Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, ambassador, author and conjurer

by Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin

A.
Academician’s, predictions, [370].
Accident at the Odéon, [315].
Accomplice, a kind, [135].
Acrobatic canaries, [39].
Africa, life in, [373].
Aïssaoua, miracles of the sect of, [396].
Alarum, a novel, [37].
Alarum-light, the, [195].
Albertus Magnus and his brazen man, [157].
Alboni, Madame, [337].
Algeria, journey to, [372];
reception in, [373].
Ali-Ben-el-Hadji Moussa, “the slave of God,” [393].
Ambassador, Houdin as, [372].
Amputation extraordinary, [390].
Anderson, “Professor,” his flagrant puffery, [326].
Angers, journey to, [58];
arrival at, [61];
Fair at, [61].
Anthon, Mr., buys Automaton Chess-player, [171].
Antonia, story of, [114];
at Constantinople, [125];
death of, [130].
Antonio, the nurse, [56];
his confession, [73];
in Paris, [180];
his wife, [184].
Arab address to Houdin, [391].
Arab chiefs convoked, [378].
Arcet’s metal, [432].
Artificial man, the, [157].
Artist’s home, the, [194].
Asp, automaton, [161].
Athlete, an Arabian, [383].
Aubusson, accident at, [87].
Audience, studying an, [142];
a sleepy, [243];
an indignant, [267].
Auguste, the caterer, [203].
Auriol, Houdin’s automaton clown, [179].
Author’s overture, [13].
Automata: Brazen fly, [156];
by Vaucanson, [159];
Houdin’s—the pastry cook, [179];
Auriol and Debureau, ibid;
orange-tree, ib.;
time-dial, ib.
Automaton, Houdin’s first, [36];
Harlequin flute-player, [158];
tambourine-player, [159];
artificial duck, [159];
discovery of its trick, [160];
chess-player, [162];
history of, [162].
Autumnal fêtes at Algiers, [378].
Avalanche, the human, [351].
Aviary, a wonderful, [39].
B.
Bab-Azoun Theatre in Algiers, [375].
Bacon, Roger, makes a brazen head, [156].
Balls, juggling with the, [49].
Baths of Germany, [368].
Belgium, Houdin’s visit to, [201].
Belleville, retreat to, [198].
Benefactor, a public, [29].
Berlin, three months in, [369].
Bernard, Colonel gives lessons to Houdin, [191].
Berthoud on Clock-making, [43].
Black-silk cap, story of, [301].
Blois:—birth-place of Houdin, [17];
Houdin retires to, [369].
Bores, how to get rid of, [264].
Bosco, the conjurer, [184].
Botany, lessons in, [37].
Bottle-trick at Manchester, [349].
Bou-Allem’s house, [402].
Bought and sold, [31].
Bouquet à la Reine, [355].
Boutigny, with red hot metal, [432].
Box, the mysterious, [383].
Brazen automaton fly, [156].
Brazen head, Bacon and Bungey’s, [156].
Brèguet, the Cardinal’s, [110].
Broken-English, Houdin’s, [346].
Broken watch, the, [109].
Brother and sister, [116];
before the Sultan, [125].
Brunnow, the Baron, [341].
Brussels Theatre, engagement at, [276];
journey to, [279];
troubles en route, [281];
arrives at, [287];
success, [290];
but no money, [291];
cheated on all sides, [292].
Buckingham Palace, Houdin at, [353];
short commons at, [357].
Bungey, Thomas, makes a brazen head, [156].
Bush-Aga, abode of a, [402].
Bust-making, extraordinary, [301].
C.
Cagliostro at Rome, [105].
Cagliostro, the Houdin’s comic journal, [254].
Cagliostro’s casket, [309];
his seal, [308].
Cambridge, Houdin at, [359].
Canard, a real, [160].
Canaries, the cage of, [38].
Candle-lighting, [227].
Caravan, a conjurer’s, [56].
Card-rook, a, [211].
Cards, a duel with, [85].
Cardinal’s watch, [106];
broken, [109];
melted down, [111];
restored whole, [112].
Carlosbach, Dr., the conjurer, [27].
Carpentier, Aristide le, the antiquarian, [271].
Carriage smashed, [286].
Castellan, Madame, [337].
Castelli, Signor, eats a man alive, [69].
Catherine II. plays with the automaton chess-player, [169];
attempts to cheat, [170];
wants to buy the figure, [171].
Celestial Empire, the, [236].
Challenge to Houdin, [268].
Charivari, the, [252].
Charlatan bills, Anderson’s, [329].
Charles V., iron fly presented to, [155].
Chaussée d’Antin, scene in, [272].
Cheat, punishment of a, [83].
Cheating cards, diagrams of, [216].
Chess-player, history of the automaton (see Kempelen), [162-172].
Chester Theatre, England, [289].
Chinese and their conjuring tricks, [225].
Choosing a Profession, [26].
Cleopatra’s asp, [161].
Clipping the coin, [51].
Clock, the mysterious, [195].
Clockmaking, treatise on, [43].
Clowns, Houdin’s automaton, [179].
Coffee, the conjurer’s, [382].
Collation, a magical, [364].
Colchester, audience and the nuts, [365].
Componium, the, [172];
repaired by Houdin, [175].
Comte, the magician, [141];
