Book 5 — BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NATURAL MAGIC AND PRESTIDIGITATION. COMPILED, WITH NOTES, BY Henry Ridgely Evans.

I. ENGLISH.

Arnold, George, and Cahill, Frank. The Magician’s Own Book; or, the Whole Art of Conjuring. New York, 1857. 8vo. 362 pp.

Astley, Philip. Natural Magic. London, 1785.

Bacon, Roger. Discovery of the Miracles of Art, Nature, and Magic. (About 1260.)

Bailey, F. H. Hindu Jugglery. Journal of Education (Boston), vol. xliv. p. 378.

Ball, W. W. Rouse. Card Tricks. In his Mathematical Recreations.

Bancroft, Frederick. Yogi Magic in India. Scientific American Supplement, vol. xliii p. 17845.

Bartlett, J. Second Sight. Scientific American Supplement, vol. xlii. pp. 17477, 17478.

Beckmann. History of Inventions. (About 1770.)

Benjamin, M. Modern Magic and its Explanation. Chautauquan, vol. xi. p. 731.

Berkeley. Card Tricks and Puzzles. London, 1892. 8vo.

Bertram, Charles. “Isn’t it Wonderful!” A History of Magic and Mystery. London, 1896. 4to. 300 pp.

Bishop, Washington Irving. Houdin and Heller’s Second Sight. Edinburgh, 1880.

Blitz, Antonio. Fifty Years in the Magic Circle. An Account of the Author’s Professional Life, his Wonderful Tricks and Feats, with Laughable Incidents and Adventures as a Magician, Necromancer, and Ventriloquist. Hartford, 1871. 8vo.

Breslaw. Last Legacy; or, The Magical Companion. London, 1784.

Brewster, Sir David. Letters on Natural Magic. London, 1832. 16mo.

Burlingame H. J. Around the World with a Magician and a Juggler. Chicago, 1896. 8vo. 172 pp.

Burlingame, H. J. Herrmann, the Magician. His Life; His Secrets. Chicago, 1897. 12mo. 250 pp.

—— History of Magic and Magicians. Chicago, 1895. 8vo. 41 pp. (Pamphlet.)

—— Leaves from Conjurers’ Scrap-Books; or, Modern Magicians and their Works. Chicago, —. 8vo. 274 pp.

—— Modern Magical Marvels: A Practical Treatise on Magic and Conjuring for Professionals and Amateurs. (In preparation.)

—— Tricks in Magic: Illusions and Mental Phenomena. Chicago, —. 8vo.

A series of entertaining works on modern magic and its professors.

Bursill, H. Hand-shadows to be thrown upon the Wall; Consisting of Novel and Amusing Figures formed by the Hand, from Original Designs. Second series, in one volume. New York, —.

Carlyle, Thomas. Count Cagliostro. In his Miscellaneous Essays.

This is a fascinating sketch of the most famous of charlatans and pretenders to magic. It is written in Carlyle’s characteristic style, and is, perhaps, more of a philosophical study of the genus quack than an impartial biography of the celebrated necromancer of the old régime. A more detailed account of Cagliostro’s romantic career is to be found in the series of articles by William E. A. Axon, published in the Dublin University Magazine, vols. lxxviii. and lxxix. (1871, 1872). All biographies of Cagliostro are founded on the work published in Rome, 1790, under the auspices of the Holy Apostolic Chamber. The Italian life contains an elaborate exposé of the great magician’s system of Egyptian masonry, also the full Inquisition sentence pronounced against him. This highly interesting product of papal jurisprudence makes strange reading for the nineteenth century. In the year 1791 the Inquisition biography was translated into French, under the title of Le Vie de Joseph Balsamo, connu sous le nom de Comte Cagliostro. It has for a frontispiece a steel-engraved portrait of Cagliostro. Original editions of this rare and curious old work may be seen in the Peabody Library, of Baltimore, Md.; the Scottish Rite Library, of Washington, D. C.; and the Masonic Library of Grand Rapids, Iowa.

Cagliostro made adroit use of hypnotism, optical illusions, and chemical tricks. He was past master of the art of deception. Modern professors of conjuring are fond of using the name of Cagliostro for all sorts of magical feats, such as the “Mask of Balsamo,” “Cagliostro’s Casket and Cards,” “Cagliostro’s Cabinet,” etc.

Carpenter, William H. At an Algerian Aissaoua. Current Literature, vol. xix. pp. 409-411.

The Aissaoua are the miracle-mongers of Algeria. For explanation of their tricks, see the concluding chapter of Robert-Houdin’s memoirs.

Conjurer Unmasked, The: With the Tricks of the Divining Rod, Magical Table, etc. 1790.

Conjurer’s Guide. Glasgow, 1850.

