Sample of the Rupert Howard Course in Magic.

LESSON ONE

EASY M A G IC

T H E R U PE R T H O W A R D SCHOOL (E. R. M ITFORD)

LONDON

Warning S

TUDENTS are reminded of their pledge of Secrecy, and are requested to keep the lessons under lock and key when not in use.

As stated on the Application Form, enrolments are accepted on the agreement that the Course shall be for the Students’ own sole use, and the lessons therefore may not be offered for Sale or Exchange.

The illustrations and text of the Course are copyright. Any infringement of the School’s rights will be followed by Prosecution.

These warnings do not interfere with bona fide Students in any way, as they are only intended to protect the School from unscrupulous persons.

THE RUPERT HOWARD SCHOOL

Published by The Rupert Howard School, Greycoat House, Greycoat Place, London. S.W .l.

Printed in England by Gordon & Gotch. Ltd 75-9 Farringdon Street, London, E.C.4

INDEX INTRODUCTION Professional Attitude Scientific Principles H ow to Study

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3 4 4

EASY MAGIC Millinery in a Minute The Flying Band Divination Magnetic Power The Devil’s Addition The Hindu Slave Bangle

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11 13 16 18 21

THE HISTORY OF MAGIC, Part I Magic in Egypt - Priestly W onder-W orkers - Early Sleight-of-Hand - -

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22 23 24

LESSON 1

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IN T R O D U C T IO N PROFESSIONAL A TT ITU D E. Before you start to learn your first effects I want to show you how to look at Magic from the professional angle.

It is important that you learn this right away, because, no matter whether you intend to make Magic your career, a side line, or just a fascinating hobby with which you can amuse your friends, you must set out with the idea that you are going to attain to P R O F E SSIO N A L SK IL L .

There are many brilliant magicians who never perform for a fee—men in the very highest ranks of Society, for it is not only the Professional who can become proficient in Magic. If you work earnestly through these lessons you, too, cannot fail to become a very clever magician, but it is essential that you look at Magic from the professional view­ point from the very beginning.

I want you to realise at once that knowing the secret of certain tricks is not nearly of such great importance as most people imagine. Many people have the idea that Magic just consists of a number of secrets or tricks, and that once you know these you are a magician. Nothing could be further from the truth. I could explain dozens of tricks to you in a few pages, but that would not make you a great conjurer. You would no more be a magician than you would be a singer if you went into a music shop and bought a number of songs. The mere possession of the song—the words and music—does not make you a great singer, nor does the possession of a secret make you a magician. In the case of the singer it depends on the quality of his voice, how he has been trained, and how he uses it. W ith the magician it is very similar. The man who has really mastered the art will present a small effect in a manner that makes it seem a real miracle.

The important thing in magic is the EFFECT PRODUCED ON TH E A U D IE N C E , and this depends on how the tricks or illusions are performed. I hope that I have said enough to convince you that the mere possession of the secrets of Magic is not enough. You must aim at presenting them in a masterly manner.

David Devant, the great English Master of Magic, tells the story of how he once asked a young magician how many tricks he knew, to which, after a short pause, the young man replied : “ About three hundred.” Devant then told him that he only knew eight tricks, which very much puzzled the younger magician. W hat Devant meant was that he knew those eight tricks so well that he could perform them under any conditions—he was absolutely master of them.

There is all the difference in the world between knowing how to do a trick and being able to do it really well.

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The aim of these lessons is to make you a real master of Magic—you are not taught just the secrets of the tricks —you are shown exactly how to present each one in the way to get the maximum effect out of it.

SC IEN TIFIC PR IN C IPL E S. You are going to learn Magic scientifically; for Magic to-day is a science, in that its principles can be defined and arranged. A rt and science go hand in hand in Magic, as you will be shown later.

It is of the utmost importance that you learn these basic principles, for without this knowledge any success you might achieve in Magic would be the result merely of good luck. When you know the principles 011 which Magic is based you are able to foresee the result of every effect you perform. Without this knowledge you would be work­ ing in the dark. You will master Magic when you have learnt the great principles on which the art is based. You will work in the same way as the scientist.

The principles of every branch of Magic will be taught to you in these lessons, from sleight-of-hand to stage illusion. Many of the effects included in the course have been chosen because they illustrate a particular principle.

As you study each effect I want you to pay particular attention to the principles which I shall point out to you.

Remember, these will he of tremendous value to you later on when you are thinking out new effects in Magic for yourself. You will be shown how to apply the principles you have learnt in originating new effects of your own.

HOW TO STUDY. Most of the lessons contain special articles dealing exhaustively with one or other of the many different kinds of knowledge that every magician should possess. Before you try to perform the tricks and sleights that are explained I want you always to read over the preliminary article, for this contains a vast fund of information that you will find absolutely invaluable to you in presenting your tricks. the • After n you have read through the articles, study tricks carefully. Then take the apparatus required forc’ the trick you wish to practise and read it over again, trying out the moves you are shown. When you have practised the moves separately a few times, try working the whole trick, but do not attempt to use any patter yet. When you have rehearsed the effect completely several times, try it over repeating the patter you are given. P atter is of enormous importance in Magic. That is why T am giving it all to you. You do not need to think of what to say, for you can just learn the patter that is given you to go with every move you make. Later on you will be shown how to con­ struct your own patter.

