MAGIC LANTERNS. 209 



Directions for exhibiting the Phantasmagoria. (Fig. 734.) 

 For this purpose, instead of the image being exhibited on 

 a white wall or sheet, it is thrown on a transparent screen 

 placed between the spectators and the lantern. The screen 

 not being seen, the image appears to be suspended in the air, 

 and when the image is increased or diminished, it appears 

 to the spectators to approach or recede from them. The 

 deception is so complete, that even those who are accus- 

 tomed to the exhibition, and know where the screen is 

 placed, are deceived by it. For the production of this very 

 amusing and striking exhibition, no additional apparatus is 

 necessary, except a transparent screen. This has usually 

 been made of silk or muslin, either varnished or coated with 

 a mixture of turpentine and beeswax. These screens are 

 not only expensive, but very soon get injured and dirtied. 

 The following is a very simple method of making an excel- 

 lent one ; instead of varnishing the muslin, it is only dipped 

 in water, and hung up quite wet. A screen of this kind 

 costs but a trifle, can be folded up in small compass, and 

 when soiled is easily made clean ; so far from having any 

 disadvantage to counterbalance these advantages, it is 

 superior in effect to any other, and has this peculiar and 

 great convenience, that it requires no stretching, and hangs 

 more level than any other. The muslin it is made of should 

 be of the closest texture, and need not be very fine. The 

 screen should be hung on a frame, and being wet will require 

 no fastening ; the frame itself may be made so as to take to 

 pieces and tie up together in a small compass. The screen 

 being prepared, should be so placed in the room as to 

 leave space enough for the spectators, without their being 

 too near it. If there is a door between two rooms, the 

 screen may be suspended from the door frame ; this is a 

 very convenient method. 



The person who manages the lantern must fasten it to his 

 middle with a leather strap passed through the loop, sol- 

 dered to the back of the lantern, and holding the lantern 

 with one hand, adjust the tube with the other ; he should 

 now go up pretty close to the screen, and draw out the tube 

 till the image is perfect ; which of course will be very small ; 

 then walking slowly backward, and sliding the tube in at the 

 same time to keep the image distinct ; as it increases in 

 size, it will appear to the spectators on the other side the 

 screen to be coming towards them, and then again by walk- 

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