The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-11-13

minds, he pretended TO possess m1racu- |
lous power. When he wished to in
spire his followers with courage. he |
breathed flames or sparks among them |
from his mouth. At the same time he |
was rousing them by his eloquence. st. |
Jerome informs us that the Rabbi |
Burchochebas, who headed the Jews in |
their last revolt against the Emperor
Adrian, made them believe that he was
the Messiah by vomiting flames from
his mouth. And, at later period, the
Emperor Constantius was thrown into |
state of alarm when Valentinian in
formed him that he had seen one of the |
body-guard breathing out fire and
flames. Sir David Brewster, who quotes
these instances in his interesting - Let
ters on Natural Magic" was not able to
explain the exact methods by which
these effects were produced but he
said Florus informs us that Eunus
filled a perforated nutshell with sui
phur and fire, and, having concealed it
in his mouth, he breathcd gently
through it while he was speaking. This
act is performed mere simply by the
modern jugglers. Having rolled to-
gether some fax or hemp so as to form
a ball the size of a walnut, he sets it on
fire and allows it to burn till it is nearly
consumed. He then rolled round it
while burning some additional flax, and
by these means the fire may be retained
for considerable time. At the COM
mencement of his exhibition he intro
duces the ball into his mouth, and while
he breathes through it the fire is re-
vived and number of burning sparks
are projected from his mouth. The
sparks are too feeble to do any harm,
provided he inhales the air through his
( rostrils. The kindred art of walking
on burning Goals or red-hot iron be-
| longs to the same antiquity. The
priestesses of Diana at Castabula, in
| Cappadocia, were accustomed, accord
ing to Strabo, to walk over burning
Goals and, at the annual festival which
was held in the temple of Apollo at
Mount Soracte, in Etruria, the Hirpi
| marched over burning Goals, and on this
account they were exempt from military
service, and received other privileges
from the Roman Senate. This power
of resisting fire was ascribed even by
Varro to the use of some liniment with
which they anointed the soIes of their
feet. OF the same character was the
art of holding red-hot iron in the hands
or between the teeth, and of p1unging
the hands into boiling-water or melted
| lead. About the close of the seven
teenth century, an Engishman named
Richardson rendered himself famous by
chewing burning Goals, pouring melted
lead upon his tongue, and swallowing
melted glass. Brewster says that these
effects are produced partly by decep-
tion and partly by previous prepara-
ton of the parts subjected to the heat.
The fusible metal, composed of mercu-
ry, tin and bismuth, which melts at a
low temperature, might easily have
been substituted in place of lead,
and fluids of easy ebullition may have
been used in place of boiling water.
But, though the conjurers by fire may
| have availed themselves of these singl-
lar properties of individual bodies, vet
the general secret of their art consisted
in rendering the skin of the exposed
parts callous and insensible to heat
an effect which may be produced by
continually COMPRISING or singeing
them till the skin acquires horny con
sistence.
One of the most adroit iugglers of the
present age was Robert Houdin, 8
Frenchman, who for many years gave
fashionable entertainments in Paris.
Houdin wrote his autobiography, and
} related many curious feats performed
by him in the course of his professional
career. On one occasion he was invited
to display his art before King Louis
. Philippe and his court at the chateau OF
| OG. OIOuQ. 1OuCln 1nFenG0Q q GTlCR
especially for this royal and noble as.
} semblage, and received unbounded ap
: plause for his success. He borrowed
from the King and his courtiers si1
handkerchiefs, which he made into 6
parcel and laid on the table. Then, al
his request, different persons wrote OF
cards the names of the places whittier
they desired their .Iandkerchiefs to be
: invlsibly transported. When this was
done he begged the King to take three
of the cards at hazard, and choose from
} the place he might consider the most
suitable. s. Let me see" said Louis
Philippe, awhat this one saws: i
desire the handkerchiefs to be found
beneath one of the candelabra on the
mantelpiece.' All tnat is too easy fol
a sorcerer, SO we will pass on to the
next card: The handkerchiefs are tc
!; be transported to the dome of the In
valides. That would suit us, but it is
much too far-not fer the handkerchiefs
, but for us. All ah !'' the King added
as he looked at the last card, ssI an
} afraid, Monsieur Robert Houdin, am
about to embarrass you. Do you know
what this card proposes ?" Houdin,
with respectful bow, declared that he
did not. '' Well" responded his Ma
jesty, ." it is desired that you send the
handkerchiefs to spot beneath the
roots of the last orange tree on the
right of the Avenue of ST. Cloud
Houdin affected the utmost noncha
lance. F'Only that, sire," he said
f' Deign to order, and I will obey.
The King gave certain directions in
low voice, and Immediately number o.
his attendants hurried off to the orange
tree to watch it. He then said, ''I Sc
lect the orange-tree." Houdin's frs
business now was to send the handker
chiefs on their travels. So he placed
them beneath bell of opaque glass
and, taking his wand, ordered them tc
fly to the spot the King had chosen
He raised the bell, the little parcel was
no longer there, and white dove had
} taken its place. The King then walked
} quickly to, the door, whence he looked
! in the direction of the orange-tree tx
} assure himself that the guards were
} there, and, when this was done, he be
gan to smile and shrug his shoulders
"Ah Monsieur Robert Houdin, hs
said, ironically, f'I fear much for thu
virtue of your magic staff. Then h'
! added, as he returned to the end of thu
/ room where several servants were stand
: ing. Tell William to dig immediate