Cremer, W. H. Hanky-panky: A Collection of Conjuring Tricks. London, —. 8vo.

—— The Magician’s Own Book. London, —. 8vo.

Cumberland, Stuart. A Thought-Reader’s Thoughts: Impressions and Confessions of a Thought-Reader. London, 1888. 8vo.

Davenport, Reuben Briggs. The Death-Blow to Spiritualism. Being the true story of the Fox sisters as revealed by authority of Margaret Fox Kane and Catherine Fox Jencken. New York, 1888. 8vo. 247 pp.

A rare and interesting work, with portraits of Margaret Fox Kane and Katie Fox Jencken, the pioneer mediums of American spiritualism.

Dessoir, Max. The Magic Mirror. Monist, vol. i. p. 87.

—— The Psychology of Legerdemain. Open Court, vol. vii.

Series of articles translated from the German. Of great interest to psychologists.

De Vere, M. S. Modern Magic. 1869.

Evans, Henry Ridgely. Hours with the Ghosts; or, XIX. Century Witchcraft. Investigations into the Phenomena of Spiritualism and Theosophy. Chicago, 1897. 8vo.

This work, in the main, is a critical study of the phenomena of modern spiritualism. It is divided into two parts—psychical phenomena and physical phenomena. Concerning the first, the author ascribes the manifestations witnessed by him in test séances, with professional and non-professional subjects, to telepathy, etc., not to spirit intervention. As regards the second phase, he takes a decidedly negative view. Exposés are given of psychography, or slate-writing tests, had with such famous mediums as Pierre Keeler, Dr. Henry Slade, etc. The alleged miracles of modern theosophy are also treated at length. Interesting features of the book are the biographies of Madame Blavatsky, D. D. Home, Dr. Slade, etc., and the history of the Theosophical Society from its inception to the present time (1897). A Bibliography of the leading critical treatises on psychic phenomena is appended to the book.

Ewbank, T. A Descriptive and Historical Account of Hydraulic and Other Machines for Raising Water, Ancient and Modern, with Observations on Various Subjects connected with the Mechanic Arts. New York, 1851. 8vo.

Contains many descriptions of magical automata of ancient Greece and Rome.

Fitzgerald, H. A Chat with Mr. Maskelyne and Mr. Charles Bertram. Ludgate Illustrated Magazine, vol. vi. p. 198.

Forbes, John. Card-Sharpers; their Tricks Exposed. (Translated from Robert-Houdin’s Les Tricheries des Grecs.) London, 1891. 8vo.

Frikell, G. Hanky-panky: A Book of Conjuring Tricks. London, 1875.

—— Magic no Mystery: Conjuring Tricks with Cards, Balls, and Dice; Magic Writing, Performing Animals, etc. Edited by W. H. Cremer. London, 1876.

Frost, Thomas. The Lives of the Conjurers. London, 1881. 8vo.

—— The Old Showmen and the Old London Fairs. London, 1881. 8vo.

Gale. Cabinet of Knowledge: With Mechanical, Magnetical and Magical Experiments, Card Deceptions, etc. London, 1803.

Ganthony, R. Practical Ventriloquism and its Sister Arts. London, 1893. 8vo.

Garenne, Prof. Henri. The Art of Modern Conjuring, Magic, and Illusions. A Practical Treatise on the Art of Parlor and Stage Magic, Illusions, Spiritualism, Ventriloquism, Thought-reading, Mesmerism, Mnemotechny, etc. London, —. 8vo.

Gatchell, Charles. The Methods of Mind-Readers. Forum, vol. xi. pp. 192-204.

Scientific account of the so-called mind-reading feats of Stuart Cumberland, Washington Irving Bishop, and others, showing them to be muscle-reading. Worked in conjunction with certain conjuring tricks, muscle-reading has an all but supernatural effect. Mr. Gatchell explains many of the devices used by charlatans to imitate clairvoyance, etc. See also chapters on similar subjects in Burlingame’s “Leaves from Conjurers’ Scrap-Books,” Carl Willmann’s “Moderne Wunder,” and Sid. Macaire’s “Mind-Reading, or Muscle-Reading?”

Good, Arthur. Magic at Home: Book of Amusing Science. Translated by Prof. Hoffmann [Angelo Lewis]. London, 1890. 8vo.

Halle, J. S. Magic. Berlin, 1783.

Hart, Ernest. Hypnotism, Mesmerism, and the New Witchcraft. New York, 1893. 12mo. 212 pp.

A new and enlarged edition, with chapters on “The Eternal Gullible,” “The Confessions of a Professional Hypnotist,” and notes on the hypnotism of Trilby.

Hatton, Henry. Secrets of Conjuring. Scribners, vol. xxi. pp. 304-306.

—— The Art of Second Sight. Scribners, vol. xxi. pp. 65-69.

