For the time this was published, in the middle of the 19th century, these twelve lessons in magic are probably one of the best instructions in conjuring published in the English language, even though the intended reading audience was young folks. Professor Hoffmann's Modern Magic is still a decade into the future.
Henry Hatton, writing here under his real name Patrick Henry Cannon, describes a range of stage and parlor effects including some sleight-of-hand with coins and cards. His description of the pass is by far the best description I have read prior to Erdnase - almost 40 years prior that is! The accompanying illustrations are extraordinarily good for the time including a 'see-through' feature. The descriptions and effects are surprisingly advanced. For example, the last lesson explains tricks with electromagnets. Somewhat odd is the inclusion of the bullet catch in conjuring lessons for young folks.
- To Palm a Coin
- To pass a Coin invisibly from one Hand to another
- The Russian Ring Trick
- The Travelling Cone and Ball
- Davenport Brothers
- The Yarn Telegraph
- A Canary risking the Hazard of the Die
- The Tantalizing Tin Tube
- The Rabbit Trick
- To Produce a Feather Bed from a Hat
- The Herrmann Bran-Trick
- The Great Chinese Rope-Feat
- The Spirit Jews-harp
- To Blow Flames from the Mouth
- The Egg Bag
- The Animated Egg
- The Singular Saucepan
- "The Sphinx, - A Mystery"
- "Proteus"
- The Inexhaustible Bottle
- The Great Hindoo Mystery
- Card Manipulations
- To make the Pass with Two Hands
- Making the Pass with One Hand
- To Force a Card
- The Obedient Cards
- How To Make A Person Draw Long Or Short In Drawing Cuts
- The Drum Trick
- The Horn of Plenty
1st edition 1865-1868, serialized on Our Young Folks; PDF 58 pages.
word count: 27046 which is equivalent to 108 standard pages of text
