Category: Biographies
My Birth and Parentage--My Home--The Lessons of Colonel Bernard--Paternal Ambition--My first Mechanical Attempts--Had I but a Rat!--A Prisoner’s Industry--The Abbé Larivière--My Word of Honor--Farewell to my darling Tools......17
Torrini relates his Life--Treachery of Chevalier Pinetti--A Conjurer through Malice--A Race between two Magicians--Death of Pinetti--Exhibits before Pius VII.--The Cardinal’s Ch...
40. CHAPTER XVIII.The St. James’s Theatre--Invasion of England by French Performers--A Fête patronised by the Queen--The Diplomatist and the Sleight-of-Hand Man--Three Thousand Pounds taken at on...
33. CHAPTER XI.A Reverse of Fortune--Cookery and Clockwork--The Artist’s Home--Invention of an Automaton--Voluntary Exile--A modest Villa--The Inconveniences of a Speciality--Two August Visito...
42. CHAPTER XX.I have, then, reached the object of all my hopes: I have bidden an eternal farewell to professional life, and from my retirement I wave my hand in parting salutation to my kind...
44. CHAPTER XXII.It has been said of the augurs, that they could not look at each other without a laugh; it would be the same with the Aïssaoua, if Mussulman blood did not flow in their veins. A...
43. CHAPTER XXI.Once possessed of the secret of the juggling performed by the Aïssaoua, I was able to start for the interior of Africa. I therefore set out, provided with letters from Colonel d...
31. CHAPTER IX.Owing to my persevering researches I had nothing left to learn in conjuring; but, in order to carry out my scheme, I had to study the principles of a science on which I greatly...
37. CHAPTER XV.Had it not been for my constant toil and the inconveniences attached to it, I should have been quite happy and satisfied with the daily profit my performances brought me in. But...
36. CHAPTER XIV.New Studies--A Comic Journal--Invention of Second Sight--Curious Experiments--An enthusiastic Spectator--Danger of being a Sorcerer--A Philter or your Life--Way to get rid of Bo...
30. CHAPTER VIII.How my heart beat when I returned to my native town! I felt as if I had been absent an age, and yet it was only six months. The tears stood in my eyes as I embraced father and m...
26. CHAPTER IV.I return to Life--A strange Doctor--Torrini and Antonio: a Conjurer and a Fanatic for Music--A Murderer’s Confession--A perambulating House--The Fair at Angers--A portable Theat...
35. CHAPTER XIII.It may seem strange that I thus pass from my mechanical labors to my studies in sleight-of-hand; but if my readers will bear in mind that these two sciences were to unite in pro...
39. CHAPTER XVII.New Experiments--Aërial Suspension, &c.--A Performance at the Odéon--A Friend in Need--1848--The Theatre deserted--I leave Paris for London--Manager Mitchell--Publicity in Engla...
38. CHAPTER XVI.Reopening of my Fantastic Soirées--Minor Miseries of Good Luck--Inconvenience of a small Theatre--My Room taken by Storm--A gratuitous Performance--A conscientious Audience--Ple...
27. CHAPTER V.Antonio’s Confessions--How to gain Public Applause--The Count de ----, Mountebank--I repair an Automaton--A Mechanician’s Shop on Wheels--Nomadic Life--Happy Existence--Torrini’...
24. CHAPTER II.A Country Idler--Dr. Carlosbach, Conjurer and Professor of Mystification--The Sand-bag and the Stirrup Trick--I turn Lawyer’s Clerk, and the Minutes appear to me very long--A sm...
32. CHAPTER X.An Inventor’s Calculations--One Hundred Thousand Francs a Year by an Inkstand: Deception--My new Automata--The First Magician in France: Decadence--I meet Antonio--Bosco--The Tr...
29. CHAPTER VII.Continuation of Torrini’s History--The Grand Turk orders a Performance--A marvellous Trick--A Page cut in two--Pitying Protest of the Harem--Agreeable Surprise--Return to France...
25. CHAPTER III.My Cousin Robert--The most important Event in my Life--How a Man becomes a Sorcerer--My first Sleight-of-Hand Feat--An utter Failure--Practising the Eye and the Hand--Curious Ex...