Heather, H. E. Cards and Card Tricks. London, 1879. 8vo.

Henry, T. Shekleton. “Spookland.” A record of research and experiment in a much-talked-of realm of mystery, with a review and criticism of the so-called spiritualistic phenomena of spirit materialization, and hints and illustrations as to the possibility of artificially producing the same.

Hercat. Card Tricks and Conjuring up to Date. London, 1896. 8vo. 123 pp.

Hermon, Harry. Hellerism: Second-sight Mystery; Supernatural Vision, or Second-sight. What is it? A Mystery; A Complete Manual for Teaching this Peculiar Art. Boston, 1884. 16mo.

A fine exposé of Robert Heller’s second-sight trick.

Herrmann, Addie. Confessions of an Assistant Magician. Lippincott, vol. viii. p. 482.

Herrmann, Alexander. Light on the Black Art. Cosmopolitan, vol. xiv. p. 208.

—— Necromancy Unveiled. Lippincott, vol. viii. p. 475.

—— Some Adventures of a Necromancer. North American Review, vol. clv. p. 418.

—— The Art of Magic. North American Review, vol. cliii. p. 92.

Interesting magazine articles by the great Herrmann, giving his personal experiences as a magician.

Hocus-pocus, Jr. The Anatomy of Legerdemain. Fourth edition. London, 1654.

Hodgson, Richard. Indian Magic, and the Testimony of Conjurers. Proceedings: Society for Psychical Research, Part 25, p. 354.

Hoffman, Prof. [Angelo Lewis]. Drawing-Room Conjuring. London and New York, 1887. 12mo. 179 pp.

—— Modern Magic. A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring. With an appendix containing explanations of some of the best known specialties of Messrs. Maskelyne and Cooke. London and New York, —. 12mo. 578 pp.

An elaborate treatise on prestidigitation. Very useful to students. Palmistry in all its branches explained, as well as stage illusions.

—— More Magic. London and New York, 1890. 12mo. 457 pp.

See also under Robert-Houdin.

Hoffmann, Walter J. Juggling Tricks among the Menominee Indians. United States Bureau of Ethnology; fourteenth annual report, 1892-93. Part I, pp. 97-100.

Holden. A Wizard’s Wanderings. London, 1886.

[Hurst, Lulu]. The Revelations of Lulu Hurst, the Georgia Wonder. —. 267 pp.

Jastrow, Joseph. Psychological Notes upon Sleight-of-Hand Experts. Science, vol. iii. pp. 685-689. Reprinted in “Scientific American Supplement,” vol. xlii. p. 17488.

Professor Jastrow, at his psychological laboratory, subjected the conjurers Herrmann and Kellar to a series of careful tests to ascertain their tactile sensibility, sensitiveness to textures, accuracy of visual perception, quickness of movement, mental processes, etc. In “Science” he details the results obtained by him in his experiments, the first of the kind ever made with magicians as subjects. Read in conjunction with the highly interesting series of articles on the “Psychology of Deception,” Robert-Houdin’s memoirs and magical revelations, and Max Dessoir’s fine papers, these studies of Herrmann and Kellar are of great interest to all students of experimental psychology. There are no finer illustrations of mental and visual deception than the tricks of prestidigitateurs.

—— Psychology of Deception. Popular Science Monthly, vol. xxxiv. pp. 145-157; 721-732.

Kellar, Harry. High Caste Indian Magic. North American Review, vol. clvi. pp. 75-86.

In this entertaining paper, Kellar the conjurer describes some of the magical performances of the Hindu fakirs and Zulu wizards. They not only out-Herod Herod, but out-Haggard Rider Haggard, the prince of[543] romancers, for weirdness and improbability. The article reads as if it had been “written up” for effect, being the product of an elastic and brilliant imagination, though Kellar claims to have been an eye-witness of all the marvels he describes. Some few of them, hypnotic in character, such as the feat of “imitation death,” are unquestionably true, as witness the evidence of Sir Claude M. Wade and other eminent Anglo-Indian investigators. The magician Herrmann, who traveled over India, had but a contemptuous opinion of Hindu fakir tricks. Modern theosophists have done much to exploit the so-called miracles of Tibetan and Indian necromancers. Madame Blavatsky’s works are full of absurd stories of Oriental magic. See her “Caves and Jungles of Hindustan,” “Isis Unveiled,” etc., for example. But also see Arthur Lillie’s work, “Madame Blavatsky and her Theosophy,” London, 1897, for amusing revelations of theosophical marvels.

—— Magic among the Red Men. North American Review, vol. clviii. pp. 591-600.

Kunard, Prof. R. Book of Card Tricks for Drawing-Room and Stage. London, 1888. 8vo.

—— Modern Magic; a Book of Conjuring for Amateurs. London, 1888. 8vo.

