
audiobook
THE JUGGLER’S ORACLE;
THEJUGGLER’S ORACLE.
LEGERDEMAIN, OR SLEIGHT-OF-HAND,
TRICKS WITH CARDS.
CUPS AND BALLS.
CONVEYANCE OF MONEY, &c.
TRICKS WITH BOXES, &c.
EXPERIMENTS WITH FIRE.
TRICKS WITH STRINGS, KNOTS, &c.
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS.
Step into the world of 19th‑century stage magic with this richly illustrated handbook that gathers the latest tricks and experiments of the art of legerdemain. Over forty detailed wood engravings accompany clear explanations, covering everything from card flourishes to juggling cups, balls, rings, and even fire. The author, a veteran professor of the craft, treats the performer’s mindset as seriously as the mechanics, urging confidence, misdirection, and a flair for theatrical language.
Readers will find step‑by‑step instructions for classic card manipulations—how to keep a chosen card hidden while shuffling, converting aces to knaves, and executing smooth passes—alongside guidance for handling props such as cups, balls, and knotted ropes. The manual also explores curious experiments with optical illusion and chemical changes, offering ideas for fresh, surprising effects. Whether you’re a novice eager to learn the basics or an experienced conjurer looking for new material, the book provides a solid foundation for creating astonishing, seemingly impossible feats without any supernatural aid.
Full title
The Juggler's Oracle; or, The Whole Art of Legerdemain Laid Open Consisting of all the newest and most surprising tricks and experiments with cards, cups and balls, conveyance of money and rings, boxes, fire, strings and knots; with many curious experiments by optical illusion, chymical changes, and magical cards, &c. Consisting of all the newest and most surprising tricks and experiments with cards, cups and balls, conveyance of money and rings, boxes, fire, strings and knots; with many curious experiments by optical illusion, chymical changes, and magical cards, &c.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (143K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Charlie Howard and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Library of Congress)
Release date
2018-07-12
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
d. 1821
An early 19th-century writer linked to stage magic and angling, he is best remembered for works that opened up popular entertainments to curious readers. His name is attached to The Juggler's Oracle, a compact handbook of legerdemain that stayed of interest long after its first publication.
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