Manipulation and sleight-of-hand should he tried out before a mirror, as this enables you to see if the move is

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STUDENTT NOTES PA G E 5

being made in a way that will deceive the onlooker. Do not practise entirely in front of a mirror, however, as otherwise you might find it strange when you come to perform before your audience—you would miss the mirror.

Always make quite sure that you have mastered your trick before you show it to anyone. Some of the effects you are given in this lesson can be done with onlyJ a veryJ few minutes’ practice, but these few minutes are of the utmost importance. They must not be neglected. If you are not sure of the effect you are performing you will be so pre­ occupied with thinking about the technical side of it that you will not be able to apply yourself to interesting the audience. When you are wondering whether the trick is going to work out all right you are bound to feel a certain amount of strain, and this tenseness will be reflected in the audience. They will sense your nervousness and will feel uncomfortable in sympathy with you. The result will be that the performance is spoilt.

This will never happen to you if you rehearse your tricks properly beforehand and make absolutely certain that you can perform them without hesitation. Then you will feel confident and the audience will respond to your happy mood. Always practise every trick carefully until you can do it well, even before showing it to vour friends. o

One of the most important secrets of success in Magic lies in proper attention to detail. No point is so small that you can afford to overlook it if you are going to produce the maximum result. Throughout the lessons you will find that I have made every point clear to you. 1 have read and re-read the lessons with the utmost care to see that no detail has been omitted. I want you to pay just as great attention to the small points yourself. In the very first trick you learn you will find an example of the value of attention to every detail. I refer to the “ Sale Price ” label which you place against the paper hat after you have produced it.

Actually this is not part of the trick. You might really call it an afterthought. If T had merely given you the bare bones of the trick you would never have known of this fine comedy finish, yet this detail adds a hundred per cent, to the value of the effect.

As the Course progresses you will very probably be surprised to find how simple many of the most effective tricks are. When you have learned the secrets of effects that you have seen performed and that have baffled you, you will be surprised to see how easily you were deceived.

I want to impress on you most strongly that nearly all the best effects in magic are very simple indeed. Therein very often lies their strength. People would never dream that you would attempt to deceive them with such simple methods, and consequently they are completely baffled.

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The simplest method of performing a trick is almost invariably the best method. I want you to start out with this knowledge, which most Professional magicians have only gained after long experience. It is not the method you use, the cleverness of the sleight-of-hand, or the ingenuity of the apparatus that counts. The thing that matters is TH E EFFECT YOU PRODUCE ON T H E AU D IEN C E. You can produce effects that seem to be real miracles with the simplest accessories if you master the principles of Magic. I want you to adopt this professional point of view of your magic right away. If you are performing on a big stage some apparatus is of course necessary to make a display; but many of the famous magicians have made their biggest successes with their smallest tricks. One of Houdini’s favourite effects, which he performed on the largest stages, was a little trick with needles and thread.

Yet in his hands it held the audience spellbound. (You learn this in Lesson 20.)

There is one test for a magical effect, and one test only.

Does it produce a good effect on the audience? If it does it is a good trick. If it does not, then it is not worth wasting time on.

When working your effects you will constantly be making movements unbeknown to the audience, and you must perform these as naturally as possible. YTour aim is to make it appear that a real miracle has taken place at your command. If your hands are held unnaturally and move awkwardly it makes it quite obvious that you are merely performing feats of dexterity, which is not the result you want. They may not know what you are doing, but they know you are doing something. You don’t want people just to think that you are clever—you must impress on them that you are a real magician. You can only do this by making all your movements so naturally that there is nothing suspicious about them whatever. If you have to pick up a glass while keeping something concealed in the hand—as in a trick that will be described to you in a later lesson—first try picking up the glass without having anything held in your hand. You will thus be able to see how it should appear if done naturally. Then do it over again, keeping the article concealed in the hand, and trying to make it appear exactly the same as before.

You should never tell your audience beforehand what you are going to do. This puts them on the alert and gives them a great advantage, enabling them to watch for suspicious moves on your part. There is far more likelihood of them guessing how you do a trick if they know what is about to take place. This rule can be broken on some occasions and does not necessarily apply to stage illusions, but for the present you should keep to it absolutely.

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No matter how much your friends may press you to repeat a trick you must refuse to do so. They are far more likely to see how it is done if they have a second chance, for they will notice the things that escaped them on the first occasion. This again is a rule that may some­ times be broken. A few tricks are vastly improved by repetition, but for the present you should observe this closely. Remember, if you yield to the entreaties of your friends to repeat a trick and they see through it, you have ruined the first effect that you produced on them—they were probably amazed at your powers. As soon as they see how your trick is accomplished they will think that you are a poor magician. If it was because of repetition that the trick was seen through they would be quite right, for no professional magician repeats an ordinary effect unless he can do it by a different method.

