LANTERNS AND THEIR MANIPULATION 103 



sliding nozzle, and the whole pattern will closely resemble 

 fig. 58. Such a lantern is often fitted with various objectives 

 and a lengthening tube; and except as regards dissolving 

 views, or dioramic effects, exhibits single slides in as perfect 

 a manner as the more costly apparatus next to be described. 



. 58. Single Mahogany Lantern 



56. Dissolving Views. This well-known effect of one 

 picture imperceptibly melting into another, when first intro- 

 duced, created an extraordinary sensation, but is produced in 

 a perfectly simple manner. The fading and the coming slide 

 each require a lantern, so that two lanterns are necessary : 

 then the light is simply cut off gradually from one lantern, 

 whilst it is as gradually turned on in the other. There is 

 literally nothing else about it. 



The popularity of dissolving as an effect is largely a thing 

 of the past ; but the method will be always used by exhibitors 

 to a large extent, from its convenience in changing slides, the 

 coming slide being placed ready in the dark lantern, ready to 

 be dissolved into the other when required. The cases where 

 it is of real value, are dioramic dissolving views ; such as 

 where a ruin, first seen by day, changes gradually into a 



