246 LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



skill and not of strength, he was desirous of dis- 

 covering his methods, and with this view he 

 went to see him, accompanied by the Marquis 

 of Tullibardine, Dr. Alexander Stuart, and Dr. 

 Pringle, and his own mechanical operator. They 

 placed themselves round the German, so as to be 

 able to observe accurately all that he did, and 

 their success was so great that they were able to 

 perform most of the feats the same evening by 

 themselves, and almost all the rest when they 

 had provided the proper apparatus. Dr. Desa- 

 guliers exhibited some of the experiments before 

 the Royal Society, and has given such a distinct 

 explanation of the principles on which they de- 

 pend, that we shall endeavour to give a popular 

 account of them. 



1. The performer sat upon an inclined board 

 AB, placed upon a frame CDE, with his feet 



Fig. 52. 



abutting against the upright board C. Round 

 his loins was placed a strong girdle F G, to the 

 iron ring of which at G was fastened a rope by 

 means of a hook. The rope passed between his 

 legs through a hole in the board C, and several 

 men or two horses, pulling at the other end of 



