FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   >>  
been dropped--who, _we know_, taught Prince George of Denmark horsemanship--who is mentioned by Addison in the "Spectator," by Dr. Johnson in the "Rambler," and helped to put out each of the three fires that have happened at Astley's during the last two centuries), brought by these considerations to a train of mind highly susceptible of supernatural agency, we visited-- THE WIZARD OF THE NORTH, the illustrious professor of _Phoenixsistography_, and other branches of the black art, the names of which are as mysterious as their performance. One only specimen of his prowess convinced us of his supernatural talents. He politely solicited the loan of a bank-note--he was not choice as to the amount or bank of issue. "It may be," saith the play-bill, "a Bank of England or provincial note, for any sum from five pounds to one thousand." His is better magic than Owen Glendower's, for the note "did come when he did call it!" for a confiding individual in the boxes (dress circle of course) actually did lend him, the Wizard, a cool hundred! Conceive the power, in a metaphysical sense, the conjuror must have had over the lender's mind! Was it animal magnetism?--was it terror raised by his extraordinary performances, that spirited the cash out of the pocket of the man? who, perhaps, thought that such supernatural talents _might_ be otherwise employed against his very existence, thus occupying his perturbed soul with the alternative, "Your money or your life!" This subject is deeply interesting to actors out of engagements, literary men, and people who "have seen better days"--individuals who have brought this species of conjuration to a high state of perfection. It is a new and important chapter in the "art of borrowing." We perceive in the Wizard's advertisements he takes pupils, and offers to make them proficient in any of his delusions at a guinea per trick. We intend to put ourselves under his instructions for the bank-note trick, the moment we can borrow one-pound-one for that purpose. Besides this, the Wizard does a variety of things which made our hair stand on end, even while reading their description in his play-bill. We did not see him perform them. There was no occasion--the bank-note trick convinced us--for the man who can borrow a hundred pounds whenever he wants it can do anything. Everybody ought to go and see him. Young ladies having a taste for sentimental-looking men, who wear their hair _a la jeune France
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   >>  



Top keywords:

supernatural

 
Wizard
 

borrow

 

convinced

 

brought

 

hundred

 

talents

 

pounds

 
conjuration
 

chapter


important

 

perfection

 

engagements

 

existence

 

occupying

 
perturbed
 

thought

 

employed

 
alternative
 

literary


borrowing

 

people

 

individuals

 

actors

 
interesting
 

deeply

 

subject

 

species

 

guinea

 

occasion


reading

 

description

 
perform
 
Everybody
 

France

 

sentimental

 

ladies

 

delusions

 

intend

 

proficient


advertisements

 
pupils
 

offers

 

instructions

 

moment

 

things

 

variety

 

purpose

 
Besides
 
perceive