Description

There is quite some confusion about this book, because there are American editions and British editions, some only with card magic, others with additional chapters on cups and balls and other non-card magic effects. The book we have reproduced was printed in London and it does include non-card items. We are reproducing the complete table of contents below.

PRELIMINARY

PART I. – GENERAL TRICKS

The Landlord and the MerrymakersTo Show that an Egg contains aTo Tell beforehand what Cards will be ChosenTo Restore a Poor Jack’s Lost LegAn elegant Card TrickTo Tell Cards Thought ofThe Unfaithful KnaveThe Blind Abbot and his MonksTo Throw Thirty-one with a Die before your AntagonistTo Tell which Hand holds an Odd or Even Number of Cards or DiceTo Guess the Points of each of Three Dice thrown on a Table and arranged in OrderThe Counter TrickHow many Counters have I in my Hands?The Square of CountersTo Tell a Number Thought ofA Numerical PuzzleThe Marvellous AdditionPeculiar Properties of the Numbers 37 and 73To Divide a Number in Two and have no RemainderA Delicate DistributionTo Divide equally Eight Pints of Wine among Three Jars holding severally Three, Five, and Eight PintsThe Bottle of the Four ElementsTo Show Live Earth-worms in a Bottle, after only putting in Mould and WaterTo Lift a Bottle, Full or Empty, with a StrawThe Surprising BottleThe Ascent of AquariusThe Descent of AquariusThe Bottled EggA Liquor Shining in the DarkTo Convert a Bottle into a MitrailleuseTo Pick a Coin out of Water without Wetting your HandTo Change One Coin put in a Plate into Two, One of them Larger than the OtherTo Hold a Glassful of Water Upside Down without SpillingTo Make Water Rise from a Saucer into a GlassTo Change the Colour of Liquors in various BottlesTo Make a Colour with Two Colourless LiquidsThe United Enemies To Mix Wax with WaterPerpetual MotionTo Make Wine Float on WaterMock LightningTo Fireproof your HandTo Make a Party Look HideousBurning of the North PoleA Lamp to Burn although Trundled on the FloorThe Floating BeaconExploding PastillesIncombustible SubstancesTo Blanch and Restore a RoseTo Copy a SealMagic Writing Letters that will Come and Go at CommandTo Write a Letter Five Miles offTo Make a Cross in the Hand with one Stroke of the PenThe Magic Nosegay A Trick with Sympathetic FluidsTo Make the Sympathetic InksTo Make the Sympathetic FluidThe Magic OracleThe Tree of Mars, or Metallic VegetationTree of DianaTwo Solids become a Liquid by mere TouchTo have Natural Flowers in WinterTo Tell if a Person is in LoveTo Make a Figure which will Raise itself without MachineryTo Imitate the Song of BirdsSalamander PaperTo Change Steel into Copper or BrassA Distorted Figure seen Well-proportioned from a certain Point of ViewTo Restore Burnt RibbonTo Divide a Coin without Cutting itTo Prove that Twice Nothing is of ValueTo have Ice in SummerA Practical Joke on a LinendraperA Comical DilemmaTo Break a Stick Laid on Two Glasses full of Water, without Breaking them or Spilling the WaterTo Boil without FireTo Balance a Stick on the Finger, without Fear of its Falling

PART II. TRICKS WITH PLAYING-CARDS

The Amateur’s First LessonTo Make the Pass with Both HandsTo Make the Pass with One Hand; or Single-Handed PassThe False Double Shuffle; or, Four Methods of shuffling Cards in such a manner as always to keep one particular Card at the Top or Bottom of the PackTo Exchange a CardTo Slip the CardTo Put Away a CardTo Place a CardHow to Force a CardThe Long CardTo Tell Beforehand a Card not then ChosenWhen a Card has been Drawn at Hap-hazard, and Mixed in with the Others by one of the Spectators, to make it Appear on the Top or in the Middle of the Pack, at PleasureA Card Drawn by Chance, after the Pack has been Divided into Four Parts: Discover the Selected OneTo Foresee a Person’s Thoughts; shown by putting into the Pack a Card, chosen beforehand at hazard, in the Place and at the Number that one of the Company may desire a Moment afterwardsTo have a Card Drawn, shuffle it with the others, and after having shown that it is neither at the Top nor the Bottom, make it remain alone in the Left Hand, all the others being dashed down on the Table or Floor by a Right-hand BlowTo make the Four Aces appear in the Middle of the Pack, although they have been separately put in different PlacesTo Prove the Imprudence of Playing at Cribbage with Professional GamestersTo Tell a Card Thought ofTo Shift the CardTo Find, in a Pack put into the Pocket, several Cards which have been freely Selected by the AudienceAnother Method to Name what Card a Person has Drawn from a PackTo Find in the Pack, and through a Handkerchief, whatever Card a Person has DrawnTo Guess the Spots on Cards at the Bottom of Three Lots made by the Drawer himselfTo make a Person believe you can Distinguish the Cards by their SmellTo make another Person Draw the Cards you call for