YOUR SUCCESS IN MAGIC. Personality is a difficult word to define. In the case of the magician, it may be said to be the idea of himself that he impresses on his audience. In most instances this is an acquired manner added to his natural personality. I want you to do everything in your power to create an attractive, magical personality for yourself. Your success as a magician depends very much on how your personality impresses the audience. In the long run you will find this to be of even greater importance than your tricks. It is within your power to make your personality so attractive and compelling that you will hold your audiences from the moment you appear.

It does not matter what your personality is like to start with. Your magical personality must of course be based on this, but you can develop it along attractive lines. The most important thing to cultivate is a keen desire to please.

Make the audience feel that you wish to give them pleasure.

Show that you are glad to he there performing to them, and they will respond and show that they are glad to see you.

Above all appear to E N JO Y W H A T YOU A R E DOING. This appearance of enjoying your work is a tremendous asset and your enthusiasm will carry the audience along with you. You may say to yourself, “ Of course I ’m going to enjoy my performance.” So you will.

I am never happier than when I am working Magic, though I have been doing it since I was eleven years old. If you are going to perform professionally you are sure to meet with a difficult audience at some time or other—an audience that seems dull and uninterested in your work. Then you must redouble your efforts to appear to be enjoying yourself.

Eventually they will respond to you.

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After you have been working Magic for a short time you will be amazed at the way in which your self-confidence has developed. The effects that you are shown in these lessons are all of them tricks that have been worked by professional magicians, even the smallest of them, so you will naturally have every confidence in them. When you have performed a few of them and seen for yourself what an impression you can make, you will gain even greater confidence, which will steadily increase with every per­ formance you give. To create a big impression as a magician you must have self-confidence, and this very thing will be created for you by your performances. Naturally, you cannot start out with as much self-confidence as a man who has been working Magic for years.

Robert Houdin, the great French magician whom you will learn about in the chapters on the History of Magic, said that a magician should be an actor playing the part of a real magician. This still holds true. You must act the part of a magician. Furthermore, you must so impress this part upon yourself that you live the part you are playing.

Believe that you are a m agician! Believe in your M agic!

I don't mean of course that you must actually believe that you have supernatural powers, but you must have such a strong belief in your ability as a magician that you convey it to the audience. If you don’t believe in yourself it is certain that no one else will.

I want you to become so interested in your effects that you will have no time to wonder what the audience is thinking of you. Don't worry about yourself while performing.

You should submerge your personal feelings beneath your desire to please the audience and your interest in your effects. If you take this attitude self-consciousness should not trouble you.

Remember, the attitude which you take up in regard to Magic will determine your success or otherwise. If you work earnestly and regularly at your lessons you cannot fail to become a clever magician. I am sure that you will do so. By the time that you reach the concluding lessons you will be originating your own effects, which should be the aim of every true artist. You will be a master magician working not only the greatest effects of Magic to-day, but enriching the art with your own inventions.

1 am going to do everything within my power to help you to success. Study and practise assiduously, and it will be assured.

I want to hear how you get on. W rite and tell me how you are mastering the effects and what kind of an impression you are making. If you need help of any kind with the lessons I shall be only too pleased to give it to you.

Remember that I am tremendously keen about vour progress, for 1 take a personal interest in every student.

LESSON 1

EASY MAGIC

MILLINERY IN A MINUTE.

STU D EN T’S NOTES PAGE 9

E FFEC T.—The conjurer picks up two pieces of paper, one red and one black, which he shows on both sides.

Placing the sheets together he tears them in half. He repeats this, and squeezes the resulting pieces into a small ball. On unfolding it the pieces of paper are found to have transformed themselves into a smart hat made of the black and red tissue paper. The performer presents the hat to one of the ladies in the audience or places it on a stand. As he puts it down he takes from his pocket a card “ Sale Price 9 Gns.,” which he places beside the hat.

P• R E PA. R. A .T IO N .—Everythingo that */you need for this effective trick is given you with this Lesson. It is sent to you ready made up for the performance. I want you to examine it carefully so that with the aid of the instructions given here you will be able to make it for yourself in future.

Every magician should be able to construct most of the apparatus that he uses, as it helps to give him original ideas, as well as saving the cost of buying it. During the Course you will be shown how to construct all the apparatus that it is practical for you to make yourself.

When you have worn out the hat sent }rou with this Lesson you can make up another in a few minutes as follows :— Take a sheet of red tissue paper and shape it over a pudding bowl of whatever size you want the hat to be.

Press it firmly round the edges, and then trim off the paper leaving a margin of one inch from the edge of the bowl.

Now take another sheet of red tissue. Place the bowl in the middle upside down, and pencil round the mouth of the bowl. Cut out this round of paper, and trim it down to leave a circle of paper three inches wide. Gum the inch edge that you left on the shaped paper. Then pull the brim down over the top and stick it carefully down.

Cut out a band of black paper one inch in width and stick this round the hat to form a hat-band. It serves also to cement the join between the brim and the top. Cut a buckle out of silver or gold foil paper and stick this over the black band, and your hat is complete. Allow it to dry thoroughly before you use it.