Le Roux, Hugues, and Garnier, Jules. Acrobats and Mountebanks. Translated by A. P. Morton. London and New York, 1890. 4to.

A very entertaining work, tracing the history of the mountebank from his inception in the nomadic caravan to his apotheosis in the splendid modern circus and vaudeville theatre.

Lewis, T. Hanson. The Great Wizard of the West [J. N. Maskelyne]. English Illustrated Magazine, vol. xii. p. 75.

Lockhart, W. Advanced Prestidigitation. London, 1894.

Logan, Olive. The King of Conjurers [Robert-Houdin]. Harper’s Magazine, vol. lv. pp. 817-831.

Macaire, Sid. Mind-Reading, or Muscle-Reading? London, 1889.

A capital little work on muscle-reading and pretended second-sight.

Maccabe, Frederic. The Art of Ventriloquism. London, —. 12mo. 110 pp.

Magic and Pretended Miracles. London, 1848.

Marion, F. Wonders of Optics. New York, 1869. 8vo.

Contains interesting translations from the memoirs of Robertson, the eighteenth-century ghost illusionist.

Maskelyne, John Nevil. Modern Spiritualism. London, 1875. (Pamphlet.)

—— Natural Magic. Leisure Hours, vol. xxvii. pp. 5-204.

—— Sharps and Flats. London, 1894. 8vo.

An exposé of the multifarious devices used in cheating at games of chance and skill. One of the best works on the subject.

—— The Magnetic Lady; or, A Human Magnet Demagnetized. Being an appendix to “The Supernatural.” London, —. 8vo. 16 pp.

Natural Magic. Chambers’ Miscellany, No. 82.

Naudé, G. History of Magick, by way of Apology for all the Wise Men who have been Unjustly Reputed Magicians, from the Earliest Times to the Present Age. London, 1657.

Pepper, John Henry. The Play-Book of Science. London, —. 8vo. 506 pp.

—— The True History of the Ghost, and all about Metempsychosis. London, 1890. 8vo. 46 pp.

Professor Pepper, inventor of the famous “Ghost,” gives full details in this little book of the apparatus used in performing the startling optical illusion, together with many amusing personal experiences connected with its stage production. There were spiritualists in London who asserted that Professor Pepper was a powerful medium, and produced his weird phantasms by some occult influence. They deluged him with letters on the subject. The illusion known as “Metempsychosis” is the basis of Kellar’s ingenious “Blue-Room” trick, which has puzzled thousands of spectators.

Piesse, G. W. S. Chymical, Natural, and Physical Magic. Third edition. London, 1865. 16mo.

Quinn, John Philip. Nineteenth Century Black Art; or, Gambling Exposed. With illustrations of all crooked gambling appliances. Chicago, 1896. 12mo. 104 pp.

Revelations of a Spirit-Medium; or, Spiritualistic Mysteries Exposed. A detailed explanation of the methods used by fraudulent mediums. By A Medium. St. Paul, Minn., 1891. 8vo. 324 pp.

Robert-Houdin (Jean-Eugène). Card-Sharping Exposed. Translated and edited, with notes, by Professor Hoffmann. London and New York, 1882. 12mo. 316 pp.

—— Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, Ambassador, Author, and Conjurer, written by himself. Translated from the French by R. Shelton Mackenzie. Philadelphia, 1859. 12mo. 445 pp.

—— The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic; or, How to Become a Wizard. Translated and edited, with notes, by Professor Hoffmann. London and New York, 1878. 12mo. 373 pp.

—— The Secrets of Stage Conjuring. Translated and edited, with notes, by Professor Hoffmann. London and New York, 1881. 12mo. 252 pp.

Robert-Houdin’s works on magic are genuine classics, and are so regarded by all conjurers. No more fascinating biography was ever written than Houdin’s Memoirs. It contains interesting sketches of old-time magicians, such as Philippe, Bosco, Comte, Torrini, and Pinetti, also a great deal of scientific and historical information relating to early inventions, etc. “The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic” (Les secrets de la prestidigitation et de la magie), published in 1868, is an admirable treatise on sleight of hand. The French edition is out of print. “The possession of a copy of this book,” says Angelo Lewis, “was regarded among professors of magic as a boon of the highest possible value. It is unquestionably the most scientific work ever written on the art of conjuring.” The English translation has been received with the greatest favor by amateur and professional sleight-of-hand performers. Students of psychology will find much to interest them in this clever book.

Rochas, Albert de. Trials by Fire, and Fire Jugglers. Popular Science Monthly, vol. xxi. pp. 645-650.

Roterberg, A. The Modern Wizard. Containing an essay on “The Art of Magic,” by W. E. Robinson. Chicago, —. 8vo. 120 pp.

—— Latter Day Tricks. A sequel to The Modern Wizard. Chicago, 1896. 8vo. 104 pp.

