Miracle Mongers and Their Methods: A Complete Exposé of the Modus Operandi of Fire Eaters, Heat Resisters, Poison Eaters, Venomous Reptile Defiers, Sword Swallowers, Human Ostriches, Strong Men, Etc.Houdini, Harry
History
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods: A Complete Exposé of the Modus Operandi of Fire Eaters, Heat Resisters, Poison Eaters, Venomous Reptile Defiers, Sword Swallowers, Human Ostriches, Strong Men, Etc.
Houdini, Harry
Magic tricks -- History; Magicians -- Biography
Richardson, of Bartholomew Fair fame, who was responsible for the
introduction of many novelties, first presented Girardelli to an
English audience at Portsmouth, where her success was so pronounced
that a London appearance was arranged for the same year; and at Mr.
Laston's rooms, 23 New Bond Street, her performance attracted the most
fashionable metropolitan audiences for a considerable time. Following
this engagement she appeared at Richardson's Theater, at Bartholomew
Fair, and afterwards toured England in the company of Signor Germondi,
who exhibited a troupe of wonderful trained dogs. One of the canine
actors was billed as the "Russian Moscow Fire Dog, an animal unknown in
this country, (and never exhibited before) who now delights in that
element, having been trained for the last six months at very great
expense and fatigue."
Whether Girardelli accumulated sufficient wealth to retire or became
discouraged by the exposure of her methods cannot now be determined,
but after she had occupied a prominent position in the public eye and
the public prints for a few seasons she dropped out of sight, and I
have been unable to find where or how she passed the later years of her
life.
I am even more at a loss concerning her contemporary, John Brooks, of
whom I have no other record than the following letter, which appears in
the autobiography of the famous author-actor-manager, Thomas Dibdin, of
the Theaters Royal, Covent Garden, Drury Lane, Haymarket and others.
This one communication, however, absolves of any obligation to dig up
proofs of John Brooks' versatility: he admits it himself.
To Mr. T. Dibdin, Esq. Pripetor of the Royal Circus.
May 1st, 1817.
Sir:
I have taken the Liberty of Riting those few lines to ask you the
favour if a Greeable for me to Come to your House, as i Can do a great
many different things i Can Sing a good Song and i Can Eat Boiling hot
Lead and Rub my naked arms With a Red hot Poker and Stand on a Red hot
sheet of iron, and do Diferent other things.--Sir i hope you Will
Excuse me in Riting I do not Want any thing for my Performing for i
have Got a Business that will Sirport me I only want to pass a Way 2 or
3 Hours in the Evening. Sir i hope you Will Send me an Answer Weather
Agreeple or not.
I am your Humble Servant,
J. B.
Direct to me No. 4 fox and Knot Court King Street Smithfield.
JOHN BROOKS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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