CHRISTIAN FECHNER

^^^^^j^y'^

The Magic of
ROFURRT-TTOTTDTIV
"An Artist's Life"
 CHRISTIAN FECHNER

The Magic of
ROBERT-HOODIN
"An Artist's Life"

Robert-Houdin is not only the

emblematic figure of the history of magic but
also one of the most remarkable artistic
personalities of the 191'' century. His creative
genius expressed itself with equal
enthusiasm in the fields of watch-making,
mechanics, conjuring, science and literature.
The life of this exceptional artist, whom his
contemporaries christened "the master'" and to
whom, in total unanimity, historians gave the
flattering title "the father of modern magic,'' is
a veritable tale of adventure where triumphs
and setbacks coincide in a particularly rich
existence, full of all sorts of events.
In a France prey to repeated political crises
such as war and revolutionary upheavals, we
will follow the calm but determined social
ascension of the young worker watchmaker
from the Carroir du Malassis in Blois to the
prestigious Academy of Sciences in Paris,
from the triumphs of Soirees Fantastiques at
Palais-Royal, to his performances on the
stages of the largest European theaters, and
before the courts of kings and queens, as well
as his "pacification" mission in Algeria. This
historical study also evokes illustrious or
unknown conjurers and tricksters of the first
golden age of the history of magic, 'who
inspired Robert-Houdin, and who were his
clients, friends or even adversaries.
This biographical essay written for all
supporters of the art of magic shakes up the
legends and falsehoods that result from
glory and posterity, and tries, for the first time,
to grasp all the facets of the secret,
charming, and complex personality of a
creator of legendary illusions, of an artist
whose renown was universal, and of an
author whose writings are the foundations of
modern magic: Jean Eugene Robert, known
as Robert-Houdin.
 CHRISTIAN FECHNER

The Magic of
ROBERT-HOUDIN
"An Artist's Life"

BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

Translated from the French by Stacey Dagron

Edited by Todd Karr

Editions F.C.F. 39 rue des Tilleuls- 92100 Boulogne, France

 THE AMBASSADOR OF PEACE,
THE SCIENTIST AND MAN OF LETTERS

On re-
turning home,
I arranged round
my study my performing
instruments, my faithful com-
rades, I may almost say, my dear
friends; henceforth I intended to devote my-
self to my darling study, the application of elec-
tricity to mechanism.
It must not be believed that, for that purpose, I disown
the art to which I owe so much pleasure. The
thought is far from me, I am more than
ever proud of having cultivated it, as
to it alone I owe the happi-
ness of devoting myself
to my new stud-
ies...
6/J 0et-(
/

Memoirs of Roberl-Hondin, 1859. p. 402.

 HE,

Act
. 1852-1854 - Hamilton: From Palais-Royal to Boulevard des Italiens 11
.1854 - The Photographer Andre Adolphe Disderi 22
. 1854-1855 - Emile and Eugene Robert-Houdin -The Exposition
of 1855 27
. 1856 - The Electric Clock of Blois Robert-Houdin
Becomes a Patronym 35
. 1856 - Robert-Houdin's Algerian Saga 39
1856 - Goodbye to the Stage in Marseilles 61
.1857-1858- The Writing of Confidences d'un Prestidigitateur 67
. 1858-1859 - Raphael Macaluso, Alfred de Caston, Klosloge, and De Lille 79
1854-1871 - The Myth of "Rest at The Priory" 83
1859-18~ 1 - Les Tablettes journalieres (Daily Notes) of Robert-Houdin 87
. 1859-1861 - Small and Large Magic Activities in Saint-Gervais 93
.1859-1861- The "Geraud affair" and The" Lassaigne affair" 97
.I860 - Mile. Benita Anguinet 107
.1859-1860- Robert-Houdin and Amateurs Magicians 113
, I860 - Alexander Heimbiirger 119
.1861 - Card-Sharping Exposed and Les Figures du temps 122
. 1862 - Hamilton and Pierre Edouard Brunnet 134
. 1862-1863 - The Shop and Wedding of Emile Robert-Houdin 141
. 1862 - An Unexpected Comeback 148
. 1863-1864 - Francois Eugene Lahire, known as Cleverman 171
1864 - Return to The Priory and Robin's Mythomania 177
.1865 - The Davenport Brothers and The Stacey Brothers 197

Notes to Act IV 209

Act V
. 1864-1866 - The Common Clock, The Electric Light Bulb with a Vegetal
Filament, The Musical Telegraph, and Ophthalmology 229
. 1864-1866 - The Harpsichord or Tympanum Player 239

1866 - A Peaceful Year - The Sphinx and The Talking Head 249

1866 - Hamilton, Cleverman, and Plantet - Tufferau, Littson,

Varner, Lynn, and Alfred Stodare 262

. 186 -1868 - The Chess Player or La Czarine, and The Secrets of

Conjuring and Magic 272

.1869 - The Grand Affair, The Odometer, and Dr. Epstein 294

.1870 - The Year of All Sorrows 3O4

. 18""0-18 1 - The Occupation of Saint-Gervais and Blois during

the War of 1870 Described Daily by Robert-Houdin 324

.1871 - The Master's Last Days 349

. 1871 - Last Farewell Performance 354

Epilogue 362

Notes to Act V 377

- The Priory by Robert-Houdin followed by notes from

a lecture by Eglantine Lemaitre Robert-Houdin
and complementary notes by the author 391

Appendix TI
- Texts and biographies written by Robert-Houdin and
published in Le Grand Dictionnaire universel du
XIX" siecle by Pierre Larousse 405

Genealogical Chart 436 Ms

Index of Names 437

 1852-1854
Hamilton: From Palais-
Royal to Boulevard des
Italiens p. 11 1854
The Photographer Andre Adolphe
Disderi p. 22 1854-1855 Emile and
Eugene Robert-Houdin The Exposition of
1855 p. 27 1856 The Electric Clock of Blois
Robert-Houdin Becomes a Patronym p. 35 + 1856
Robert-Houdin's Algerian Saga p. 39 + 1856 Goodbyes to
the Stage in Marseilles p. 61 + 1857-1858 The Writing of
Confidences d'un Prestidigitateur p. 67 1858-1859 Raphael
Macaluso, Alfred de Caston, Klosloge, and De Lille p. 79 + 1854-1871 The
Myth of "Rest at The Priory" p. 83 + 1859-1871 Les Tablettes journalieres
(Daily Notes) of Robert-Houdin p. 87 1859-1861 Small and Large Magic
Activities in Saint-Gervais *p.93 + 1859-1861 The "Geraud affair" and The "Lassaigne af-
fair" . 97+ I860 Mile. Benita Anguinet p. 107+ 1859-I860 Robert-Houdin and Amateur
Magicians p. 113+ I860 Alexander Heimbiirger p. 119+ 1861 Card-Sharping Exposed and
Les Figures du temps p. 122 1862 Hamilton and Pierre Edouard Brunnet p. 134 + 1862-1863
The Shop and Wedding of Emile Robert-Houdin p 141 + 1862 An Unexpected Comeback p. 148 + 1863-
1864 Francois Eugene Lahire, known as Cleverman * p. 171+ 1864 Return to The Priory and Robin's
Mythomania p. 177+ 1865 The Davenport Brothers and The Stacey Brothers p. 197+ Notes to Act IV p. 209
ROBI-RI-HOLDIN

po-se
Illustration 4 - Robert-Houdin by Disderi.
This document is the only signed photograph of Robert-Houdin known today. Robert-Houdin's friend was the Blois painter
Uljsse Besnard (or Bernard?), whom \\e will have the chance to meet in this essay. A work by the artist representing a conjurer
decorates the frontispiece of the remarkable new edition of Sidney W Clarke's work The Annals of Conjuring, edited by Edwin
A. Dawes and Todd Karr in association with Bob Read, The Miracle Factory, 2001.
 ACT IV

Hamilton: From Palais-Royal to Boulevard des Italiens

During the year 1852 Hamilton left his Fantastiques from Palais-Royal to Boulevard
lodgings on Rue de Laval and settled with des Italiens. Everything had to be meticu-
his wife Amelie and his stepson Paul lously planned in order to waste as few per-
Devillers at 13, Rue de Valois, where he oc- formance days as possible. The future theater
cupied a third-floor apartment with a large
living room, dining room, and two bed-
rooms. At the beginning of the year he
made his official request to the police chief
Pietri to succeed Robert-Houdin and re-
ceived confirmation on February 14. The
clauses and restrictions of this decree are
practically the same as those previously im-
posed upon his illustrious brother-in-law.
Hamilton seemed to be on his way to suc-
cess, as shown by a legal account of 1854
which we will examine later. As the lease
of Palais-Royal was to expire on April 1,
1854, Hamilton began to look for a new site
for his establishment. He decided on
Boulevard des Italiens. This proved to be a
"wise decision because of its location on an
axis highly frequented by the crowds, and
because of the favorable financial condi-
tions negotiated by Hamilton with the
Vicomte Terray de Morel Vinde, owner of 8,
Boulevard des Italiens, from whom he
rented the entire building. Until the end of
the lease, Hamilton sublet shops and apart-
ments in this building to other tenants for
far greater amounts than the total rent he
paid. His own lodgings and his new theater
therefore cost him nothing and later, when
he retired, Hamilton continued to receive
rent just like any respectable, indepen-
dently wealthy individual! Illustration 5 - Hamilton by Disderi.
The conjurer holds a magic wand In his right hand, similar
As of September 1853, Hamilton began to to that of Robert-Houdin. and his left hand rests upon The
actively prepare the moving of Soirees Cannonbatt Box.

11
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 6 - Soirees Fantastiques, 8, Boulevard des Italiens.

On the theater facade on the third floor of the second building from the right, one can read the following words: "HAMILTON-
MAGIE-ROBERT-HOUDIN-SEANCE." (Jacques Yoigmer collection)

.12

Illustration 7 - Hamilton.
was situated on the third floor of the building
at 8, Boulevard des Italiens. The administra-
tive offices were in the mezzanine above the
entrance, which allowed for imposing street-
side advertisements. The room, except for
minor differences, was identical to the origi-
nal in terms of the stage and decor, which
were taken apart, transferred, and reassem-
bled. The room measured 56 feet by 20 feet.
The stage was approximately 13 feet high, 16
feet wide, and 13 feet deep, and was ex-
tended on stage left by a room that was used
as a backstage and storage area for equip-
ment. A large living room, adjacent to the or-
chestra, was used as a foyer. The decoration
was red and gold as at Palais-Royal, but there
wrere more seats - approximately 250 - a ca-
pacity that was reduced between 1865 to 1895
13
Acr IV
by almost one third by the authorities for se-
curity reasons. At the beginning of November
1853 Hamilton received the decree from the
police department authorizing him to move
his new establishment from Palais-Royal to
the boulevards. This document was obviously
necessary for the signing of the lease and the
preparation of his moving. Here is the second
birth certificate of Soirees Fantastiques:
Paris October 31, 1853
p.vnis-.u.nni 31!)
SPECTACLE HAMILTON
Tout pros du passage de 1'Opdra, sur le boulevard des Ita-
liens, M. Hamilton a transports le spectacle de magic, presti-
digitation, m6canique, physique ainusantc, cre6 pur Robert
Houdin dans la bonbonnicre du Palais-Royal.
On a tout dit sur ce genre de spectacle, dont l'altrait est ir-
resistible, memepour ceux qui connaissent les fieelles. Eh bien!
le prestidigitateur Hamilton a trouve' le moyen de prouver qu'il
y a encore k dire, puisque cliaque jour il ajoute de nouveaux
tours, de nouvelles pieces a son repertoire diSJa si varid.
Illustration 8 - Hamilton's show in Paris-Album.
(Mario Carrandi collection)
ROBtRT-HOUDIN

PREFECTURE OF POLICE.
ifflftHettnve SJe polite,
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS

2'' Office

Curiosity show of Sire

Ghocat-hamilton successor to
Robert-Houdin.

Decree authorizing the transfer

of this show to
8, boulevard des Italiens.

Declare the following:

We, Prefect of Police,
In view of our decree of February 14, 1852, au-
thorizing Master Ghocat-IIamilton, successor of
Master Robert-Houdin, his brother-in-law, to run a
Curiosity Show at 164, Galerie de Valois at Palais-
Royal;
The letter of October 14 of this year in which
the conjurer asks to transfer his establishment to
8, Boulevard des Italiens on the second floor;
Considering that this location is well situated,
that its access is easy, and that it presents fewer
fire hazards than the preceding;
And given that the said show has never given rise
to any disorder;
Art. I.
Master Chocat Hamilton is authorized to trans-
fer to 8, Boulevard des Italiens the curiosity show
that he runs at Galerie de Valois at Palais-Royal.
Art. 2.
This show can only include the exhibition of au-
tomata, mechanical pieces, and performances of
Physique amusante, formally excluding all acting,
dialogue, mime, dancing, and singing.
Art. 3.
The preceding authorizations are granted under
the following conditions:
1. To show nothing to the public that is im-
moral and that would shock propriety;

14
 ACT IV

Illustrations 9 to 11 - The second birth certificate of Soirees

Fantastiques.
(Archives nationalesj

2. To refrain from announcing the show by a Art. 5.

crier on the street; The new theater cannot be used until visited
3. To pay taxes for the destitute in accordance and approved by the commissioner for public se-
with the law and regulations of the public admin- curity.
istration; Art. 6.
4. To pay the police service in conformity with This decree can only be ratified after approval
the current tariffs. by the Minister of the Interior.
Art. 4. Art. 7.
The present authorization is personal and non- The Police Commissioner of the Opera section
transferable without our authorization and valid will be responsible for this notification and will
for one year from the day of notification. survey the execution of the aforementioned condi-
It would be revoked: tions.
Paris on October 31, 1853.
1. in the event of non-execution of the afore-
mentioned conditions; Chief of Police,
2. if the boarder rented his theater for any event Signed: Pietri
not having to do with the running of this show, ex- Certified Copy.
cept with a special authorization. The General Secretarv.

15
ROBFR r-HOl'DIN

Illustration 12 - Hamilton by Disderi.

We note The Cannonball Box and the magic wand on the center table". The Horn of Plenty on the side-table to the right; and
on the rug is a second cannonball and souvenir bills for The Shower of Gold routine. (Pmncais Vatgnter collection)
 ACT IV

HO. 42.BOOLBTABI 1>E8 iTiMMW, A PAMIS. -VOE iNSTAOTANfa.(NO. 1 )

Illustrations 13 and 14 - Boulevard des Italiens.

Hamilton's theater, whose facade can be seen on this stereoscopic view, is located in the second building from the right.

The inauguration of the new theater took

ROBERT-HOUDIN. TOUS lea soira un public nombreux et
place in mid-March 1854. [i] The magic histo- illgant eo donnereadez-vous dans la d^licieuse salle du bou-
rian Robelly situates it between the week of levard des Italians, pour applaudir 1'inimitable prestidigita-
teur Hamilton.
the 12"1 and the 18", and oral tradition says
that Robert-Houdin himself performed on
Mais revenoos a Paris sous les auspices d'un autre
opening night. sorcier dont la magie est irre'prochable et qui fait cha-
que jour, au meilleur march6 possible, des heureux
One can stress that with Hamilton and de tous les visiteurs de son theatre, ce qui n'est pas peu
his successors, the clientele of Soirees dire. Vous avez nomm6 M. Hamilton, le successeur de Ho-
bei I. Houdin; voila un nomine sans chartatanisme et qui
Fantastiques was no longer the same as during fait sortir le monde de ses goods avec une since'rite' par-
faite. A sa voix, les heures suspendent ou precipitent leur
the time of its creator. Like certain Parisian cu- course; plus fort que .Iosu6, qui ne faisait que re larder la
riosities today, the theater was visited by peo- roarche du soleil, M. Hamiitoa nrrete la moutrc qui fait tic-
lac dans votre poche. A SOD coinraandenieot, des armies de
ple from the provinces, foreigners passing bousfiommes s'echappent des profondeurs d'une tabatlfere
through, and families of the capital wanting to et font l'exercice mieux que des gardes nationaux. Ce que
j'admire le plus dans M. Hamilton apres SOD habilete', c'est
give a treat to their offspring. Although all le calme qu'il sait conserver au milieu des operations les
plus diaboliques. Get homme est vraiment ioquie'tant: votre
these lucky spectators continued to fill the the- peDS^e, il la devioe; volre bourse, il l'escamote, et, n'allez
ater for years, attracted by Robert-Houdin's pas vous facher, il vous escamoterait vous-mftme. Il est
certain qu'il peut tout ce qui n'esl pas possible, et I'autre
still-vivid popularity and the establishment's jour encore nous l'avons vu, de nos yeux vu, faire pleuvoir
reputation of quality and good taste, the aris- tous les tresors de la Galifornie et de la Banque de France
sur la tete des spectateurs 6merveilWs. Cette plate d'or fe-
rait la fortune de son theatre, si ce n'eUit pas chose faile
Illustrations 15 and 16 - Advertisement and press review for depuis longtemps.
Hamilton. (Btbliotheque nationale)

17
ROBERT-HOUDIN

tocracy, upper classes, and intellectuals of arts francs. M. Belluot, the shareholder, brought
and letters became more and more scarce over 16,000 francs, which was to be reimbursed from
time. daily income for his half of the profits. The same
act stipulates a prorogation of the company for a
A few days before the opening of the new- time equal to the interruption in the event of
theater, an amusing trial entertained legal force majeure, illness of M. Ghocat, and even [So
columnists. It was a litigation between many precautions!] political events. For operat-
Hamilton and his shareholder M. Belluot. The ing costs, M. Ghocat was entitled to 60 francs
account, published in the Gazette des daily and 107 francs the days he gave two perfor-
Tribunaux of March 8, 1854 indirectly tells us mances. The exceptional costs for performances,
that Robert-Houdin's brother-in-law's affairs in Paris or elsewhere, and incidental trips were to
were prosperous and that he was on the right be agreed upon by the two associates. M. Ghocat
received 300 francs per month; but if he felt it
track to winning his financial gamble:
necessary to buy or have new pieces made or
M. Ghocat, more commonly known as Hamilton, other objects useful for his performances, he
and successor to the famous conjurer Robert- alone was to bear the expense.
Houdin's theater of the Galerie de Valois at Palais- These clauses gave rise to several protests, al-
Royal, created a company in order to run the though the associates have only reached half of
show entitled Soirees Fantastiques with a certain the running time. On one hand it is a question of
M. Belluot in 1852 for a period of four years. settling the accounts, in which M. Ghocat in-
M. Ghocat, the acting manager, brought his skill cluded certain objects he qualified as ordinary
and industrial material evaluated at 20,000 but that M. Belluot qualified as extraordinary or

SOIREES FANTASTIQUES DE ROBERT - HOUDIN

Boulevard des Italiens, tous les so'rrs a huti heures.
mm.
nw\m PARTIE. Les Boulcs dc crista).
La Houlette.
Lu Poudulc. Los Boulcts.
U: Chasseur. Lc Trapeze.
I jia Bijoux. Lc Foulard am sur-
prises.
L;t Pclotie dc loine. Les Moucboirs cnllain-
L'.Vbnt - Jmr myst6 m6s el hi Voyage
ricux. des Montres.
I.e Coilie de Cristal. Les Pieces d'or.
La Boutcille inepuisa-
Auriol et Deburau. ble.
l-a Corne d'abondanc Les Tourtcrcllcs sym-
pathiqucs.
DE SEBASTOPOL Visible tout las jour*, dc niidi i\ dix beores du soir Poyer da It salle Hamilton]

Illustration 1 - Hamilton advertisement and program.

