Hocus Pocus; or The Whole Art of Legerdemain, in Perfection. / By which the meanest capacity may perform the whole without the help of a teacher. Together with the Use of all the Instruments belonging thereto.

by Henry Dean

So lay them all along upon the table to the admiration of all the beholders.

Then take up the first cup, and clap the ball you have in your right hand under it, then taking the first ball up with your right hand, seem to put the same into your left hand, but retain it still in your right, then say, Vade, quick be gone when I bid you, and run under the cup.

Then taking that cup up again, and flinging that you have in your right hand under it, you must take up the second ball, and seem to put it into your left hand, but retain it in your right hand, saying, Gentlemen, see how the ball runs on the table.

So seemingly fling it away, and it will appear as thus.

So taking the same cup again, then clapping the ball under again, as before, then taking the third ball in your right hand, and seem to put it under your left, but still retain it in your right, then with your left hand seem to fling it in the cup, and it will appear thus; all the three balls to be under one cup.

And if you can perform these actions with the cups, you may change the balls into apples pears, or plumbs, or to living birds, to what your fancy leads you to. I would have given you more examples, but I think these are sufficient for the ingenious, so that, by these means, you may perform all manner of actions with the cups.

Note. The artificial cups cannot well be described by words, but you may have them of me, for they are accounted the greatest secrets in this art: therefore, I advise you to keep them as such, for this was never known to the world before.