his tricks, [143];
his café, [144];
performs at the Tuilleries, [146];
his King of Hearts, [147];
hat-trick, [148];
his ventriloquism, [149];
visits Houdin, [150].
Comus, the conjurer, [83].
Conjuring bullets, [413].
Conscientious audience, [298].
Constantinople, conjuring at, [121].
Convocation of Arab chiefs, [378].
Cookery and clockwork, [194].
Cossack, the automaton, [227].
Course of miracles, a, [422].
Court Journal, [355].
Cousin Robert, [421].
Covent Garden Theatre, [335].
Critic, a severe, [204].
Cronier, the mechanician, [161].
Crystal Balls, the, [312].
Curaçoa from the bottle, [350].
Curious discussion, [377].
Custom at Colchester, [365].
D.
Dantan, junior, the caricaturist, [299];
makes a bust, [301].
D’Avaray, Duc, [37].
Dazzling picture, a, [343].
De Paris, the Count, [231].
Deception, a rival’s, [99].
Delay at Algiers, [375].
Delirium, influence of, [53].
Dial, Houdin’s magic, [179].
Diagrams of cheating cards, 216 and [218].
Diamond cut diamond, [150].
Diplomatist and conjurer, [341].
Director of the Belgian Customs, [283];
tricks upon, [284].
Doctor, a strange, [55].
Domingo, the negro, [229].
Dormeuil, theatrical manager, [336].
Dorval, Madame, benefit of, [314].
Doubtful applause, [75].
Dreams, phantasmagoria of, [54].
Debureau, Houdin’s automaton clown, [179].
Duhart, chief of the claquers, [318].
Dumas’ Monte Christo, [336].
E.
Electric shock, [385].
Electric touch, an, [264].
Electric clocks, future of, [421].
Electricity applied to mechanism by Houdin, [370].
Emile-Houdin, [256];
performances by, [258].
England invaded by French performers, [334].
English theatrical costume, [332].
Escamoteur, the, [153].
Etherial suspension, [312].
Exhibition of 1844, [231];
medal voted to Houdin, [233].
Expedient, an, [331].
Experiments, curious, [256].
Eye and hand, practice of, [49].
F.
Failure, an utter, [247].
Fair-Unknown, a, [258].
Family tickets, [143].
Fancy Fair, Sir A. Webster’s, [337].
Fantasia by Arabs, [378].
Fantastic portfolio, [312].
Fantastic Soirées, Houdin’s, [244].
Farewell tour, Houdin’s, [368].
Father Roujol, [152].
Faubourg St. Germain, [270].
Festival of Nankin, [228].
Filings, how to make, [42].
Financial crisis, a, [197].
First bill, Houdin’s, [245].
First fruits of labor, [135].
First game played by Automaton chess-player, [163];
the Turk beats the Doctor, [164].
First magician in France, [181].
First performance at Paris by Houdin, [246].
First public performance, Torrini’s, [97].
Five-franc pieces, the magical, [408].
Flowers, the birth of, [145].
Flute-player, automaton, [159].
Forey, Eugène, his drawing of Houdin’s theatre, [252].
Fortune, a reverse of, [192].
Fortunatus’s hat, [229].
Four balls, juggling with, [49].
Free admissions, [320].
French towns, how lighted, [46].
Fricot, a dish of, [199].
Future experiments, Houdin’s, [420].
G.
Galerie de Valois, [237].
Garde Française, [312].
Génet, an optimist manager, [360].
German-flute-player, automaton, [159].
Germany, Houdin’s tour through, [368].
Giovanni Torrini, [127].
Glove, Victoria’s, [355].
Gold-fish trick, [225].
Grand Turk, the, [122].
Gratuitous performance, [297].
Great personages, [339].
Great Wizard of the North, his frightful puffery, [326].
Greek, a modern, [213].
Grindstone, a nose on the, [43].
Grisi, the Count Edmond de, [90].
Grisi, Madame, [337].
Gun-trick, a tragic, [129].
Gymnastic machinery, [211].
Gymnas, performance of, [319].
H.
Hamilton, successor to Houdin, [367];
becomes his brother-in-law, [368].
Happy moment, a, [203].
Harem, the Sultan’s, [124].
Harlequin automata, [77];
Philippe’s, [228].
Hat, the spoiled, [134].
Hearts, the King of, [147].
Her Majesty’s Theatre, [323].
Hertford, Houdin at, [360].
Hints for sharpers, [219].
Hippodrome of Paris, [244].
Hired applause, [319].
Historic Theatre of Paris, [336].
Home, return to, [136].
Homicide by imprudence, [130].
Houdin, Mademoiselle, [140];
the conjurer marries her, [141].
Houdin, M., the mechanical artist, [141].
Houdin-Robert, birth and parentage, [17];
adventures, passion.
Human avalanche, [351].
I.
Idler, a country, [26].
Illustration, the, [252].
Incantation, the, [263].
Inexhaustible bottle, [312].
Ingot, the magic, [112].
Inkstand, to make a fortune by, [177].
Inquisition at Rome, [104].
Interior of Africa, Houdin in the, [398].
Inventor, calculations of an, [177].
Invulnerability, [385];
secret of, [428].
Ireland, Houdin in, [366].
Iron automaton fly, [155].