18

as new elements that M. Ghocat should pay for
entirely. This part of the discussion concerned
many curiosities, such as artificial orange blos-
soms, a live gazelle costing 150 francs, the re-
pairing of the orchestra piano, the varnished
jockey boots, the globes and broken glasses, sev-
eral small glasses to hold innumerable liquids
from the inexhaustible bottle, etc.... It was also
to be determined whether or not M. Belluot had
the right to profits from the two performances in
Meaux...before the people of Meaux, as the fa-
mous person says.
The debate is also complicated by the termi-
nation of the Palais-Royal lease, whereby it was
to be determined how to bear the cost of rental
repairs of the room and those of the installation
of the theater on the boulevard, in an adjoining
house in Passage de 1'Opera.
However, when M. Ghocat installs or moves
his industrial material, the repairs or damages
incurred are not considered ordinary expenses.
CO
yj
eo
o
c
oc
Illustration 18 - The Inexhaustible Bottle by Hamilton.
J9
ACT IV
By the decree of this day, the 1" chamber of
the Imperial court presided by the first presi-
dent Delangle, ruling on the 23 respective ap-
peals of the two arbitral sentences, and who
had settled all these points and many others,
has reformed one and confirmed the other in
favor of M. Ghocat, notably by accepting the
qualification of common expenses that he had
indicated in his accounts in freeing him from
paying any amount on the profits earned in
Meaux; and finally in including in operating
and social charges those necessary for the
rental repairs of the new installation, etc.
Moreover, the profits earned to this day by M.
Belluot, thanks to the artist's talent are, ac-
cording to the latter, 20,000 F, and according
to the former, 10,000 or 12,000 F: the balance
with the capital invested of 16,000 F is there-
fore exceeded or almost reached. Without a
doubt the harmonious relations will resume,
given that the company has two more years of
running and probably success in store.
ROBtRT-HoUDIN

Th^fttre de Robert-Hondin : le Destin.

Robei't-HoudUn. gicien, qui fait semblant d'etre un simple

Voulez-vous connaltrel'avenir ? Ce n'est
pas au fond d'un antre obscur et redou-
table, c'est dans une jolie bonbonniere,
dans la salle pimpante de Robert-Houdin,
que le destin vous ouvrira son livre. Le
Destin du boulevard des Italiens est une
Destinee jeune, blonde et charmante, dont
les oracles sont des quatrains fort genti-
ment lournes. Chaque soir son doigt rose
tourne les feuillets fatidiques,surun signe
du tout-puissant Hamilton : un vrai ma-
mortel pour mieux etonner son monde.
Que s'il vous plait, Messieurs et Mes-
dames, de devenir quelque peu sorciers et
sorcieres vous-me"mes, achetez la petite
brochure ou I'enchanteur de"voile, avec une
complaisancp parfaite et une merveilleuse
clart6, les mysteres des cartes et des
fleurs... et moquez-vous des mediums,
des esprits frappeurs et des tables tour-
nantes.
X. FEYBNET.

Illustrations 19 and 20 - Hamilton in Le Destin (Destiny).

Engraving and article from Llllustration, no. 945. April 6. 1861. (DidierMormu Morax collection)
 ACT IV

8, BOULEVARD DES IT ALIENS, 8

PERSQNNAGES DE HAUTE DISTINCTION

Devanl iesquelles M. HAMILTON a en l'honneur de donner ses seances

LL. MM. 1'Empereur et l'lmpe'ra- LL. AA. RR. le due et la duchesse

trice.
S. A. I. le prince Napoleon.
S. A. I. la princesse Matilde.
S. M. lareineVictoria, S. A. R. le
prince Albert et leur famille
royale.
S. M. la reine Christine d'Espagne,
le due de Rianzares, et leur
famille royale.
L'archiduc Maximilien d'Autriche.
S. A. R. le prince Oscar de Suede.
de Brabant.
Le comte Orloff, ministre plenipo-
tentiaire, ambassadeur de Russie
S. Exc. Ferruck-Kan, ambassade ur
de Perse.
Les princes d'Oudde.
Le prince indien Coovergie-Bos-
lowji, de Bombay.
Son Eminence Monseigneur le car-
dinal-archeveque de Paris.
Tous les hauts dignitaires des
cours de France et eHrangeres.

Illustrations 21 and 22 - Cover of the illustrated souvenir album of Hamilton's performances.

Continuation of the list of Important and distinguished people for whom M. Hamilton had the honor to perform
(Jacques Voignier collection)
ROBFRT-HOfDIN

The Photographer Andre Adolphe Disderi

Among Hamilton's new tenants was the tur-

Illustrations 23 and 24 - Portrait and signature of Disderi by
D i s d e r i . (Jacques Voignier collection)
bulent but talented photographer Andre
Adolphe Disderi, who deserves his place in
this essay because we are indebted to him for
some of the most beautiful portraits and pho-
tographs of Robert-Houdin and his succes-
sors. Disderi carried out many activities be-
fore choosing photography and setting up in
1854 at 8, Boulevard des Italiens. He was in
turn actor, lingerie merchant, associate for a
cotton bonnet concern, director of a diorama,
etc. He was blamed during trials for having
abondoned ventures and leaving huge debts.
Disderi who is considered to be one of the
major photographers of the middle of the
nineteenth century, to whom we owe the por-
traits of all the major figures of arts and let-
ters of the time as well as members of the
aristocracy and the imperial family was a
great artist but a poor businessman. Although
money came to him easily, it disappeared just
as quickly into the profit of his shareholders
and the suppliers who repeatedly pursued
him in court. It would seem that his talent
contributed to a relative indulgence by the
courts in this respect. Disderi is the creator of
the "visiting card photograph," 53 x 85 mm,
printed on very fine paper and glued to a
thicker cardboard, in a 60 x 100 mm format,
which he patented in 1853. t2] The success of
this invention, 'which allowed one to give sev-
eral pictures to loved ones for a reasonable
price, was considerable. In spite of his flat-
tering reputation and his financial successes,
Disderi went bankrupt several times. After
one such incident, Hamilton, one of Disderi's
main creditors, was granted all the photogra-

22
 ACT IV

Illustration 25 - Disderi's prestigious models.

In this frame one can see photographs of the elite of arts, letters, and politics of the time: Ernest Renan. Rosa Bonheur. Victor
Hugo. Alexandra Dumas. Eugene Sue, Geromc. Disden. Robert-Houdin. Dantan. Jadin. Delacroix. Courbet. Horace \ernet.
Decamps, Robert Fleurv. Jules Grew. George Sand. Thiers, Leon Foucault, Franfois Arago. Orfila, Lachaud. Bern er. Alphon.se
Karr, and Jules Gerard. (Cb&teau de la vale de Blots)
ROBERT-HOUDIN

hduvelles dispositions des ateliors et appirtemonts de M. Eisderi,

Illustrations 26 to 29 - Disderi's Salons.

Disderi's salons, 8. Boulevard des Italiens. occupied the top two floors of the building above Hamilton's theater. Engravings from
Le Monde illustre, April 14. I860.

pher's cameras and furniture by the claims
courts. Unable to utilize this material,
Hamilton was obliged to rent his space to
Disderi once again. [3] The rent was of course
accordingly increased. A new lease, signed
for twelve years and six months dated
September 18, 1857, informs us about the
space occupied by Disderi in the building at
8, Boulevard des Italiens. The notarized act
was established between M. Hamilton and
M. Andre Adolphe Disderi and M. Francois
Desire Lebel, "solidary takers." The rental in-
cluded two apartments on the fifth floor and
the entire terrace above the third floor -
where Hamilton had built a basic construction
with ante-chamber, office, twro living rooms
and two studies on the boulevard, a large bay
window, hallway with furniture, photogra-

24

Nouveaux salons ie Disd&i, le jour de l'inauguration.
phy material, and curtains, etc. He also had
the right to show framed objects in the en-
trance on the ground floor and the boulevard.
This was granted for an amount of fourteen
thousand francs per year. The presence of a
photography lab, situated above the theater,
was a great risk to the safety of the venue,
which was almost destroyed twice. The first
time was in 1881, under the management of
25
ACT IV
Emile Robert-Houdin, due of a leak from the
workshops of the photographer Tourtin, who
was Disderi's successor. The second was in
1901, when Georges Melies was manager,
because of a fire in Clement Maurice's lab-
oratory. Emile Robert-Houdin and Georges
Melies had no other choice but to entirely
renovate the theater following these two cat-
astrophes.
RODI RT-HOUDIN

Illustration 30 - Robert-Houdin by Disderi.

 ACT IV

'

Emile and Eugene Robert-Houdin The Exposition of 1855

Robert-Houdin had just turned forty-eight tive man, full of humor and affection. Joseph
when he returned to Saint-Gervais after a long Prosper Eugene Robert-Houdin entered the
road paved with applause and fruitful income. Ecole Imperiale Speciale Militaire of Saint-Cyr
This retirement at the height of his glory is sur- on November 3, 1856.
prising, but the reasons are simple. Robert-
Houdin was a prudent man; his fortune was
made and although it was far from equaling that
of industrial leaders or the aristocracy of the
time, the fruit of his labor would suffice to
amply provide for his needs anci those of his
family. He wanted to see little Georges and
Eglantine grow up and ensure the education
and the entrance into the workforce of his sons
Emile and Eugene.
The eldest, Emile, became a student of
Breguet and a watchmaker like his father, his
two grandfathers, and great-grandfather. He
seemed to have inherited part of his father's
inventive mind and his taste for quality work
but unfortunately did not inherit his practical-
ity. All his life, Emile Robert-Houdin wanted to
impress his father; he wanted him to be proud
of him. Unfortunately, several of his business
initiatives were unsuccessful. His passionate
relationship with Robert-Houdin, his need to
resemble him, including physically, made him
e\ en want to become Hamilton's successor
one day. We will later have an opportunity to
return to these issues.
Robert-Houdin wrote the following lines
about his son Eugene: "The energetic and de-
termined character of the younger one, his war-
like dispositions, made him take on a career in
the army." The brilliant ascension of Captain
Eugene Robert-Houdin shows the exactitude of
this portrait because he showed a "lion's
courage" in combat. His correspondence with Illustration 31 - Emile Robert-Houdin by Disderi.
the family also gives the impression of a sensi- (Private collectionj

27
ROBI RT-HOLDIN
As for Robert-Houdin, he had clearly de-
fined ideas about the continuation of his own
career. I purposely use the word "career'1 be-
cause the term "retirement,'" frequently used to
describe this part of his life, seems inappropri-
ate to me given the importance of his literary
work and scientific research and the prepon-
derant, unsuspected role that he always held
in the destiny of his theater and its programs,
as well as in the magic community of his time.
Illustration 32 Lieutenant Eugene Robert-Houdin.
For the time being, Robert-Houdin filed a
deluge of patents, no fewer than eight, some of
which were very important ones, as referred to
in a single note on March 3, 1855:
Electrical regulator, Electrical vibrator, vi-
brator able to interrupt electrical current in a
constant manner, electrical switch, distributor
of magnetic forces, new submerged battery with
electromagnetic action, electric clock, heat in-
dicator for fire and cold. Finally July 7: addition
to the March 3"1 patent concerning electric
clockmaking.
The Destouches company, where we re-
call Robert-Houdin's father-in-law was the
foreman, took care of the administrative
formalities for filing the patent. Robert-
Houdin's new creations were shown at their
stand at the 1855 Exposition and caused a
stir. [4]
Here are a few of the laudatory comments
published by scientific magazines of the time
concerning Robert-Houdin's inventions.
Firstly, the columnists of the magazine
Cosmos, February 16, 1855:
Let us console ourselves about the disappoint-
ment of this first visit with the delicious feeling of
admiration and joy that we felt in seeing M. Robert-
Houdin's lovely electric clock run in the workshops
of Destouches & Gie, Rue Saint Martin. It will cer-
tainly be one of the marvels of the Exposition.
Through one of his skillful feats, the illustrious
conjurer knows how to conjure away two almost
insurmountable difficulties: the perturbing influ-
ence of variations in electric current on the pulsa-
tions of the clock's motor and the destructive in-
fluence of the break in current.
Although we have seen it only once, we could
describe this magical clock, which is so simple,
graceful, and incomparably perfected, where
everything is foreseen and all rules of science and
art are applied with an almost insolent happiness,
but we will wait for the inventor to file his patent
before giving the description with a drawing.
 ACT IV

Illustration 33 - Technical drawing from the patent for the Electric Clock of Robert-Houdin.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Secondly, the editor-in-chief Father Moigno
in Cosmos of September 19:
Yet another tour deforce of the great con-
jurer that causes universal astonishment. He
has simplified the mechanism of this type of
tool to such an extent - while also perfecting
it and removing it from the influence of elec-
trical fluctuations which give it life and move-
ment - that M. Destouches can now deliver
an excellent electric clock for 60 francs.
Electrical clockmaking has not yet found its
niche and status; from now on, the most mod-
3
Illustrations 34 and 35 - Robert-Houdin's Electric Clock
(Valker Hilbei collection)
est bourgeois can buy himself an electrical
regulator; he will not take a step in his little
domain without telling time everywhere he
goes with perfectly synchronized clockfaces. It
will be a revolution and a benefit to science.
Finally people will stop asking what purpose
science serves!
In this same issue of the magazine Cosmos
the following can be read concerning Robert-
Houdin's Electrical Distributor:
This small and humble distributor appears to
be a stroke of genius and one of the greatest nov-
elties of the Exposition.
From a mechanical point of view, it is an en-
tirely new tool that will be applied in a thou-
sand different ways, for a thousand uses, and
which will render innumerable services. For
physics and electrical applications it is a huge
discovery.

To regulate and use variable forces in a much
greater proportion, in much better conditions of
continuity and subtlety, to eliminate regulating
springs, and to mainly dispense with the neces-
sity of accessory motors, it is an advance we
would hardly have believed possible a few
months ago.
The eminent scientist Theodore du Moncel
held a conference at the Academie des
Sciences on the "the manner of tracing the
curves of a distributor of M. Robert-Houdin
in relation to magnetic attraction" [5] and
showed in detail the characteristics of the
distributor in his work Expose de VElectricite
(1855):
The effect of a distributor is such that an ar-
mature that could directly support only 60 grams
at 1 cm. in distance from its electromagnet could,
thanks to this, support up to 1 kg.
31
ACT IV
Illustrations 36 and i~ - Small and large models of Robert-
Houdin's electrical distributor. (Chateau de la Yille de Bloisj
Robert-Houdin's rise in this new field was
as brilliant as in his earlier chosen disci-
plines, as M, Andre Keime Robert-Houdin
clearly confirmed in his work Le Magicien de
la Science:
Robert-Houdin left the [Parisian] stage in
1852; less than five years later he made a name
for himself in scientific circles. Several men of
great notoriety confirm this.
Father Moigno, encyclopedic mind.
Becquerel, one of the pioneers of electricity
[whose son would discover radioactivity].
The Count Th. De Moncel, reputed scientist.
The Englishman Wheatstone, father of tele-
graphy, who, fascinated by the electric clock,
was determined to immediately acquire one of
them.
ROHER'l -HOUDIN

Andre KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN

ROBERT-HOUDIN
LE MAGICIEN DE LA SCIENCE

Preface d'Andre DAMIEN

Illustration 38 - Robert-Houdin's letter to Dantan.
"I have been bedridden for three days from cramps due to
great fatigue: this is the price I pay from time to time for an
energy which is disproportionate to my fragile nature."
Maire de Versailles, Correspondant de Tlnstitut
En annexe, reimpression des brochures publiees par Robert-Houdin :
Le Prieure. Organisations mysterieuses pour le confort
et Vagrement d'une demeure (1867) - Note sur de nouveaux instruments
propres a Vobservation de divers organes de I'oeil (1867) -
Note sur les radiations lutnineuses (1869) Exploration de la retine
par les phosphenes (1869).

In 1856, at a regional exposition in Blois,

Robert-Houdin presented "an electric clock
for a fireplace, an electrical switch, a fire
alarm, and an alarm to indicate water leaks
in ships'' for which he won a first-prize
medal. CHAMPION - SLATKINE
PARIS - GENEVE

Illustrations 39 to 41 - Photograph and signature of M. Andre

Keime Robert-Houdin, the illustrious conjurer's great-
grandson, framing the title page of his work.

32
 ACT IV

Horloge Robert-Houdin.

Illustration 42 - Electric Clock by Robert-Houdin. Illustration from Physique experimentale - Electricite statique et electricite dy-
namique by S. Duclau. Limoges. Eugene Ardant et Cie. Publishers. (PascalFriaut collection)

3:5
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 43 - Portraits of Robert-Houdin by Dantan.

