Lab
Library
Journal
Shop
Sign in
to keep
Share image
1
750
Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
690
The
basis
for
this
elucidation
of
what
was
a
profound
mystery
to
the
many
was
as
follows:
The
machinery
was
ostentatiously
displayed
when
at
rest;
but
carefully
secluded
from
view
while
in
motion.
By
this
means
the
spectator
could
not
form
any
judgment
as
to
whether
the
machinery
was
in
any
way
connected
with
the
automaton.
There
never
was
any
variation
in
the
method
of
opening
the
several
doors.
When
winding
up
the
clockwork,
the
key
always
made
a
certain
number
of
revolutions,
whether
the
motions
of
the
figure,
owing
to
the
exigencies
of
the
game,
were
more
varied
or
protracted
than
usual.
It
was
noticed
that
sixty-three
moves
were
at
one
time
made
without
the
machinery
being
wound
up,
while
at
another
time
the
machinery
was
wound
up
with
the
intervention
of
a
single
move.
Whether
or
not
the
action
of
the
automaton
was
produced
by
the
agency
of
a
concealed
person
I
do
not
care
to
pronounce,
but
the
illustration
given
proves
clearly,
I
think,
that
it
might
have
been
so
produced.
Mons.
Kempelen
is
said
to
have
invented
a
still
more
extraordinary
exhibition
of
his
great
mechanical
genius--namely,
a
speaking
automaton.
How
this
figure
became
possessed
of
a
voice,
I
will
show
in
another
chapter.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
