MAGIC, PRETENDED MIRACLES, AND REMARKABLE NATURAL PHENOMENA. _PHILADELPHIA_: AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, NO. 146 CHESTNUT STREET. _LONDON_: RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY. NOTE.--The _American Sunday-school Union_ have made an arrangement with the _London Religious Tract Society_, to publish, concurrently with them, such of their valuable works as are best suited to our circulation. In making the selection, reference will be had to the general utility of the volumes, and their sound moral tendency. They will occupy a distinct place on our catalogue, and will constitute a valuable addition to our stock of books for family and general reading. As they will be, substantially, reprints of the London edition, the credit of their general character will belong to our English brethren and not to us; and we may add, that the republication of them, under our joint imprint, involves us in no responsibility beyond that of a judicious selection. We cheerfully avail ourselves of this arrangement for giving wider influence and value to the labours of a sister institution so catholic in its character and so efficient in its operations as the _London Religious Tract Society_. ☞ The present volume is issued under the above arrangement. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE The magi of the east--Magical power attributed to numbers, plants, and minerals 5 CHAPTER II. Feats of modern magicians--Their wonders explained--The snake-charmers of India--A Chinese delusion--The magician of Cairo 10 CHAPTER III. Machines considered magical in ancient times--Remarkable modern automata--Minute engines--The calculating machine 30 CHAPTER IV. Terrestrial phenomena--Footmarks on rocks--The Logan stone--Sounds in stones--The cave of St. Paul--Atmospherical phenomena--Intermitting springs--Waters of magical power 41 CHAPTER V. Chemical wonders--Ice obtained in a red-hot vessel--The corpse candles of Wales--Luminous appearances after death--Sadoomeh the magician--The laughing gas--Sulphuric ether--Chloroform--Gunpowder compared with gun-cotton 62 CHAPTER VI. Light and its phenomena--Magic pictures--The optical paradox--Chinese metallic mirrors--Effect of an optical instrument on a superstitious mind--Origin of photography--The Talbotype--The Daguerreotype--Sunlight pictures 87 CHAPTER VII.