 ACT IV

The Electric Clock of Blois Robert-Houdin Becomes a Patronym

We no doubt remember this sentence of

Robert-Houdin taken from the conclusion of
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin:
And as art always supposes an ideal which the
artist seeks to realize, I already dream of the day
when the electric wires, issuing from a single reg-
ulator, will radiate through the whole of France,
and bear the precise time to the largest towns and
the most modest villages
ROBKRT-HOUDIN

and so the electric clock that the mechanician

had planned for Saint-Gervais instead decorated
the front of city hall. Although the Blois authori-
ties thanked their compatriot for his generosity at
the time, it was only several years later that they
officially expressed their thanks during a special
deliberation of the municipal council and a very
laudatory report by M. Jollois. Robert-Houdin
very stiffly wrote these short lines in his Tablettes
journalieres of March 7, 1867:
M. Riffault and M. Jollois have come to express
their thanks for the clock of the city hall, which I
donated ten years ago, on behalf of the Municipal
Council of Blois. These thanks were made after a
report by M. Jollois.

Wanting his creation to be seen at night, the

\S6S.
Illustrations 45 and 46 - Extracts of the document of thanks from
the City of Blois to Robert-Houdin for the donation of the
electric clock of the pediment of the city hall. (Private collection)
mechanician added a luminous transparent
dial to it around 1866 and this stayed in place
until a fire destroyed much of the city hall in
June 1940. The gaping hole of the Saint-
Gervais bell-tower was never filled and never
again had a clock.
The year 1856 was also that of the happy
denouement of Robert-Houdin's request to the
state for the authorization to officially add
Houdin to his name Robert. This request took
almost five years to come to fruition and ne-
cessitated several witnesses. Here is what
Jacques Houdin, his father-in-law, had written
in Ernest Simon Marie Vallee's office on August
6, 1851:
M. Jacques Francois Houdin, residing in Paris,
Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, 3. Who has by the
present consented that his son-in-law M. Jean
Eugene Robert, mechanician, residing in Paris
Galerie de Valois 164, continues to join his name to
his and call himself Robert-Houdin as he has always
done since his marriage to Mademoiselle Josephe
Cecile Eglantine Houdin, his deceased spouse. In
addition, he declares that he had the misfortune of
losing the only son born from his marriage, that he
is currently the only one to bear the name Houdin
in his family and that he greatly wants to transmit

36
 Acr IV

it to his son-in-law, who has personally contributed

so much to bring fame to him. [7]

The changing of Jean-Eugene Robert's last

name and that of his children became definitive J?u
on May 31, 1856 by way of a judgment by the
First Appellate Court of the Department of the
Seine, at the Palace of Justice of Paris in the
Council Chamber of the First Chamber.

Illustration 4 - First page of the act authorizing Jean

Eugene Robert to bear the name Robert-Houdin.

A. Auger, iditeur
Saint-Gervais-la-Foret (L.-&-Ch.). L'Eglise.
Illustration 48 - The "hole" in the bell-tower of the Saint-Gervais church.

37
ROBLRT-HOLDIN

Illustration 49 Robert-Houditi in Algeria.

"Robert Houdin in the service of France." Cover of the magazine Tourbillon. December 28. 1946
 ACT IV

Robert-Houdin's Algerian Saga

Robert-Houdin's Algerian saga is one of a major figure in the return to peace and
the episodes of his memoirs that most in- reconciliation.
trigued the public. Hundreds of articles
throughout the world in newspapers and We do not know exactly who made the
magazines of all types, and unrelated to the decision to send Robert-Houdin to partici-
art of magic, have popularized this story, pate in what was discreetly called the
which fascinated and still fascinates both "pacification" of Algeria. Was it suggested
magicians and laymen. This episode also in- at a top level by Louis-Napoleon who had,
spired works of fiction - such as The as we recall, attended the conjurer's perfor-
Magician's Wife - as well as film projects in mance before Queen Victoria in Fulham in
France, Canada, and the United States. It is 1848? Or was it suggested by Marshal
obviously quite uncommon for the highest
authorities of a country to ask a magician to
aid them in peacekeeping during a conflict. ANS PLUS TARD, It REVINT
M However, before beginning the narrative DECISION.
of this episode - which is yet another ex-
PRESENCE EN AFRIQLJE
ample of how superstition and religious fa- DU KJORD 5ERAIT UTILE I
naticism can be detrimental to a population
- it is useful to briefly recall here the his-
tory of the major events in the colonization
of Algeria. The conquest began in 1830 by
France's capture of Algiers, which, from
1852, was followed by the full occupation
of the country. At the end of 1856, the pe-
riod when Robert-Houdin went to Algeria,
although serious problems still agitated cer-
tain provinces, notably Kabylie, France con-
trolled the majority of the country except
for the Saharan regions. The conjurer there-
fore did not have a major influence on the
conquest, in which, moreover, he refused to
participate twice, but, on the contrary, was

Illustrations 50 to 60, 62 and 63, 65 to 68. ~0 to ~5. and ~~ -

Comic-book version of Robert-Houdin's Algerian saga.
From Magiciens et Sorciers, Le monde qui nous entoure,
(Magicians and Sorcerers, the World Surrounding Us)
Publications classiques Internationales. 1961. (All rights reserved)
ROBI RT-HOUDIN
CERTAINS SORCIERS OUT INCITE"
LES CHEFS DETplSuSAi
JLS DiSENT GHJE LEURS TOL)I?S (
AAAGiE P(?OUVENTQUE LE i
LEUR APPAI7TIENT A EUX ET NON
J EH BlEN.JEpEUXLEUf?
C1EN FCAN^AIS EN SAIT
PLUS LONG QUE LE5
O'AFWQpE.
FT /faBEZr-HOUDiN P/&T1T. DES
*- MeSSAGERS ALLERENT INVlTEf?
LES CHEFS DE TPigUS A VENlR
VCHR LE GRAND SORCIEJ?
FRANCE.
Randon, division general, senator, and gen-
eral governor of Algiers? In the request
made by Emile and Eugene Robert-Houdin
(and two of their relatives) to the Minister
of Public Instruction for Robert-Houdin to
receive the Legion of Honor at the end of
his life, one sentence could imply that the
Emperor was not uninvolved in this initia-
tive: ''An honorable citizen, who showed
proof to his country and to the head of
State of the accomplishment of a mission in
Algeria, which came to fruition." We do not
have a guaranteed answer to this question
but it seems certain that the official demand
made to the artist came from Lieutenant
Colonel De Neveu, [9] head of the political
bureau of Arab affairs. M. De Neveu was
from the Loir-et-Cher region - which facili-
tated and perhaps explained his good rela-
tionship with Robert-Houdin. He was mar-
ried to a young Algerian lady and was
doing everything in his power to make the
two communities coexist peacefully and
benefit from their two cultures. In 1854 M.
De Neveu once contacted Robert-Houdin,

who refused because he was so happy to
be back home; he diplomatically expressed
to the lieutenant-colonel "all [his] regrets
not to be able to accept his invitation.'' The
second request was made in 1855 while he
was preparing to accept the awards granted
by the Exposition jury for his work. This
was his justification for a new refusal, ac-
companied by new regrets! The author
wrote the following in his memoirs on this
subject:
But the colonel kept these excuses still in
mind, and in June 1856, he presented them to
me like a bill to be met. This time I had ex-
hausted my excuses, and though it cost me
much to leave my retreat and brave the
caprices of the Mediterranean in the worst
month of the year, I decided to go.
It is difficult to determine whether Robert-
Houdin's hesitations came from a legitimate
desire to continue his work at Saint-Gervais,
or from ethical, professional, and social rea-
sons that he did not wish to transgress. Even
if he had such thoughts, they had no influ-
ence on his decision, because there can be
S VINRENT. VOYEZ.IL NEST RfEN DE PLUS QUE
LES y4UTRES FRANKS.NOSSORCIECS
5DNTPU15FDET5QUEUJI.
41
ACT IV
no doubt that such a patriotic man, whose
son Eugene was preparing to enter Saint-Cyr
to become an officer, would not have ea-
gerly welcomed the chance offered to him to
serve his country, even more so given that it
was a peaceful mission. We can also empha-
size the fact that, in spite of Robert-Houdin's
courteous refusal of his demands, Lieutenant
Colonel De Neveu did not ask other French
magicians to carry out this assignment. This
says much about the aura of the artist in
spite of his retirement from the stage, and
confirms that the highest authorities of his
time, like the general public, knew he had
no rival.
What, therefore, were the deep reasons that
so motivated the French government to bring
the conjurer to Algeria?
French soldiers of the time held the
marabouts or traditional wizards responsible for
the numerous revolts of the population that they
had to repress. In Magie et Religion en Afrique
du Nord (Magic and Religion in North Africa) by
E. Doutte (published by Jourdan in 1908) we
find the following definition of the marabout:
ROBLRT-HOLDIN

strongholds of fanaticism...?" Military reports

.ROBERT Jjl
L : 5PBCTALE COMMENCE
HOUDIN FIT SORTIR OESBOULES Mi of this year refer to problems for which the
marabouts were often the cause. One of
OB SON CHAPEAU...
these reports, dated from October 23, 1856,
Fifth division of Algerian Affairs. First Office,

i 1 1 1 >^
relates the problems apparently provoked by
the presence in Medeah "of an individual
named Mohamed Abdallah bearing great re-

|
1 Pi semblance to Bou Maza" and who was led to
Blidah "to remove him from a region where
the false name Bou Maza could cause some
worries." The report is concluded by this sen-
tence, which clearly expresses what the mili-

1
! HI ii -*

tary authorities expected from the French

I u
conjurer's talent: "We can believe that
Robert-Houdin's upcoming arrival will
eclipse this type of amateur."
I The wizards had great influence in the
tribes, where they held some civil and reli-

\w
u *-- -"X
\ ;
r (
i i
1*1]
The Marabout always acts in the name of
Allah. He is a benediction of the gods (baraka)
and the marvels he produces are not witchcraft
(sih'z) but signs of God (Karama). His feats have
a moral character, meaning that they have a so-
cial and not merely individual signification.
In the military archives of Vincennes, there
is a note from 1856 signed by Marshall
Vaillant, minister of war: "Do not the interests
of our domination demand that the influence
of marabouts be eliminated or significantly
diminished? How can we reach this goal?
Should we close the zaouias [A sort of uni-
versal and religious institution, free hostel,
and place of welcome similar to - in spirit -
Middle Age monasteries] which are veritable
gious authority and did not hesitate to use
rudimentary illusions to astonish and further
the fanaticism of their fellow men. One of the
methods used by the marabouts to establish
their superiority in the minds of the faithful
was to convince them they had the power to
render themselves invincible. Here is how
Robert-Houdin described one such feat:
One of them, for instance, ordered a gun to be
loaded and fired at him from a short distance,
but in vain did the flint produce a shower of
sparks; the marabout pronounced some cabalis-
tic words, and the gun did not explode. The mys-
tery was simple enough; the gun did not go off
because the Marabout had skillfully stopped up
the vent. Colonel De Neveu explained to me the
importance of discrediting such a miracle by op-
posing to it a sleight-of-hand trick far superior to
it, and I had the very article.
This power that the marabouts pretended
to transmit to Arab warriors made them be-
lieve they were immune to gunshot wounds
from French soldiers. The deaths of these
young, nai've, honorable men, as well as

those of numerous army recruits, was caused
by this nonsensical belief.
Robert-Houdin's assignment, whose suc-
cess contributed to saving numerous human
lives on both sides, was therefore eminently
political. The government wanted to demon-
strate to Arab chiefs that their marabouts'
false miracles were nothing more than primi-
tive tricks and could not at all be considered
as supreme manifestations from the Almighty.
For everyone's salvation, white magic of
France needed to dethrone African wizardry.
For the conjurer it was therefore no longer
appropriate to perform his repertoire in his
F1TDES PASSES AU-
SUS DUN SOCAL WOE,,.
43
ACT IV
usual fashion but to give each of his effects a
supernatural character that would impress
the minds of the indigenous audience.
Robert-Houdin dedicated a large part of the
summer of 1856 to preparing this mission
with his usual meticulousness. Having left
Saint-Gen, ais on September 10, Robert-
Houdin and his spouse arrived in Marseilles,
where on the 16th they boarded the
Alexandre, an imposing wooden ship - lined
with brass, with waterwheels and three
schooner masts framing a large chimney
which took them across to Algiers. This
steamship carried 350 passengers on each
...ET TOMSER PES FLEURS PE
PARTOUT.
ROBBRT-HOUDIN
-Cl SE REMPLIT AUSGITDT DE BON-
BONS QU'IL DISm/gLIA AUX SPECTATEliRS...
journey. The painter Horace Vernet, a fre-
quent attendee of Soirees Fantastiques and
friend of the artist, was also on board.
Robert-Houdin's government invitation was
published in the Marseilles newspapers and
he could not refuse to give performances to
the managers of the Grand Theatre upon his
return.
After thirty-six hours of sailing, the con-
jurer and his wife arrived in Algiers. Awaited
by a unit, they were brought to the dock in a
"charming little boat" and taken to the Hotel
d'Orient, where the government had reserved
them a stately suite overlooking Algiers's har-
44
A ROSERT-HOUDIN SAVAITQU'IL NELUI
FALLAtT PAS SEULEMENTAMUSER LE$
CHEFS,MAS IE$ CONVAINCRE DESOHP0UV0IR.
J A I LEPOUVOIR DENLEVEI? J E VOUS DEFIE
SA FORCE AU PLUG FORf &IENDEMEMLE-
D'ENTRE VDOS VERLAMIENNE!
bor. It had been previously agreed upon with
the authorities that Robert-Houdin would
participate in the capital's yearly celebration
that was to begin on September 27. However,
a revolt had broken out in Kabylie and the
Marshal governor had just left Algiers at the
head of an expeditionary group to suppress
the rebellion. This unplanned expedition de-
layed these annual celebrations by a month.
[10] To compensate for this delay, Colonel De
Neveu offered the artist an elegant arrange-
ment which would end up being more prof-
itable. The government would graciously
allow him to use the city theater, where he
could give up to three performances per

1
'HOWABMONTA SUR LA SCENE. ROBERT-
" HOUDIN LUIDIT DE SOULEMER UN COFFRE
\PEF5R, CEQU'lL FITmciLEMENK
week at no cost to himself, with an opera
troupe. This decision was frowned upon by
some and the manager of the theater, seeing
himself deprived of a large part of his in-
come, called upon M. De Guiroye, the
mayor of Algiers, to arbitrate, but he
nonetheless confirmed the government's de-
cision. In order to calm matters, Robert-
Houdin agreed to give only two perfor-
mances per week.
The conjurer's arrival in Algiers caused an
amusing polemic in local newspapers and the
publicity attracted the public as soon as the
first performances were announced, [n]
45
ACT IV
q UANOIL EUT REPOSE LE COFFRE A TERRE,
RQBERT-HOUDIN DECLENCHA UNCQURANT
LECTRIQU EN APPJJYANTA VEC SON PIED SUR
UN FIL CACHE,ET LECOURANT MAINVNT LE
COFFRE AU SOL . AiORS...
V0YEZ.VOUS AVEZ MAW-
TENANT AUSSI PEU DE
FORCE Qil'UNE FEMMEtETTE.jg
These performances, which ran from the
end of September to the end of October,
brought all the city's European population
to the theater. Robert-Houdin's perfor-
mances were made up of the best acts of his
usual repertoire except for the tricks spe-
cially prepared for the two exceptional galas
that he was to perform on October 28 and
29 before all the country's tribal chiefs.
The author relates, in an extraordinarily
vivid manner in his memoirs, one of these
memorable performances, as well as the re-
markable adaptation of his repertoire to ac-
credit his position of white sorcerer before
this audience. [12] In this narrative one can
ROBHH-HOLDIN

MAKVELOUS CASKETTRIUMPH OF HOUDIN'S CONJURING,

Illustration 61 - "The Marvelous Casket - Triumph of Houdin's Conjuring."

Engra\ mg from Life and Adventures of Robert-Houdin the Conjuror (op. cit J.

realize to what extent the same trick results
in producing a completely different effect if
its presentation is substantially modified.
This is valuable information and provides a
precious lesson on the psychological prin-
ciples that govern the art of magic. The
Light and Heavy Chest, for example, was no
longer accompanied by the little fable in
which the conjurer presents it as a valuable
protection from thieves because it cannot
be moved against the artist's will. Instead,
Robert-Houdin transformed this experiment
into a challenge to the strongest man in the
audience, whose strength he claimed to
DUIS.ROBERT-HOUDINICHAN&EALECOURANT
MAGNETIQUE EN DECHARGE ElCTJ?iQUE QUI
SOUPAA LA POI&NEE DU COFfPE LBS MAINS
DUSLUET
47
ACT IV
temporarily remove. In spite of all his ef-
forts, the selected person could not manage
to lift this mysterious chest though, at any
given moment, a child could. This trick,
combined with a short electric shock dis-
creetly sent into the handle of the box.
filled the gullible with fear and astonish-
ment.
The conjurer then presented his version
of the Gun Trick, compared to which the
marabout's tricks were only little stunts, and
finally the disappearance of a "randomly se-
lected" member of the audience from under
a giant cup. a trick for which the artist used
ROBERT-HOUDIN
a young Arab as a confederate who, accord-
ing to newspapers of the time, was 6'4" tall.
This last feat created a bit of panic in the
theater which did not abate until ''the reap-
pearance" of the young More in front of the
theater entrance.
The article from the Moniteur Algerien,
Algeria's official newspaper, which we
reprint here, clearly shows that the press
knew of the political importance of Robert-
Houdin's performances:
Let us add, to conclude, that the races this year
were the occasion, as always, for several celebra-
tions specially devoted to our indigenous leaders.
But neither the banquets provided by the
Marshall, nor the ball that gathered together the
elite of our population last Thursday at the Hotel
du Government, and which so brilliantly ended
the series of these magnificent parties, did not
produce as vivid an impression on the Arabs as
Robert-Houdin's performance, which they saw for
the first time. It is superfluous to say that, in call-
ing this skillful conjurer to Algiers, the Marshall's
goal was not simply to provide new entertainment
for them. A higher goal must have influenced him.
We know that in Africa, certain individuals,
through sleight-of-hand more or less skillfully per-
formed, easily manage to pass themselves off as
gifted in the minds of their compatriots, and to
have a most detrimental effect on populations op-
posing us. In showing to the Arabs a Christian su-
perior in this domain to the fake sharifs who have
tricked them so often, the Marshall believed he
would likewise expose and subvert such trickery,
which the public, aware of the truth, could resist
in the future.
May these performances, which will be talked
about for a long time, provide this useful teaching.
They will contribute to maintaining the peace
from which we benefit now and which is one of the
main factors in our prosperity.
Three days after the end of his performances,
Robert-Houclin received the order to go to the
governor's palace for a midday ceremony at
18
which he was the guest of honor, and which
lacked neither splendor nor originality. In a
magnificent reception room were gathered
thirty of the most important Arab leaders, who
greeted him with the traditional Salam alikoum.
The conjurer responded by bowing and began
to shake hands with these fierce warriors. He
had to quickly refrain from shaking hands,
however, because several of them seemed terri-
fied at the idea of touching the hand of such a
powerful white wizard. The oldest chief of the
assembly approached and unfurled a scroll. It
was a poem, a true masterpiece of indigenous
calligraphy enriched by hand with gracious
arabesques. The doyen read this long poem in
Arabic with great solemnity. At the end of his
speech, he pulled the seal of his tribe from his
belt and stamped the bottom of the imposing
document with dignity; the main chiefs fol-
lowed his example. Rolling up the scroll, the
old warrior presented it to Robert-Houdin with
this compliment:
"To a merchant, gold is given; to a warrior, arms
are offered; to thee, Robert-Houdin, we present a
testimony of our admiration, which thou canst
hand down to thy children." And, translating a
verse he had just read in Arabic, he added,
"Pardon us for presenting thee with such a trifle,
but is it fitting to offer mother-of-pearl to the man
who possesses the real jewel?" [13]
The conjurer was deeply moved by this
homage, which he always considered the most
precious souvenir of his life as an artist: [w]
Homage offered to Robert-Houdin by the chiefs
of the Arab tribes, following performances given in
Algiers on October 28th and 29th 1856:
"GLORY TO GOD,
who teaches us what we know not, and enables
us to express the treasures of the mind by the
flowers of eloquence and the signs of writing.
Destiny with generous hands has sent down
from above, amidst lightning and thunder, like a
powerful and nurturing rain, the marvel of the mo-
ment and the age, he who cultivates the surprising
 ACT IV

Illustration 64 - Certificate awarded to Robert-Houdin by the Arab tribe leaders.