Italian conjurer, [157].
Italy, conjuring in, [90-119].
J.
Jenny Lind, [323].
Judicious puffing, [325].
Jules de Rovère, the conjurer, [153].
K.
Kabyle rendered powerless, [384].
Kabylia, revolt in, [374].
Kitchen of Parafaragarmus, [229].
Kempelen, M. de, Viennese mechanician, [162];
visits Dr. Osloff at Riga, [163];
invents the automaton chess-player, [163];
travels with it to Russia, [168];
baffles the Czarina, [171];
visits England, [171].
Knowles, the manager, [345].
Koppen exhibits the Componium, [172].
L.
Lablache, the singer, [337].
Ladies, pleasing the, [145].
Lamp, the stolen, [46].
Larivière, the Abbé, head of Orleans College, [23].
Lawyer’s office, Houdin in, [35].
Le Carpentier, Aristide, [271].
Leclerc invents the Mélephone, [226].
Lemnos, [309].
Lenoir, the dancing master, [64].
Leonetto with red hot iron, [431].
Lesprit, the conjurer, [187].
Life, most important event of, [45].
Linnæus, study of, [38].
Lottery, M. Philippe’s, [223].
Louis Napoleon at Fulham, [339].
Louis Philippe at the Palace of Industry, [231];
and the automaton writer, [238];
at St. Cloud, [303].
Louis XVIII. and Comte, [146].
M.
Macalister, the magician, [225];
in Paris, [229].
Mâcon, the fair of, [148].
Maëlzel owns the automaton chess-player, and takes it to America, [172].
Magic ingot, [112].
Malice, a conjurer through, [101].
Manchester, a city of chimneysweeps, [352].
Manchester Theatre, Houdin at, [345].
Manipulation, practice makes skill in, [49].
Marabout, shot by one, [387].
Marabout, mystification of one, [408].
Marquis deceived, [117].
Mario, the singer, [337].
Marseilles, Torrini at, [126]; Houdin at, [419].
Mechanical snuff-box, [35].
Mechanician’s shop on wheels, [78].
Mélephone, the, [226].
Miette, the conjurer, [187].
Minor miseries, [295].
Miracles, a course of, [422].
Mitchell, London manager, [322];
Jenny Lind’s box, [323].
Modest living, [199].
Molten metal, washing the hands in, [433].
Monte Christo, at Covent Garden, [335];
at St. James’s Theatre, [336].
Moor, disappearance of a, [388].
Morrison’s pills, [223].
Mountebanks in Paris, [311].
Mouse-power to raise water, [21].
Muhammad, the Arab guide, breakfast with, [400];
he deserts, [401].
Murderer’s confession, [59].
Music-master, the, [182].
Musky compliments, [151].
Mystification, [151].
Mystification extraordinary, [117].
Mystifier mystified, [150].
N.
Nail in the eye, [429].
Nankin, festival of the Court of, [228].
Naples, the King of, [100].
Napoleon of Necromancy, [328].
Napoleon III. in England, [339].
Necromancy in Rome, [105].
Need, a friend in, [285].
Neptune’s basins, [229].
Nevers, ventriloquism at, [148].
Neveu, Colonel de, [371];
his work on Algiers, [396].
New Joe Miller, a, [329].
New studies, Houdin’s, [253].
Nightingale, mechanical, its song, [207].
Nomadic life, [78].
Noriet, watchmaker and sculptor, [50].
Novel lottery, a, [223].
Number sixty-nine, [268].
Nuremburg dolls, [200].
Nuts at Colchester, [365].
O.
Odéon, performance at the, [314].
Olivier, the conjurer, [126].
Omelette accident, [133].
Omen, an, [231].
Open-air studies, [311].
Optimist manager, [360].
Orange-tree, Houdin’s mysterious, [179].
Origin of flowers, [312].
Orleans, Houdin at College of, [20].
Orleans, Duchess of, [281];
at St. Cloud, [309].
Orleans family in London, [355].
Osloff, Dr., saves Worousky’s life, [162];
plays first game with automaton chess-player, [163].
P.
Page, sawing asunder of one, [123].
Palais Royal Theatre, [335].
Panic, Houdin’s, [249];
of an Arab audience, [389].
Papin, Denis, inventor of steam engine, [17].
Parafaragarmus, kitchen of, [229].
Paris, Robert-Houdin goes to, [141];
return to, from Brussels, [292];
from England, [366];
retires from, [368].
Park Theatre, Brussels, [287].
Pastry-cook, Houdin’s automaton, [179].
Peacock, the magic, [228].
Perambulating house, [61].
Perrault’s fairies, [157].
Philippe Talon, the conjurer, [221];
visits London, ib.;
at Aberdeen, [222];
his lottery, [223];
in Paris, [227].
Philter, a lady wants a, [262].
Piarot, Bosco’s pigeon, [189].
Pigeon-trick, Bosco’s, [187];
his work, [191].
Piller of the State, a, [223].
Pillory, spectators on the, [350].
Pinetti, Chevalier, [92];
treachery of, [94].
Pirlemont Hotel, Brussels, [286].
Pistol-trick in Africa, [412].
Piquet, a blind man’s game at, [64];
the game of, [81];
a duel at, [85].
Pius VII. and the conjurer, [107].
Pocket, sauter la coupe in the, [50].
Poison in the dish, [52].
Police, the Prefect of, [238].
