The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-09-04
The Mystery Of the So-Called Second
Sight Explained.

Clairvoyance, or second sight," as
practised in places of public amuse-
ment, is of SO puzzling q character that
there are not wanting those eager to
ascribe its wonders to the supernatural.
The method adopted to bring about the
apparently inexplicable reading of an
others thoughts is, however, extreme
ly simple, and may be readily made
clear to all. The first exhibition of this
kind was introduced into England in
the year 1884 by Pinetti, an Italian
conjuror, who, taking advantage of
Mesmer's theories, elected replies from
his " subject in the supposed trance.
Many professors of the magic art have
followed in the Italians footsteps.
John Henry Anderson ("the Wizard
of the North'') performed it with the
assistance of his daughter end the
clever Frenchman, Houdin, trained his
little boy, Emile, to become marvellous
ly quick in describing, sometimes mi
nutely, articles taken indiscriminately
from the audience.
The conjuror's art of clairvoyance
rests entirely with two persons; one
who looks at the objects to be named
and puts questions to the ''clairvoyant,"
the other one who replies, and all that
10 ICQulICo xOk thlo otkAhihk PACSO VA
humbug is a capital memory on both
signals, conveyed by words, between the
and usually is blindfolded without rem
dering the task any more difficult.
But you will observe that he, or she,
cannot describe any article unknown to
themselves, unless the person acting in
collusion with them has seen the same
and been able to explain its nature in
the question put to the performer.
In public exhibitions of this character
the mystery is frequently heightened by
having confederstes amongst the audi
ence with strange documents, etc., hid
den away in pocket-books, which can,
of course, be readily deciphered by the
clairvoyant, and the interest is in
creased by carefully elaborated, but
seemingly impromptu sallies of wit.
As we have observed, the signals are
conveyed by words, or combinations of
words, and it may appear startling how
any memory, however retentive, could
| be able to associate these with the null
titude of articles likely to be presented
in the course of performance. This
is the more remarkable, too, when it is
noticed that the questions put to the
clairvoyant do not vary to any great ex-
tent. The first difficulty is, however,
removed, when we reflect that the audi
ence is not either anxious or prepared
to put any very severe test to the per-
former, and that only such articles as
are usually carried about the person
need be arranged for. Two or three
hundred, or fewer, signals would quite
exhaust all the purses, coins, cigar
cases, knives, pencils, handkerchiefs,
gloves and other miscellaneous contents
of our pockets, while the umbrellas,
sticks, reticules, etc., would form quite
an inconsiderable addition to the list
Besides, the person who puts the ques-
tions-knowing the pre-arranged code
can reject or ignore any article for
which no signal has been provided.
A greater stumbling-block to the un-
initiated than this is that mentioned
above, viz, the questions do not seem
to, present sufficient variety to enable a
person blindfolded and mentally in the
dark, to get at the nature of the multi.
farious objects presented to the inter.
locutor. In reality this is easily got
over by the arrangement of money,
precious stones, colors, ETC., in groups.
and as the questions put in each of
these are nearly alike. they need pre-
sent few peculiarities to the audience.
We shall see how the grouping system
stands the performer in such good stead
in the examples hereafter given.
Sometimes the cue is given to the
clairvoyant' by the person who in
terrogates in an absurdly simple man.
ner without exciting suspicion; as "Is
it open or shut?'' ..It is shut" or "Is
it shut or openp'' cit is open" els
it perfumedP" "Yes." Ills there a
stone in itP" "Yes." Etc, etc.
For ordinary articles q well-under.
stood code must be arranged between
the performers, and all who take to
this line of business have their OWE
systems, altogether or in part, which
have grown out of the shifts they have
had to make and the corners into which
they have been driven during past per
formances. We may here indicate suf
ficient to enable our friends to get some
grasp of the subject and give a ground
work upon which to proceed if desirou.
of introducing this pleasing and aston
ishing art to the family circle. o
course to attain to the perfection o
some of the modern professors of thi
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