Capital little manuals of the latest marvels in the magical line.

Sachs, Edwin O. Modern Theater Stages. Engineering, January 17, 1896, to June 11, 1897.

—— Sleight of hand; a Practical Manual of Legerdemain for Amateurs and Others. London, 1885. 12mo. 408 pp.

An excellent work for students. Palmistry carefully explained.

Salverte, E. The Occult Sciences; Philosophy of Magic, Prodigies, and Apparent Miracles. From the French, with notes by A. T. Thomson. 2 vols. London, 1846. 12mo.

Shaw, W. H. J. Magic and its Mysteries. Chicago, 1893. 8vo. 61 pp.

Skinner, W. E. (Compiler).—Wehmann’s Wizard’s Manual. New York, 1892. 8vo. 122 pp.

Society for Psychical Research: Proceedings, vols. i. to xi. London, 1882-83 to 1895.

Contain many exposés of pretended mediumship, etc.

Stanyon, Ellis. Conjuring for Amateurs. A Practical Treatise on How to Perform Modern Tricks. London, 1897. 8vo. 122 pp.

Taylor, Rev. E. S. History of Playing Cards. 48 plates and woodcuts. London, 1865. 8vo.

Contains anecdotes of the uses of cards in conjuring, fortune-telling, and card-sharping.

Thaumaturgia; or, Elucidations of the Marvelous. By an Oxonian. London, 1835. 12mo.

Timayennis, T. T. History of the Art of Magic. With a Sketch of Alexander Herrmann. New York, 1887. 8vo.

Tindal, Marcus. Tricks with Pennies. New Illustrated Magazine, August, 1897, pp. 373-376.

Tissandier, Gaston. Popular Scientific Recreations, a Storehouse of Instruction and Amusement; in which the Marvels of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, etc., are Explained and Illustrated, Mainly by Means of Pleasing Experiments and Attractive Pastimes. London and New York, —. 4to. 884 pp.

This monumental work is a translation of Tissandier’s Les récréations scientifiques, with many additions. It contains a few conjuring feats of a very simple nature, and an exposé of the ghost illusion and decapitated-head trick. In the chapter on clocks, the reader will find an interesting description of Robert-Houdin’s famous magical timepiece, which ran apparently without works. It will be remembered that one of these wizard clocks was the means of introducing Houdin to the French public as a prestidigitateur, as explained in the introduction—“The Mysteries of Modern Magic.”

Trewey, Félician. Shadowgraphy: How it is Done. London, 1893. 8vo. (Pamphlet.)

Truesdell, John W. The Bottom Facts Concerning the Science of Spiritualism: derived from careful investigations covering a period of twenty-five years. New York, 1883. 8vo. 331 pp.

Exposés of slate-writing feats and cabinet arts. A valuable work.

Weatherby, L. A. The Supernatural? With chapter on Oriental Magic, Spiritualism, and Theosophy, by J. N. Maskelyne. London, —. 12mo. 273 pp.

Welton, Thomas. Mental Magic; a Rationale of Thought-Reading and its Phenomena. London, 1884. 4to.

White Magic. Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. xv. pp. 207-211.

Whole Art of Legerdemain; or, Hocus-pocus Laid Open and Explained. [Anon.] Philadelphia, 1852. 18mo.

II. FRENCH.

Antonio, Carlo. Dictionnaire encyclopédique. Avec atlas. Paris, 1792-1799. 4to. 900 pp.

Scientific recreations, illusions, and conjuring tricks, ingenious applications of science to industry, etc. The works of Decremps, Ozanam, Guyot, Pinetti, and Montucla, etc., are largely drawn upon.

—— Trésor des jeux. The Hague, 1769.

Cup and ball conjuring, tricks with cards, etc., illustrated.

Cépak, Abel. Ce qu’on peut faire avec les œufs. Collection complète et variée des expériences faciles et amusantes pouvant être exécutées par tout le monde avec des œufs. Paris, 1889. 12mo. 163 pp.

A work devoted solely to conjuring tricks performed with eggs.

Combinaison Egyptienne du célèbre Cagliostro. Véritable explication des six cents principaux songes. Figures noires et coloriées. Paris, —. 12mo.

Comte, and Fontenelle, Julie de. Sorciers, ou la magie blanche dévoilée par les découvertes de la chimie, de la physique, et de la mécanique. Paris, —.

Comus. Physique amusante. Paris, 1801.

Decremps, N. La magie blanche dévoilée, ou explication de tours surprenants qui font depuis peu l’admiration de la capitale et de la province, avec des réflexions sur la baguette divinatoire, les automates joueurs d’échecs. Figures explicatives. Paris, 1784, 1788, 1792. 8vo.