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Spread the hat out and press it fiat. Then fold over both sides so as to a form a Jong shape parcel. Eold this over once lengthways and you have a neat little packet that can easily be concealed in the tissue paper. Apply a drop of gum to the black band which is 011 one side of the folded hat, and stick the hat 011 to the large sheet of black tissue leaving a margin of about an inch between the end and the sides of the paper. Now take a half-sheet of tissue, gum it carefully all round the edges, and stick it over the half of the large sheet 011 which the hat is stuck. Examine the prepared sheet sent you with this Lesson, and you will see that if it is carefully done it is impossible to notice any preparation at a short distance away.

In addition to this prepared sheet of black tissue you will need an unprepared sheet of red paper, which should be on your table 011 top of the black sheet. Place the “ Sale P ric e ” label inside your right-hand breast pocket.

PRESEN TA TIO N AND P A T T E R .—Pick up the two pieces of paper with the right hand (Fig. 1 ), turning them round so that the audience see one side of each paper. Now take off the red paper with the left hand. Holding one paper in each hand turn them both over so that both sides of each are shown (Eig. 2 ). “ Most married men are troubled by frequent requests for new hats. I'm going to show you what a magician does when his wife wants a new hat. All you need are two pieces of tisssue paper.”

Do not use the words “ unprepared” or “ o rd in ary ” when speaking of the sheets of tissue. These words at once put the audience on their guard, and they wonder if what you said is true. Just pick up the papers casually and show them on both sides, and it will not occur to them that they are prepared. The indirect suggestion that they are unprepared that is conveyed by showing them on both sides is quite sufficient. In Magic you should always make use of indirect suggestion, which is a very effective form of misdirection. If you deliberately state that an article is ordinary your audience will at once question it, whereas if you just treat it as an ordinary article they never suspect that it is specially prepared.

STUDENT’S NOTES

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Place the two papers together, holding them with the red paper towards the audience.

We tear them first in half and then into quarters.”

Tear up the papers, placing the torn pieces on top of one another, and keeping the black paper containing the hat towards the body (Eigs. 3 and 4).

“I t ’s all done so quickly that no one would think that 1 am designing a Paris model.”

Squeeze the papers up into a small ball, at the same time turning the paper pocket containing the hat inside out (Eigs. 5 and (i). The torn papers now form a small ball on the side of the hat (Fig. 7), which appears as an ornament when it is unfolded (Eig. 8). “ Just a little squeeze. I t ’s all done by kindness.”

Unfold tlie hat and place it down on the table or on a hat stand. “ Paris models while you wait.”

Now take the “ Sale Price ” label from your breast pocket and stand it up against the hat (Eig. 9).

The comedy ending puts a punch into the presentation that helps to bring you large applause. There is something irresistibly amusing about it.

This finishing touch is an example of the attention given to detail throughout the Course. It is these touches tnat make all the difference in your performance. You don’t get bare tricks--! am not going to make you just a trickster, but a real magician.

THE FLYING BAND.

While the articles you use in this effect are small, it is nevertheless a very fine trick. Practise it thoroughly before you show it to anyone, and you will find that it creates a great impression.

All you need are the two elastic bands sent you with this lesson.

E FFEC T.—An elastic band is placed over the first and second fingers of the right hand. A second elastic band is now twisted round each of the four fingers, seemingly keeping the first band secure. Suddenly the first band is seen to jump from the first and second fingers on to the third and fourth fingers. In a moment it jumps back on to the first and second fingers.

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PRESENTATION AND P A T T E R .—Take the first elastic band and show it. You can hand it round if you wish. “ This elastic band has some very remarkable properties, due to a spell placed on it many years ago. It, has to keep moving about. No matter where you put it, it must move every few seconds” Place it over the first two fingers of your right hand (Fig. 1 0 ). “ 1 11 just show you what it does by securing it h ere” Take the second elastic band and place it over the first finger, in front of the first band. Now give it a twist and then wrap it round the second finger, doing the same for all four fingers (Figs. 1 1 and 1 2 ). “ I've made it absolutely safe here, as you see.”

The back of the right hand should now be held towards the audience. As you say you have made it secure the left hand comes behind the palm of the right, and with the first linger pulls downs the first elastic band about an inch (Fig. 15). The fingers of the right hand turn inwards and go under the loop of elastic (Figs. 16 and 17). The closed fist showing the first band is facing the audience (Fig. 13).

Obviously it cannot escape, and yet . . ” Suddenly open the right hand out wide, and the first band will jump over the third and fourth fingers (Fig. 14).

You see, it jumps about, no matter where you may put it, or under what restraint ” Show both sides of the hand, and then turn it again back to the audience (Fig. 18 shows your view of the hand).

Now put the thumb of the right hand under the first band and raise it about an inch (Figs. 19, 2 0 and 2 1 ), at the same time turning in the fingers and placing them under the loop (Figs. 22 and 23).

II atch it closely and you'll see it fly.”

Suddenly open out the hand again and the band will jump back over the first and second fingers (Fig. 24). “ It, just can't stay still, wherever it i s ” STU D EN T’S NOTES

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DIVINATION.

Eor over four hundred years playing cards have been a great stand-by for magicians. W ith a pack of cards it is possible to produce an enormous variety of amazing effects.

You will learn later on in the Course how to accomplish the most skilled feats of sleight-of-hand with cards, and you will be astonished to find how easy sleight-of-hand is to learn, and how fascinating if you set about it in the right way. W ith the actual photographs before you, showing you every move, you will learn quickly and easily.

