PHANTASMAGORIA,
THIS and every EVENING,
AT THE
LYCEUM, STRAND.

M. DE PHILIPSTHAL

Takes the earliest Opportunity of informing his Patrons, and the Public at large, that in consequence of some Attempts to impose upon them a Sururious Imitation of his OPTICAL and MECHANICAL INVENTIONS, he has obtained HIS MAJESTY's ROYAL LETTERS PATENT, under the Protection of which he will have the Honour to EXHIBIT his

*Optical Illusions and Mechanical Pieces of Art.*

SELECT PARTIES may be accommodated with a MORNING EXHIBITION at any appointed Hour, on fending timely Notice.

To prevent Mistakes, the Public are requesfed to Notice, that the PHANTASMAGORIA is on the Left-hand, on the Ground Floor.

The OPTICAL PART of the EXHIBITION

Will introduce the PHANTOMS or APPARITIONS of the DEAD or ABSENT, in a way more completely illusive than has ever been offered to the Eye in a public Theatre, as the Objects freely originate in the Air, and unfold themselves under various Forms and Sizes, such as Imagination alone has hitherto painted them, occasionally affumining the Figure and moft perfect Refemblance of the Heroes and other divin-guilhed Characters of paft and preient Times.

This SPECTROLOGY, which professes to expose the Praefices of artful Impostors and pretended Exorcists, and to open the Eyes of thofe who fill fofter an absurd Belief in GHOSTS or DISSEMBODIED SPIRITS, will, it is prefumed, afford alfo to the Speculator an interefting and pleafing Entertainment; and in order to render thee Apparations more interefting, they will be introduced during the Progreſs of a tremendous Thunder Storm, accompanied with vivid Lightning, Hail, Wind, &c.

The MECHANICAL PIECES of ART

Include the following principal Objects, a more detailed Account of which will be given during their Exhibition : viz.

Two elegant ROPE DANCERS, the one, representing a Spaniard nearly Six Feet high, will difplay several affonifhing Feats on the Rope, mark the Time of the Muſic with a ſmall Whiffle, ſmoke his Pipe, &c.—The other, called Pajazzs, being the Figure of a young ſprightly Boy, will ſurpafs the former in Skill and Agility.

The INGENIOUS SELF-DEFENDING CHEST.—The ſuperior Excellence and Utility of this Piece of Mechanifm is, that the Proprietor has always a Safe-guard againſt Depredators; for the concealed Battery of Few Pieces of Artillery only appears and diſcharges itself when a Stranger tries to force open the Cheſt.—This has been acknowledged by ſeveral Profefſional Men to be a Maſter-piece of Mechanifm, and may with equal Advantage be applied to the Protection of Property in Counting-houſes, Poſt Chafifes, &c.

The MECHANICAL PEACOCK, which ſo exaſtly imitates the Actions of that flately Bird, that it has frequently been thought Alive. It eats, drinks, &c. at command, unfold its Tail in a brilliant Circle, and in every reſpect ſeems endowed with an intuitive Power of attending to the Thoughts of the Company.

The BEAUTIFUL COSSACK, enclosed in a ſmall Box, opens it when ordered, and preſents herſelf to the Speculators in a black Habit; which, as ſoon as defined, the changes with affonifhing Quickneſs into a moſt Elegant Gala Drefs, complements the Company, and dances after the Manner of the Coifacks; ſhe will alſo reſolve different Questions. &c. &c.

The SELF-IMPÉLLED WINDMILL, which is put in Motion, or hands full by the moſt momentary Signal from the Speculators, and in a Manner which apparently does away the Idea of all Mechanical Agency.

The whole to conclude with a ſuperb OPTICAL and MECHANICAL FIRE-WORK, replete with a Variety of brilliant and ſamſtiful