Parlour Magic
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jauia UNITED STATES OF AMEKICA. j"> 0,- 0, REVISED AND IMPROVED. PHILADELPHIA: H. PERKINS, 134 CHESTNUT STREET. MDCCCXXXVIII. 34f 7 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by Henry Perkins, in the Clerk's office of the District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsyl- vania. Printed by Haswell, Barrington, and Haswell. To furnish the ingenious youth with the means of relieving the tediousness of a long winter's or a wet summer's evening, — to enable him to provide for a party of juvenile friends, instructive as well as re- creative entertainment, without having recourse to any of the vulgar modes of killing time, — to qualify the hero of his little circle to divert and astonish his friends, and, at the same time, to improve himself, are the principal objects of the following little Work. The boy whose wonder and curiosity have been excited by the experiments of the scientific lecturer, VI PREFACE. or the illusions of the ventriloquist, will here find many of these mysteries unveiled, and plain direc- tions for performing them, divested, as far as possi- ble, of scientific or technical language. Many of the descriptions are strictly original, and now, for the first time, appear in print ; and especial care has been taken to introduce only such Experiments as are adapted for performance at the parlour or drawing- room table, or fire-side, and such as are practicable without expensive chemical or mechanical apparatus, and require no implements beyond those which any ingenious youth may readily furnish from his own resources, or at a trifling expense. Another object of these pages is to inform, with- out being dryly scientific, — by imparting interest- ing facts, to stimulate the young experimentalist to inquire into the laws that regulate them, — by aiding him to acquire dexterity of practice, to smooth the PREFACE. Vll road to the development of principles, — and, above all, to enable him to escape an imputation which every boy of spirit would consider the depth of disgrace, — that of being "No Conjuror !" r.jSr&AXL. Transmutationst Page Page The Spectral Lamp . 1 Two colourless transparent Li- Curious Change of Colours 2 quids become black and opaque 10 The Protean Light . 2 Two colourless Fluids make a The Chameleon Flowers . 3 coloured one .... 10 To change the Colours of Flowers 3 Change of colour by colourless Changes of the Poppy . 3 Fluids 10 To change the Colour of a Rose 4 To change a Blue Liquid to White 1] Light changing White into Black 4 Veritable '-Black" Tea . 11 The Visibly growing Acorn . 4 Restoration of Colour by Water 11 Changes in Sap-Green . 5 The Magic Writin^ To revive apparently dead Plants 5 Two Liquids make~a Solid Singular effect of Tears Two Solids make a Liquid Beauties of Crystallization A solid opaque mass made a To crystallize Camphor . transparent Liquid Crystallized Tin Two cold Liquids make a hot Crystals in hard Water . one Varieties of Crystals Quadruple Transmutation Heat from Crystallization Quintuple Transmutation Splendid Sublimation Combination of Colours . Artificial Ice Union of two Metals without Magic Inks Heat Chameleon Liquids . Magic Breath .... The Magic Dyes 9 Two Bitters make a Sweet Wine changed into Water 10 Visible and Invisible . , Sight and Sound. Artificial Mirage 17 I Single Vision with two Eyes 19 Motion of the Eye 18 I Two objects seen as one . 19 CONTENTS, Page Page Only one object can be seen at a Portable Microscope . 33 time 20 ThePhenakisticopeorStoboscope 34 Straight objects seen crooked . 20 To look at the Sun without injury 35 Optical Illusion ... 21 Brilliant Water Mirror . 35 Pin-hole Focus .... 21 Optical Illusion under Water . 35 Optical Deceptions ... 22 The Magic Wheels ... 36 Accuracy of Sight ... 22 Acoustic Rainbow ... 37 Visual Deception ... 23 Transmission of Sound . 37 Handwriting upon the Wall . 23 Progress of Sound ... 39 Imitative Haloes . .23 Sound turning Corners . 39 To read a Coin in the dark . 24 To tell the distance of Thunder 40 To make a Prism ... 24 Hearing by the Touch . 40 Optical Augmentation . 25 Conversation for the Deaf » 40 Gold Fish in a glass Globe . 26 Glass broken by the Voice . 41 Colours produced by the unequal Figures produced by Sound . 41 action of Light upon the Eyes 26 Transmitted Vibration . 42 Optical Deception ... 27 Double Vibration ... 42 Coloured Shadows ... 27 Champagne and Sound . 42 Colours of Scratches . 27 Music from Palisades . 43 Ocular Spectra .... 28 Theory of the Jew's Harp . 43 Beautiful Colours of Mother of Music of the Snail ... 44 Pearl • 28 To tune a Guitar without the White Letters seen further than assistance of the Ear . 44 Black 29 Music from Glass or Metal Rods 44 Artificial Rainbow : . 