Poor Piarot, [189].
Pope, conjuring before the, [107].
Porter, tyranny of, [288].
Porter’s power, machine of, [38].
Pot-au-feu, [194].
Powdered glass, an appetiser, [425].
Prepared playing cards, [214].
Press, the English, [333].
Prestidigitateur, title first assumed by Jules de Rovère, [154].
Prodigal son, [136].
Prophet, a fallible, [250].
Protector, a powerful, [318].
Punch’s doings, [223].
Punch bowl, the magic, [382].
R.
Race for time, [265].
Ragoût, the poisoned, [52].
Rat, the captured, [21].
Rat-trap, a novel, [23].
Randon, Marshal, [380].
Recollections of the soirées, [254].
Red-hot metal, feats with, [432].
Reforms in conjuring, [235].
Rehearsal, Houdin’s first, [241].
Repast, a wizard’s, [357].
Retirement from Paris, [368].
Revenge, a conjurer’s, [102].
Revolution of 1848, [320].
Reysolius, his artificial man, [157].
Richardson’s incombustibility, [431].
Rings’ trick, [225].
Ritter, Captain, [399].
Rival, a dangerous, [66].
Robert, the elder, father of Robert-Houdin, his skill, [17];
death of, [208].
Roger, M., an honest lawyer, [37].
Roger, the singer, [337].
Romainville, music studies in the wood of, [207].
Rose-colored tickets, [143].
Royal patronage, [344].
Royalty, insult to, [101].
Rrrrrrrrouit, the nightingale’s, [207].
S.
Sabre-swallower, the French, [427].
Saint’s head, a, [200].
Sand-bag and stirrup trick, [33].
Sauter de coupe, [84].
Scheme of revenge, [103].
School, Houdin at, [21].
Sciences, Royal Academy of, [158].
Scientific amusements, [44].
Scotland, Houdin in, [366].
Second-sight, invention of the, [255].
Seductions of a theatrical agent, [273].
Selim III., the Sultan, visits Torrini, [122].
Sementrici’s feats with hot metal, [431].
Seven thousand francs made by filings, [208].
Sharpers, hints for, [219].
Skill, a duel of, [102].
Skillful manager, a, [143].
Sleight-of-hand, principle of, [48];
first practice in, [49].
Soirées Fantastiques de Robert-Houdin in London, [324].
Sorcerer, how a man becomes one, [46].
Spectators in the pillory, [348].
St. Cloud, Houdin at Palace of, [303].
St. James’s Theatre, London, [322];
Houdin at, [330];
Dormeuil at, [335].
St. Thomas Aquinas breaks the brazen man, [157].
Stirrup-trick, [33].
Storm at sea, [419].
Strange audience, [381].
Strange banners, [417].
Strasburg, tragedy at, [129].
Sugar-baker, the conjuring, [221].
Sultan, wives of the, [122].
T.
Taken by storm, [295].
Talisman, a, [387].
Talon, Philippe, the magician, [221].
Tambourine-player, an automaton, [159].
Tambourine, the singer, [337].
Tent-life in Algiers, [416].
Theatre, Houdin’s, in the Palais Royal, [237].
Theatricals, [139].
Theatrical agent, seductions of, [273].
Theatrical bed, a, [324].
Three people make an audience, [361].
Time, a race for, [265].
Tiou, the nightingale’s, [207].
Too small a theatre, [295].
Tools, Houdin’s early love of, [19].
Torrini, the conjurer, [57];
relates his history, 90 et seq.;
death of, [181].
Tours, journey to, [53];
ventriloquism at, [148].
Toys, conjurer’s distribution of, [254].
Trepèze tumbler, the, [312].
Trick, a fatal, [129].
Trick, Houdin’s first, [47].
Tricks of the Aïssaoua, [423].
Tuilleries, Comte at the, [146].
Turks, performances to the, [121].
Twelve hundred francs spent on a trick, [113].
Two sous-piece, a lucky, [281].
U.
Universal Exhibition of 1855, medal from, [370].
V.
Vatican, conjuring in the, [107].
Vaucanson, Jacques de, automaton maker, [160];
some account of, [161];
asp of Cleopatra, [161].
Vaudeville, Houdin at the, [165].
Vermifuge balsam, [31].
Ventriloquism by Comte, [148].
Verdigris, a ragoût of, [52].
Virgilius, his brazen fly, [156].
Visitors in Africa, [407].
Victoria, Queen, [340];
patronizes Houdin, [344].
W.
Watchmaking, first lessons in, [41].
Watch, the Cardinal’s, [106];
broken, [109];
melted down, [111];
found whole, in the Pope’s pocket, [112].
Webster, Sir Arthur, his fête at Fulham, [336];
Houdin performs at, [343].
Welcome rest, a, [367].
Whiskey, Houdin’s glass of, [350].
White magic before the Pope, [108].
William Tell and his son, [127].
Win, the way to, [217].
Wine, a torrent of, [351].
Wizard’s repast, [357].
Wood-carver, the, [200].
Wood-cutting, [201].
Worousky, the rebel, his life saved by Dr. Osloff, [162];
a great chess-player, [163];
plays the automaton, [165];
at Toula, [166];
plays Catherine II., [169];
visits England, [171].
Writing and drawing automaton, [196];
its completion, [204].
Z.
Zilbermann, the gambler, [81].