(Chateau de la Mile de Blots)
ROBBRT-HOUDIN
arts and marvelous sciences - the sid Robert-
Houdin.
Our century has seen no one comparable to
him. The splendor of his talent surpasses the most
brilliant productions of past ages. Our century is
the most illustrious because it has possessed him.
He has known how to stir our hearts and aston-
ish our minds by displaying to us the surprising
facts of his marvelous science. Our eyes were
never before fascinated by such feats. What he ac-
complishes cannot be described. We owe him our
gratitude for all with which he has delighted our
eyes and our minds; hence, our friendship for him
has sunk into our hearts like a perfumed shower,
and our bosoms preciously harbor it.
We shall in vain attempt to raise our praises to
the height of his merit; we must lower our brows
"NSUITE, HILLUSIONNISTE CHARQEA UN Fu-
'5/L ETLETENDIT'A L'UN DBS CHEFS.
TfSJEZ I VOS &ALLES
KJ'ONT AOCUN W
before him and pay him homage, so long as the
benevolent rain nourishes the soil, so long as the
moon illuminates the night, so long as the clouds
come to temper the heat of the sun.
Written by the slave of God,
ALI-BEN-EL-HADJI MougA
Pardon us for presenting thee with so little,
[etc.].
After this ceremony, the artist and his
spouse were supposed to leave Algiers for
Marseilles, where they had been awaited for
over a month. The performances before the
Arab leaders had fulfilled Robert-Houdin's
agreement with the military authority and
had been entirely successful thanks to the
^AR UH TOUR DEMA1N, KO&ERT-HOUDIN
/ AVAIT SUBSTITUE UNE POUDRE INOFFENSI-
VE AUX MRAIES SAILED Qu'lL AVAITPI5S/MUIEES

strength of the repertoire composed specially
for these circumstances. However, instead of
returning to France. Robert-Houdin had to
prepare for a second assignment that, al-
though as peaceful as the first, might include
real danger. He had to travel into Algeria to
visit Arabs among their tribes and give a sam-
ple of his talent as the "French marabout,"
under conditions much more difficult than
those of the theater. This "tour" in the desert,
whose length was to be three or four days,
lasted nearly two weeks. [15]
The military authorities had suggested this
unplanned journey after Marshall Randon had
\UANDLA FUMES S'ECLAIRCIT.,,
KEGyM?DEZ I SA\ ATTRA-
PE AH VOL LES &ALLES
QUE VO/JSAA'/WEZ LANCEES.
51
ACT IV
received comments of certain Arab leaders as
to the effects produced by Robert-Houdins
performances. One of the fiercest warriors
had confided his feeling to one of the main
leaders of Algeria:
Instead of having your soldiers killed to subju-
gate the Kabyles, send your French marabout to
the worst rebels and in less than two weeks, he
will bring them all back here.
It must be stated that very little is known
about what happened during the twelve days
spent in the desert. Robert-Houdin's mem-
oirs extensively discuss the tricks of Arab
fakirs, the Alssaoua, the beauty of horse
\LORS, UN ENFANTMONTA SUR LA SCENE.
IL FUT PLACE SUR UNE TABLE.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

JULES GERARD
IX Tit EUR !>E LIONS

Illustration 69 - Jules Gerard, "the lion-killer."

52

races, and the receptions in Algiers, but
aside from the anecdote we reproduce at the
end of this chapter, the author proves very
discreet about large and small events during
the trip into the heart of the country, whose
only perils he evokes are the effects of spicy
Algerian cuisine on his stomach. This is per-
haps true but I have my own reasons for
doubting it. The author's voluntary discre-
tion may be paralleled with the goal of
French propaganda to promote the attrac-
tiveness of the new colony and to minimize
its dangers. France needed teachers, mer-
chants, and colonists and no publication
?Er-HOUD/N LB COUVRITD'UN
GRAND CONE.
ACT IV
would be allowed to deter them from mov-
ing to the African continent. The narrative of
the conjurer's Algerian saga obviously takes
this demand into account and the author ful-
fills the duty of discretion forced upon him
by this peace mission.
The military authority's satisfaction was
expressed by a famous officer of the Second
Empire, General Devaux [who met Robert-
Houdin in Algeria and remained his friend]
during discussions with J. Joseph-Renaud,
Vice President of the Societe des Gens de
Lettres. The author wrote:
UANP 1L LENLEVA..,
ROBERT-HOUDIN
I can still hear him telling me: "Son, the two men
who did the most for the pacification of Algeria were
Jules Gerard, the famous lion-killer, and especially the
incomparable Robert-Houdin." [u]
J. Joseph-Renaud adds the following, which
entirely confirms the obligation for discretion
that Robert-Houdin upheld in his writings;
I have found out from General Devaux that
after having performed in Algiers, Robert-Houdin
made a lengthy tour in the interior of Algeria, not
without risk, from village to village in poorly con-
trolled regions, and astonished the indigenous
people, who then disdained their own wizards. His
memoirs - the edition that I have - do not mention
this tour.
DE PANIQUE DEVANT IE POUVOIR
DU FRANfiAlS, LES SPECTATEURS
5'ENFUIRENT DU THEATRE.
llS BT VRAIMENr
PLUS FORT QUE HOS
SOgCgS'
54
During this specially requested tour, an
Arab chief named Bou-Allem received Robert-
Houdin. The artist demonstrated his talent be-
fore important people from the village. A
marabout showing true hostility toward the
conjurer was present. In order to soften this
"colleague," but also to prove to the public
that his power was superior, Robert-Houdin.
putting the Algerian sorcerer at a disadvan-
tage, performed some tricks where manipula-
tion was the key. The sorcerer, obviously em-
barrassed, did not wait to ask for his revenge:
The Marabout frowned without saying a word,
and I saw he was spelling over some evil design.
Q Lf= \JOIR.
AXEPTE CB DOCUMENT^ SOf?-
CIER- CE<3T UN HOMMAGBA
TON POUVOif

"I now believe in your supernatural power," he
said. "You are a real sorcerer; hence, I hope you
will not fear to repeat here a trick you performed
in your theatre."
And offering me two pistols he held concealed
beneath his burnoose, he added,
"Gome, choose one of these pistols; we will
load it, and I will fire at you. You have nothing to
fear, as you can ward off all blows."
I confess I was for a moment staggered; I
sought a subterfuge and found none. All eyes were
fixed upon me, and a reply was anxiously awaited.
The Marabout was triumphant.
Bou-Allem, being aware that my tricks were
only the result of skill, was angry that his guest
should be so pestered; hence he began reproach-
DOBERT-HOUDIN EXPUQUA A CEUX-CIQUE
f t SON, P0UVO1R MAGtQUE N'ETAIT DU
QU'A DESASTUCES FACILEMENf
CHANGE UN BATON
|_E POLJVOK? DE VOS SQPCIERS
LE MEME : 116 VOLJS TROMPENT .'
ACT IV
ing the Marabout. I stopped him, however, for an
idea had occurred to me, which would save me
from my dilemma, at least temporarily; then, ad-
dressing my adversary:
"You are aware," I said, with assurance, "that
I require a talisman in order to be invulnerable,
and, unfortunately, I have left mine at Algiers."
The Marabout began laughing with an incred-
ulous air.
"Still," I continued, "I can, by remaining six
hours at prayers, do without the talisman, and
defy your weapon. Tomorrow morning, at eight
o'clock, I will allow you to fire at me in the pres-
ence of these Arabs, who were witnesses of your
challenge."
Bou-Allem, astonished at such a promise,
'SUITE IL VOVAbEA LMNS LINTER!EDf<? UU HAY5~
'POUR VOIR D'AUTRES TRfSUS ET' LEUR'EXPUQUE&i
'lEPOUVO/R DBS SORC/ERS.
VpUS TCOUVEREZ LE
&ATON DANS 5A MANCHE
EN SBJPENT I ET AU9SI LE PETIT SAC
OU ILAVAiT/MIS LE
6EEPENT '
ROBERT-HOUDIN

LIFE AKD ADVENTURES OF

HOUDIN, THE

CONJUROR.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF AND TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

B"5T BEABD.

Excelsior Publishing House,

&31 Beekman Street, TSTew Yorlt, 3ST. "V.

Illustration 76 - Cover of Life and Adventures of Robert-Houdin, the Conjuror fop cil)

56
 ACT IV

asked me once again if this offer were serious, in the blood, and, raising it to his mouth, con-
and if he should invite the company for the ap- vinced himself of the reality. When he acquired
pointed hour. On my affirmative, they agreed to this certainty, his arms fell, and his head was
meet before the stone bench I have already al- bowed on his chest, as if he were annihilated.
luded to. It was evident that for the moment he doubted
I did not spend my night at prayers, as may be
supposed, but I employed about two hours in en-
suring my invulnerability; then, satisfied with the ME H4RME DES SORClERSF(JT
result, I slept soundly, for I was terribly tired. U
ROMPU RO8ERT: :HOUDINCEN-
By eight the next morning we had breakfasted,
our horses were saddled, and our escort was await- TRA EN FRANCE OU IL MECUT
ing the signal for our departure, which would take JUSQU'A UNAGEAVANCE.PEJJ
place after the famous experiment. AVANT GA MORT, EN 1671, IL
None of the guests were absent, and, indeed, a ECRIVAIT A UN'AMI.-
great number of Arabs came in to swell the crowd.
The pistols were handed me; I called attention
to the fact that the vents were clear, and the
Marabout put in a fair charge of powder and drove
the wad home. Among the bullets produced, I
chose one which I openly put in the pistol, and
which was then also covered with paper.
The Arab watched all these movements, for his
honor was at stake.
We went through the same process with the
second pistol and the solemn moment arrived.
Solemn, indeed, it seemed to everybody - to the
spectators who were uncertain of the issue, to
Madame Houdin, who had in vain besought me to give
up this trick, for she feared the result - and solemn
also to me, for as my new trick did not depend on any
of the arrangements made at Algiers, I feared an error,
an act of treachery - I knew not what.
Still I posted myself at fifteen paces from the
sheik, without evincing the slightest emotion.
The Marabout immediately seized one of the
pistols, and, on my giving the signal, took a delib-
erate aim at me. The pistol went off, and the ball
appeared between my teeth.
Angrier than ever, my rival tried to seize the other
pistol, but I succeeded in reaching it before him.
"You could not injure me," I said to him, "but
you shall now see that my aim is more dangerous
than yours. Look at that wall."
I pulled the trigger, and on the newly white-
washed wall appeared a large patch of blood, ex-
actly at the spot where I had aimed.
The Marabout went up to it, dipped his finger

57
ROBFRf-HOUDIN

Illustration 78 Robert-Houdin's pair of pistols, (chateau de la Ville de Blolsj

everything, even the Prophet. Algiers on November 18, 1856 after having said
The spectators raised their eyes to heaven, goodbye to the capital's civil and military au-
muttered prayers, and regarded me with a species thorities. The conjurer gave new proof of gen-
of terror. erosity and civic duty by refusing to accept the
This scene was a triumphant termination to my sum that had been agreed upon to cover his ex-
performance. I therefore retired, leaving the audi- penses and the amount of his two performances
ence under the impression I had produced. We
given before the Arab leaders. He asked that
took leave of Bou-Allem and his son, and set off at
these ten thousand francs be donated to differ-
a gallop. [17]
ent charities for invalids of the war. The artist
Robert-Houdin and his wife finally left believed that he had been paid enough by the
 ACT IV

x :
' ^

fife* i

-
. K. _ * .

Illustration 79 - T h e Alexandre. (Municipal archives, of Marseilles)

profitable performances given in the theater in lived on in the thoughts of generations of

Algiers. Colonel Pallu du Pare, head of the navy
- nephew of the prelate from Blois and a friend
of Robert-Houdin - and Colonel De Neveu ac-
companied this generous and courageous cou-
ple on the Alexandre and did not leave them
"until the first sounds of the machine began to
shake the steamer..."
The memory of Robert-Houdin's assignment
Algerians and at his one hundredth anniver-
sary celebration in December 1905, the follow-
ing sentence could be read, taken from an
homage to him in Algiers's daily paper, Les
Nouvelles:
He has remained in the grateful memory of the
Algerians as an extraordinary man who spared
France much bloodshed and moved colonization
forward twenty vears...

59
ROBtR'I-HOUDIN

Illustration 80 Robert-Houdin.
 ACT IV

Goodbye to the Stage in Marseilles

On November 27 the Alexandre finally appearance of his partner in a vase, from which
docked in Marseilles after a nine-day crossing he literally had to extract her. Critics therefore
on a turbulent sea, a dangerous and tiring voy- wrote this cruel sentence:
age that required four stops in various harbors, Neither M. Rovere's lovely madrigals nor the
[is] Robert-Houdin and his wife feared they number of candles, nor the dazzle of his decor
would be unable to return to this city in time nor the elegance of his tools suffice for him to de-
and had left the boat, which was docked on the serve the title of artist.
coast of Spain in Rosas, in order to return to The second performance took place more
France by crossing the Pyrenees in a horse- quietly before an equally small audience, but
drawn carriage. This itinerary was just as dan- the charm was, alas, ruined. After Jules de
gerous in horrible weather conditions. Rovere, the inhabitants of Marseilles in 1843
Respecting the promise made during his first
journey to Marseilles, the conjurer agreed with
the managers to give two performances at the
Grand Theatre that were set for Thursday,
December 4 and Saturday, December 6. The
small number of performances was due to his
late return from Algeria and because the theater
was at the time occupied by lyric shows that
could not be easily moved. The artist also did
not want to prolong his stay by several weeks
by performing alternatively with the other
troupe. The exceptional capacity of the theater,
which contained 1800 seated places and a few
hundred standing ones, would suffice to content
his admirers.
Only one magician, or should we say con-
jurer, had shown the courage to perform in this
huge, luxurious "boat" before Robert-Houdin
did so: Jules de Rovere. [19] He debuted on
November 2, 1819 and almost did not give a
second performance because his show was dis-
rupted by several incidents. The sparse public,
too far from the stage, could not see his tricks
and he had a most difficult time completing the
Illustrations 81, 84, 85. and 8" - Engravings used by Robert-
Houdin on his bills and on the cover of French edi-
tions of his works.

61
ROBLRl-HOUDIN

MARSEILLE. L'Opera Municipal. LL. 3KLCTA

&

ggggggiggg aaijSjZSSSSgg

Illustrations 82 and 83 - Le Grand Theatre or municipal opera house of Marseilles.

