the pack, and to the remainder add the number of the noted card; so the same shall be the number of the noted card from the top; therefore take off the cards one by one, smelling to them till you come to the noted card.

To tell what Card is at the Bottom, when the Pack is shuffled.

When you have seen a card privately, or as though you marked it not, lay the same undermost, and shuffle the cards till your card be again at the bottom. Then show the same to the bystanders, bidding them remember it. Now shuffle the cards, or let any other shuffle them, for you know the card already, and therefore may, at any time, tell them what card they saw, which, nevertheless, must be done with caution or show of difficulty.