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
Having performed this task, he will then give you a show of rose-water;
and this indeed, he does so cunningly, that it is not the show of
rose-water, but rose-water itself. If you observe him, you will find
that either behind the pail where his luke-warm water is, or behind the
basket in which his glasses are, he will have on purpose a glass of
rose-water prepared for him. After he has taken it, he will make the
spectators believe that he drank nothing but the luke-warm water out of
the pail; but he saves the rose-water in the glass, and holding his
hand in an indirect way, the people believe, observing the water
dropping from his fingers, that it is nothing but the water out of the
pail. After this he will drink four or five glasses more out of the
pail, and then comes up the rose-water, to the admiration of the
beholders. You are to understand, that the heat of his body working
with his rose-water gives a full and fragrant smell to all the water
that comes from him as if it were the same.
The spectators, confused at the novelty of the sight, and looking and
smelling on the water, immediately he takes the opportunity to convey
into his hand another glass; and this is a glass of Angelica water,
which stood prepared for him behind the pail or basket, which having
drunk off, and it being furthered with four or five glasses of
luke-warm water, out comes the evacuation, and brings with it a perfect
smell of the Angelica, as it was in the rose-water above specified.
To conclude all, and to show you what a man of might he is, he has an
instrument made of tin, which he puts between his lips and teeth; this
instrument has three several pipes, out of which, his arms a-kimbo, a
putting forth himself, he will throw forth water from him in three
pipes, the distance of four or five yards. This is all clear water,
which he does with so much port and such a flowing grace, as if it were
his master-piece.
He has been invited by divers gentlemen and personages of honour to
make the like evacuation in milk, as he made a semblance in wine. You
are to understand that when he goes into another room, and drinks two
or three pints of milk. On his return, which is always speedy, he goes
first to his pail, and afterwards to his vomit. The milk which comes
from him looks curdled, and shows like curdled milk and drink. If
there be no milk ready to be had, he will excuse himself to his
spectators, and make a large promise of what he will perform the next
day, at which time being sure to have milk enough to serve his turn, he
will perform his promise.
His milk he always drinks in a withdrawing room, that it may not be
discovered, for that would be too apparent, nor has he any other shift
to evade the discerning eye of the observers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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