29 The Tuning-fork a Flute-player 45 Fringe about a Candle . 29 Musical Bottles ... 46 The Double Coloured Reflection 30 Theory of Whispering . 46 Luminous Cross ... 30 Theory of the Voice . 46 Ring of Colours round a Candle 30 Sound along a Wall ... 47 Simple and Cheap Opera-glass 31 Sounds more audible by Night Multiplying Theatres . 31 than by Day .... 47 Apparatus for Writing in the Musical Echo .... 47 Dark 32 Ventriloquism .... 48 Light and Heat. Flashes of Light upon revolving Cane Wick Lamp ... 58 Wheels 53 Camphor and Platinum Lamp 58 Decomposition of Light . 54 Platinum and Ether Lamp . 58 Solar Refraction ... 54 Floating Light .... 59 Incantations ... 55 Substitute for a Wax Taper . 59 To imitate the Light of the Phosphorescent Fish . 59 Sea 55 The Luminous Spectre . 59 Instantaneous Lights . .56 Light, a Painter ... 60 To colour the Flame of a Can- Effect of Light upon Crystalliza- dle 57 tion 60 To divide the Flame of a Can- Effect of Light on Plants . 60 dle 57 Instantaneous Light upon Ice 61 CONTENTS. XI Page Page White Light from Zinc . 61 Magic of Heat . 66 Brilliant Light from two Metals 61 Repulsion by Heat . 67 Brilliant Light from Steel . 61 Heat passing through Glass 68 Lighted Tin . 62 Metals unequally influenced by . 68 Light from Gilt Buttons . 62 Heat ..... Light from a Flower . 62 Spontaneous Combustion 69 Light from Sugar ... 62 Inequality of Heat in Fire Light from the Potato . 63 irons : Light from the Oyster . 63 Expansion of Metal by Heat Light from Derbyshire Spar . 63 Evaporation of a Metal . Light from Oyster-shells . 64 A Floating Metal on Fire 70 Rings of Light in Crystal . 64 Heat and Cold from Flannel . 70 To strike Light with Cane . 64 Ice melted by Air 70 Cause of Transparency . 64 To hold a hot Tea-kettle on the Transparency of Gold . 65 Hand .... 70 Tint changed by Thickness . 65 Incombustible Linen 71 Shadows made darker by in- The Burning Circle . 71 creased Light . 65 Water of different Temperatures Miniature Thunder and Light- in the same Vessel . 71 ning * . 66 Warmth of different Colours . 71 The Burning Glass ... 66 Substitute for Fire ... 72 Gas and Steam. Laughing Gas .... 75 Flame from Cold Metals . 83 The Luminous Wand 76 Phosphorus in Chlorine . 83 To make Carbonic Acid Gas . 76 Caoutchouc Balloons 84 Carbonic Acid Gas in Wine or To increase the Light of Coal Beer Vessels 76 Gas 84 To extinguish Flame with Gas 77 Gas from Indian Rubber . 84 Effect of Hydrogen on the Voice 77 Ether Gas 85 Magic Taper .... 78 Magic Vapour .... 85 The~Gas Candle 78 Gas from the union of Metals . 85 Gas Bubbles .... 78 Invisible Gases made Visible . 86 Gas-light in the day-time 79 Light under Water . 86 Miniature Balloons . 79 Gaseous Evanescence 86 Miniature Gas-lighting . 79 Violet-coloured Gas . 86 Musical Gas .... 80 To collect Gases 87 Miniature Will o'-the-wisp 81 The Deflagrating Spoon . 87 Phosphoric Illumination . 81 What is Steam 7 87 Combustion of Iron in Oxygen The Steam Engine simplified . 88 Gas 81 To boil Water by Steam . 88 Glow worm in Oxygen Gas 82 Distillation in Miniature 89 Luminous Charcoal . 82 Candle or Fire Crackers . • . 89 Brilliant Combustion in Oxygen 82 Steam from the Kettle 89 Xll CONTENTS. Fire* Water? and Air. Page Page Coloured Flames . 93 "Visible Vibration . 105 Yellow Flame . 94 Charcoal in Sugar . 106 Orange-coloured Flame . 94 Floating Needles . 106 Emerald Green Flame . 94 Water in a Sling . 106 Instantaneous Flame . 94 Attraction in a Glass of Water 106 The Cup of Flame . * 95 To prevent Cork floating in To cool Flame by Metal . 95 Water 107 Proof Instantaneous . that Flame is Hollow \ 95 Freezing . 107 Camphor sublimed by Flame \ 95 To freeze Water with Ether . 107 Green Fire ... 96 Production of Nitre . 108 Brilliant Red Fire . 96 Curious Transposition . 108 Purple . Fire .... 96 Animal Barometer . 108 Silver Fire .... 97 Magic Soap . .108 The Fiery Fountain . 97 Equal Pressure of Water . 109 The Artificial Conflagration . 97 To empty a Glass under Water 109 Inflammable Powder . 97 To empty a Glass of Water with- Combustion without Flame . 98 out touching it 109 Combustion of Three Metals . 98 Decomposition of Water . 110 To make Paper Incombustible 98 Water heavier than Wine . 110 Singular Experiments with Glass To inflate a Bladder without Air 1 10 Tubes 98 Air and Water Balloon . 110 Aquatic Bomb . .99 Heated Air Balloon . Ill Heat not to be estimated by The Pneumatic Tinder-box . Ill Touch 99 The Bacchus Experiment . Ill Flame upon Water . 100 The Mysterious Circles . 110 Rose-coloured Flame on Water 100 Prince Rupert's Drops . 114 To set a Mixture on Fire with Vegetable Hygrometer i . 114 100 . Water ..... The Pneumatic Dancer . 115 Waves of Fire on Water . 100 The Ascending Snake . 116 Explosion in Water . .101 The Pneumatic Phial . 116 Water from the Flame of a Resin Bubbles .