The card trick I am going to teach you now is quite simple to perform. Never despise a trick because it is easy to do. Remember it is the effect 011 the audience that counts, not the means by which you produce the effect.

EEEECT.—The performer either hands his own pack of cards to a member of the audience, asking that tliey be thoroughly shuffled and then returned to nim, or, if he prefers, lie may borrow a pack from a spectator Receiving the pack back the magician walks to his table and places it down, back upwards. He now requests anyone to step up and cut the pack into three heaps. VVfien this has been done he holds ins right hand alott over one heap, pauses dramatically for a moment, and then calls out the name of a card.

Dropping the hand down on to the pile he takes off the top card, glances at it, and then puts it into his left hand.

Immediately he lifts his right hand up once again over the second pile, calls out a name and picks the top card of that pile up. After quickly looking at it and seeing that it is correct he drops it 011 top of the card in his left hand.

The process is repeated for the last, pile and the magician concludes by throwing down the three cards for inspection.

He repeats the divination, once again reading the names of the top cards of each pile in the same way.

EX PLA N A TIO N .—Although the secret of this trick is a simple one, it illustrates a very valuable principle in Magic. Y7ou will find it most useful later on when you come to billet reading and Mental Phenomena. It is known to conjurers as the “ One Ahead Method." The explanation lies in the fact that before the pack is cut into three heaps you know the names of the two top cards of the pack.

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PRESENTATION AiND P A T T E R .—Come forward with a pack 0 1 cards and hand it to any member of the audience. “ Will you be kind enough to shuffle the pack thoroughly for me, 'please. Thank you. M ix them completely.

Take the pack from the spectator with the left hand, holding it face outwards, with tne backs of the cards towards the paim. The hrst linger should be at the top end of the pack, three fingers under the lower side and tlie thumb on the top side.

Let the hand swing naturally to your side, and as you walk back to tlie table draw back the top corner of the two cards at tlie back of tlie pack (Tig. '2b). Glance down and read the index at the corner of tlie card, then release this card and read the index of the other one. The whole action only takes a few seconds and can be done perfectly naturally as you walk back to the table.

Secret movements such as this must be done so naturally that no one suspects that anything has happened. Tou will not find it dillicult. Practise so that you can read the indices at a glance.

Tor the sake of illustration we will suppose that the three of clubs is the top card of the pack and the nine of diamonds the second card.

When you get back to the stage place the pack on the table.

11 / am going to show you a feat of divination or second sight. The cards have been shuffled, so that I cannot jjossibly know the position of any of them. Now, can I persuade anyone to come up just to cut the pack into three piles V ’ As the pack is being cut take care to notice which of the three piles is the one that was previously the top of the pack. It does not matter which of the three it is, but you must remember its position. For the sake of illustration we will suppose it to be the left-hand heap.

I'm going to divine the names of the cards. I want you to keep absolutely silent while I am doing this please, as any noise upsets the strange rays that I receive from the cards.”

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Hold the right hand above the right-hand heap (Fig. 26) and call out :— The three of clubs.”

Pick up the card and look at it. Do not let the audience see it. Let us suppose that it is the seven of clubs. Place it into your left hand, back outward (Fig. 27). Immediately you look at it, say :— “ Quite right \” Now hold your right hand above the centre pile and call out :— “ Seven of clubs.”

Pick up the top card of this heap, look at it and say “ Correct.”

Place it on top of the seven of clubs which you hold in your left hand, keeping the face away from the audience (Figs. 28 and 29). We will take it that this card was the king of diamonds.

Calling out “ king of diamonds ” pick up the top card of the last heap, which is, as you already know, the three of clubs, the card you first named. Apparently put this on top of the two cards in the left hand. Actually you tilt the two cards outwards (Fig. 30) and slip the three of clubs between them and the palm, bringing it in front of them (Figs. 31 and 32).

You conclude the effect by throAving the cards down on the table, when the audience see that they are correct.

There you are. I'll show it to you once again, just to prove that it is genuine divina­ tion.”

You repeat the effect in exactly the same Avay, for you know that the top card of the left-hand pile is now the nine of diamonds.

The concluding move, that of placing the three of clubs in front of the other tAvo cards is made to pre\'ent anyone noticing that the cards are not in the order in which you picked them up, and thus getting on the track of the secret.

The patter for this effect should be given in a serious manner. You should impress the audience that you are attempting a difficult feat of second sight.

STUDENT’S NOTES

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MAGNETIC POWER.

I was first shown this effect by a man who was a true master of Magic. It completely deceived me. It is simple to perform, but if you do it carefully it produces an effect on the audience that is positively uncanny. It has been a favourite impromptu effect with some very famous magicians. They have the small piece of apparatus required permanently fixed in their coats, so that they may perform it wherever they happen to be. You can just walk into a friend’s office, pick up one of his pencils and show the effect right away. This is a trick you can make a real hit with. Many people know of old ways of producing a somewhat similar effect, but they do not know this master method.