Fafade and seating chart of Le Grand Theatre of Marseilles, where Robert-Houdin made his adieus - or so he thought - to the
Stage and the French public, municipal archives of Marseilles)
 ACT IV

applauded the Polish Linsky. who performed published in La Gazette du Midi, Le Sema-
in a small room in the Allee des Capucines phore, Le Phoceen, Le Courrier de Marseilles,
across from the Conservatory. He also per- and Le Nouvelliste:
formed in the new theater in the Rue Saint- The famous conjurer Robert-Houdin has just
Ferreol where, in 1844, the lovely and tal- arrived in our city, back from his journey to
ented Benita Anguinet had a huge success. Africa, where he went to perform for the brilliant
Other performers included Valentin Berzinsky, celebrations in the Algerian capital, upon invita-
a masked lady named Miss Dauphin, and, at tion by the government. Before leaving for Paris,
M. Robert-Houdin will give two performances next
the Foire Saint-Lazare, Aldo. "first conjurer of
Thursday and Saturday at the Grand Theatre. We
the Grand Duke of Tuscany." as well as Le cannot exhort lovers of the fantastic enough to at-
Theatre Mecanique of the late M. Pierre. In tend these performances, which will be highly ex-
1846 Robin set up his Palais Enchante in citing...
the old theater of the Rue du Pavilion where
he presented his automata: a Harlequin, a
Savage, and a Cosack. Philippe was one artist The famous conjurer Robert-Houdin has ar-
who had overwhelming success in Marseilles, rived in Marseilles. He will give a certain number
arriving in July 1848 with a program of forty- of performances at the Grand Theatre. Two are
four feats of skill and mechanics. He distrib-
uted candy and bouquets for the ladies, and
had a raffle of porcelain and crystal objects
with pompous names that unleashed public
hilarity. Philippe announced "A steam ma-
chine in full activity" and offered the specta-
tors "a lit pipe." or. as the Works of Racine
[Meaning both "root" and the famous play-
wright] he gave away a "bunch of carrots or
turnips." Philippe stayed in town for the en-
tire Foire Saint-Lazare in September and fi-
nally set up in the Boisselots room with au-
tomata and a Polyorama. Marseilles had
already had a club for conjuring amateurs for
several years. These impassioned aficionados
met regularly at the optician Barbier's in the
Rue d'Orleans. [20]
Marseilles was therefore a city that particu-
larly appreciated the magic art [21] and was
preparing to welcome Robert-Houdin. newly
crowned with the success of his peace mission
in Algeria. Local newspapers had heartily
echoed this voyage and some gave him a title
for which the conjurer had never asked, that of
"Conjurer of His Majesty, Emperor of the
French." Here are a few of the advertisements

63
ROBERT-HOUDIN
scheduled for Thursday and Saturday of this
week. We hope that they will be followed by a few
others...
Le ec'.ebre prestidigilsteur Robert Homlin est ar-
rive a Marseille; i! y donnera un ceilain tiombre do
rcpresenlatioas aa Grr.nd-Thealre. Deux sortt assurees
pour jeudi et samedi de celle semaine. On eipero qu'el-
les seront SUITIM de quelques autres.
Pour la chronigue locale: J . CMTVUHE.
Illustration 86 Press release for Robert-Houdin's perfor-
m a n c e s i n M a r s e i l l e s . CBlbliotbSqm Satnt-Cbarles In Marseilles)
...It is confirmed that this evening M. Robert-
Houdin will perform the first of his interesting
conjuring seances at the Grand Theatre, among
which the most curious experiments will take
place. The public of Marseilles will not miss this
famous conjurer and the Beauveau Theater will be
quickly filled...
mances with great fervor. Perhaps never be-
64
...Last night M. Robert-IIoudin obtained huge
success at the Grand Theatre, which lets us hope
that the theater will be too small to hold the
spectators who will want to attend his second and
last performance. We would need too much space
to describe the numerous and varied tricks that
evoke the public's awe and admiration.
M. Robert-Houdin, who promises new tricks for
tomorrow, has surpassed Bosco himself...
...This evening second and last performance at
the Grand Theatre of the famous conjurer
Robert-IIoudin who dazzled the public in the
Thursday performance such that many will regret
that his second performance is irrevocably the
last...
Robert-Houdin gave these two perfor-

fore had he put more of his heart and given
more of himself to an audience because these
performances were to mark the definitive
goodbyes to his artistic career.
On December 6, around eleven o'clock
in the evening after a long series of curtain
calls, the curtain fell for the last time. The
Mysterious Orange Tree, The Aerial Clock, The
Crystal Balls, The Birth of Flowers, The
Sympathetic Turtledoves, The Inexhaustible
Bottle, etc. that had participated in this final
performance were quickly packed away by
the stage manager. The stage was dismantled,
as well as the consoles, tables, and gueridons,
and when the artist - whom officials, person-
alities, and enlightened amateurs of the city
had invited to a vin d'honneur in the theater
lobby - returned to the stage, each element of
65
ACT IV
Soirees Fantastiques had already been packed
into its own crate. [22] Robert-Houdin, very
moved, thanked the staff, gave tips to the
stagehands and, with his spouse at his side,
quickly took leave to hide his emotion. The
conjurer left Marseilles to return to Paris and
was back in Saint-Gervais for the year-end cel-
ebrations:
I was, indeed, famously recompensed for
the fatigues and dangers of my journey; for the
Marseillais displayed towards me such unex-
ampled kindness, that these last performances
will ever remain on my mind as those in which
I received the greatest applause. I could not
take my leave of the public in a more solemn
way--- [23]
ROBtRT-HOUDIN

Illustration 88 - Robert-Houditi by Disderi.

 ACT IV

The Writing of Confidences d'un Prestidigitateur

Although several artists have written their by the writing of his memoirs. It is difficult to
memoirs, few can be proud of having touched be certain when Robert-Houdin had the idea of
more readers through their literary works than this work and when he began its writing, but
spectators during their artistic careers. This was we can reasonably believe that the project had
nonetheless the case of Robert-Houdin, whose been developing over se\eral years because
memoirs. Confidences d'un prestidigitateur sparse notes, summaries of little amusing,
(Memoirs of Robert-Houdin), have been pub- tragic, or funny events have survived and show
lished and republished to this day and con- his habit of writing down certain incidents of
tributed to a glory that was universal during his his professional life since the early days of his
lifetime. His scientific aspirations, his health, arrival in Paris. [24] The following has never
and the future of his children made him decide been published:
to say goodbye to the stage, but he could not Theater Emotions
abandon his public with a light heart, and his ul- In preparing one of my performances at Palais-
timate trick was to infinitely multiply his admir- Royal, I realize I have no powder to load my stage
ers by transforming them into readers. His pistols; the public is entering at this very mo-
Memoirs, whose exemplary nature we have em- ment. I send my servant to fetch a kilogram,
phasized, were recommended to adolescents which he returns with a moment later. I try to
and acquired true public recognition when they open the package, and thinking that the case is
made of lead, I take a file [illegible word] from
were chosen as a prize for deserving students in
high schools and junior-high schools. A sweet
revenge for one who had probably never grad-
uated.
Just as he could not let go of the public,
Robert-Houdin could not stay aw ay from the
stage. He therefore designed his Priory as a new
theater in keeping with his former ambitions.
His new "theater" would have only a few simi-
larities with Soirees Fantastiques and the magic
would only be alluded to as decoration: his
house and grounds would be entirely dedicated
to research and progress. The coming decade
would be consecrated to these and many other
things during which the art of illusion, science,
and literature would harmoniously In e together.
The years 1857-58 were devoted to the pur-
suit of important work on The Priory, complex Illustrations 89 and 91 - "Theater Emotions."
constructions to which we will later return, and Handwritten anecdote by Robert-Houdin

67
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 90 - Title page of the manuscript of Confidences d'un prestidigitateur by Robert-Houdin.
W / > "'>* '*** Jx't"l^*'*JI '-? /'
my workbench to rub off an edge to make an
opening; I have a difficult time because the case is
harder than I imagined, and I continue to file dis-
f* *-dis.AA <*? .</*-Ws
tractedly until suddenly a frightening thought
crosses my mind; I stop and touch the part where
I was filing; it feels so hot it burns the tip of my
finger. My blood runs cold; I stop breathing or
moving; I try to hold on but my strength fails; I
feel that I am fainting; I am losing conscious-
ness...
Perhaps one more stroke of the file and what a
: / / "
disaster, both for myself and my spectators.
Upon his return from Marseilles, Robert-
Houdin probably considered that the success of
his Algerian journey provided a good literary
conclusion to an already full career, and so he
started (or resumed?) writing.
6s i
 ACT IV

We must not think that the author's days of this edition was sold, so it seems, exclu-
were spent like those of a more classic writer sively and only for a few weeks in bookstores
for whom writing is the only obligation. of Robert-Houdin's native town. Only a few
Robert-Houdin's schedule was dictated by dozen copies were printed and had no other
the rigors or the clemency of the climate. He purpose than to serve as the author's visiting
dedicated his evenings and rainy or cold days card for publishers who would distribute
to his literary work, whenever he could not these volumes all over the world.
dedicate himself to his host of daily occupa-
tions. Robert-Houdin was faithful to the path
The first announcement of the upcoming
he had always traced for himself: the under-
sale of the artist's memoirs was published on
taking of several activities at a time, whose
the first page on four columns and replaced a
complementarity does not at first seem obvi-
regular series in issue No. 97 of the Journal de
ous but which in fact reach towards the same
Loir-et-Cher, Sunday November 28, 1858:
goal.
The study of manuscripts of his work is Confidences d'un prestidigitateur by Robert-
particularly interesting. Each page, 6 by 8 Houdin
inches, is covered with large handwriting Our readers will be grateful that we offer them
with very few corrections, free from spelling the first edition of a work almost exclusive to
or grammatical errors. Some chapters were Blois. It is "Confidences d'un prestidigitateur"
(I) which are none other than the memoirs of
written in several versions, which differ more
our famous compatriot M. Robert-Houdin. The
in form than content. As soon as Robert-
artist-writer authorizes us to publish here one of
Houdin finished a chapter, he would go to
the numerous anecdotes of his book, whose lit-
Blois to see a certain M. Reber, [25] a former erary value we will discuss later. It is about a
junior-high school teacher, who corrected his ventriloquism performance by M. Comte. To sit-
work. Their work sessions rarely exceeded uate it, we will preface it with a few of this skill-
one hour. In consulting the manuscripts of ful artist's acts [...]
these different works, one clearly sees what
type of corrections M. Reber made in the au-
thor's work. He sometimes had a tendency to
construct long sentences that his kindly cen-
sor quickly broke up or shortened. Robert-
Houdin then brought his corrected pages to
his friend the printer Lecesne, [26] who for-
matted it and delivered the proofs. In this
way he continued the writing, correction, and
printing of his memoirs at the same time. The
artist felt the need to control everything from
beginning to end of the chain of creation and
fabrication and when the first and rare Blois
edition of Confidences d'un prestidigitateur
was published during the winter of 1858 [27] in
two volumes, he was simultaneously the au- Illustration 92 - Robert-Houdin's inkwell.
thor and the publisher. The original printing (Chateau de la \ tile de Blois)

69
ROBERi-HOUDIN

CONFIDENCES
PRESTIDIGITATOR

ROBEUT-IIOUDIN
f\ -rfajtv*--' flu* aM*rd>. UA^ -<U.
UNE VIE D'ARTISTE

a-$/^ Vo nation Lutlea T r a s uceis

T! c-Stra ct Freslil lt* on
Igerie S t a n c e s deva it lo AT ben
Di L. Ex c? oxpHqu^es p r d e 3 Gr VUFBS

BLOIS
LECESXE, 1JIPRIMEUB - EDITEUR
y^yt

CONFIDENCES
^

PRESTIDIG1TATEUR

ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 93 - Autographed letter by Robert-Houdin.
UNE VIE D'ARTISTE
Letter with Robert-Houdins quatrain, which accompanies
the profiles of the artist and his wife that were chiseled by
Vocatio Lutle Travaux Sueci3
Dantan (See pages 117 and 305). 1 tre et P r stidigitation
Senm levant lea Ar faea
II i cour dp Hiracles

Illustrations 94 and 95 - Title pages of the two volumes of

the original edition of Confidences d'un prestidigita-
teur by Robert-Houdin, Blois, Lecesne, 1858. BLOIS
LECESNE, IMPRIMEUR - EDITEUR
Rare volumes of the original 1858 edition of Robert- 17, BC8 DU POJOS-DU-KOI, 17
Houdin's memoirs, of which there are only four complete
copies in private collections. The title pages reprinted here
are those of Robert-Houdin's personal copy.

70
 ACT IV

(I) Confidences d'un prestidigitateur by Robert-

Houdin, 2 volumes in 8 decorated with 15 wood en-
gravings.
On sale from December 10"1 to 15th.
Advance orders possible from all
bookstores in Blois.
The second article was published in the
Journal de Loir-et-Cher, no. 101, Sunday,
December 12, 1858 on page 3 in the last three
columns and reprints the table of contents of
both volumes:
CONFIDENCES
Confidences d'un prestidigitateur by M. Robert-
Houdin D'UN

2 volumes in 8 with illustrations

Sold in all bookstores in Blois
19 F
P RESTIDIGITATEUR
Today we announce the sale of an eagerly awaited
work. The passage that we reprinted in one of our last Illustration 96 - The original 1858 edition of Confidences
columns, while stirring the curiosity of our readers, signed by Robert-Houdin to his friend the banker
allowed them to judge the author's simple and easy Jacques Mathieu.
style. A succinct analysis of subjects treated could
better give an idea than we could of the interest of
reading this work. It is enough to read the table of
contents of each chapter.
Volume I Volume II
Chapter 1 - A watchmaker Chapter 1
conjuring away a bellows... New studies...
The first review of the work was published
in the column ''Chronique locale' on page 2,
third column of the Journal de Loir-et-Cher, no.
105, Saturday, December 18, 1858:
M. Robert-IIoudin has just offered a copy of his
Confidences to the Communal Library of Blois, his
native town: the people who frequent this establish-
ment will be grateful for the gift. CONFIDENCES
This amusing and instructive book seems defi-
nitely bound for success. Our skillful compatriot,
used to the public's approval through his career as
an artist, will now win it again as a writer. His
modesty resists this new title; but his excuses can- PRESTIDIGITATEUR
not be believed after having read this work. The
pleasantness of the form is equal to the interest of Illustration 9 Parisian edition of 1859 of Confidences
the narrative and the stimulating curiosity of each signed by Robert-Houdin to the conjurer Brunnet.
episode. His travels particularly depict a variety of

71
ROBERT-HOUDIN

incidents with verve and enthusiasm. We do not

CONFIDENCES tire of following the interesting narrator in his far-
D'UN
off excursions. Once the reader has experienced
his vivid imagination, jovial humor, and open na-
PRESTIDIGITATEUR
ture, he does not want to let him go until the end
of his adventures. In this way, we understand how
ROBERT-HOUDIN the resources of his mind captivated, in France
and Algeria, the brilliant approval and wild ap-
plause of the bedazzled crowd. We predict the
UNE VIE D'ARTISTE same popularity for his memoirs; in fact, we con-
sider it a fait accompli, thanks to the eager wel-
Theatre ct Prestidigitation
come they have already received from the author's
Alg-rio - Seancea devanl Us Arabea
numerous friends.
G.

TOME I
The following month, the Journal de Loir-
et-Cher, no. 8, Thursday, January 27, 1859 an-
PARIS nounced the release by a Parisian publisher
L I B R A I I U E N O U V E L L E of Robert-Houdin's memoirs and reproduced
1* Bouleurd des IU]ien< 14
the city's first review of the work:
18 5 9

Lt Iraiartinn et la reproduction aunt n ^ Confidences d'un Prestidigitateur by our

compatriot M. Robert-Houdin and of which
Blois recently received the first editions, has
just been published in Paris, where it was wel-
CONFIDENCES comed with decided favor. Here are the terms in
B'Ofl
which LA PATRIE announces the sale of this
PRESTIDIGITATEUR work at the Librarie Nouvelle, 15, Bd. des
Italiens:

ROBERT-HOUDIN In two or three days the Librairie Nouvelle will

offer one of the most amusing books printed in a
long time: these are Confidences d'un Prestidigi-
UNE VIE D'ARTISTE
tateur by Robert-Houdin.
The famous artist, having today become a man
Vocation Lullea T r a t n i a Succi of letters and a scientist, is now undertaking sci-
Th<5airo et Proalid.EitatiOn
Algeria S6ancc devHnl lea Arabea
tin oouru de Miracles
entific research and in particular very serious
studies on electricity. In his moments of leisure,
he has written these two volumes which are the
TOME II
memoirs of his laborious life; he tells the struggle
of his youth against the opposition of his family
PARIS
and against poverty, his work as a mechanician,
L I B R A I R I E N O U V E L L E
his success as a conjurer, and his recent mission
to Algeria, which is the strangest episode of his
U Boulevaril des Italien?, 14
strange existence. In writing this book, dedicated
1859 to his children, M. Robert-Houdin, who has
L* traJuctrnn et !a reprcHJapticD aunt tes:rrfi
known all moral sufferings, and only achieved
Illustrations 98 and 99 - Title pages of the two volumes of reputation and fortune after the most trying situ-
the 1859 Parisian edition of Confidences. ations, has shown his readers that courage, pa-

