The Washington critic., 1888-02-18
ONLY AN ILLUSION.
Some Of the Secrets OF the Mysteriou
Art of VcntrfIoaufsm.

" 'Nvih VI III ItCthSeS WnSIe IL
would be utterly impossible for
human being to squeeze 2" was asked
OF well-known ventriloquist.
No, sir" promptly replied the
man, who makes q very good living
exhibiting his four doll figures, each
having movable wooden Jaw worked
from the back Of the neck with the
thumb of the professor. Gan such
talk is yeritable bosh from beginning
TO end"
"You must understand first that
ventriloquism is simply vocal illu-
sion. / have given entertainments in
this line for the past fifteen years,
both in public and private, and while
believe sincerely in the old adage
that the longer person lives the
greater knowledge he acquires, can
say that | have learned almost every
thing relative to ventriloquism, save
the new jokes or what is generally
known as gags that haven't been
turned out as yet from the funny
mems bureau.
81 have four figures that / use in
my entertainment, representing an
Irish boy, colored boy or picaninny,
and an old lady and gentleman.
Every word or sentence that / utter
is formed precisely in the same way
as in ordinary articulation. take q
full breath or inspiration Just before
commencing my performance, and as
60 along | allow the air to slowly
pass through the glottis, which is the
narrow opening at the upper part of
the larnyx, thereby modulating or
increasing the intensity Of air, as the
case may require. This explanation
may seem vague at first, but If one
just takes the trouble TO look into the
subject it will be found that thesound
does not come from the stomach, as
. the ancients supposed, but from the
throat. -..
"Why, it is as easy as rolling off a
log to be q ventriloquist, if you will
only have the patience to practice.
Did anybody ever become scientist
or philosopher in a week, month OF
year? OF course not. 1t takes some
years of practice to become proficient
in any subject. Why, / believe a
man can learn to do anything, if he
only sets out with firm determine
ton and plenty of pluck to back him.
when q ventriloquist comes on
the stage he generally starts in
with that superannuated, chestnutty
phrase: Ladies and gentlemen,
shall endeavor to introduce for your
edifcation, etc.
Taking figure from a box he
dandles it upon his knee and begins
thus: .s ~.
man?'
"'Heh2 ...s..s
"'I asked you what your name
WASP
ooh, " name is Nikey Smith
"Now, you readily see," continued
the professor, that it is next to i'm.
/ possible to pronounce the words with
the 'rttar m, p or without moving
the lips. Therefore, the correct trans.
lation of the foregoing sentence would
be: 'Oh, my name is MlfaY Smith.
| The further away person may be
from the ventriloquist the greater th'
deception.
"Now, if you watch me closely dur
ing one of my performances you will
note that / am particular to first cal
III duulSuCS y dbtcltlon W SOilCVltlll
which is to follow by intimating tn
locality from whence the voice is +
come. This directs everybody's al
tention just where / want to have il
and the Illusion seems greater than
actually is,a
| 'sWhat Y consider to be my bes
feat in the art is whereI put the littl
wooden Irish boy into the trunk
which / always have on the stage
and start to shut him up in it. He !
then supposed to call, Let me out
letme out = l then slowly close tn
lid, modulating my voice as / let tn
lid down by degrees until the voic
seems to emanate from the inside.
If anybody is desirous OF learnin
the art can tell them how to set abou
it without very much trouble. Tn
first thing to be done is for the be
ginner to place himself before lool
ing glass and commence by repeat =
the alphabet slowly and distinctly 9
possible without moving the lip:
Practice this over many times until
certain facility has been obtained, an
4 the learner, If he has any aptitud
whatever, will soon observe ho
much easier it is than when h
started.
CATER he has practiced the alpha
bet sufficiently, let him tackle thes
few lines, which will, no doubt, caus
him much chagrin at first by his il
ability to keep his lips firmly t.
gether:
4 "My mother-in-law manufacture
matches, mends mittens and pant'
looms, beats carpets, makes oyster pa
ties, pies, sponge cake and pastry
She som .times scribbles verses
poetry just to pass the time ava.
and, strange to say, she minds he
own business.
| "The beginner must not be afrai
| of looking az himself in the glass, {
this is an indispensable requisite
the commencement. Practice ovt
and over again such words as monl
mental, plaster Of paris, mucilal
bottle, matchbox, ham bone, and bea
pole. A. all times be careful to regl
4 late yorr breathing, the same way {
4 it is observed in the study Of elocl
tion.
4 "With four months' constant pra
tice Of an hours duration each day
person ought to become profcieI
enough to venture to give at least
parlor entertainment before h
| friends. But remember that practit
is the only key to success. If an,
body does not credit my statement,
will guarantee to teach him ventril,
quism in ten minutes if he will pr
me on the right track of learnin
Greek in day"