TRICKS BY THE AID OF APPARATUS AND PREPARED CARDS

To Change the King of Hearts into an Ace of Clubs, and vice versaThe Changing CardTo make several Parties draw Cards and return them to the Pack, and to find them againAfter Dividing a Pack into Three Parts, to Find a Card which has been Drawn in any Chosen One of the ThreeThe Card Thought of, with its Number in the PackThe Card in a RingTo Show Several Cards drawn from a Pack in a TelescopeTo Discover, Blindfold, by a Sword’s Point, a Selected CardTo Change a Card in a Person’s Hand, while Recommending Him to Cover it CloselyTake in your hand an ace of diamonds, on the other side of which, back to back, you hold a three of spadesTo Prepare Powdered Tar for the Foregoing TrickTo change a Card in Passing it from Hand to HandTo Make a Burnt Card Appear in a WatchTo Pass a Card from Hand to HandTo Make a Mouse, or any Similar Thing, come out of a Pack of Cards

PART III. TRICKS OF CONJURING, LEGERDEMAIN, SLEIGHT-OF-HAND, &c., COMMONLY KNOWN AS “WHITE OR INNOCENT MAGIC”

Elementary ObservationsTricks with Cups, Balls, Boxes, Coin, Guns, DaggersTo Conjure the BallTo Put a Ball under Each Cup, and Get them BackTo Pass a Ball into Each of the Cups, and Withdraw it AgainTo Conjure a Ball Through Two or Three CupsTo Pass the same Ball from Cup to Cup.The Cups being covered, to Pass the Ball from one to the other, without raising themTo make a Ball Pass through the Table and Two CupsTo take a Ball from one Cup, and make it Pass between two othersTo Pass two Balls, placed under two Cups, into a thirdTwo Balls under one Cup, to Pass under the other TwoTo make three Balls Pass under one CupTo make Two Balls Pass from one Cup to another without touching either of themTo make the Three Balls Pass under one Cup from underneath the two othersMultiplication of BallsTo make a Ball Pass under each CupTo Draw Two Balls out through the same CupTo make the same Ball Pass successively through the Three CupsTo Pass the Balls under Two Cups under the Third, without raising the formerTo make the Three Balls Pass consecutively through each CupThe Balls having been replaced in the Conjuror’s Bag, to make them return under the CupsTo make the Balls Pass through Two ClipsTo draw cut Three Balls through Two CupsTo Pass Three Balls, at one Stroke, through a CupTo Pass Three Balls from one Cup to anotherTo make the Balls Change ColourTo make the Balls Change SizesTo make the Balls Pass from one Cup to anotherTo pull a little Ball (or Coin) out of the end of a WandTo make a Ball VanishTo find a Ball under a Cup previously EmptyTo make the Audience think there is nothing under one of the Cups, although there are several Balls really under itTo make Two Cups Pass into one anotherTo make the Balls under a Cup Disappear without Touching themTo find a large Ball or an Orange under a CupTo make believe there is nothing under the Cups, although there is a large Ball under eachTo Metamorphose Large Balls into Sponges, Wigs, Night-caps, &cTo Change a Florin into a Penny, and vice versaTo Run a Knife through one’s Arm without InjuryMagic BoxesThe Magic FunnelGun TricksThe Poulterer and Fowler in oneHow to make a Marksman Miss a Target a yard off, and to Parry a Bullet with a CaneTo Put Out and to Light Candles with a Pistol-shotTo Put Out a Lighted Candle at long range with a GunTo Revive a Shot SparrowTo Pierce a Board with a CandleThe Magician’s DaggerThe Dancing CoinThe Invisible CoinThe Magic HandkerchiefTo make a Coin Stick to a WallThe Knife in the DecanterThe Dancing EggThe Egg BagTo Cut, Tear, and Mend a Marked HandkerchiefThe DiceThe Blindfold SorcererBlindman’s Buff with DominoesThe Domino OracleTo See and Count Dominoes through all ObstaclesTo Guess the two Ends of a Line of DominoesTo Find Six times Thirteen in TwelveTontine, a very pretty Game at Cards, with which a large Party may be AmusedTo make a Straw Cross Turn, by Pouring on it Two or Three Drops of WaterPermutation TableThe Link-boysTo Draw two Figures with Crayon on a Wall, one of which will Light a Taper, and the other Extinguish itTwo Dice being thrown on the Table, to find out the Spots on them without seeing themPiquet on HorsebackMode of Printing a Card on a White HandkerchiefTo Untie a Double Knot without Touching itTo Knock your Head against a Door without InjuryThe Melting CoinThe Half-Sovereign in the Wine-GlassThe Feather TrickThe Inseparable Columns; or, the Pillars of HerculesThe Box for Magical Apparitions and RestorationsThe Box of DisappearancesThe Avalanche of RosesThe Coffer of TransformationTo Make One of Three Objects Jump out of a BoxThe Magic SnuffboxTo Read Three Numbers on Blocks Inside a Locked BoxJack in a BoxThe Box of SubstitutionThe Enchanted BoxThe Feathered ConfectionerA Musician in a Half-crownThe Handkerchief-restoring GlobeCoffee of Haricot BeansThe Miraculous Post; or, Winged ExpressesThe Magic Drinking-GlassIn which we show that a Watch is made to be Ground in a MortarRice, Coffee, and Dried PeaseDice which will Pass AnywhereThe Die Changing into an OrangeInstantaneous Bloom of Flowers by Means of Electrified SeedsThe Wonderful Egg-CupTo Change a Glassful of Wine into a Shower of Rose- LeavesThe Cone, or SkittlePile or Cone: A more Amusing Game than Heads or TailsThe Magic SalverTwo and Two make Eight; or, The Multiplying SalverTo Produce Cannon-balls out of a HatA Trick intended for the Service of Wards Oppressed by Cruel GuardiansSeine-Fishing on a Card-TableA Vessel that will let out Water at the Bottom, as soon as the Mouth is UncorkedGold-fish in a Vessel of InkAn Omelette in a HatTo Cook an Omelette over a Lighted Candle