34. CHAPTER XII.The long looked-for change in my fortunes had at length arrived; my automata had gained me a certain degree of reputation, and I was making arrangements to commence my performan...
41. CHAPTER XIX.Instead of returning to France, as I should much have desired after so lengthened an absence, I thought it better to continue my excursions in the English provinces till the end...
23. CHAPTER I.In conformity with the traditional custom which expects every man who writes his memoirs--or not to use too strong language, his confessions--to display his patent of gentility,...
22. CHAPTER XXII.Eight o’clock has just struck: my wife and children are by my side. I have spent one of those pleasant days which tranquillity, work, and study can alone secure.--With no regret...
2. CHAPTER II.A Country Idler--Dr. Carlosbach, Conjurer and Professor of Mystification--The Sand-bag and the Stirrup Trick--I turn Lawyer’s Clerk, and the Minutes appear to me very long--A sm...
4. CHAPTER IV.I return to Life--A strange Doctor--Torrini and Antonio: a Conjurer and a Fanatic for Music--A Murderer’s Confession--A perambulating House--The Fair at Angers--A portable Theat...
18. CHAPTER XVIII.The St. James’s Theatre--Invasion of England by French Performers--A Fête patronised by the Queen--The Diplomatist and the Sleight-of-Hand Man--Three Thousand Pounds taken at on...
5. CHAPTER V.Antonio’s Confessions--How to gain Public Applause--The Count de ----, Mountebank--I repair an Automaton--A Mechanician’s Shop on Wheels--Nomadic Life--Happy Existence--Torrini’...
3. CHAPTER III.My Cousin Robert--The most important Event in my Life--How a Man becomes a Sorcerer--My first Sleight-of-Hand Feat--An utter Failure--Practising the Eye and the Hand--Curious Ex...
11. CHAPTER XI.A Reverse of Fortune--Cookery and Clockwork--The Artist’s Home--Invention of an Automaton--Voluntary Exile--A modest Villa--The Inconveniences of a Speciality--Two August Visito...
16. CHAPTER XVI.Reopening of my Fantastic Soirées--Minor Miseries of Good Luck--Inconvenience of a small Theatre--My Room taken by Storm--A gratuitous Performance--A conscientious Audience--Ple...
6. CHAPTER VI.Torrini relates his Life--Treachery of Chevalier Pinetti--A Conjurer through Malice--A Race between two Magicians--Death of Pinetti--Exhibits before Pius VII.--The Cardinal’s Ch...
10. CHAPTER X.An Inventor’s Calculations--One Hundred Thousand Francs a Year by an Inkstand: Deception--My new Automata--The First Magician in France: Decadence--I meet Antonio--Bosco--The Tr...
17. CHAPTER XVII.New Experiments--Aërial Suspension, &c.--A Performance at the Odéon--A Friend in Need--1848--The Theatre deserted--I leave Paris for London--Manager Mitchell--Publicity in Engla...
14. CHAPTER XIV.New Studies--A Comic Journal--Invention of Second Sight--Curious Experiments--An enthusiastic Spectator--Danger of being a Sorcerer--A Philter or your Life--Way to get rid of Bo...
1. CHAPTER I.My Birth and Parentage--My Home--The Lessons of Colonel Bernard--Paternal Ambition--My first Mechanical Attempts--Had I but a Rat!--A Prisoner’s Industry--The Abbé Larivière--My...
7. CHAPTER VII.Continuation of Torrini’s History--The Grand Turk orders a Performance--A marvellous Trick--A Page cut in two--Pitying Protest of the Harem--Agreeable Surprise--Return to France...
15. CHAPTER XV.Seductions of a Theatrical Agent--How to gain One Hundred Thousand Francs--I start for Brussels--A lucky Two-Sou Piece--Miseries of professional Travelling--The Park Theatre--Ty...
19. CHAPTER XIX.An Optimist Manager--Three Spectators in a Room--A Magical Collation--The Colchester Public and the Nuts--I return to France--I give up my Theatre--A Farewell Tour--I retire to...
8. CHAPTER VIII.9. CHAPTER IX.13. CHAPTER XIII.21. CHAPTER XXI.20. CHAPTER XX.12. CHAPTER XII.