CONJUNCTION 



1541 



CONJURING 



Both . . . and is a coordinate, correlative conjunc- 

 tion, both introducing and and connecting the two 

 equal nouns, bower and hall. 



Common Errors. The errors most frequently 

 made in the use of the conjunction arise from 

 carelessness in using the correlatives and the 

 comparative than, from combining a plural 

 verb with two subject nouns connected by or 

 or nor, or from fitting a singular verb to two 

 nouns connected by and. These and a few 

 other familiar mistakes are covered in the fol- 

 lowing examples: 



John is as old but not taller than Richard, for 

 John is as old as, but not taller than, Richard, or 

 John is as old as Richard, but not taller. The 

 correlative conjunction is as... as and it is just 

 as important to use the second as in making the 

 comparison as the first. If the facts warranted, 

 one might say, "John is older but not taller than 

 Richard," for than may introduce a clause refer- 

 ring back to two adjectives provided both are in 

 the comparative degree. 



Mine is as good and better than yours, for 

 Mine is as good as yours, if not better, or if not 

 even better. The same comment applies as in the 

 foregoing. 



I will not go without you come too, or except 

 you come too, for I will not go unless you come 

 too. Without and except are prepositions, not 

 conjunctions, and constitute improprieties of 

 speech when used to connect clauses. 



He looks like he had been traveling, for He 

 looks as though he had been traveling. Like, too, 

 is a preposition, incorrectly used as a conjunc- 

 tion. This is an exceedingly common error. 



Why don't you do like I dot for Why don't you 

 do as I do f Like for as is as incorrect as like for 

 as though. 



Neither the son nor the father were there on 

 time, for Neither the son nor the father was 

 there on time. The correlative neither. . .nor, like 

 either . . . or, requires a singular verb when con- 

 necting singular nouns. In such a sentence as 

 Neither the members nor their friends were 

 charged admission, the plural verb is, of course, 

 correct. 



His enthusiasm and energy makes him a most 

 useful member of the committee, for His enthusi- 

 asm and energy make him a most useful member 

 of the committee. Two or more singular nouns 

 connected by and take a plural verb. 



He is not as prosperous as he looks, for He is 

 not so prosperous as he looks. As. . .as is used 

 when equality is expressed, and so. . .as to ex- 

 press inequality or with a negative statement. 



He neither questioned me nor my companion, 

 for He questioned neither me nor my companion. 

 Neither. . .nor connects me and companion and 

 has no reference to the verb questioned. The cor- 

 relative conjunction should be placed close to 

 the words with which it belongs. It would be 

 correct, however, to say He neither questioned nor 

 detained me and my companion. 



Please try and finish this lesson by noon, for 

 Please try to finish this lesson by noon. And 

 must connect equal elements ; here the idea is not 

 please try and please finish, but please try to 



finish. This use of and instead of to before an 

 infinitive is a very frequent mistake. 



7 do not know if I can be there by Tuesday, for 

 I do not know whether I can be there by Tuesday. 

 If introduces a condition, whether an alternative. 



He thought as how he might be able to manage 

 it, for He thought that he might be able to man- 

 age it. How or as how in place of the conjunction 

 that is an impropriety. 



7 don't doubt but what you can do it, or 7 don't 

 doubt but that you can do it, for 7 don't doubt 

 that you can do it. But what is doubly wrong, 

 because what is not a conjunction at all, but a 

 relative pronoun. But that is equivalent to a 

 negative, so that the sentence as originally given 

 would mean, 7 do not doubt anything except that 

 you can do it, which is clearly not the intended 

 meaning. L.M.B. 



CONJURING, kon'jering, a term which in 

 its older reference applies to the notions of 

 magic and of the command of occult forces. 

 The conjurer was in that sense a sorcerer, or 

 worker of wonders, presumably by alliance with 

 superhuman powers. The modern term applies 

 to arrangement of deceptive appearances that 

 seem to contradict the laws of nature, but are 

 due to sleight-of-hand and mechanical devices. 

 In addition to the clever application of physi- 

 cal principles, two other factors enter into 

 conjuring; the one is the quick and dexterous 

 movements sleight-of-hand, or legerdemain 

 by which what is actually done is concealed; 

 the other is the psychological factor of induc- 

 ing the spectator to make false inferences by 

 misdirecting his attention and guiding his in- 

 ferences toward a cooperation in the effect. 



The ancient conjurers employed physical 

 devices to impress the people with their powers. 

 It is known that by the use of concave mir- 

 rors an image was reflected upon the smoke 

 of burning incense and an impressive appari- 

 tion produced; and that the effect of a voice 

 speaking mysteriously like an oracle was pro- 

 duced by means of tubes and echoes. The tra- 

 dition of conjuring in India indicates a con- 

 siderable knowledge of tricks of deception ; and 

 amusements of this nature are recorded in the 

 Middle Ages. 



The Modern Art. This dates from the mid- 

 dle of the nineteenth century and the contribu- 

 tions of Robert Houdin. At that time there 

 was much interest in automatons, or figures 

 that moved, played cards or chess, answered 

 questions, and the like; in most cases a person 

 was skilfully concealed within and produced 

 the effects. Houdin constructed far more mys- 

 terious automatons, in which through levers, 

 strings and tubes inserted in the legs of the 

 stand that held the figure, an assistant sta- 



