“The whole audience exclaimed in reply to M. Comte, ‘We recognize him—it is he—the king of all hearts! the beloved of the French—of the whole universe—Louis XVIII, the august descendant of Henri Quatre?’ “The king, much affected by these warm acclamations, complimented M. Comte on his skill. “ ‘It would be a pity,’ he said to him, ‘to order such a talented sorcerer to be burnt alive. You have caused us too much pleasure for us to cause you pain. Live many years, for yourself in the first place, and then for us.’ ” Comte was an adept at the art of flattery. Perhaps all the while, he and the fickle courtiers of the Tuilleries were secretly laughing at the poor old Bourbon king, the scion of a race that had all but ruined France, and were wishing back from Elba that Thunderbolt of War—Napoleon the Great. {162} Comte was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by Louis Philippe. PHILLIPPE. Phillippe [Talon] was born at Alais, near Nimes (France). He carried on the trade of confectioner first in Paris, afterwards in Aberdeen, Scotland. Failing to make a success of the sugar business, he adopted conjuring as a profession, and was remarkably successful. He was assisted by a young Scotchman named Macalister, who on the stage appeared as a negro, “Domingo.” Macalister, a clever mechanic, invented many of the best things in Phillippe’s repertoire. From some Chinese jugglers, Phillippe learned the gold-fish trick and the Chinese rings. With these capital experiments added to his programme, he repaired to Paris, in 1841, and made a great hit. Habited like a Chinaman, he performed them in a scene called “A night in the palace of Pekin.” The fish trick he ostentatiously named “Neptune’s Basins, and the Gold Fish.” The bowls of water containing the fish he produced from shawls while standing on a low table. He followed this with a production of rabbits, pigeons, ducks, and chickens. Robert-Houdin in his memoirs, gives a brief but pointed sketch of Phillippe. On page 163 I reproduce one of his unique programmes (London, March, 1846). NEW STRAND THEATRE Lessee, M. PHILLIPPE, 4 Strand Lane TRIUMPHANT SUCCESS PHILLIPPE’s SOIRÉES MYSTÉRIEUSES The Entertainments will commence with M. PHILLIPPE’s Celebrated and Unrivalled TOURS DE PHYSIQUE AND ASTOUNDING FEATS OF MAGICAL DELUSION! Which he has exhibited in Paris, Vienna, Berlin, St. Petersburgh, and before all the Courts of Europe, with truly unparalleled Success. THE ENTERTAINMENT WILL BE DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS PART FIRST Will comprise peculiar and unequalled Metamorphoses and Delusions! And Astonishing Deceptions! INCLUDING The Miller of Amsterdam The Obedient Cards Il Diavolo The Rose Tree of Granada The Flying Watches The Modern Confectioner The Enchanted Handkerchief The Grand Distribution The Accomplished Harlequin New Method of Making Coffee Concluding with the universally admired and elegant Tour d’Addresse, entitled THE NATIONAL FLAG