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[Illustration:

        _To the_
      LOVERS OF HOME
         _THIS_
      Little Manual
           OF
    AMUSING PHENOMENA
          FOR
    Family Recreation
           IS
      RESPECTFULLY
       _Dedicated_]




[Illustration: PARLOUR MAGIC]


    REVISED AND IMPROVED.

    PHILADELPHIA: H. PERKINS, 134 CHESTNUT STREET.
    MDCCCXXXVIII.




ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by HENRY
PERKINS, in the Clerk’s office of the District Court for the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania.


Printed by Haswell, Barrington, and Haswell.




[Illustration: PREFACE.]


To furnish the ingenious youth with the means of relieving the
tediousness of a long winter’s or a wet summer’s evening,—to enable
him to provide for a party of juvenile friends, instructive as well
as recreative entertainment, without having recourse to any of the
vulgar modes of killing time,—to qualify the hero of his little circle
to divert and astonish his friends, and, at the same time, to improve
himself, are the principal objects of the following little Work.

The boy whose wonder and curiosity have been excited by the experiments
of the scientific lecturer, or the illusions of the ventriloquist,
will here find many of these mysteries unveiled, and plain directions
for performing them, divested, as far as possible, of scientific or
technical language. Many of the descriptions are strictly original, and
now, for the first time, appear in print; and especial care has been
taken to introduce only such Experiments as are adapted for performance
at the parlour or drawing-room table, or fire-side, and such as are
practicable without expensive chemical or mechanical apparatus, and
require no implements beyond those which any ingenious youth may
readily furnish from his own resources, or at a trifling expense.

Another object of these pages is to inform, without being dryly
scientific,—by imparting interesting facts, to stimulate the young
experimentalist to inquire into the laws that regulate them,—by aiding
him to acquire dexterity of practice, to smooth the road to the
development of principles,—and, above all, to enable him to escape
an imputation which every boy of spirit would consider the depth of
disgrace,—that of being “No Conjuror!”

[Illustration]




[Illustration: CONTENTS.]


  Transmutations.
                                                                 _Page_
  The Spectral Lamp                                                  1
  Curious Change of Colours                                          2
  The Protean Light                                                  2
  The Chameleon Flowers                                              3
  To change the Colours of Flowers                                   3
  Changes of the Poppy                                               3
  To change the Colour of a Rose                                     4
  Light changing White into Black                                    4
  The Visibly growing Acorn                                          4
  Changes in Sap-Green                                               5
  To revive apparently dead Plants                                   5
  Singular effect of Tears                                           5
  Beauties of Crystallization                                        5
  To crystallize Camphor                                             7
  Crystallized Tin                                                   7
  Crystals in hard Water                                             7
  Varieties of Crystals                                              7
  Heat from Crystallization                                          8
  Splendid Sublimation                                               8
  Artificial Ice                                                     8
  Magic Inks                                                         8
  Chameleon Liquids                                                  9
  The Magic Dyes                                                     9
  Wine changed into Water                                           10
  Two colourless transparent Liquids become black and opaque        10
  Two colourless Fluids make a coloured one                         10
  Change of colour by colourless Fluids                             10
  To change a Blue Liquid to White                                  11
  Veritable “Black” Tea                                             11
  Restoration of Colour by Water                                    11
  The Magic Writing                                                 12
  Two Liquids make a Solid                                          12
  Two Solids make a Liquid                                          12
  A solid opaque mass made a transparent Liquid                     12
  Two cold Liquids make a hot one                                   12
  Quadruple Transmutation                                           13
  Quintuple Transmutation                                           13
  Combination of Colours                                            13
  Union of two Metals without Heat                                  13
  Magic Breath                                                      13
  Two Bitters make a Sweet                                          14
  Visible and Invisible                                             14

