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industry : Yet I admit the ingenious man may not be found so ambitious at some kind of labour as he whose mind is confined to one object ; yet his intellectual faculties are always employed. If walking, he is ruminating : If standing, he is thinking : If sitting, he is musing : If lying down, he is meditating. And should long-desired sleep imperceptibly steal upon his pillow, even then his slumbers are interrupted by intruding dreams relative to the object of his pursuit. Is this a species of inanimation similar to that attached to the lazy man ? Or, is he the sole heir to instability ? No : We see others, whom we are sensible have no ingenuity, as changeable and as wavering as he ; and as many more extravagant, without their generosity. Yet all these find a certain way to accumulate.
It is not merit wins the golden pile ;
But partial fortune’s inconsistent smile.
Poverty and ingenuity are too often born twins. Fortune seldom assists the person favoured by nature. A fool may have the faculty of accumulating : A wise man may want it. Let us then suppose an ingenious man poor : He has just finished a very valuable machine, and has exhausted his finances : Of whom shall he borrow ? None are willing
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to lend : He has not the bold effrontery to obtain it by falsehood, nor is he possessed of the language of persuasion. Now what is to be done ? Creditors are clamorous : He has a family to support. In fact, he must sacrifice all future advantages to the present necessity. Thus, finding no alternative, he is obliged to part with the fruits of his ingenuity for half its value. The purchaser becomes rich ; the inventor remains poor. And then those persons who refused their assistance, seeing the advantage the acquisition is to the purchaser, will be feeling enough to compliment the Inventor with the appellation of simpleton, for parting with his machine. This simile may be applied to us : if we succeed, we shall be accounted industrious, cunning, speculative, enterprizing men ; but if we fail for the want of cash or credit, or any misfortune, no matter what, then we are stupid, void of calculation ; the scheme was mad ; and, to conclude, we shall be indiscriminately branded with the sarcastic appellation of fools.
These at present are my sentiments on the subject of ingenuity. In my next I shall proceed with the further demonstration of more Deceptions.
With due Sentiments of esteem,
Yours, &c. W. F. P.
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LETTER XXVIII.
From W. F. P. to A.B.
Sir,
Agreeably to the promise in my last, I now proceed to explain two more Deceptions, with which I shall close the subject of Legerdemain.
7th. How to make an Handkerchief belonging to one of the Company follow the Exhibitor out of the room. —Having borrowed an handkerchief, observe to the Company the intention of the feat. Take the hairs of an horse’s tail, tying several of them end to end, until you have a sufficient length ; then fasten one end of this string to the fold of your coat, the other end fasten to a bunch of paper in your pocket ; then dexterously convey this paper under the borrowed handkerchief, folding the same ; by your walking out, the handkerchief will follow ; the string, by reason of its fineness, will not be seen by the Company.
8th. How to convey a Card into an Egg. —Prepare yourself with three eggs, and before you exhibit deposit a card in each, of the same kind you mean should be drawn ; this is done
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by contracting the card to such a compass as to be entered through a small opening in one end of the egg, which must be closed so as that the egg shall have the appearance of being perfectly sound. Take care that the cards you present the Company are like those in the eggs. You may have three different kinds of cards to present, being sure they select from the parcel corresponding to your purpose. This done, inform the Company that either of the three eggs shall contain their card. To excite admiration, you may tell the person to burn it ; then taking the ashes and strewing the same over the egg, request him to break the egg, and to his astonishment the card will appear.
With my best wishes for your welfare,
I am yours, &c. W. F. P.
LETTER XXIX.
From W. F. P. to A. B.
