This feat must be performed by a looking-glass made on purpose, the figure whereof I have fully described, with the manner of making it, which is this; first make a hoop, or phillet of wood, horn, or such like, about the width of a half crown piece in the circumference; the thickness of this hoop, or phillet, let it be about a quarter of an inch; in the middle of this hoop fasten a bottom of wood or brass, and bore in a decent order, divers small holes, about the bigness of small pease, then open the one side of this bottom, set in a piece of crystal-glass, and fasten it in the hoop close to the bottom, then take a quantity of quick-silver, and put so much into the hoop as will cover the bottom; then let into the hoop another piece of chrystal-glass fitted thereto and cement the sides, that the quick-silver may not run out, and it is done; the figure whereof I have before set. A. presenteth the one side that giveth the form of one face to the beholders? B the other side that multiplieth the beholder’s face so oft as there are holes in the middle bottom. The use whereof I shall not insist upon, since he that is versed in the former feats will better conceive of himself to use it, than my words can either direct or assist him.
To make the fulminating thundering powder.
Take three parts of salt-petre, two parts of salt of tarter, and one part of sulpher, pounded and mixed together, heat in a spoon sixty grains of this composition, and it will fly away with a fearful noise, like thunder, as loud as a cannon, breaking through the spoon and every thing underneath it, for it exerts itself downwards, contrary to the nature of gun-powder.
I have here set down, KIND READER, not only all usual feats, that either myself have seen or heard of, but divers others also, which I am sure were never in print, nor as yet performed by any I could ever hear of except myself, and all to give thee thy full content; and note this from me, if you rightly understand this, there is not a trick that any juggler in the world can shew thee, but thou shalt be able to conceive after what manner it is performed.
FINIS.
Printed by R. Folwell, No. 33, Arch-street.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Original spelling and grammar have been generally retained, with some exceptions noted below. The transcriber produced the cover image and hereby assigns it to the public domain. Original page images are available from the Library of Congress, at https://lccn.loc.gov/90101687.
- Page 5. The [illustration] under “The Operation of the Cups is thus” is retained as originally printed, with the numerals flipped 180° horizontally. The numerals in the illustration of the “pudding” on page 12 are also flipped.
- Page [12]. Right single quotation mark inserted after “before their teeth can take possession of it.”
- Page [22]. Changed “hole in on of their legs” to “hole in one of their legs”.
- Page [24]. Right single quotation mark inserted after “look about him before he goes;”.
- Page [27]. Changed “hundred conciets may be shewed” to “hundred conceits may be shewed”. Also, “beholders will wonder bow they came” to “beholders will wonder how they came”.
- Page [30]. Changed “you lay the waked side downward” to “you lay the waxed side downward”.
- Page [47]. Unbalanced left parenthesis removed from “mouth as before, (the company will be laughing”.
- Page [60]. In “kings away, and adding but one other card, then taking them up again, and blowing upon them, will shew you them transformed into blank cards, white on both sides,”, the “one” was originally printed “on”, and “on” was originally “one”.
- Page [61]. Comma is removed from original “put them into your hands; also let, them”.
- Page [89]. One “city” removed from “and diverting enough, both in city city and country”.
- Page [93]. Single quotation mark removed from “gentlemen you ‘see my box is full”.
- Page [105]. One “put” removed from “quantity of quick-silver, and put put so much”. Also “qnick-silver” to “quick-silver”.