PART IV THE SECRETS OF GRAND MAGIC

The Magician’s TableThe Playing-Card Blossoms; or, the Bouquet of CardsThe Satyr’s HeadThe Magic Rope-DancerThe Miniature SportsmanThe Marvellous Musket-Shot; or, The Champion of WimbledonThe Enchanted TargetThe Automaton DancerThe Automaton Smoker, Whistler, and PufferThe Magic PistolThe Sword-and-Pistol TrickTo Change the Colour of a Bird’s Plumage, or Petals of a FlowerA Magic Picture, representing alternately Summer and WinterA Colour which Appears and Disappears at WillThe Magic LikenessTo Impale a Card on a SwordThe Ring-DoveThe Magic Boxes; or, The Twelve Boxes one Inside the otherThe Goblet of Millet-seedThe Boxes of Millet SeedTo Make a Ring Change Hands, and Pass on to any Finger you please of the Opposite HandA Pass Trick with a Die and CountersA Wonderful Excuse for AwkwardnessBalls Passing under Coffee-CupsMarvellous Production of Oranges and Blossoms; or, The Magic RosebushThe Spring-GunTo Colour a White Glass Ball after it has Passed into a Bottle, with too Small a Neck to Admit itTo Pound a Watch in a Mortar and Restore it IntactThe Egg or Ball BoxThe Obedient Card-CasesThe Enchanted Card-TablesThe Magic RoseTo Produce a Rose in a Clear Glass Vase; or, The Surprising Qualities of Horticultural CrystalPick-me-up CupsThe Golden-hearted Pippin, and the Gup of GrainThe Enchanted Billiard BallsThe Vase of Cream; or, The Fairy DairyThe Three Magic Pyramids; or, The Infallible Method of Ensuring the Purity of your WineThe Inexhaustible BottleThe Favours of Bacchus; or, The Bottle of Wine and RibbonsThe Magic Stewpan; or, The Wonderful Reviving BirdsThe Wizard’s Cauldron; or, The Animated DinnerThe Magic Punchbowl

PART V SCIENTIFIC AMUSEMENTS

The Magnetic Opera-glassThe Miniature Calculating BoyThe Flower BoxThe Magic Sovereign BoxThe Intelligent FlyThe Box of EnigmasThe Magnetic ClockVariation, with Numbers or LettersThe Enchanted WellThe Enchanted HeadThe Magnetic Card BoxCupid’s PalaceThe Magnetic Table for Cupid’s PalaceThe Ringing BellsAmusement with the Magnetic BellTo make Little Figures which will sometimes Pursue and sometimes Avoid each otherTricks with the Magic LanternThe Witch of Endor TrickSecrets of HydraulicsTo make Hydraulic Machines with Pleasant EffectsThe Hydraulic GlobeThe Hydraulic Fan or VaseThe Hydraulic SunA Turning Sun in WaterSecrets of ElectricityTo Succeed in Electrical ExperimentsThe Electrical FowlerThe Luminous BouquetTo Attract a Light Body Floating on WaterLuminous Rain or HailElectrical DancersThe Luminous FountainTo Draw Fire from a PersonTo give a Shock to any one Opening a DoorThe Electric SpiderTo Draw Fire from Water in a Glass JarThe ElectrophorosTo Charge the Conductor with Electrical Matter, and Discharge itThe Electric ChimesThe House Struck by LightningThe Ship Struck by LightningThe Heavy Casket; or, The Thirteenth Labour of HerculesThe Crystal Cash-box; or, How to send Money from Town to Town without a Post-office OrderThe Magic Tripod; or, The Flying CoinsThe Fantastic ClockThe Sympathetic Bell