A Conjurers Confessions | Page 3

My readers will remember the experiment suggested to me formerly by
the pianist's dexterity, and the strange faculty I succeeded in attaining: I
could read while juggling with four balls. Thinking seriously of this, I
fancied that this "perception by appreciation" might be susceptible of
equal development, if I applied its principles to the memory and the
mind.
I resolved, therefore, on making some experiments with my son Emile,
and, in order to make my young assistant understand the nature of the
exercise we were going to learn, I took a domino, the cinq-quatre for
instance, and laid it before him. Instead of letting him count the points
of the two numbers, I requested the boy to tell me the total at once.

"Nine," he said.
Then I added another domino, the quarter-tray.
"That makes sixteen," he said, without any hesitation. I stopped the first
lesson here; the next day we succeeded in counting at a single glance
four dominoes, the day after six, and thus we at length were enabled to
give instantaneously the product of a dozen dominoes.
This result obtained, we applied ourselves to a far more difficult task,
over which we spent a month. My son and I passed rapidly before a
toy-shop, or any other displaying a variety of wares, and cast an
attentive glance upon it. A few steps farther on we drew paper and
pencil from our pockets, and tried which could describe the greater
number of objects seen in passing. I must own that my son reached a
perfection far greater than mine, for he could often write down forty
objects, while I could scarce reach thirty. Often feeling vexed at this
defeat, I would return to the shop and verify his statement, but he rarely
made a mistake.
My male readers will certainly understand the possibility of this, but
they will recognize the difficulty. As for my lady readers, I am
convinced beforehand they will not be of the same opinion, for they
daily perform far more astounding feats. Thus, for instance, I can safely
assert that a lady seeing another pass at full speed in a carriage, will
have had time to analyze her toilet from her bonnet to her shoes, and be
able to describe not only the fashion and quality of the stuffs, but also
say if the lace be real or only machine-made. I have known ladies do
this.
This natural, or acquired, faculty among ladies, but which my son and I
had only gained by constant practice, was of great service in my
performances, for while I was executing my tricks, I could see
everything that passed around me, and thus prepare to foil any
difficulties presented me. This exercise had given me, so to speak, the
power of following two ideas simultaneously, and nothing is more
favorable in conjuring than to be able to think at the same time both of
what you are saying and of what you are doing. I eventually acquired

such a knack in this that I frequently invented new tricks while going
through my performances. One day, even, I made a bet I would solve a
problem in mechanics while taking my part in conversation. We were
talking of the pleasure of a country life, and I calculated during this
time the quantity of wheels and pinions, as well as the necessary cogs,
to produce certain revolutions required, without once failing in my
reply.
This slight explanation will be sufficient to show what is the essential
basis of second sight, and I will add that a secret and unnoticeable
correspondence[1] existed between my son and myself, by which I
could announce to him the name, nature, and bulk of objects handed me
by spectators.
[1] "Telegraphy."
As none understood my mode of action, they were tempted to believe
in something extraordinary, and, indeed, my son Emile, then aged
twelve, possessed all the essential qualities to produce this opinion, for
his pale, intellectual, and ever thoughtful face represented the type of a
boy gifted with some supernatural power.
Two months were incessantly employed in erecting the scaffolding of
our tricks, and when we were quite confident of being able to contend
against the difficulties of such an undertaking, we announced the first
representation of second sight. On the 12th of February, 1846, I printed
in the center of my bill the following singular announcement:
"In this performance M. Robert-Houdin's son, who is gifted with a
marvelous second sight, after his eyes have been covered with a thick
bandage, will designate every object presented to him by the audience."
I cannot say whether this announcement attracted any spectators, for
my room was constantly crowded, still I may affirm, what may seem
very extraordinary, that the experiment of second sight, which
afterwards became so fashionable,