—— Supplément à la Magie blanche dévoilée, contenant l’explication de plusieurs tours nouveaux joués depuis peu à Londres, avec des éclaircissements sur les artifices des joueurs de profession, les cadrans sympathiques, le mouvement perpétuel, les chevaux savans, les poupées parlantes, les automates dansants, les ventriloques, les sabots élastiques. Figures. Paris, 1785, 1788, 1792. 8vo.

—— Eclaircissements à la Magie blanche dévoilée. Paris, 1785. 8vo.

—— Testament de Jérome Sharp, professeur de physique amusante, où l’on trouve parmi plusieurs tours de subtilité qu’on peut exécuter sans aucune dépense, des préceptes, des exemples sur l’art de faire des chansons impromptu, pour servir de suite et de complément à la Magie blanche dévoilée. Figures. Paris, 1786, 1788, 1789, 1793. 8vo.

—— Codicile de Jérome Sharp, professeur de physique amusante, où l’on trouve parmi plusieurs tours, diverses récréations relatives aux sciences et beaux-arts, pour servir de suite à la Magie blanche. Figures. Paris, 1788, 1791, 1793. 8vo.

—— Les petites aventures de Jérome Sharp, professeur de physique amusante, ouvrage contenant autant de tours ingénieux que de leçons utiles avec quelques petits portraits à la manière noire. Avec 18 figures grav. en bois. Bruxelles et Paris, 1789, 1790, 1793. 8vo.

Original editions of the works of this ingenious writer are exceedingly rare. They are genuine curiosities in the domain of magical literature, being the first scientific treatises on the art of sleight of hand written in the French language. Decremps was a pioneer in this line, and hundreds of authors, English, French, and German, are indebted to him for material for their books. He exposed the tricks and illusions of the eighteenth-century wizards, and, according to Larousse, did much to dispel by his revelations the pretended sorcery of Cagliostro. The Codicile de Jérome Sharp was published during the “Reign of Terror” of the French Revolution. Its author did not fall a victim to the guillotine, but lived to a good old age, dying in the year 1826. This work contains a portrait of Decremps.

De Muson. La Magie blanche dévoilée. Paris, 1855.

—— Manuel des sorciers. Paris, 1802.

—— Récréations de physique. Paris, 1828.

Dicksonn. Mes trucs. Paris, 1893.

Dictionnaire de trucs; illusions de physique amusante. 1 vol. (with one volume of steel plates). Paris, 1792. 878 pp.

Dictionnaire des Ana. Paris, 1794. 4to.

Didot. Nouvelle biographie générale. Paris, 1859. See article Robert-Houdin.

Ducret, Étienne. Tours d’escamatoge, anciens et nouveaux. Paris, —.

Faideau, F. Les amusements scientifiques, récréations sur les illusions, ou erreurs des sens. Paris, —.

Gandon, F. A. La seconde vue dévoilée. Paris, 1849.

Grandpré. Magicien moderne. Paris, —. 570 pp.

Grand traité des songes, ou explication complète des visions et inspirations nocturnes. Paris, 1831. 18mo.

Guyot. Nouvelles récréations physiques et mathématiques. Paris, 1769, 1775, 1786, 1790, 1799, 1800.

Hatin. Robert-Houdin, sa vie, ses œuvres, son théâtre. Paris, 1857.

Helion. Physique amusante. 1660.

L’Albert moderne. Paris, 1782. 2 vols. 12mo

La magie naturelle. Lyons, 1787. Figures.

Landau. Petit magicien. Paris, 1810.

La Nouvelle Magie Blanche Dévoilée. Amusante grande initiation à la vraie pratique des célèbres physiciens et prestidigitateurs. Par un amateur. Paris, 1855. 8vo. 324 pp.

L’Escamoteur Habile, ou l’art d’amuser agréablement une Société, contenant les tours de cartes, etc. Pesth, 1816.

Magus. Magie blanche en famille. Paris, 1895. 352 pp.

Manuel des sorciers, ou cours de récréations physiques, mathématiques, tours de cartes et gibecière; suivi des petits jeux de société et le leurs pénitences. Cinquieme édition, avec figures. Paris, 1820. 16mo. 293 pp.

Marion, F. Magie naturelle, ou optique amusante. In his Optique. 1869.

Marly. Physique amusante. 1626.

Mathiot, Germain. Nouvelles récréations physiques et mathématiques. Paris, 1799.

Moynet, Georges. Trucs et décors. Paris, 1895. 8vo.

——, M. J. L’Envers du théâtre. Paris, 1875. 16mo.

Naudé, G. Apologie pour tous les grands hommes qui ont esté accusez de magie. Paris, 1669. 24mo.

Ozanam, Jacques. Récréations mathématiques et physiques. Paris, 1694. 2 vols. 8vo. Other editions published in 1720, 1723, 1725, 1735, 1741, 1749, 1750, 1778, 1790.