  Sight and Sound.
  Artificial Mirage                                                 17
  Motion of the Eye                                                 18
  Single Vision with two Eyes                                       19
  Two objects seen as one                                           19
  Only one object can be seen at a time                             20
  Straight objects seen crooked                                     20
  Optical Illusion                                                  21
  Pin-hole Focus                                                    21
  Optical Deceptions                                                22
  Accuracy of Sight                                                 22
  Visual Deception                                                  23
  Handwriting upon the Wall                                         23
  Imitative Haloes                                                  23
  To read a Coin in the dark                                        24
  To make a Prism                                                   24
  Optical Augmentation                                              25
  Gold Fish in a glass Globe                                        26
  Colours produced by the unequal action of Light upon the Eyes     26
  Optical Deception                                                 27
  Coloured Shadows                                                  27
  Colours of Scratches                                              27
  Ocular Spectra                                                    28
  Beautiful Colours of Mother of Pearl                              28
  White Letters seen further than Black                             29
  Artificial Rainbow                                                29
  Fringe about a Candle                                             29
  The Double Coloured Reflection                                    30
  Luminous Cross                                                    30
  Ring of Colours round a Candle                                    30
  Simple and Cheap Opera-glass                                      31
  Multiplying Theatres                                              31
  Apparatus for Writing in the Dark                                 32
  Portable Microscope                                               33
  The Phenakistiscope or Stroboscope                                34
  To look at the Sun without injury                                 35
  Brilliant Water Mirror                                            35
  Optical Illusion under Water                                      35
  The Magic Wheels                                                  36
  Acoustic Rainbow                                                  37
  Transmission of Sound                                             37
  Progress of Sound                                                 39
  Sound turning Corners                                             39
  To tell the distance of Thunder                                   40
  Hearing by the Touch                                              40
  Conversation for the Deaf                                         40
  Glass broken by the Voice                                         41
  Figures produced by Sound                                         41
  Transmitted Vibration                                             42
  Double Vibration                                                  42
  Champagne and Sound                                               42
  Music from Palisades                                              43
  Theory of the Jew’s Harp                                          43
  Music of the Snail                                                44
  To tune a Guitar without the assistance of the Ear                44
  Music from Glass or Metal Rods                                    44
  The Tuning-fork a Flute-player                                    45
  Musical Bottles                                                   46
  Theory of Whispering                                              46
  Theory of the Voice                                               46
  Sound along a Wall                                                47
  Sounds more audible by Night than by Day                          47
  Musical Echo                                                      47
  Ventriloquism                                                     48

  Light and Heat.
  Flashes of Light upon revolving Wheels                            53
  Decomposition of Light                                            54
  Solar Refraction                                                  54
  Incantations                                                      55
  To imitate the Light of the Sea                                   55
  Instantaneous Lights                                              56
  To colour the Flame of a Candle                                   57
  To divide the Flame of a Candle                                   57
  Cane Wick Lamp                                                    58
  Camphor and Platinum Lamp                                         58
  Platinum and Ether Lamp                                           58
  Floating Light                                                    59
  Substitute for a Wax Taper                                        59
  Phosphorescent Fish                                               59
  The Luminous Spectre                                              59
  Light, a Painter                                                  60
  Effect of Light upon Crystallization                              60
  Effect of Light on Plants                                         60
  Instantaneous Light upon Ice                                      61
  White Light from Zinc                                             61
  Brilliant Light from two Metals                                   61
  Brilliant Light from Steel                                        61
  Lighted Tin                                                       62
  Light from Gilt Buttons                                           62
  Light from a Flower                                               62
  Light from Sugar                                                  62
  Light from the Potato                                             63
  Light from the Oyster                                             63
  Light from Derbyshire Spar                                        63
  Light from Oyster-shells                                          64
  Rings of Light in Crystal                                         64
  To strike Light with Cane                                         64
  Cause of Transparency                                             64
  Transparency of Gold                                              65
  Tint changed by Thickness                                         65
  Shadows made darker by increased Light                            65
  Miniature Thunder and Lightning                                   66
  The Burning Glass                                                 66
  Magic of Heat                                                     66
  Repulsion by Heat                                                 67
  Heat passing through Glass                                        68
  Metals unequally influenced by Heat                               68
  Spontaneous Combustion                                            69
  Inequality of Heat in Fire irons                                  69
  Expansion of Metal by Heat                                        69
  Evaporation of a Metal                                            69
  A Floating Metal on Fire                                          70
  Heat and Cold from Flannel                                        70
  Ice melted by Air                                                 70
  To hold a hot Tea-kettle on the Hand                              70
  Incombustible Linen                                               71
  The Burning Circle                                                71
  Water of different Temperatures in the same Vessel                71
  Warmth of different Colours                                       71
  Substitute for Fire                                               72

