PREFACE V 



Mobile " and I have made free use of his labors. To these 

 and one or two others I acknowledge unlimited credit. 



Some of the marvels which are here described, although 

 very old, are not generally known, and as they are easily 

 put in practice they may afford a pleasant hour's amusement 

 to the reader and his friends. 



JOHN PHIN 



Paterson, N. J., July, 190$. 



PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION 



THE notable favor with which the first edition of this 

 work has been received has encouraged the author to en- 

 large it by the addition of some new problems and the 

 discussion of an entirely new department of popular mis- 

 conception and error. The numerous personal letters which 

 he has received convince him that a book which gave a 

 simple and popular view of the old so-called "scientific 

 impossibilities " was needed, for very many of those who 

 had heard of the problems discussed in these pages had the 

 most erroneous ideas as to their real nature, although the 

 principles involved in most of them are the foundation of 

 almost all our scientific knowledge. 



And so the author hopes that the subjects which have 

 been added to this edition will be as useful and as inter- 

 esting as those already presented. 



JOHN PHIN 

 Paterson, N.J., March 2O t iy/1. 