Contains many curious scientific diversions, besides tricks with cups and balls, pyrotechny, etc.

Pinetti, de Wildalle, Jean-Joseph. Amusements physiques. Paris, 1784. 8vo. 95 pp.

—— The Same. Nouvelle édition augmentée par l’auteur de six nouvelles grav. Paris, 1785. 8vo.

—— The Same. Troisième édition augmentée de quelque nouvelles expériences physiques et de gravures. Paris, 1791. 8vo.

This work by the famous Pinetti, king of conjurers of the eighteenth century, is a little handbook of very simple experiments in natural magic, evidently designed to be sold in the theatre. It contains no sleight-of-hand experiments, or anything of value to a professional. Pinetti carefully preserved the secrets of his tricks, and died without making any revelations. Decremps, however, has sufficiently acquainted us with them in his Magie blanche dévoilée. An edition in English of Pinetti’s book was published in London. On the title-page the conjurer expresses himself as follows: “Physical amusements and diverting experiments composed and performed in different capitals of Europe, and in London. By Signor Giuseppe Pinetti, de Wilidalle, Knight of the German Order of Merit of St. Philip, professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, pensioned by the court of Prussia, patronized by all the royal family of France, aggregate of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Belles-lettres of Bordeaux, etc. London, 1784.” 65 pp.

The most interesting thing about this insignificant booklet is a steel-plate frontispiece containing a portrait of the great magician. Two winged cherubs are depicted, placing the bust of Pinetti in the temple of arts. The motto reads: “Des genies placent le buste de M. le Professeur Pinetti dans le temple des arts, au milieu des instruments de physique et de mathématiques.”

Ponsin, J. N. Nouvelle magie blanche dévoilée, physique occulte, et cours complet de prestidigitation, contenant tous les tours nouveaux qui ont été exécutés jusqu’à ce jour sur les théâtres ou ailleurs, et qui n’ont pas encore été publiés, et un grand nombre de tours d’un effet surprenant, d’une exécution facile, et tout à fait inconnus du public et des professeurs. Paris, 1853. 8vo. 312 pp.

Sleight of hand with cards, coins, cups and balls.

Prestidigitation moderne. Figures. Paris, —.

Scientific recreations, tricks with cards, etc. Spiritism exposed.

Raynally. Les propos d’un escamoteur. Paris, 1894.

Robert-Houdin (Jean-Eugène). Les confidences d’un prestidigitateur. 2 vols. Paris, 1858. 8vo.

—— Les secrets de la prestidigitation et de la magie. Paris, 1868.

—— Les tricheries des Grecs. Paris, 1861.

—— Magie et physiques amusante. Paris, 1877.

Robertson, Étienne-Gaspard. Mémoires récréatifs et anecdotiques. 2 vols. Paris, 1830-34. 8vo. (With a volume of plates.)

—— Mémoires physiques et phantasmagorie. 2 vols. Paris, 1840.

Very interesting exposés of ghost illusions, phantasmagoria, optical tricks, etc.

Robin, D. Histoire des spectres vivants et impalpables; secrets de la physique amusante. Paris, 1864. 4to.

Ghost illusions explained. Illusions similar to those described by Pepper in “The True Story of the Ghost.”

Rochas, Albert de. Les origines de la science et ses premières applications. Paris, 8vo. 288 pp.

A very elaborate treatise on the natural magic of ancient times, primitive science, etc.

III. GERMAN.

Anders, Fritz. Der junge Tausendkuenstler. Leipzig, 1884.

Comte. Das Gedankenspiel oder die Kunst der Menschen Gedanken zu erforschen; Beitrag zur natuerlichen Magie. Mit 12 Tafeln. Halle, 1782. 8vo.

—— Handbuch der Taschenspielerkunst oder die Geheimnisse der natuerlichen Magie. 2 Bände mit 3 Tafeln. 1834. 8vo.

Conradi. Zauber Spiegel, monthly magazine.

—— Karten Künstler.

Cumberland, Arthur W. Der Experimental-Spiritist als Orakel, Hellseher, blinder Rechner und Gedaechtnisskuenstler. Stuttgart, 1895. 8vo. 125 pp.

Die Kunst Zauberer zu werden, von Philadelphia. Leipzig, 1870.

Eckartshausen, v. Aufschluesse der Magie. 8vo. About 1790. 4 Bde. Mystische Maechte oder der Schluessel zu den Geheimnissen des Wunderbaren; Nachtrag zu den Aufschluessen der Magie. Mit Kpfr. Muenchen, 1791. 8vo.

—— Verschiedenes zum Unterricht und zur Unterhaltung, fuer Liebhaber der Gaukeltasche, des Magnetismus und anderer Seltenheiten. 2 Bde. mit Kpfr. Muenchen, 1798. 8vo.