EFFEC T.—The magician picks up an ordinary pencil, pen, ruler, or other article of similar shape, and rubs it between his hands, with the right hand uppermost. He now removes the left hand, and in defiance of the laws of gravity the pencil remains suspended from the fingers. The magician moves his fingers freely, but it remains suspended. A member of the audience may remove the pencil, or on command it drops to the floor. The performer’s hand may at once be examined, but no trace of anything can be found.

PR E PA R A T IO N .—The apparatus required for this effect is sent you free with this lesson. It consists of a piece of strong black cord elastic about a foot long, to one end of which is attached a safety pin, by means of which it may be fixed in the sleeve. At the other end of the elastic you will find a loop of catgut substitute, which is threaded through a second safety pin.

To prepare for the trick attach the safety pin at the end of the elastic inside your coat near the arm pit of the right sleeve. You will have to experiment once or twice to find the exact spot to fix it, for this naturally varies according to whether your arm is long or short. Now hold the catgut loop in the right hand and slip the coat on. This has the effect of carrying the elastic down the sleeve. It should be fixed so that when the catgut loop is hanging free the end lies about two inches from the bottom of the sleeve, where of course it is quite out of sight.

To make it easy to find the loop when you require it a knot is tied in the catgut and the second safety pin fixed STUDENT’S NOTES

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near the bottom of the sleeve. This prevents the catgut going right up the sleeve, but allows it sufficient free play.

PR ESEN TA TIO N AND P A T T E R .—Just before you want to perform this effect, draw down the catgut loop and engage the end under the finger nail of the second finger of the right hand. The elastic holds the catgut taut, and you are now ready to perform. “ You have all heard of the 'powers of animal magnetism, powers which even now are by no means fully explored. I am going to show you an example of this strange power, which is the result of the magnetic forces being concentrated Pick up or borrow a pencil (Fig. 33). “ You have heard of the Hindu fakir who can move objects without contact— simply by concentration. I am going to show you how the magnetic forces of the will can be made to resist the laws of nature.”

Take the pencil between the palms of the hands (Figs.

34 and 35), keeping the right hand uppermost. The pencil must beplaced under the catgut loop, which of course holds it to the hand (Figs. 39 and 40 show how the catgut holds the pencil).

Roll it between the hands where it will revolve freely (Fig. 36), without in any way affecting the position of the catgut loop.

Friction, magnetism and electricity are closely allied. You knoiv that if you rub a glass rod it will become electrified and attract small pieces of paper towards it as a magnet does steel.

The pencil is now completely under my control.”

Remove the left hand, leaving the pencil adhering to the fingers of the right hand, which is held palm downward (Fig. 37). Open and close the fingers of the hand sideways several times (Fig. 38). “ / do not allow it to fall until I give the command. F a ll!”

As you say “ Fall,” bend the second finger a trifle inward and give a very slight jerk upwards. This releases the catgut loop, which is instantly drawn up the sleeve out of sight by the elastic. The pencil drops to the floor.

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THE DEVIL’S ADDITION.

EFFEC T.—A small piece of blank paper is shown and sealed up in an envelope by a member of the audience, who retains the envelope until the end of the effect. The magician now asks spectators to call out small numbers, from one to ten, which he writes down on a slip of paper. Another member of the audience reads these numbers out so that everyone who gave a number can hear that it has been written down, and lie then adds them up, not telling the performer the total. Taking the envelope which has remained sealed up throughout the trick the performer slits it open and draws out the piece of paper, which now has written upon it the total of the numbers given by the audience.

PREPA RA TIO N .—You require for this an ordinary knife, a pencil and three slips of paper about 4in. x 3in., in addition to one of the special envelopes sent you with this lesson. These envelopes are known to magicians as “ double envelopes.” They are very useful in many tricks.

I want you yourself to be able to construct all the simpler bits of apparatus. This is the way to manufacture the double envelopes.

Take two envelopes. Cut off the flap from one. Cut the whole of the back off the second envelope, and trim down each of the sides about an eighth of an inch. Now slip the second envelope inside the first to see if it fits in nicely.

It may require trimming down a little more.

When you have trimmed it to fit, gum round the bottom edge and the two sides. Place it into the first envelope, adjusting it carefully, and press it well so that it sticks.

Take one of the slips of paper and paint or write on it in large bold figures the number 38. Place this piece of paper into the front or secret compartment of the double envelope. Now gum along the top edge of the compartment and seal it up.

Gne of the envelopes sent you is prepared but has been left ungummed so that you may see exactly how it is made.

The secret compartment of the other has been left open at the top.

Before you commence this effect have the envelope and two slips of blank paper on the table, together with a pencil and an ordinarv knife.

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PRESEN TA TIO N AND P A T T E R .—Pick up a slip of paper and the envelope and advance towards a spectator. “ The effect of magic I ’m going to show you now is one which I myself don’t understand. It just happens, that’s all I can tell you. It is just as baffling to me as I hope it will be to you.

First, I want you to look at this piece of paper.”

Hand the paper to a spectator. “ Quite all right, isn’t it'1. Nothing written on either side.”

Open the envelope and show the inside empty. “ I want you to see that there is nothing inside here, and then to put the paper in.”

