LETTERS
ON
NATURAL MAGIC,
ADDRESSED TO
SIR WALTER SCOTT, BART.

CONTENTS.

LETTER I.

Extent and interest of the subject—Science employed byancient governments to deceive and enslave their subjects—Influenceof the supernatural upon ignorant minds—Meansemployed by the ancient magicians to establishtheir authority—Derived from a knowledge of the phenomenaof Nature—From the influence of narcotic drugsupon the victims of their delusion—From every branch ofscience—Acoustics—Hydrostatics—Mechanics—Optics—M.Salverte’s work on the occult sciences—Object ofthe following letters

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LETTER II.

The eye the most important of our organs—Popular descriptionof it—The eye is the most fertile source of mentalillusions—Disappearance of objects when their images fallupon the base of the optic nerve—Disappearance of objectswhen seen obliquely—Deceptions arising from viewingobjects in a faint light—Luminous figures created bypressure on the eye, either from external causes or fromthe fulness of the blood-vessels—Ocular spectra or accidentalcolours—Remarkable effects produced by intenselight—Influence of the imagination in viewing thesespectra—Remarkable illusion produced by this affectionof the eye—Duration of impressions of light on the eye—Thaumatrope—Improvementsupon it suggested—Disappearanceof halves of objects or of one of two persons—Insensibilityof the eye to particular colours—Remarkable[Pg iv]optical illusion described

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LETTER III.

Subject of spectral illusions—Recent and interesting caseof Mrs. A.—Her first illusion affecting the ear—Spectralapparition of her husband—Spectral apparition of a cat—Apparitionof a near and living relation in grave-clothes,seen in a looking-glass—Other illusions, affectingthe ear—Spectre of a deceased friend sitting in an easy-chair—Spectreof a coach-and-four filled with skeletons—Accuracyand value of the preceding cases—State ofhealth under which they arose—Spectral apparitions arepictures on the retina—The ideas of memory and imaginationare also pictures on the retina—General views ofthe subject—Approximate explanation of spectral apparitions

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LETTER IV.

Science used as an instrument of imposture—Deceptionswith plane and concave mirrors practised by the ancients—Themagician’s mirror—Effects of concave mirrors—Aërialimages—Images on smoke—Combination ofmirrors for producing pictures from living objects—Themysterious dagger—Ancient miracles with concavemirrors—Modern necromancy with them, as seen by Cellini—Descriptionand effects of the magic lantern—Improvementsupon it—Phantasmagoric exhibitions ofPhilipstall and others—Dr. Young’s arrangement oflenses, &c., for the Phantasmagoria—Improvementssuggested—Catadioptrical phantasmagoria for producingthe pictures from living obj

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