Guetle, J. Zaubermechanik oder Beschreibung mechanischer Zauberbelustigungen, mit darzu gehoerigen Maschinen fuer Liebhaber belustigender Kuenste. 2 Bde. mit 58 Tafeln. Nuernberg, 1794. 8vo.

Guyot. Neue physikal. und mathemat. Belustigungen oder Sammlung, von neuen Kunststuecken zum Vergnuegen, mit dem Magnete, mit den Zahlen, aus der Optik und Chemie. 7 Thle., 4 Bde. mit vielen Kpfrn. Augsburg, 1772-77. 8vo.

Hildebrand. Das Buch der alten natuerl. Magie oder Kunst und Wunderbuch, darin enthalten viele wunderbare Geheimnisse, Kunststuecke, etc. Baltimore. 8vo.

Jacoby-Harms. Illustrierte Zauber-Soirée. Leipzig. 117 pp.

Kerndorffer, Prof. Carl Bosco. Zauber-Cabinet. Leipzig, 1874.

Marian, Rudolph. Das Buch der Kartenkuenste: in 126 Piècen und 75 Illustrationen. Wien, 1890. 8vo. 158 pp.

—— Das Ganze der Salon-Magie; in 169 Vortraegen und 220 Illustrationen. Wien, 1889. 12mo. 240 pp.

Molwitz, F. Magische Unterhaltungen oder Taschenbuch fuer magische Unterhaltungen. Jahrg. 1809-10.

Rockstroh, Heinrich. Mechanemata, oder der Tausendkuenstler. Berlin, 1831. 8vo. 344 pp.

Suhr, H. F. C. Der Kartenkuenstler. Eine Sammlung neuer leicht ausfuehrbarer Karten-Kunststuecke, mit und ohne Apparate. Stuttgart, 1895. 8vo. 125 pp.

—— Die Magie im Salon. Eine Auswahl neuer, leicht ausfuehrbarer Zauber-Kunststuecke ohne Apparate. Stuttgart, 1895. 8vo. 104 pp.

—— Zauber-Soirée. Ausfuehrliche und genaue Anleitung zur Vorfuehrung von Zauber-Kunststuecken in privaten Kreisen. Stuttgart, 1895. 8vo. 94 pp.

Tromboldt, J. Streichholzspiele. Leipzig, 1890.

Wagner, J. Neuestes Zauberkabinet; Auswahl von magischen, Karten, Rechnungs- u. anderen Kunststuecken. Wien, 1799. 8vo.

Wallbergens. Sammlung natuerl. Zauberkuenste oder aufrichtige Entdeckungen bewaehrter Geheimnisse nebst vielen Kunststuecken, so zu Haushaltung, Gaertnerey, Wein- u. Feldbau gehoeren. Stuttgart, 1768. 8vo.

Willmann, Carl. Die moderne Salon-Magie. Leipzig, 1891. 460 pp.

—— Moderne Wunder. Leipzig, 1892. Third Edition, 1897. 8vo. 320 pp.

“Moderne Wunder” contains interesting exposés of pretended mediumship, clairvoyance, second sight automata, and stage illusions.

—— Zauber-Welt.

A monthly magazine of natural magic and prestidigitation, edited by Willmann.

Zauber-Buch. Natürlicher, oder neu eröffneter Spielplatz rarer Künste, in welchem alle Taschenspieler-, mathemat. und physikal. Künste, Karten-, Würfel- etc. Spiele beschrieben u. mit vielen Figuren erläutert werden. Sehr selten u. interessant. Nürnberg, 1762. 8vo. 752 pp.

IV. SPANISH.

Gomez, S. R. Los divertidos, curiosos, juegos de escamoteo.

Krespel, Karl. Nuevo manual de magia blanca. Paris, 1888.

Minguet e Yrol, P. Juegos de manos. Madrid, 1733. 16mo.

Palonca, D. R. El moderno prestidigitador. Valencia, 1887.

V. ITALIAN.

Giochi Numerici Fatti Arcani Palesati, da Giuseppe Antonio Alberti Bolognese; seconda edizione adornata di figure. In Venezia, 1780. 8vo.

—— The Same Napoli, 1814. 8vo.

VI. LATIN.

Hildebrandt, W. Magiæ Naturalis, 1610.

Hippolytus. Ref. Om. Haer, iv. 34, 35.

Porta, Giovanni Battista della. Magiæ Naturalis, sive de miraculis rerum naturalium, Libri iv. 283 ff., 3~1. Lugduni, apud G. Rovillium, 1561.

Schot, K. Physica Curiosa. 2 vols. 1667.

—— Thaumaturgus Physicus sive magiæ universalis naturæ. 1659.

INDEX.