Let the spectator put the slip of paper in. “ Thank you. Will you seal it up yoiLrself, please, and hold it till we reach the conclusion.”

Walk back to your table and pick up the pencil and the remaining slip of paper. “ We have had a blank paper sealed up in that envelope. I want to impress on you that this is done before anything else is commenced.

Now will anyone call out numbers from one to nine, which I will write down on this paper.

Call them out one at a time, please.”

Let us suppose someone calls out seven. W rite this down at the top of the paper. “ Another number, please. Any number you like, and you may repeat numbers already called if you w is h ” We will imagine two is now called. W rite this down, at the same time adding the numbers together in your head.

When the next number is called write it dowm, missing enough space for one figure (Fig. 41). Continue writing down the numbers one under the other and take care to keep on adding them up mentally. As soon as the total of the number reachers twenty-nine or more (Fig. 42), say “ Thank you, 1 think we have enough now.

We will get them added up.”

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You now mentally subtract the total of the numbers on the paper from thirty-eight, the number in the envelope.

Supposing the total to be twenty-nine, then the difference is nine.

Draw a line under the numbers and write the number nine into the space which you left after writing down the second number.

Remember, as soon as the numbers called out and written down reach twenty-nine or more you must stop. Suppose they total thirty, then you write eight in the space left. “ Now that we have got the numbers down I want someone to call them over to you, in order that everyone shall hear that ihis or her number is do w n y Hand the paper and pencil to a spectator. “ Will you be good enough just to read these out, please\ I want everyone who called a number to listen carefidly to hear that their number is down.”

Immediately the numbers have been called out, say :— Thank you. I hope you're a good mathe­ matician, because J am going to ask you to add up those numbers, but I don't want you to announce the result y e t ” Now go to the spectator holding the envelope. “ Have you felt a peculiar sensation while holding the envelope'1. No \ You don't think anything has happened? Well, we shall see.”

Pick up the knife from the table in the right hand and then take the envelope in the left hand.

We'll just cut it open."

Stick the knife into the front of the envelope and slit it open.

Pull out the slip of paper with the number on it You see, the Devil has been at work, or that is the only explanation I can think of."

Hold the paper up so that everyone can see the number.

What was the total of the numbers you have just added up, sir I Thirty-eight. The number is the same.”

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THE HINDU SLAVE BANGLE.

EFFECT.-—The magician passes for examination a bangle and a length of cord, after which the latter is knotted securely to his wrists by a spectator. The performer now takes the ring and turns round for a moment. When he again faces the audience the ring is seen to be threaded on to the cord, while the knots on his wrist remain intact.

P R E PA R A T IO N .—All the apparatus for this effect is included in your free outfit. It consists of the length of cord, about a yard long, and the two bangles. Before presenting it, slip one of the bangles over your left wrist and push it up the sleeve out of sight.

PRESEN TA TIO N AND PA T T E R —Pick up the cord and bangle.

This bangle has a curious history. It was given to a Hindu priest by a slave girl. It is a strange bangle and has some very remarkable properties. Perhaps you would like to look at it for yourselves.”

Hand out the bangle and also the cord. “ This is just a length of cord, which I want someone to knot securely round my wrists.’’

After one or two people have looked at the cord hand it to a gentleman.

I want you to tie it so firmly that it will be impossible to untie it again. Tie as many knots as you like. We’ll cut it off afterwards.”

When the cord has been tied to both wrists (Fig. 44) walk over to the person holding the ring.

You’re quite sure that the bangle is all right I No hole in i t V ’ If they answer “ No,” you say:— “ Not. Well that’s funny, because there ivas a large hole in the centre when I gave it to you.

Oh, i t ’s all right, it’s still here.”

Take back the ring (Fig. 45), and then turn your back to the audience. “ I am going to show you one of the weird properties the bangle has It dematerialises at will, and passes through solid matter.”

Immediately you turn round slip the ring up under your waistcoat out of sight (Figs. 46, 47 and 48). Draw the duplicate bangle down the left sleeve on to the cord (Tigs. 49 and 59) and turn round (Fig. 51). “ Here is the bangle, strung on to the cord.”

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THE HISTORY OF MAGIC - Part 1

The suggestion that Magic has played an important part in the history of the world comes as a surprise to the majority of people. I am going to tell you the story of Magic and trace its influence on civilisation.

When the first great dictionary of the English language was published about a hundred years ago, by Nathan Bailey, he defined the world “ conjurer ” as “ one who is supposed to practise the vile arts of raising spirits and conferring with the devil.” This was the meaning of the word “ con­ jurer ” until quite recent times. Throughout the middle ages sleight-of-hand performers and entertainers of a similar type were known as “ jugglers.” Even to-day you will find the word “ juggler ” defined in some dictionaries as one who practises sleight-of-hand. The word is now used to denote one who presents feats of dexterity, as distinct from feats which are meant to deceive the senses.

It was only about a century ago, when people began to take a more scientific outlook on the world and to cast aside their superstitious beliefs, that sleight-of-hand per­ formers started calling themselves conjurers and magicians.

MAGIC IN EGYPT. Now let us go right back to the very beginning of Magic’s history. The earliest reference that has so far been discovered regarding magical performances concerns a magician who lived about 6,000 years ago.