FOOTNOTES:

[A] It will be remembered that in those days French towns were lighted by a lamp suspended in the centre of the highway from a cord attached to two poles.—(Ed.)

[B] After Vaucanson’s death, his works were dispersed and lost, with the exception of the duck, which, after remaining for a long time in a garret at Berlin, saw light again in 1840, and was purchased by a M. George Tiets, who spent four years in repairing it.

[C] The automaton chess-player always used the left hand—a defect falsely attributed to the carelessness of the constructor.

[D] Since this period Bosco has changed his stage decorations: his cloths have altered their colors, his candles are shorter, but the death’s-head, the ball, the costume, and the tricks, have ever remained the same.

[E] This slight incident did not prevent the jury granting me a silver medal for my automata. Eleven years later, at the Universal Exhibition of 1855, I received a medal of the first class for new applications of electricity to mechanism.

[F] It is possible that M. Robert-Houdin intends to take this revenge, owing to the unfair way in which he was treated during his professional career. In 1850, a man who had been seven years in his service, and in whom he placed entire confidence, allowed himself to be seduced by the brilliant offers an amateur made him, and sold the secret of some of his Master’s tricks at a high price. Justice was appealed to and stopped this disgraceful traffic: the seller was awarded two years’ imprisonment, but the buyer could not be touched, and thus many of M. Houdin’s tricks passed into strange hands.

[G] 1677, first edition, page 41, and second edition, 1680, pp. 24, 147, 252.