Page 66 - 2008 DT 12 issues

August Magic, continued from p. 1 Church has usually made a distinction
between sorcery, which it condemned,
Desk Schedule proved to fit it; the handkerchiefs were and magic, which it tolerated. Even
found inside. in the Middle Ages, books such as
Cabinetmakers, too, have turned Natural Magic and Hocus Pocus (both
Fri/1 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray their hands to creating illusions. Ladies 1658) were being published on the art
Sat/2 B. Jackson R. Conductor enter cabinets and mysteriously dis- of magic. The latter book is an instruc-
Sun/ 3 K. Nelson OPEN appear, or worse, are sawn in pieces. tion manual of magic “set forth, clearly,
Mon/4 J. Ponder V. Wray In one historic trick called “the Box fully and exactly so that an ignorant
Tues/5 K. Jackson D. Powers Trick,” the magician is placed in a box, person may thereby learn the perfec-
Wed/6 S./S. Stenzel R. Porche a curtain is raised in front of it and im- tion of the same after a little practice.”
Thur/7 I. Hyman F. Davis mediately lowered to reveal that the Interestingly, it contains what must be
the earliest reference to a horse that
R. Rossnagel J. Barrett can do math by tapping its hoof.
Fri/8 R. Augulis P. Boghossian Others, such as The Discoverie
Sat/9 P. Vandooremaal OPEN ( i.e. explanation) of Witchcraft,
H. Doric published in 1594 were less
Sun/10 D. Langdon B. Jackson well received by the Church and
Mon/11 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray sometimes burned.
Tues/12 M. Slagle D. Kavula One famous Scottish magi-
L. Lilly cian, John Henry Anderson, was
Wed/13 P. Herman R. Porche highly successful both in his na-
tive country and in the States. He
Thur/14 J. Frank F. Davis was a contemporary and competi-
R. Rossnagel J. Barrett tor of Robert-Houdin and was not
Fri/15 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray above stealing his rival’s tricks. He
Sat/16 OPEN R. Conductor built a magnificent theatre in Glas-
Sun/17 K. Nelson OPEN gow, but it burned to the ground
Mon/18 S./S. Stenzel M. Goesmann and he lost everything. Undaunted
Tues/19 M. Slagle OPEN he made a successful comeback,
L. Lilly but was it coincidence that the
very same thing happened to him
Wed/20 P. Herman R. Porche when he leased Covent Garden
Thur/21 G. Wojciechowski F. Davis Theatre in London? Harry Kellar,
R. Rossnagel J. Barrett a famous American magician, had
Fri/22 D. Schoengold OPEN magician has disappeared and in his record box office takings in the 1870s,
B. Jackson place is his assistant. Magicians have but in 1875 he was sailing from Rio
Sat/23 H. Doric R. Erickson constantly improved up n their tricks. de Janeiro to England when his boat
Sun/24 D. Langdon L./M. Utah One whose name is synonymous with hit rocks and he, too, lost everything.
Mon/25 J. Ponder D. Powers escapology developed the Box Trick To those people who still harbored
the thought that magic was somehow
Tues/26 M. Slagle D. Schoengold by having himself chained and pad- related to the occult, might this have
Wed/27 P. Herman R. Porche locked before being put in the box. appeared as divine retribution?
Robert-Houdin’s autobiography,
Thur/28 G. Wojciechowski F. Davis “Memoirs,” so impressed a young It is, perhaps, logical that magicians
J. Barrett boy called Erich Weiss that he began should be attracted by the possibility of
Fri/29 V./D. Wray V./D. Wray a career in magic and changed his contacting the dead. Some less scrupu-
Sat/30 OPEN R. Erickson name in honor of his idol. He is better lous magicians have used their talents
Sun/31 B. Jackson L./M. Utah known to most people as the famous to create fake séances, and equally,
escapologist Harry Houdini. other magicians have set out to expose
Religion and magic have long them. The above-mentioned Kellar
Changes? Call Kate at 515-5350 made uneasy bedfellows, but the was one of the “exposers.”

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