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Letters On Natural Magic: Addressed to Sir W. Scott
Letters On Natural Magic Addressed to Sir W Scott Author:David Brewster, Walter Scott LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC - CONTENTS - LETTER I - Extent and interest of the subject-Science employed by ancient governments to deceive and enslave their subjects-Influence of the supernatural upon ignorant minds-Means employed by the ancient magicians to establish their authority-Derived from a knowledgo of the phenomena of Nature--From the infl... more »uence of narcotic drugs upon the victims of their delusion-Prom every branch of science-Acoustics-Hydrostatics --Mechanics - Optics - M. - Sal-vertes work on the occult sciences--Object of the following Letters . The eye the most important of our organs-Popular description of it-The eye is the most fertile source of mental illusions-Disappearance of objects when their images fall upon the base of the optic nerve-Disappearance of objects when seen obliquely-Deceptions arising from viewing objects in a faint light-Luminous figures created by pressure on the eye, either from external causes or from the fulness of the blood-vessels-Ocular spectra or accidental colours - Rema. kable effects produced by intense light-Influence of the imagination in viewing these spectra-Remarkable illr sion produced by this affection of the - eye-Duration of impressions of light on the eye--Thaumatrope - Improvements upon it suggested - Disappearance of halves of objects or of one of two persons-Insensibility of the eye to particular colours--Remarkable optical illusion described Subject of spectral illusions-Recent and interesting case of Mrs. A.-Her first illusion affecting the ear-Spectral apparition of her husband-Spectral apparition of a cat-Apparition of a near and living relation in grave-clothes, seen in a looking-glass-Other illusions, affecting the ear - Spectre of a deceased friend sitting in an easy-chair-Spectre of a coach-and-four filled with ikeletons-Accuracy and value of the preceding cases-State of health under which , they arossSpectra. 1 apparitions are pictures on the retina-The ideas of memory and imagination are also pictures on the retina-General views of the subject--Approximate explanation of spectral apparitions . Science used as an instrument of imposture-Deceptions with plane and concave mirrors practised by tho ancients-The magicians mirror-Effects of concave mirrors-Ai rial images-Images on smoksCombination of mirrors for producing pictures from living objects-The mysterious dagger--Ancient miracles with concave mirrors-hlodern necromancy with them, as seen by Cellini-Description and effects of the magic lantern-Improvements upon it-Phantasmagoric exhibitions of Philipstall and others-Dr. Youngs arrangement of Lenses, c, for the Phantasmagori Improvements suggested-Catadioptrical phantasmagoria for producing the pictures from living objects - Method of cutting off parts of the figures-Kirchers mysterious handwriting on the wall-His hollow cylindrical mirror for ai rial images-Cylindrical mirror for re-forming distorted pictures-Mirrors of variable curvature for producing caricatures . . . 56 LETTER V. Miscellaneous optical illusions-Conversions of cameos into intaglios, or elevations into depressions, and the reverfie-Explanation of this class of deceptions-Singular effects of illumination with light of one simple colour-Lamps for CONTENTS...« less