72

Illustration 100 - La Librairie Nouvelle. This rare engraving is also reprinted in Jean-Yves Mollier's remarkable ork Michel & Calmann Levy
ou la nalssance de I'e'dition moderne 1836-1891, Calmann Levy 1984.
tience, and perseverance prevail in the long
term. This book is amusing, as I stated earlier,
and I add that it is moral and instructive.
This second edition (or first Parisian edition)
of Confidences d'un prestidigitateur was there-
fore published at the beginning of 1859 by La
Librairie Nouvelle. It was followed by the
English edition, in two volumes, published in
London by Chapman and Hall in the beginning
of July, and in November by the American,
one-volume edition of Geo G. Evans. It was
followed in I860 and 186l by the Dutch two-
volume edition.
The author chose the Parisian publisher
Bourdilliat to distribute his memoirs. La
73
ACT IV
Librairie Nouvelle had its offices at 14,
Boulevard des Italiens, a short distance from
Soirees Fantastiques. Its spectacular store was
then housed in no. 15 of the same boulevard,
between Rue Gramond, La Maison d'Or, and the
famous ice-cream maker Tortoni, across the
street from Hamilton's new theater. Founded in
1851 by the bookseller Jaccottet and Achille
Bourdilliat, former manager of Victor Hugo's
newspaper L'Evenement, La Librairie Nouvelle
had great editorial successes with the works of
Dumas, Balzac, Du Camp, Champfleury,
Labiche, Meilhac, and Halevy (Offenbach's fa-
mous librettists), Ourliac, George Sand, and
Dr. Veron. It played an important part in the
ROBERT-HOUDIN
capital's book market. This list, representing
some of the most prestigious authors of the
time, shows that Robert-Houdin was easily ac-
cepted into the highest levels of literature on
his very first attempt. The agreements between
Bourdilliat and Robert-Houdin resembled com-
mercial agreements between an author and
publisher and distributor. Indeed, it is important
to know that during his lifetime the artist never
gave up his rights to a publisher, preferring to
deal with one or two editions for a number of
copies agreed upon in advance and for a sum
of money paid at the signing of the contracts.
Although Bourdilliat negotiated the first transla-
tions in foreign languages of Confidences d'un
prestidigitateur, Robert-Houdin personally took
care of the negotiations for the majority of his
other works. The author in this way maintained
control of the ownership of his literary work, so
that he could freely transmit all rights to his
heirs, at least those of the French editions.
As his correspondence lets us assume, the
conjurer had affection for and a friendship
with Bourdilliat - as he proved later in the
most generous manner - but his background
role somewhat bothered him. In the eyes of a
workaholic such as Robert-Houdin, everyone
seemed too slow because no one could keep
up with him. In this case, again, the future
proved him to be correct.
Saint-Gervais near Blois, April 17, 1859
My dear publisher!
Each day I cast avid glances at the lines of the
Constitutionnel in the hopes of reading a health
certificate of my firstborn, my dear child (author's
style); but like sister Anne, I see nothing coming.
Please think of the prediction you made about
my work; it is almost an engagement made by
yourself to sell the entire edition in the year 1859.
Yes, in the year; or if not, although we are good
friends, we will be angry with each other to the
end, do you understand? And I will be very upset
about it because I am very happy with your friend-
ship and I beg you to accept, as I do today, my
most affectionate sentiments.
74
"Famthtu tit thtir Mouths as HOUSEHOLD JrO/JD.?."SiumsruK.
H0USEH0LD~~W0RDS.
A "WEEKLY JOURNAL.
CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS.
SU'UKDVY, Al'IUL 0, 1859.
OUr-CONJUKING C0NJUR011
th
A HOOK enttitled "The Confidence
FresUJigitanan An Artist's Life," K
t Dues
vritttu realitv? Cannot tlia perforninnow
if other iliiya be continued uvlar a different
great in an art without feeling a love nnd form whun tlie clock strikes eiyht, wit1.: i-
a vocation for it? Hardly, for the words
Love and Vocation are only synonyms foi
Industry. Robert-Ho urim, the Ex-Qmck-
bonk for the the.itio and a reader for the
blic 7 fheuleiwM seductive, ao seduc-
in fact, tli.it we are now m possession of
f. ~r.rer, who h-ia abdicated in fivoui of
his Uother in law Hamilton, his just fur-
nished us with a positive proof that tiie
ple of voluTilea dump fi'or.i tlio press,
what high in piae, but hi from low in
... est, in which we aio informed what a
pission, nnd the vocation, mid the COIISE Kurd stiug^le it coits to cstablfah ,<,reputation
(juent toil, linve been in his case thenewasar
piccuraora of artistic aucuesa From hi
b
the orl.l the
rmlient labour j that the tret from which the
nious appaintue. and by ti
n ofNB'.^rosordnittry powers,
lmoit obliged to invent anil
enchanter's wniid is culled is nu other " .'r,;y by himself alone,
oUitmate pe; severing work, bedewed irder to keep (heir se
nourished for years by the sweat of ths stated, by the wny, that Robsrt la
..
1 chr
Llioujjh.l
- lift
,t from his earliest yenra , miii appended her nams to hia own, a IB tha
ope, hia amusing existence is fashion svith Frenchmen, to ihsliugoiah hira-
1
il for a self from other it a & mm Kolwrt , exnotly as
i to continue to be a Scot din i,i fcrasor or a Campbelldda
uliltlie termof Ina the name of hia hie pi ice to hia hie patronymic,
eurthly career fihulUrrive Still in hia brain order to avoid con<. sion witli 1
worka the accustomed stnriy of dexterous other flomiihlrg Campbells and Fraiei-s.
efFecta , still in tin fingers burn their wonted This conjoint anrname wu alWrwaids lflgnl-
fires There, vemote from the capital, m a isscl, l>y decision of the Council of State, to
quiet hamlet, at that mysterious hom when be Vnttan currently and entire, linked to-
the clock strikes eight, his pulse quickens, g*ther by a hyphen, in one stroke of thep-n ;
hie temples W t , he can scarcely brenthe, he so that, cuvioualy einugh, tho socond and tha
fels a wmitof air ind inovo:ac:-.t, qncj'-.o.s isignmg Mail-itno Itiliait-tinudin has anc-
put to him remain unanswered Eight ceede'l to her predMoMOr1* niuideu imnis
o'clock was the time when his performances This being cxpliiineil, the rcidei rosy now
ami; when, peepW thrnuoh ths be in formed Hint liobcrt the eldor WM II
eiger
ml' hole
g ouuoaity,
" "
ity, rejoiced
y, hee rejoicfd
j t m r lp
in Ins linr
Wiitehmiiktr, rtaidniir m tlfosol,!!: >(:>! HI tow.
audiauce flocking in , when, proud of then of JJloii, and tu.compliahed ir
iplimn rts. Hi
ralkiiiJieJ
oi, perhaps, overcloiuled ..l.lyau^morftlog
po|)iilanty , oi, perhaps,
piiiiing doubt, t he
he felt
f l t an anxious uneasiness
lest some Whi bubble o! tnekeiy should oi' a
fnlJeweUoi'Tlio.
i brokeo atntiic
Tlio n, tlieieforo (bom
burst in Lhe blowing But the supreme in eighteen Imiuliel dud IivO, learnt to
moment of tinkling the bell, when the wi^i-d run alone m the mulst of 'ill sorts of pro-
ivoull stand IILO to face with his admiiing
judges, biought with it calm nnd seli-
lal tools, which l>^a::.o Ina moa: li; ; ' iv
i.. .1 ..i _..*!... ^^ ] [e I I " ~ 1 L ' -i-"~^ *T___ .
possi
pftwesf
ii to the llaiblj acquire! U
il wtth
a '.he
Illustration 101 - No. 472 of Household Words by Charles
Dickens concerning Robert-Houdin's memoirs.
Your devoted
Robert-Houdin
I dare not talk to you anymore about Le Monde
Illustre.
A very promising e\ ent was the first and very
laudatory English review of Confidences d'un
prestidigitateur written by Charles Dickens in his
review Household Words of April 9, 1859. At this
date, the memoirs had not yet been published in
London and only for a short while in Paris. |>] It
was Robert-Houdin - whose meetings with
Charles Dickens we have already mentioned -
who sent a copy of his memoirs to the famous
novelist (and enlightened magic enthusiast),
whose brilliant account reassured the Chapman
and Hall publishing company about its plans
concerning this work, which it published in
English three months later.
 ACT IV

MEMOIRS MEMOIRS

ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN

AMBASSADOR, AUTHOK AND COKJIIKOK AMBASSADOR, AUTHOR, A1SD CONJUROR

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

COPYRIGHT EDITION. COPYRIGHT EDITION.

IN TWO VOLUMES - V O L 1 IN TWO VOLUMES.-VOI. II

LONDON LONDON

CHAPMAN A X D H A I L 193, PICCADILLY. CHAPMAN A X D H A L L 193, PICCADILLY.

1859. 1S59.

[RegUlered accordivg to the Inlerwlhnal Copy ight Acl.~] [Rc^uteicdaccording to the Inttinational Copyright Act]

Illustrations 102 and 103 - Title pages of the two volumes of the original English edition of Memoirs of Robert-Houdin.

Emile Robert-Houdin was in London work- September 14* I received an excerpt from
ing on a project for Breguet. In Robert- The Times from M. Westley.
Houdin's Tablettes journalieres of 1859, we November 13th Visit from M. Desouch coming
can read these notes concerning the transla- to answer a question I had
asked him on literary conven-
tion of his work: tions between the United
July 13th Sent 25 F to Emile for my States and France.
nd
memoirs. November 22 I received the translation
August 16th
Emile arrived from London. of my memoirs from Phila-
He gave me the translation of delphia (United States).
my memoirs and the English December 26th I received a letter from New
newspapers that wrote about York from Mr. Dick and
them. I spent the rest of the Fitzgerald asking me to re-
day reading them. serve my next work on con-
th
juring for them.
August 19 At the binder's for two English
and French volumes. We also find notes concerning the letters
September V I received from Menimo an sent to him by the baronet Sir Frederick
issue of The Times in which Charles Lascelles Wraxall, [29] w h o translated
there is a review of my work. his memoirs and those of others into English,

75
ROBERT-HOUDIN

BEKENTENISSEN
MEMOIRS
OF

ROBERT-HOUDIN

AMBASSADOB, AUTHOR, AND CONJURER.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

3n twrt i e f l t n , mtt 16

BDIIBD BT

DK. E. SHELTON MACKENZIE.

Kerste deel.

PHILADELPHIA: TE ZUTPHEN, BIJ

SEO. O. EVANS, PUBLISHER,
NO. 439 CHESTNUT STREET. A. E. C. VAN SOMEREN.
1850. JS60.

Illustration 104 - Title page of the original American editon Illustrations 105 and 106 - Title page and cover of the Dutch
of Robert-Houdin's memoirs. edition of Robert-Houdin's memoirs.
The first volume was published in I860, the second in 1861.

concerning various answers or thanks to his "Memoirs of Robert-Houdin is worthy of com-

correspondents.
In order to conclude this chapter on Robert-
Houdin's memoirs and rather then reprint nu-
merous reviews of the Confidences, as laudatory
as those concerning the artist's performances, I
will simply quote a few lines from Professor
Brander Matthews from Columbia University:
parison with some of the best autobiographies -
such as those of Cellini and Franklin, as well as
those of Cibber and Goldoni. Robert-Houdin's
life, as well as the life of the authors just men-
tioned, justifies this remark by Longfellow, ac-
cording to which autobiography should serve as
a model for biographies..."
 ACT IV

BEKENTENISSEN
VAN EEN

GOOCHELAAR EN KUNSTENAAR,
DOOE

ROBERT-HOUDIN.

Vwecde H e e l , met Hi rjtviii-es.

ra ZUTPHEN, BUT
A. E. C. VAN S O M E R E N .
1861.

77
ROBEKT-HOUDIN

UNE SEANCE CHEZ LENCHAIVTEUR MACALUSO, par MARCELIIV.

MO\aIEUll PRUDHOMME INTBRRBHEUB.

Permeitez, ptfrmpttPz, moneieur Macaluso. Du deux choses Tune I ou le mouchoir
que 'ous venp/. (ie brtkler JI'BBI pas Je mien. H dtors voire lour n a nen d'dtonnant, ou
c'est bten incitement mtm mojchoir que VQUS aver brille. et dans co caa je trouve cetle
action fort incoavenante.

IL V A Au:;si m LA MUSCQDS.
. Qualqu'un do !a soc6td voudrailil prfiter cent s N'oulOnrs jias ia charmante personne Ni Ie monsieur qui nous a anconcS !a
oni nous a ch,mt6 queiquf chose sur son Venus du Afe<sie, sur tin air inconnu.
PETIT N'OISKAU,

LE PLUS BBAO TOUR DE LA ShAfcGE-

Au lieu de placer des fonds sar ies bou-
Rien de plus simple on n a qua tirer 99D (013 la corde pouryne rnontre en or marquant 1Q heurtset ilenre. lo double pour uno Ries du PhSnix. on ferait bi n tuieus d GD
piece de dix sous au mil e->ime de I860, et ainsi de suite. placer BUT ies bougies de Macaiuso : avec
ces dernitres. iei p eces (!B cent sous vous
lombeiu htteralcmynt du cieP-

- Oui. mais intrigant conime un macpigmm. Et mnuvaise langue. Je ie connais de longue date; I! t'a bien rendu queiqaes pifeees de vrngt fran
- Si encore il (itait bo garden ' nous avons demeur^ trois ans ensemble. En voila un que Le voila lanc^.
- II n'est queb&te. ]es succfes dea camarades font maigrir. Lui ai-je assez C'est a se faire e*picier.
- Et jaloiDi. p^et^i de pieces de cent sous! Oui, si on avail un commanditaire.

Illustration 10 - The wizard Macaluso.

Plates from Le Journal amusant, February 12, 1859. (Didier Moreau uomxm collection)

Raphael Macaluso, Alfred de Caston, Klosloge, and De Lille
During the 1858-59 season, a new theater
devoted to magic opened on the capital's boule-
vards under the name of the Theatre Lyro-
Magique or Theatre Macaluso.
Arriving in Paris at the age of twenty-five,
Raphael Macaluso was preceded by a flattering
reputation. A native of Sicily, where his art
was first recognized, his popularity quickly ex-
tended to all of Italy. Ferdinand II received
him at Caserte, Victor-Emmanuel II in his
palace in Torino, the Grand Duke of Tuscany
in the Pitti palace, and the Emperor of Austria
in Venice. Macaluso left his country for France
with a letter of recommendation from the
writer Alphonse Karr: "I vividly recommend M.
Raphael Macaluso; he is a prodigiously skillful
Illustration 108 - Raphael Macaluso. inidiei ilomau Momx collection)
79
ACT IV
man with a remarkable intelligence.'' This let-
ter opened doors to a few aristocratic salons
for him, and Macaluso had the honor of per-
forming in Fontainebleau in the presence of
the Emperor and the Queen of Holland.
Following this performance, the Emperor
granted him the privilege of creating a theater
that, for a time, was highly fashionable:
At the opening of the Theatre Lyro-Magique,
we were the first to predict M. Macaluso's and
M. Lamazou's success. Now that the public and
its applause has confirmed our prediction, we
are happy to note that their reputation grows
each day. Moreover, it is enough to see Macaluso
perform the handkerchief, candle, or dice trick
once to prove it.
The music, directed by M. Lamazou, and gen-
eral good taste of the performance are especially
pleasant aspects of these charming soirees on the
Boulevard Montmartre. We would even go to the
Theatre Lyro-Magique just to hear the excellent
music and M. Lamazou's very lovely voice, and as
wizardry as he is, Macaluso cannot conjure away all
the bravos that he shares every evening with his
happy associate, [ao]
Macaluso's skill, in a repertoire perhaps too
intimate for the stage, won him much praise
from the critics, but his Parisian theater was
short-lived. Raphael Macaluso, wrho performed
in St. Petersburg in 1859- apparently success-
fully, unfortunately passed away in Havana
the following year.
In April 1859, Alfred de Caston, polytech-
nician and authentic aristocrat, performed in
the Hertz theater in a new type of perfor-
mance which harmoniously combined the
charm of a magic show with that of a surpris-
ROBFRI-HOLDIN

Illustration 109 - Alfred de Caston.

80
 ACT IV

Adrien III I.ll.I.I

Theatre
SUCGfiS DE LA FOIRE
Mardi soir, 19 Octobre 1886 f BIDEAU
fceures 1 2

ENTRIES DE FAVEUR ET ABONNEMENTS SUSPENDUS TOUS LES SOIRS A 8 HEURES

TROIS HEURES DE RECREATION INTELLIGEHTE

DONN1.ES PAR LE COMTE
BRILLANTESOIRJEE
A. DE CASTOIV Membre Correspondant de plusieurs !3ooi6t6s s ivantes
Les plus belles nouveautes du jour
dans 1'avt de la Physique amusante et danp l$i Prestidigitation seront executees
Uo
par A. II1I.ILL1 et M *ujfe OS1, prestidigitatrice
M DE CASTON N'OFFRIRA QUE DES EXPERIENCES DE SA CREATION
PREMIERE PARTIE
CARTOLOGIE THAUMATURGIE M S
T,r Gi CS dVO[16s UN' TOTAL PRJiVU.
Le (Jfi-e <li giand monde I/Att tie vhre hemeitx.
EHet^ dfi !:ipie3sion et d ftoltemeiit. <
|.> y,v. Eielie et lot lie.
1 L do J.irnac. Lc Ronheui I\K* Pni-isiens
Oidjue mUutes denlr-acle.
DEUXltME PARTIE M

SPIRITISME LA MAIN PARLANTE. LES ESPRIT8 FRAPPEUHS

C O R R E S P O N D AINTOE S P I R I T E
Verntdre crtatton de M. de CASTOX. qitijotndra a cede

LE PANIER JAPONAIS
\" Le* Evocations. 2' Les Apparitions - 3" Leans Manifestations - '\* fifiifilali ih diuree* J 0 Dsjianl on dis I! pnt Creation de M. A. DELILLE
L.e I'i i \ d e l I'lncen n o s e r a pan uii<-niei)l(i
I)
Ce piogiamme, tout "i f.ii! e^Leplionnel pa lu rhoix des mati les qtii j soot developpi.es. 3i(h'6SSfl .
chaque classo de li sociut6 in-? savants pom la partlo i bvsTqne an olerg^ pom HpsvcUologie e^p^iimeii.
tale, et enfin pom tons cout cim .nuient ,i >;e oonviiiieic tin quolfjiies uit^ de res i>1innmi1>m>s nrn fpiulnnf Experience brevetee (s. g, D. g \
lever un des coins de ce voile <\m couvio oeitains injskies de la nattn
8'admser, -pour la location, dis atijourd- kni.au thintre, de 10 hem du maim a 6 Aeures du soir
Elbeuf. Impnmerie LBVASSEUR. ORKl'EL s ice*. i.ifiSainl-Jcan. 21. PRIX DES PLACES :
Chaises, 2 fr. Banquettes, 1 fr. 50. Seeondes, 1 ft1. Troisi&mes, 50 c
Demi places pour les enfants.

Illustration 110 - Small Alfred de Caston playbill, 1886. JEL'DI ET DIMANCHE A 3 HEURES
Derniere F E T E EHTFAWTTIWE
a priv reduits
Illustration 111 - Small Adrien Delille playbill, 1867. Bordeaux Imp. 3. Pechade, rue dn Paiiement-St-Pierre, 12.

ing demonstration of mnemonics and calcula- and even more... [31]

tion. A. de Bragelonne presented this refined
"We can also say a word about the ephemeral
performer and erudite speaker thus:
performances in February of that year of the con-
The Vicomte De Gaston is a fortuneteller-gen- jurer A. Klosloge at the Spectacle du Passe-Temps,
tleman under the breath of whom every card be-
12, Boulevard Montmartre, in a ''freely inspired"
comes a sort of mysterious little genie that flies,
disappears, reappears, melts, or multiplies, repertoire based on that of Robert-Houdin, in
changes shape or color at the will of its master, which we find the titles of experiments such as
and without his seeing or touching it, even be- Cabalistic Drying, The Fish Bowl, or even The
tween the hands of assistants astonished to see Shower of Gold... and as of July 3 in the Theatre
themselves unknowingly turned into conjur- du Pre-Catelan, the performances of the conjurer
ers...But the most wonderful thing is that M. De
Gaston is simultaneously a mathematician, alge-
Victor De Lille (M. Adrien de Paris) who, assisted
braist, mesmerist, improviser, encyclopedist, in a by his two daughters, waved the magic wand until
word, able to respond to every kind of knowledge October 16. [32]

81
ROBFR'I-HOUDIN

Illustration 112 The Priory by Mieusement.


