Chapter I: Front Matter

MAGIC,

PRETENDED MIRACLES,

AND

REMARKABLE

NATURAL PHENOMENA.

_PHILADELPHIA_:
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION,
NO. 146 CHESTNUT STREET.

_LONDON_:
RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY.

NOTE.--The _American Sunday-school Union_ have made an arrangement with the _London Religious Tract Society_, to publish, concurrently with them, such of their valuable works as are best suited to our circulation. In making the selection, reference will be had to the general utility of the volumes, and their sound moral tendency. They will occupy a distinct place on our catalogue, and will constitute a valuable addition to our stock of books for family and general reading.

As they will be, substantially, reprints of the London edition, the credit of their general character will belong to our English brethren and not to us; and we may add, that the republication of them, under our joint imprint, involves us in no responsibility beyond that of a judicious selection. We cheerfully avail ourselves of this arrangement for giving wider influence and value to the labours of a sister institution so catholic in its character and so efficient in its operations as the _London Religious Tract Society_.

☞ The present volume is issued under the above arrangement.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE
The magi of the east--Magical power attributed to numbers,
plants, and minerals 5

CHAPTER II.

Feats of modern magicians--Their wonders explained--The
snake-charmers of India--A Chinese delusion--The magician of
Cairo 10

CHAPTER III.

Machines considered magical in ancient times--Remarkable modern
automata--Minute engines--The calculating machine 30

CHAPTER IV.

Terrestrial phenomena--Footmarks on rocks--The Logan
stone--Sounds in stones--The cave of St. Paul--Atmospherical
phenomena--Intermitting springs--Waters of magical power 41

CHAPTER V.

Chemical wonders--Ice obtained in a red-hot vessel--The
corpse candles of Wales--Luminous appearances after
death--Sadoomeh the magician--The laughing gas--Sulphuric
ether--Chloroform--Gunpowder compared with gun-cotton 62

CHAPTER VI.

Light and its phenomena--Magic pictures--The optical
paradox--Chinese metallic mirrors--Effect of an
optical instrument on a superstitious mind--Origin of
photography--The Talbotype--The Daguerreotype--Sunlight
pictures 87

CHAPTER VII.

Heat, the cause of many wonders--Its universal diffusion
and application--Story of a burning-glass--The Augustine
friars and the Jesuits--Impostures as to the endurance
of heat--Burning mirrors--The blow-pipe--The Giants’
Causeway--Application of currents of heated air--Travelling
by steam 107

CHAPTER VIII.

The magic swan--Properties of the magnet--The mariners’
compass--Process of magnetizing--The dip of the
needle--Magnetic properties in various substances 124

CHAPTER IX.

The electrical kite--Candles magically lighted--St. Elmo’s
fire--The chronoscope--The electric clock--The electric
telegraph--Sub-marine telegraphs--The overruling providence
of God 133

CHAPTER X.

Claims of the church of Rome to miraculous power--The
Franciscans and Dominicans--Tale of bishop Remi--The
effect of relics--Friars’ pretended dispossession of evil
spirits--Tragical event--Appearance of the virgin Mary to
shepherds exposed--Pretended miracle of the Greek church 154

CHAPTER XI.

Real miracles--A miracle defined by archbishop Tillotson--The
miracles of Moses--The miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ--The
miracles of the apostles--Collision with those who pretended
to supernatural power--The magicians of Egypt--Magical arts
at Ephesus--The miraculous power of the Saviour inherent,
that of the prophets and apostles derived--Cessation of
miraculous gifts 177

MAGIC, PRETENDED MIRACLES,

ETC