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Modern Magic: A Practical Treatise on the Art of Conjuring
·
Professor Hoffmann
713
The
next
remarkable
automatic
figure
exhibited
by
the
dual
mystifiers
at
the
Egyptian
Hall
is
that
called
Zoe.
It
represents
a
female
figure
seated
upon
a
stand.
Before
her
is
placed
a
semicircular
drawing
board,
which
is
attached
to
the
seat
upon
which
the
figure
rests.
Zoe
writes
figures
and
draws
portraits
of
popular
characters.
To
all
appearance
there
is
no
motive
power
off
the
stage,
and
the
exhibitor
has
no
physical
connection
with
the
figure,
whose
movements
and
skill
are
apparently
spontaneous.
This
is
one
of
the
most
simple
mechanical
contrivances
of
the
kind
that
has
ever
been
produced.
A
thin
steel
rod
runs
through
the
seat
in
which
the
figure
is
fixed.
The
body
and
the
arms
of
Zoe
are
above
the
stage,
beneath
which
another
arm
and
drawing-board
are
placed
exactly
in
the
same
position
as
those
above
the
platform.
The
mechanism
is
made
to
work
so
that
the
hand
above
is
moved
precisely
as
the
hand
below
is
guided
by
the
artist.
Thus,
when
Zoe
is
told
to
draw
a
portrait,
say,
of
the
Earl
of
Beaconsfield,
the
artist
below
guides
the
unseen
hand,
while
the
hand
above
follows
the
movements
of
its
guide
below.
The
reader
may
see
from
the
annexed
plan
at
a
glance
the
principles
of
the
movement;
but
it
must
be
understood
that
this
is
not
the
only
mechanism
employed.
It
will,
however,
fully
explain
the
principles
of
its
motion.
It
will
be
seen
that
whatever
movement
be
given
to
the
arm
at
B,
the
arm
at
A
must
have
the
same
movement
simultaneously.
As
the
figure
is
brought
on
to
the
stage,
and
then
fixed
on
to
the
seat,
all
suspicion
of
complicity
with
persons
below
the
stage
is
removed;
but
a
rod
is
pushed
through
the
pedestal
and
secured
through
the
upper
half
while
the
exhibitor
is
seating
the
figure.
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