The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-31

Nuch sllesn mas Dceh lalu Dy tue aufo-
Gates Of Spirtualism upon the ability of
the medium Home to handle live GOALS
without injury or showinga scar. He has
been seen to put redhot Goals on his head,
and the hair was not singed. The "6re
ordeal" is very old and familiar one to
necromancers. One Of the most ancient
feats Of magic was the art of breathing
fame. During the insurrection Of the
slaves in Sicily in the second century be-
fore Christ, Syrian named Eunus ae-
quircd by bis knowledge the rank of their
leader. In order TO establish his influence
over their minds, he pretended to possess
miraculous power. When he wished to
inspire 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 Burcho-
chebas, who headed the Jews in their last
revolt against the Emperor Adrian, made
them believe that he was tie Messiah by
vomiting flames from his mouth. And at
later period the Emperor Constantius
was thrown into state Of alarm when
Valentinian informed him that he had
seen one Of the body-guards breathing out
FIRE and flames. Sir David Brewster, who
quotes these instances in his interesting
eLetters 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 filed per.
lorated nutshell with sulphur and FIRE, and
having concealed it in his mouth he
breathed gently through it while he was
speaking This act is performed more
simply by the modern juggler Having
rolled together some fax or hemp so as to
form ball the size of walnut, he sets it on
FIRE and allows It to burn until it is nearly
consumed He then rolls round il while
burning some additional fax, and by these
means the fire may. be retained for con-
siderable time. At the commencement Of
his exhibition he introduces the ball into
his mouth, and while he breathes through
it the fire is revived and number Of burn.
ing sparks are projected from his mouth.
The sparks are too feeble to do any harm
provided he inhales the air through his
nostrils. The kindred art of walking on
burning Goals or red-hot iron belongs to
the same antiquity. The priestesses Of
Diana at Castabula, in CappadOcia, were
accustomed, according to Strabo, to walk
over burning Goals, and at the annual fes-
tival 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 exempted from
military service, and received other privi-
leges 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 soles Of their feet. OF
the same character was the art Of holding
red hot iron in the hands or between the
teeth, and Of plunging the hands into
boiling water or melted lead. About the
close of the seventeenth century an Eng
lishman named Richardson rendered him
self famous by chewing burning Goals,
pouring melted lead upon his tongue, and
swallowing melted glass. Brewster says
that these effects are produced partly by
deception and partly by previous prcpa-
ration Of the parts subjected to the heat.
The fusible metal composed of mercury,
tin, and bisInuth, which melts at low
temperature, might easily have been sub
stituted in place of lead, and fluids of easy
ebullit:on may have been used in place Of
boiling water. But though the conjurers
with fire may have availed themselves Of
these singular properties of individual
bodies, yet 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 compressirg or siugeing them
till the skin acquires horny consistence.
One Of the most adroit jugglers in the
present age was Robert Houdin, a French
man, who for many years gave fashionable
entertainment in Paris. Houdin wrote
his autobiography, and related many Gu
rious feats performed by him in the course
of his professional career. On one ocea-
sion he was invited to display his art be-
fore King Louis Philippe and his court at
the chateau Of St. Cloud. Houdin invent
ed trick especially for this royal and
noble assemblsge, and received unbounded
applause for his success. He borrowed
from the King and his courtiors six hand
kerchiefs, which he made into parcel and
laid on the table. Then at his request
different persons wrote on cards the names
of places whittier they desired their hand
kerchisfs to be invisibly transported.
When this was done he begged the King
to take three Of the cards at hazard, and
choose from them the place he might con.
slider the most suitable. "Let me see"
said Louis Philippe, ''what this one says,
~ desire the AaRdkerchiefs to be found
beneath one Of thc candelabra on the man
telpiece." Ali that is too easy for sor-
cerer, so we viii pass on to the next card:
aThe Aandkerchiets are 10 be transported
to he dome o. the Iavaiitiesp That atwould
suit US, but 1t is much too far-not for the
handkerchiefs, but for US. All, ah the
King added, as he looked at the last card,
''I am afraid, Monsieur Robert Houdin, |