The Myth of "Rest at The Priory"
We owe to Jean Chavigny the image of
Robert-Houdin taking advantage of well-de-
served rest at The Priory, where he appar-
ently dedicated all his time to scholarly re-
search. This interpretation is based on truth
but, as we will discover, scientific research
was not the only constant in the artist's mul-
tiple activities in Saint-Gervais as in Paris. On
the contrary, this period, ranging from his re-
tirement from the stage in 1854 to his death in
1871, was one of the most prolific of his en-
tire life. In Robert-Houdin's works we can
read a description of LAbbaye de I'attrape, a
nickname given by the sculptor Dantan to his
friend's domain. The author describes the
mechanical and electric marvels inside, and
mysterious attractions that decorated the
property. The question of knowing when,
how, by whom, and especially in how much
time these domestic and festive marvels were
carried out is not even mentioned, although it
should be.
It seems that between 1849, when the con-
jurer acquired The Priory, and the end of
1853, a period during which he actively con-
tinued his artistic activities, the stops at Saint-
Gervais were relatively brief and punctual.
Landscaping work and the extension of the
house were taken care of in his absence by
"Cousin Robert." who was responsible for ap-
plying his famous nephew's instructions. On
the other hand, the planned and supervised
"magic" and technical works of the master
began in 1854. For thirteen years - until the
publication of his booklet Le Prieure, Organi-
sations Mysterieusespour le Confort et I'Agre-
ment d'une demeure (The Priory - Mysterious
ACT IV
Arrangements for the Comfort and Pleasure of
a Home). Paris, Michel Levy freres, publishers,
1867 The Priory was a work in progress for
more than six months per year, during which
Robert-Houdin worked nonstop with a few as-
sistants. To bury the electrical wires that
linked all parts of the property, trenches had
to be dug which were reopened a few months
later because of water leakage or breakdowns
of various kinds. They built walls, created al-
leys, filled and dug trenches, built clocks and
electrical regulators, etc., and in short carried
out an ambitious plan which, although very
well conceived, obviously did not escape all
the problems and misadventures that all orig-
inal designs encounter. For example, the in-
vention of the electric opening device on the
property's little door next to the gate took
nearly seven years. This operation today
seems so simple but was then a real puzzle,
and its effects at that time seemed like magic
spells to visitors.
Robert-Houdin's Tablettes fournalieres dis-
proves the legend and give us a much more
realistic view of the author's activities.
Although he spent several hours in his work-
shop or in his office, he also handled the pick,
shovel, paintbrush, or trowel with equal joy,
depending on the season; he moved wheel-
barrows full of dirt or rubble and was simul-
taneously worker and foreman. Robert-Houdin
nonetheless carefully planned his schedule,
which he described as ''the most precious
thing" in order to simultaneously pursue his
learned experiments and his literary and
magic activities.
ROBHRT-HOUDIN

Illustration 113 - The entrance to The Priory.

On the left of the gate, one can see the property's electric door. (Private collection)

We will return in detail to The Priory's sur-
prising creations (see Appendix I of this
work) but we can already emphasize the sin-
gularity of this enterprise comparable to
none other in the artist's career, because it
could bring him neither more glory nor the
slightest hope for gain. The Priory was a pri-
vate domain, inaccessible to the public and,
although Robert-Houdin graciously received
guests on numerous occasions, the master of
the house never considered having his resi-
dence visited for any sort of commercial ven-
ture. It must be stated that his "enchanted"
house, which prefigures our modern tech-
niques, is the work of a pioneer and philan-
thropist convinced of the benefits that sci-
ence could bring to everyone's quality of life.
He did not satisfy himself with writing down
his convictions, but carried out his futuristic
views lifesize.

Illustrations 114 and 115 - The Priory.

In the first photograph, one can see the clock of The Priory which gave the correct time to all of Samt-Gervais's inhabitants. The
second photograph is a view of the property's surrounding wall. (Private collection)
ACT IV
ROBFRT-HOt DIN

Illustration 116 - Robert-Houdin.

 ACT IV

Les Tablettes journalieres (Daily Notes) of Robert-Houdin

Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journalieres are children Eglantine and Georges are followed by
a precious source for the reconstruction of fatherly words infused with worry, day after day
certain chapters of his life as accurately as when accidents or illnesses arose, as was often
possible. The extracts from this document we the case.
have included concern only the specific sub- Georges Robert-Houdin, then aged eight,
ject being discussed. Reproducing the totality began to show alarming signs of typhoid fever
of the notes dealing with the artist's daily oc- on September 12. 1859. For several months,
cupations would enrich this essay by a few until late December, he was near death, and Dr.
thousand pages! It is a veritable labyrinth that Arnoult, who cared for him almost daily, made
I thought appropriate to spare the reader, no promises. At the end of the year, the doctor
having myself spent months classifying the considered the patient to be almost completely
multitude of subjects briefly evoked by the out of danger, and Georges began a long con-
author. valescence. In his Tablettes journalieres of
The years of these journals, although teach- 1859, Robert-Houdin also described an accident
ing us much about the man, only partly ex- that happened to his youngest daughter
plain small and large events in his existence. Eglantine, who was luckily left unscarred, a few
Robert-Houdin at times noted the start of a days after her sixth birthday:
creation, success, or problem but then made
no more reference to it for months, sometimes
years. If he mentioned letters he received, he
often did not specify their content, and in
many cases only outside research has allowed
the unraveling and amending of his writings,
which briefly relate his schedule and only pe-
riodically make up an intimate or professional
journal.
In these notes, for the most part terse, only
rarely do his deepest feelings come across, ex-
cept for those concerning the health or future
of his four children. When Eugene was on a
military campaign, a period during which mail
scarcely circulated or was forbidden, Robert-
Houdin wrote every day: ''No letter from
Eugene" and, after a few weeks during which
this sentence was written every day, ''Letter
from Eugene from...1' (location of some battle-
field) followed by the underlined comment
"Great Toy." Comments on the health of the Illustration 11 - Eglantine Robert-Houdin by Disderi.

87
ROBI RT-HOUDIN
Wednesday October 26th
Woke up at 7:30. Georges still has a fever.
M. Arnoult came at 10. I fixed the electric door.
I received a proxy from Dantan to sign to retire
my 9 Lyon bonds. I answered him. In the
evening horrible accident. I was quietly having
my coffee after dinner with papa Houdin. My
wife and Eglantine were in the kitchen. I sud-
denly heard sharp cries from that direction: I
ran to see my wife wrapping up our little girl in
her dress. I was told that she had just fallen into
boiling water. I carried the child to a room on
the second floor so that her brother, already so
sick, not be upset by the cries and my wife and I
examined the wounds of the poor little one who
is suffering horribly. Although horrible, the dam-
age is less than we feared. The arm, the bottom
of the face, and a little part of the stomach are
the only places burned. The face and the rest of
the body are intact. But the arms are horribly
burned and there is no skin left. The little nun
who takes care of Georges quickly came up and
puts on a compress of shredded potatoes. The
pain is lessening and the child is starting to calm
down although agitated by spasms. The gardener
quickly left to fetch M. Arnoult but in the fear
that he could not find him and seeing a bit more
calm in the sufferings, I ran to Blois in 16 min-
utes. I found M. Arnoult on the bridge in his car;
the gardener had managed to find him and he
was coming as quickly as possible. He brought
me back. My wife, braver than I, stayed with the
doctor who cut the detached skin away as with a
boil. Oil mixed with limewater was applied to the
wounds and then they were bandaged. The child
is doing much better. The night was quite bad for
the child and for my wife, who watched her.
Here is how the accident happened. The child,
in the kitchen, was cold. She went up to the fire
and put her little hands on the mantelpiece but
her fingers slipped and when falling her arms fell
into a cauldron filled with water that was starting
to boil. The water having spilled completely into
the fire and in part on the child, the face around
the chin had hit the cauldron and had also been
splashed with boiling water.
Some of Emile's business errors deeply
worried Robert-Houdin and he wrote com-
ments that revealed his sorrow. Projects un-
derway, business affairs, or friends were
rarely mentioned with emotion. He did not
hesitate, however, to write about his doubts
and difficulties for work which he thought he
had accepted a bit hastily, and wrote about
his own health problems in an objective man-
ner without ever pitying himself. He rarely
went to religious ceremonies; funerals upset
him greatly. "This ceremony has always
greatly disturbed me," he wrote about one of
them, and the uneasiness that he felt left
marks. Robert-Houdin rarely talked about
death in his Tablettes journalieres. One of the
exceptions is the death of his friend Dezains,
which strongly affected him. Robert-Houdin
wrote these lines in the Tablettes journalieres
of the year 1864:
Augustl5* During dinner I was informed of the
death of Dezains during the night of
the 14th - this news hurt me greatly.
My meal was interrupted. Dezains
was a great friend to me. We were the
same age, with the same [first] name,
schoolmates with great similarities in
our positions of fortune and family - I
did not go to the wake - I was sad and
ill.
August 17*Awoke at 6 o'clock a bit ill...I am
going to Dezain's funeral at 10 o'clock.
Meeting at the funeral parlor, first-
class service at St. Louis - transport
of the body in a vault made in two
days. A very large cortege. The pre-
fect, mayor, magistrate, workers from
his factory and his old print shop - his
numerous relatives - his numerous
friends - M. Duchemin said a speech
on his tomb. I was very moved and re-
turned very ill.
His spouse Olympe Robert-Houdin was very
pious and Father Ranc of the Saint-Gervais
 Aci IV

Illustration 118 - Olympe Robert-Houdin.

89
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 119 - D a n t a n t h e y o u n g e r .

90
 ACT IV

parish, who regularly dined with them, re- ferred the pleasures of the Anjou and
mained very close to the couple. The bishop, Touraine regions to the charms of spas.
archbishop, congregations, and religious Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journalieres show
schools of the region regularly visited The us how he spent most of his time. His priori-
Priory and its enchanted garden. ties were essentially working on embellish-
He later noted in his Tablettes journalieres ments to The Priory and writing. The rest of
his activities, whether scholarly, mechanical,
that he was aware of the weight of age and re-
or magical, were pursued simultaneously. He
capitulated the past year at the end of each
rarely dedicated himself to just one project,
notebook. There are never any traces of bitter-
and if he did. it was because he had agreed
ness but instead much optimism, expressed
upon a specific delivery date. Robert-Houdin,
with his usual realism and with the wish that
faithful to the method of his beginnings, the
the year to come be more or less similar to the
years 1830-1837. worked daily on several pro-
one past. We disco\ er a philosophizing
jects at once, leaving some on hold for several
Robert-Houdin with few needs, who had ac-
months while he began new ones. Thus, many
quired complete independence thanks to the
creations took several years to complete while
fruits of his labor, and the rare worries ex-
others remained unfinished at his death.
pressed are those of all fathers preoccupied
Robert-Houdin's days were already full and he
with their children's future.
refused to sacrifice all his time to his art, at the
The myth of rest and retirement at The expense of his family, his children, and his so-
Priory leads one to think that the master of cial duties.
the house rarely left his property. This vision
is inaccurate because, aside from his daily
trips to Blois, Robert-Houdin went to Paris
every month by train for one-week stays dur-
ing which his time was divided between the
purchase of supplies, the efficient manage-
ment of his assets and those of the family as
well as those of a few friends like Dantan,
who bought shares with him. His stays in the
capital provided an opportunity for visits and
also coincided with the pursuit of his magic
and scientific activities. Part of his evenings
was dedicated to all sorts of entertainment,
concerts, circuses, boulevard shows, and
watching the shows of new colleagues. His
journeys to the capital were less frequent in
the summertime, during which he hosted
family members, friends, and various person-
alities. The banks of the Loire at this time of
the year were vacation spots sought after by
Illustration 120 - Father Ranc from the parish of Saint-
wealthy Parisians, at least by those who pre- Gervais. (Prtoate collection)

9.1
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 121 - Robert-Houdin by Disderi.

 ACT IV

Small and Large Magic Activities in Saint-Gervais

During the summer of 1859, a few months On September 22, I860, Robert-Houdin wrote
after the publication of Confidences, Robert- with no more detail: "I received a letter from
Houdin indicated in Tablettes journalieres the Hamilton that mentions Herrmann." This letter
manufacture and welding of 'Tings,'' and that he did not concern conjuring, but more specifi-
worked on them certain evenings. For a few cally mechanics, because Carl (Compars)
days during the month of August, he worked on Herrmann, who was also a great art collector,
The Light and Heavy Chest but nothing allows had expressed to Hamilton his desire to ac-
us to specify whether this concerns a new quire a bird piece made by Robert-Houdin.
model or repairs on the ''old" one. This request is confirmed by later letters from
Emile to his father, in which he mentioned
During October 1859, Robert-Houdin set up
the impatience of a certain Herrmann who
electric wires in his living room for, he writes,
awaited his order! It is from this date that
"electric jolts," an experiment described under
Robert-Houdin also worked "regularly" on
the title of "spirit rappings" in his posthumous
this Singing Lesson more than on his other
work Magie et Physique amusante (Secrets of
Conjuring and Magic).
On August 6, I860 we discover the following
note: "I worked with Emile on The Writing and
Drawing Automaton." From this date on, during
periods ranging from a few weeks to a few
years, Robert-Houdin worked on a new model
of The Writing and Drawing Automaton, a me-
chanical piece that always held a special place
in his heart. Except for periods when Emile was
free, during which father and son worked to-
gether, Robert-Houdin devoted himself alone to
this task. As we wrote in the chapter concern-
ing Phineas Taylor Barnum, it is possible that a
contractual exclusivity granted to him was end-
ing, an exclusivity that would have no more
reason to exist after the destruction of The
Writing and Drawing Automaton in the 1865
fire at the American Museum.
At the time of Robert-Houdin's slightly
chaotic succession, Emile inherited the unfin- Avant de quitter Paris, le professeur Herrmann
propose d'escamoter les principales questions
ished automaton, and it appears that he never politiques.
completed it. He probably lacked the essential
to do so: the master's genius. Illustration 122 - Carl (Compars) Herrmann.

95
ROBIRT-HOUDIN

creations. History does not say whether or January 16"' I prepared my phantasmagoria
not this automaton - which the mechanician that I plan to present as a re-
finished a few years later, and whose price hearsal on Thursday and seri-
ously Sunday.
was quite high - was finally delivered to
Herrmann, because it is not included in the January 20th I prepared my polyorama...The
evening at M. Bergevin's. I per-
sale catalogue of the great magician's collec-
formed the polyorama among
tion. [33] ourselves.
The Tablettes journalieres from 1859 to January 221"1 I went to Blois at 2 o'clock [...].
1861 also testify to parties given at The Priory Went to see M. Vidal [principal
and invitations to parties attended by Robert- of the junior high in Blois] for
Houdin and his wife. On these occasions, the the phantasmagoria.
artist rarely gave samples of his art because January 31" I prepared my phantasmagoria
he did not mention card tricks or demonstra- for the evening. At three
tions of card-sharping, except with respect to o'clock I went to M. Vidal's to
two receptions. During this period, the care prepare it. At eight o'clock I
that the conjurer took concerning his gave my performance before
Polyorama for a school party, planned for the entire junior high school
and the teachers.
January 31, 1861 and in which he generously
participated, shows his desire to plan every- Robert-Houdin received, throughout his re-
thing in the slightest detail even if it was a tirement." proposals for performances in France
performance that could be deemed minor: and abroad - in England, Germany, the
Netherlands, and the United States - and their
number increased considerably with the publi-
cation of his memoirs. He did not accept. If he
had decided otherwise, his agreement with
Auction
von modernen urn! alten Mobeln, Kunstgogonstilnden, OeT
Hamilton would have permitted it; we will soon
have proof of this...
gemaldon und Aquarellen, Porcelan etc. etc.
Sfieflen SUkeife beggerni ^I'ofejfovS $evrnmmsroerbenin beffen For example, here is an offer to travel to the
SBoljnunfl, am Opetntitifl Sir. 13, itu 2. Stod xxS&i, son 7 Simmetn noil*
fiSnbiee ouSemnd)iuitB, befteijetib in mobetnen unb antiten SliSbtln, legendary Alexandria:
einem fdjfinen Sgiano DOU 8ofsnbotftc unb einer stolen eifernenfiaiJe,
StowS* unb Sfteifiener SSorceian, inobernem unb etltent Sifter, Delge*
motbenunbSlfliiaretten.fflconteiunbSmnil'SuflecS fut (SnS unb fietjeit, November 22, 1860I received a letter from an
coBtpteferJ?u(6en:iSinriif)tuit8,4!e)))H<i)en,bann eine SBlineralienfamm- engineer from Alexandria
lutig,SBiiouteticitunb fammtlidie ntaaiidjeSlpparateicjcimSicitationS*
Befit a w n flld) Bore SejaljlunB nnb caWaffung oeroujsert for me to give ten perfor-
K B . S i e SSoIjnuHS ifi foflfeicft su oetmietljeti.
$ie Suction ftnbet SRatttas fiot 2 9 . miB 3)le)"<riB t e n 3 0 . mances before the vice-
6. 4B. on iebem %aa on 2 Bis 6 Ufctftatt, unbftnbbiesutSluctuin
eelanflenben eflenftmibe tdgli(J son 2 b\3 5 U6c SwaiSmittafifl roy.
su JcMtigen. 6356
M a t h i a s LosDher, K h. ktihkt $&Mmtiht. Although during these three years the artist
also" dedicated himself to new stage creations,
Illustration 123 - Announcement of the auction of the art it was his brother-in-law and successor who
collections of Carl (Compars) Herrmann. benefited from this. We will return to this sub-
ject in an upcoming chapter.

Illustration 124 - The Polyorama by Robert-Houdin.

These four pages from the Catalogue of objects comprising the properties of the estate of M. Robert-Houdin - see the Epilogue of
Act \ - detail the projection material and scenes used b\ the artist in his performances
 ACT IV

Faubourg de Rouen, effet de neige.