Sir,
I now proceed to explain to you the effects produced by Optical Delusions. Of these I have two Deceptions : Both are styled Penetrating Telescopes, and are rendered curiosities
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in the following manner : One by virtue of the magnet ; the other by that of reflectors. —1st. The Magnetic Spy-Glass is in its effects very astonishing, and in its construction very simple. To accommodate yourself with one of these Telescopes, procure a tube similar to that of a common Spy-Glass ; within this tube, and near to the end presented to the object, fix a magnetic needle, causing it to traverse perfectly easy on a brass swivel. (See Plate, Fig. 2.) Then the substance you present to the Company for concealment, in order to your discovery, must be possessed of magnetic qualities. Being possessed of these qualities, wherever the matter is concealed you are sure of discovering the same. The Gentleman fixed upon for this purpose, you must seemingly view with your glass, whilst all your attention is fixed on the needle concealed within the tube, the motion of which will determine where the object of your research is situated. In order to secure the success of your experiment, previously borrow of the before-mentioned gentleman, his knife, keys, or any attractive substance that you suppose he may probably have in his possession, feigning some pretence. —2d. The Penetrating Spy-Glass claims more merit in its
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principles, and has an effect equally as striking as the Magnetic. The curiosity depends on the form of the frame. (See Plate, Fig. 3.) The tubes on the top of the frame contain each of them two glasses : These glasses may be made of common window-glass, the exterior ones clear, the interior ones obscured on the inside. The frame must be excavated, and mirrors placed in each of the angles. Within the middle of both tubes is placed a mirror likewise ; these must be so placed as that the mirror of the tube presented to the object shall reflect the image of the same to the mirror placed in one of the angles of the frame below ; this reflects it in a direct line to another, placed in the opposite angle ; this mirror reflects it upwards to another contained in the tube, where the eve of the observer is placed : Consequently, by thus contriving to bend the rays of light around the frame, it makes no difference to the observer whatever may be placed between the two interior glasses ; and the astonishment arises from the supposition that the frame is solid, as an idea is conveyed that the effect is produced by the singular construction of the glasses within the tubes.
While writing this, I thought I would give you an idea of a modern invention called the
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Physiognotrace, famed for its correctness in taking profiles. The author of this invention was a Mr. Hawkins, but it has been greatly improved. I shall describe it in its present improved state. To accomplish this, you must provide yourself with a Pentagraph ; this must be screwed to a partition, at the scale angle commonly made fast, and on which it usually traverses ; the tracing point downwards, and opposite to a hole cut in the partition eighteen inches square : This hole must be glazed with plate glass, which must be covered with a piece of silk paper, strained tight ; on that side place the person whose profile you are about to trace. Have a square trunk about five feet long, one end fourteen inches in width, the other six ; place the wide end opposite the paper, your trunk being in an horizontal direction, only leaving convenient room between the trunk and the paper for a person to be seated. The use of this trunk is to confine and reflect the rays of light to the paper, which light must proceed from a lamp placed at the small end. This done, direct the person to be seated ; and, lighting the lamp, retire withinside of the partition, and there you will see a very strong and correct likeness, through the glass, of the person,
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whose shadow appears on the paper. Now, you must observe to have your paper well pillowed and secured, under the sketching point, by means of a small frame, which must be contrived either to slide or open with hinges. This altogether sliding in its place, as occasion may require, with the tracing point of the Pentagraph follow the outlines of your shadow, and the pencil at the sketching angle will perform the same revolution, reducing the profile to any size you please to fix your scale. I should have told you it was necessary to have a small iron rod made with a ring at the end, screwed under the hole in the partition, for the person who sits to steady his head against. You may cover this with green baize, or, any thing agreeable to the person so seated. Remember that the room must be perfectly dark, excepting the light proceeding from the lamp.
I have to observe, that many trials will be necessary before you take a complete profile. Much depends on placing the person in a proper attitude, or perhaps you will suffer the tracing point to err from the line of the face.
Cutting it out is a material point, and great nicety is required ; to execute which with
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precision, have a square piece of block-tin, on which place your profile ; provide yourself with a sharp-pointed tool, made similar to a lancet : In all these particulars you must be extremely accurate, as the beauty of the whole depends on the full consent of the parts. Imitating the hair with light touches of Indian ink, well executed, has a great effect. This improvement I believe originated with Mr. Doyle, who I am well persuaded takes them in a superior style.
If the above information proves of any advantage to you, the pleasing circumstance will sufficiently reward
Your sincere friend,
W. F. P.
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