  Gas and Steam.
  Laughing Gas                                                      75
  The Luminous Wand                                                 76
  To make Carbonic Acid Gas                                         76
  Carbonic Acid Gas in Wine or Beer Vessels                         76
  To extinguish Flame with Gas                                      77
  Effect of Hydrogen on the Voice                                   77
  Magic Taper                                                       78
  The Gas Candle                                                    78
  Gas Bubbles                                                       78
  Gas-light in the day-time                                         79
  Miniature Balloons                                                79
  Miniature Gas-lighting                                            79
  Musical Gas                                                       80
  Miniature Will o’-the-wisp                                        81
  Phosphoric Illumination                                           81
  Combustion of Iron in Oxygen Gas                                  81
  Glow-worm in Oxygen Gas                                           82
  Luminous Charcoal                                                 82
  Brilliant Combustion in Oxygen                                    82
  Flame from Cold Metals                                            83
  Phosphorus in Chlorine                                            83
  Caoutchouc Balloons                                               84
  To increase the Light of Coal Gas                                 84
  Gas from Indian Rubber                                            84
  Ether Gas                                                         85
  Magic Vapour                                                      85
  Gas from the union of Metals                                      85
  Invisible Gases made Visible                                      86
  Light under Water                                                 86
  Gaseous Evanescence                                               86
  Violet-coloured Gas                                               86
  To collect Gases                                                  87
  The Deflagrating Spoon                                            87
  What is Steam?                                                    87
  The Steam Engine simplified                                       88
  To boil Water by Steam                                            88
  Distillation in Miniature                                         89
  Candle or Fire Crackers                                           89
  Steam from the Kettle                                             89

  Fire, Water, and Air.
  Coloured Flames                                                   93
  Yellow Flame                                                      94
  Orange-coloured Flame                                             94
  Emerald Green Flame                                               94
  Instantaneous Flame                                               94
  The Cup of Flame                                                  95
  To cool Flame by Metal                                            95
  Proof that Flame is Hollow                                        95
  Camphor sublimed by Flame                                         95
  Green Fire                                                        96
  Brilliant Red Fire                                                96
  Purple Fire                                                       96
  Silver Fire                                                       97
  The Fiery Fountain                                                97
  The Artificial Conflagration                                      97
  Inflammable Powder                                                97
  Combustion without Flame                                          98
  Combustion of Three Metals                                        98
  To make Paper Incombustible                                       98
  Singular Experiments with Glass Tubes                             98
  Aquatic Bomb                                                      99
  Heat not to be estimated by Touch                                 99
  Flame upon Water                                                 100
  Rose-coloured Flame on Water                                     100
  To set a Mixture on Fire with Water                              100
  Waves of Fire on Water                                           100
  Explosion in Water                                               101
  Water from the Flame of a Candle                                 101
  Formation of Water by Fire                                       101
  Boiling upon Cold Water                                          101
  Currents in Boiling Water                                        102
  Hot Water lighter than Cold                                      102
  Expansion of Water by Cold                                       102
  The Cup of Tantalus                                              103
  Imitative Diving Bell                                            103
  The Water-proof Sieve                                            104
  More than full                                                   104
  To cause Wine and