In the Westcar Papyrus, which is now housed in the Berlin Museum, we are given the story of Dedi (also known as Teta) and his performance before Cheops, the builder of the Great Pyramid of Egypt. According to the papyrus, Dedi was performing in Egypt, and his fame spread until at last it reached the ears of the king, who commanded that the magician should appear before him. When Dedi came before Cheops and his court the king said :— “ Is it true that you can cut off the head of a living creature and then restore it whole again?”

Yes," replied the magician, “ I am able to accomplish that.”

Very well,” answered the King, “ I will command one of my slaves to be brought. You shall then cut off his head and restore it whole again.”

Dedi could not perform this feat on a human being, so that when the King made this suggestion the magician had to think of some way out of the quandary in which the king’s command had placed him.

It would be sinful to attempt it on a human being, your majesty,” replied the performer, “ but we could com­ promise on a goose.”

Eventually a goose was brought and Dedi cut off its head. Pie then placed the head and the body together, whereupon, to quote the words of the manuscript, “ the

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goose leapt up cackling,” to the great amazement of all the beholders. This feat so astonished Cheops that he com­ manded the magician to repeat it, so that they might have an opportunity of seeing whether it was trickery or not.

Nothing loath, Dedi agreed to repeat the effect, but this time he performed it with a pelican. You will remember that you were told never to repeat a trick in the same way, and you now see that this rule has held good since the very beginnings of Magic.

Other descriptions of early Eastern Magic are to be found on the tiles and cylinders of the library that King Asshurbanipal founded at Ninevah. Some people suggest that these references go back even further than those in the Westcar Papyrus.

It is quite certain that the actual beginnings of Magic go back further than these records show, for an intricate art could not in a short time develop to such a stage as that to which Dedi brought it. It had probably even then been developing for many years.

PR IEST LY WONDER W ORKERS. In early times the only people who had any scientific knowledge were the priests, and they used the various natural sciences, such as acoustics, hydraulics, mechanics and optics, to impose on the credulity of the common people and to produce apparent miracles. The temples of Egypt, Greece and Rome were veritable storehouses of natural magic.

The ruins of some of these temples are still standing to-day, and in some of them small concealed rooms have been found. It was only possible to get into these rooms by means of a secret passage, the entrance to which was some distance away from the temple. A number of speaking tubes led from the room inside the walls, coming out at various points in the temple, such as the mouth of a stone image. The priest hidden in the room would speak into one of the tubes and his voice would appear to those in the temple to be coming from the statue. They thought that a miracle was taking place and that their gods were speaking to them. When you consider the fact that such things as speaking tubes were absolutely unknown to the ordinary people you will realise how easily they could be imposed upon.

Many different devices were employed in their temples, some of them, of great ingenuity, being worked on simple principles of hydraulics.

On a person entering the temple a trumpet would sound, apparently calling the visitor to worship. As this took place no matter when anyone entered, day or night, it created a great impression. The worshippers thought that it was a welcome from their god.

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In reality the phenomenon was produced by the fol­ lowing clever device. Concealed in the wall near the door was a large vase of water. Resting on the water was a funnel-shaped cap, to the top of which was attached a trumpet. A cord was attached to the door and led along inside the wall to the vase, where it went through a small hole in the bottom and was attached to the hemispherical­ shaped funnel. When the door was opened the cord was pulled and in turn pulled the funnel down into the water.

The air inside the funnel was thus compressed and forced up and out of the trumpet, which of course sounded. A simple explanation, but it produced a profound effect on the ignorant multitude.

Another remarkable piece of Magic was the statue of Cybele, the goddess of the numerous breasts. The statue stood upon a small altar, and above it was a hollow dome supported by four pillars. From two of the pillars lamps were fixed directly under the lower plate of the hollow dome, which was constructed of metal and absolutely airtight.

The altar on which the statue stood was filled with milk and was connected by tubes to both the hollow dome and to the breasts of the goddess. When the lamps under the dome were lighted the air in it was expanded by the heat. The expanded air passed down the tube and pressed on the milk, which was thereby forced up the tube to the breasts of the goddess. Small tubes branched from the main tube into each breast, and in this manner the milk flowed out. The worshippers thought that a miracle had taken place. When the lamps were extinguished the stream of milk ceased.

There is little doubt but that all the oracles in the temples were produced by natural means.

EARLY SLEIGHT-OF-HAND. In addition to these priestly wonder-workers, who used their knowledge to deceive the ignorant, there was a definite class of sleigJit-of-hand entertainers who were popular in Greece and Rome. These were known as “ acetabularii,” from the Latin word “ acetabulum,” which means a vinegar cruet or cup. The eups-and-balls trick has been popular for at least two thousand years, and to-day it is still a good test of a performer’s sleight-of-hand ability. You will learn this fascinating effect in a later lesson,' and you will be shown its latest developments. Briefly explained the effect consists in the vanishing and reproducing of small balls under three cups. There are innumerable variations, such as where the performer swallows the balls and reproduces them fi'om his ears.

Jugglers, fire-eaters and ventriloquists were all wellknown in Greece and Rome more than two thousand years ago.

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