236 LETTERS ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



muscles. Hence lie speaks by means of liis belly, 

 although the throat is the real source from which tho 

 sounds proceed. Mr. Dugald Stewart has doubted the 

 fact, that ventriloquists possess the power of fetching a 

 voice from within : he cannot conceive what aid could be 

 derived from such an extraordinary power ; and he con- 

 siders that the imagination, when seconded by such 

 powers of imitation as some mimics possess, is quite 

 sufficient to account for all the phenomena of ventriloquism 

 which he has heard. This opinion, however, is strongly 

 opposed by the remark made to Mr. Stewart himself by a 

 ventriloquist, " that his art would be perfect if it were 

 possible only to speak distinctly without any movement of 

 the lips at all." But, independent of this admission, it is 

 a matter of absolute certainty, that this internal power is 

 exercised by the true ventriloquist. In the account 

 which the Abbe Chapelle has given of the performances 

 of M. St. Gille and Louis Brabant, he distinctly states 

 that M. St. Gille appeared to be absolutely mute while he 

 was exercising his art, and that no change in his counte- 

 nance could be discovered.* He affirms also that the 

 countenance of Louis Brabant exhibited no change, and 

 that his lips were close and inactive. M. Eicherand, who 

 attentively watched the performances of M. Fitz-James. 

 assures us that during his exhibition there was a disten- 

 sion in the epigastric region, and that he could not long 

 continue the exertion without fatigue. 



The influence over the human mind which the ventrilo- 

 quist derives from the skilful practice of his art is 

 greater than that which is exercised by any other species 

 of conjurer. The ordinary magician requires his theatre, 

 his accomplices, and the instruments of his art, and IIG 

 enjoys but a local sovereignty within the precincts of hig 



* Edinburgh Journal of Science, No. xviii. p. 254. 



