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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
33
With
these
few
preliminary
observations,
we
proceed
to
the
practice
of
the
art,
commencing
with
the
ever-popular
class
of
illusions
performed
by
the
aid
of
playing
cards.
CHAPTER
II.
GENERAL
PRINCIPLES
OF
SLEIGHT-OF-HAND
APPLICABLE
TO
CARD
TRICKS.
Among
the
various
branches
of
the
conjuror’s
art,
none
will
better
repay
the
labour
of
the
student,
whether
artist
or
amateur,
than
the
magic
of
cards.
It
has
the
especial
advantage
of
being,
in
a
great
measure,
independent
of
time
and
place.
The
materials
for
half
its
mysteries
are
procurable
at
five
minutes’
notice
in
every
home
circle;
and,
even
in
the
case
of
those
tricks
for
which
specially
prepared
cards,
etc.,
are
requisite,
the
necessary
appliances
cost
little,
and
are
easily
portable--two
virtues
not
too
common
in
magical
apparatus.
Further,
the
majority
of
card
tricks
are
dependent
mainly
on
personal
address
and
dexterity,
and,
as
such,
will
always
be
highly
esteemed
by
connoisseurs
in
the
art.
Before
very
large
audiences,
indeed,
the
spectators
being
at
a
distance
from
the
performer,
much
of
the
effect
of
a
card
trick
is
lost;
which
is
probably
the
reason
that,
of
late
years,
tricks
of
this
class
(with
a
few
exceptions)
have
been
rather
neglected
by
professors;
and
that
many
feats
which
in
the
times
of
Conus
and
Comte
were
numbered
among
the
sensations
of
the
day,
are
now
almost
entirely
forgotten.
We
shall
endeavour
in
the
following
pages,
after
explaining
the
principles
of
sleight-of-hand
applicable
to
cards,
and
giving
instructions
for
some
of
the
best
of
the
more
commonplace
feats,
to
revive
the
recollection--and,
we
hope,
the
practice--of
some
of
these
brilliant
performances.
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