Le moat Ye'suve au repos.
Un cours d'eau sous bois.
Un fort des environs de Haples.
Ruines, effet de neige.
Ruines d'un monastere, effet de nuit.
Ruines d'un ehflteau, effet de nuit.
Chalet suisse.
Salle des Trois-Giacea.
Aqueduc romain, effet de nuit.
Faubourg de Rouen.
Grotte d'azur preg de Naples.
Le V&uve en Eruption.
FantasmagorSe ei Polyoraraa.
Premier e0et de nuit.
Pont en Italie.
Deux lanternes de polyoiama dans une caissc sp(>ciale.
Iuterieur de Saint-Pierre de Rome, effet de jour.
Deux lampea rC-flecteurs pour ces la;sternes.
Moulin, effeb de neige.
Six r6fleeteurs.
Deux \ues de Venise, effet de Quit.
Cmq grandee lentilles,
Statuette de la seeonde \ue.
Vingt petites id.
Une nafade ffit6e par les amours.
Uue partie de rechange du polyorann.
Grotto des Bohf mieiw, effet de lune.
Un lot de 108 tableaux, divisds en trois parties, se compo-
Fort des environs de Kaples, effet de nuit.
sant de : Pont en Italie, effet de nuit.
Vues de Polyorama. Maison ehinoise.
Lesanges dans lesnuages.
Tike du polyorama. Quatre tableaux d'un monastere, trois effets de neige et un
"Vue de Saint-Cloud. de nuit.
UD effet de neige. Effet de nuit du mouiin A eau.
Un poot, effet de lune. Kiosque des amours.
Uu monastere, effet de nuit. Gladiateur, statue.
Un chalet suisse, effet de neige. Apollon du Belvedere.
Un aqueduc romain. Une grande vue de Yenise de 56 centimetres de longueur.
Giotte de Bohemiena, effet de nuit. Fum6e de la grottedes Bohemiens, m6eauique.

- Ik
Due vue de deux amours. Arc-en-ciel, mecanique.
Un rideau bais^fi de th6atre. Gastronome sans argent.
Onze veires de titre du polyarama. I n fort detache.
Ua lot de dou/e tableaux iiucheves on de'pareille's. Un homme en o entre deux r.
Un Maure vivaut.
Vues du Oomicorama. Un Turc.
Un cygne, mecanique.
Titre du eomicorama. Un arc-en-ciel, mecanique.
Gavde-hora de tour. Une baiancoirecbinoise, nnSeanique.
La nuit touche k son gril. Apparition deTamour lancant aa fleche, tableau mecanique.
Un soldat qui a 3'ennemi dcvant lui. i ran ^formation d'un amour, mecanique.
Monsieur TMpedur. Tableau mftcanique pour effet de neige.
Un pierrot qui bat des ailea. Epanouissement d'une rose, raecunique.
Trois PersanSj enfaots. La danse des chats, tableau mficanique.
Trois eniants persaas. Un enfant dana la laiterie prenant un reuf.
La reverence d'une Anglaise maigie, pi6ce m6canique. Une cuisiniere faisant danser I'anse du pauier.
La i^v^rence d'uac Anglaise grasse, pitce m^cauiquu. Le temps aj ant sa fauls sous le bras,
Le gastronome sam argent, tableau de la fin. Un rat peint.
Reflexion d'ua paysan, mCcaaique. Un chat dans une laiterie.
L'eaclave, tn6canique. Un oheval qui s'emporte faeilement.
Un enfant bien 116, tableau mecanique. Un eiiroyable a i sorti du scsn ties flols
Le tambour-major etourdi. Des airs en cc moment a trouble la repos.
Paysau couvert de bois.
Au revoir.
Le teraplier.
Uu bouquet de bal.
Un monsieur qui marche avec BOO siecle. Vues du Ohromatropo.
Deux amoureux, tableau m^eauique.
Ua invalide anglais, mecanique.
Titre du chromatrope.
Metamorphose d'un cuisinier, piece nie'eanique.
Un chromatrope, jet d'eau.
Un elown anglais, mecanique.
Les trois Graces couioDii^es par 1'amour,piece m^canique. Quatre autres tableaux du chromatrope.
Ua mouiin, mticaniq'ie. (Tom ccs tableaux sont emballes dans des caisses spiciales
Une vache au champ, tableau mecanique. pour voyagrs.)

95
ROBFR T-HOUDIN

Dans un salon dore.poetique demeure

LASSAIGNE,sous son charme.a su faire plier
Sa pendule docile a nous rappeler I'heure J k
Que I'aimableenchanteurnousferaitoutilieK
V/on i/f/t

Illustration 125 - Auguste Lassaigne.

In this lovely engraving of Lassaigne. one can see several "borrowed" elements from Robert-Houdin's decor and repertoire side
consoles, center table. Auriol, The Love Nest, The Inexhaustible Bottle. The Cabalistic Clock. The Cannonball Box. The Horn of
Plenty, etc. fGeorges Pruust collectionJ

96
 ACT IV

The "Geraud affair" and The "Lassaigne affair"

The two "affairs" that we are going to de- According to his declaration, she is only 22
scribe illustrate the author's stubbornness in de- years old but is his wife. She is said to be from
fending the honor of his name, but also show Sardes, a province of Savoie. To support this dec-
laration, he showed me a passport issued in Lyons
that unscrupulous magicians must have found a
for Nice on November 26, 1858 upon presentation
real benefit in usurping it. This was the case not of an expired passport issued in Ghambery in
only in France, but also in England and America which he is said to "accompany his spouse, Julia
(see note 15 of Act V), and, strangely enough, Houdin, aged 22." He added that this lady in fact
Robert-Houdin's death was not enough to stop had nothing in common with your family, but that
this "hemorrhage," because at the end of the was not a reason for her not to keep her own
nineteenth century, one ''artist" - whose adver- name, of which several members can be found in
tisement I reproduce on this page - was still
touring in the provinces using the name of the
illustrious conjurer! We must also not forget the
most famous of his "namesakes," Harry
Houdini, who wrote that he borrowed his name
''in admiration" of him, but who posthumously
thanked him in the most indelicate manner.
During the month of July 1859, Robert-
Houdin learned that one of his colleagues
had performed in Vichy using the name
"Houdin." The conjurer wrote on August 7 to I CfiRgS. Potka.
Par 1-Oreh.
6 OUVKUTURB 8YMPHO.N1QUE TiLLUim
Piu VOrtbtttrt
the mayor of the famous spa to obtain infor- I AirdeLAKMft.
l J ( LIVAN
L. DELIBES 7 MOiSK MOURANT . .
Pic M O"SUtLIVAS
. N . Lot)!*

3 INDICATE-RDESCHEMINSJ.EFKR DIM
8 CHANSON i)E MUSE1TE . F TKOMI
mation on the "usurper." Here is the head Chanjonnei'e pr M TU8PIH
4 Air das SAISOMS V. : 9 U^EPROMKNADEMILITAIRE LACOBF.
Par Mademoiselle Jeanns T _
magistrate's answer: 5 KOS CONCIERGKS. eh. typique Bos
P i r M TURPIK
Par M TURPIN
10 MARCHii
Pai lOreheiiie
ZitOLER

Vichy, August 12, 1859 GRANDE SfiANCE DE PRESTIDIGIIATION

Sir,
There are so many preoccupations in Vichy ROBERT
during the season that it is hardly possible to an- TiRAGE DE
A 10 lieures 1/2 dans le Paro
LA GRANDE TOMBOLA
swer with as much exactitude as we would like.
Whatever the case may be, I immediately attended
to your letter of the 7th of this month and here is illuminations & Estbcassment du Fate - Trompes de Ckas:e
PETl/FS CHEVAUS - SALLE OK SKV
the information I received.
Master Charles Giraud, who has come here for
a few years to perform as a conjurer, has indeed
given performances in which he includes a lady Illustration 126 - Is Robert-Houdin immortal?
named Julia Houdin as a mesmeric subject, for This 189" bill might indeed make one believe so. e\ en
several davs in hotels and theaters. though both father and son were already deceased...

T
ROBERT-HOUDIN

g#

fllEi
S3 IMS UK

M. & M" C.-G. HOUDIN,

Artiste-, tie Paii> porlGURS dfl j>lu->teur> IttlUra do IV.icil liiou . emiii.inl ilu cabinet lui|>6ri,il A I'occa&iou
36nnco8 qu'iU out on rhonneui da don oar duvnnt E*L. M . M I'Kmptfraur ot i'lmpfiralrlce j ">juillot 1868,
;'t Plombtui's ; Is novembre IS36 , a Compline ; 51 mars 43S7 , aux Tuilerlos, ol 2:( aoilt I8V7,
ViMa-Kiiiienif A Biarritz.

PRESTIGES M4GN6TIQDBS. PRESTIDIGITATION. - TOURS Dli CAftTES.

IEUX DE MM'M()TK<;H.NIIi BT D'HISTOIRE.CHARGES MACJ.NKTIQUES
KT CHABLA.TANBME DE GERTA.INS MA.GNfiTISEDR8
<IOIIII('UI*N lie COkittiiltalioii* ( anir<-s
Li'.itfi tfxpirieruiiMt Pos@& staluuit -., DdHsus, ('ft nth. Dtioitiotfon , rlr.

11U.S\'.Iislll 4\I,H4I. faprte Liiiuiiliiine, thijtulel el I W

.NofA. C M e s p S d s n u c s sonl Un msUlour goAt, d tioo Eottros tie ESItcttallonan G aDS,*dos piim-ipaux
diels dc matsons , Olrooletira cl'InstHullon tics i saxos i SIuTsons religtousos, Dfrfiotsura <1* Scminaires , ptc.
Plus i*aUwLl!on dcs 7 \nhr\rqii"^ nti Bvdcjuos dp Praocfi. sont uu Bfli gamiil <^i talent di-s Ailistes

PRIX DBS HEAXGES :

Pour les Gercles ou Families, dc 20 IVaiits a 200 francs, selou le nombre Je Personnes.
Poor les Pensions SO centimes par tlhn ou Personne p r t a t e

PODR Ifi JOURS SBULRMBNT A

Rue
<lt' midi a > henii'h.

RQOnS . U j \ AMATKl liS > francs Tlicuec, 3 joiis lours, (JU'OU Mdculera parfaitemenl dans ce lapi tie temps.

En -2 /(rows d'une hetne, sans mtcune jxirtic Iheonqxtc, ftriv: M1$ fr.

ROTA. M C -G. HOUDIN dana chaounfl dt> ses Seances da Bnnlllc, KIPO BCCQmpngnd par M. Adolpho BEnTllS
pt&niste distingue.

Maneiilc - l.i i. -ivilr etffll'il. n i l . c b p j i k r i r. Sl-t-VrrJwl, *".

Illustration 12" - "M. & Mine. C.-G. Houdin," in reality M. and Mme. Geraud.

98

Glermont-en-Argonne (Marne) where they resided
after having left Savoie.
If this information is of use to you, I am happy
to have been able to provide it.
Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my distin-
guished consideration,
The Mayor of Vichy, Commissioner
of the government for the Establish"1""
On August 14, wanting to verify this infor-
mation at the source, Robert-Houdin wrote to
the Mayor of Clermont-en-Argonne and here is
the edifying answer that he received:
Glermont, August 17, 1859
Sir,
You ask me in your letter of the 14"1 of this
month if it is true that a certain Julia Houdin, wife
of Geraud, was born in our city.
I consulted families with this name and the
Civil Registers and have found that this woman
was not born here at all, and that she is not related
to any of these families, who have been absent and
unknown for a long time.
I will however inform you, sir, that I have the
honor of telling you that none of the families living
or having lived in our locality writes their name
with an H but instead with an O.
Please accept the assurance of my distin-
guished consideration.
The Mayor being absent,
The Deputy
During the following year, Robert-Houdin
continued to have news of the travels of Geraud
here or there but he had already left the places
before intervention was possible. Commissioner
Suzanne of the central police headquarters of
Blois advised him to begin a report and so
Robert-Houdin wrote to the publisher of the
Journal de Loir-et-Cher and to the Orleans chief
of police. Here is the latter's response:
Orleans, July 3, 1860
Sir,
In answer to your letter of June 29th, I have the
honor of informing you that a Master Girault
(Charles) and the said Julia Houdin, whom he said
was his wife, arrived in Orleans on April 14Ih and
99
ACT IV
left on the 30th. During their stay in this city, they
gave seven to eight conjuring, hypnotism, and
mesmerism performances.
M. Girault definitely did not say in Orleans or
in my office that he was related to you. He only de-
clared that his wife was named Julia Houdin, and
that he thought it advantageous for him to use this
name.
I have the honor to salute you.
The Central commissioner.
For a few more months, Robert-Houdin gath-
ered information, then gave it to a lawyer and fi-
nally forced the abuse of his name to end. He
took a long time to resort to legal action in this af-
fair, and must have thereafter been convinced to
immediately crush all such attempts in the future.
FETE DU X I I I ' AKRON DISSEMENT
GGKST&TCTIQH SPEGIAI.K-K.IOSQTIE BW M Y S T E K
CENTRE de la PLACE D'lTALIE
Derniere Creation du Celebre
Oil les families trouveroat une re'cre^atioE du Meilleur gout, & qui
ne peut avoir de rivalit6s nulle part.
Le Spiritisme a la port6e de Tous
SURPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!
Cette cassette completement isolee de tout: parle & tient conversation
avec le spectateur, elle rit, pleure, chante, ecrit sous la dictee joue aux
cartes, etc.. etc. etc
Elle devine la ponsee des personnes qui la touohent
e'tsst le dernier mot du Spiristnue.
LE MIROIR MAGIQUB
Effet du plus grand i : pouvoir cabaliatique de LA.SSAIGNE
Revelations d'outre-tombe de la fille du Banquier de Francfort.
V LPS Espnts Frappeurs. 6' Les Espnts Tracasiers
2' La Boite de Pandora 7* La lettre secrete
B'UeoffreduBanqmer 8' Concert Mj stei iftux
4* I'Espntqm parle 9* Revelation de la pense.
o' Heproduttiondes Seu&ations 10' Le meiveilleux du travail d6montre
E t line foule d'experiences improvisees provoqudes par le Public et qui ne peuvent t t r e
ntionnbes au Programme,
Ce spectacle se renouvelle toutes les heureset serecommande par sa composition, son
imT}j*ev\i sa nouvB&utei aux families et tt\ix aiu&tc^ii's f^ui aimeiit le ue^m st le mervGitlBus
PRIX D'ENTREE 26 e.
II est impossible de trouver h ces conditions un spectacle plus* convenable,
LASS-VIGNE est im noio asscz eonnu pour que les perspnue intelhgentes n'hemtent
pus Si venir le voir, tous las soirs i, 8 lienres
Impnmerie de la Maine du X U ' M Arrondisowmeiit, A. MOURMES. 211.6 216, Rue de Oluicnton
Illustrations 128 and 130 - Bill for Lassaigne.
ROBfRI-HOUDIN

?
5 i
1

LASSAIGNE peut prouver que quand les jours soul ternes,

II lie fan I q 11 11 II chapeau pour avoir des lanternes.

Illustration 129 Lassaigne by A.A.G. (Georges Proust collection)

We will recall that Robert-Houdin, although journalieres in 1861. Robert-Houdin visibly

he respected Lassaigne as an artist, had little es- took this affair to heart:
teem for some of his behavior. [34] Therefore, as May 14 th Consultation with M. de St.
soon as the conjurer learned that his colleague Vincent [his lawyer]...! told him
was claiming a so-called family relationship to of Lassaigne who says that he is
him and was using this "relation by marriage" my son-in-law and who is per-
for advertising purposes, he decided to act. forming in Tours. It has been
agreed that I go there to file a
Lassaigne did not pay attention to Robert-
complaint against him.
Houdin's letters asking him to stop making false
May 15 t h I left St. Gervais at 7 o'clock
declarations, so he resorted to legal means in
for Tours. I went to see the
order to end the mesmerist's falsehoods. Here is lawyer Brizard who had the
the outcome of this litigation from his Tablettes lawver Soloman come. We

100
 ACT IV

PAIl PKUM1SS10N DE S . LE MAIUE

rectification in the newspaper of
Indre et Loire.
Ville des Sables-d'Olonne May 28th I slept very badly at the Hotel du
THEATRE DE L^FAMILLE COURTOIS Croissant. I got up at five o'-
clock. I walked until eight o'-
17 AOUT 1880
PLACE DU MARC HE AU HOIS
clock. Ressy came to get me. I
had breakfast at his house - he

PROTESTATION
et de"ii iormel au Prcslidigitateiir dont 1'afficlie amionce tine rcpieseiitation
accompanied me to court at
12:30. M. Brizard presented my
aujonidhiii MARDI au GRAND CASINO honorable position. He read a
Cette affiche apposee CP maim sur les muvs de la Ville est bles^anto pour tons lesconfrdrts. letter from M. Riffaut, mayor [of
M. VERBEGK sc dit lhomme par excellence et ajoute que tous ceui. (jui eiercent eette
profession DOIYSKT S'ltWLIXSJi DEVANT LCI ! ! Blois], which says I am his
ERREUK ! ! ERREUR ! ! friend. He skillfully insisted
upon the damage done by
M. LASSAIGNE 1" Prestidigitateur Physician de France
Lassaigne's pretending to be my
son-in-law. The lawyer De Verre
RELEVE LE GANT tried to elevate his client. He
Si M. Yerbecfc 1G desire M. Lassaigne pent Itii jtrouvor iju'i! esi an moins aus&i fort si non could not succeed. The deputy
PLUS FORT QUE LUI public prosecutor argued in con-
J'attends line r^ponse du GKL&BRE \ERBKCiv et je demande an public impaitial cfaq clusion on the wrongdoing to me
minutes de presence icciproquc pour pronycr quo
by Lassaigne. Still the courts
JE DIS VRAI
postponed judgment for another
Salut cl vespucl.
J. LASSAIGNE, Fhycisicn. session. I left Tours at five o'
clock.
Venez, venez- me voir, vous serez emerveiile
el cela no vous coulerapas 5 fr. commp a u Casino. June 2'"' I received a letter from
M, Soloman saying that I had
won the trial. Lassaigne was con-
came to an agreement to sue demned to pay 400 francs in
Lassaigne.
May 21" I took notes for the Lassaigne
trial...I wrote to M. Brizard to tell
him I would go to Tours next
Saturday.
May 25th I left for Tours on the 8:39 train.
I went to M. Brizard's, where we
talked about our business with
M. Soloman. I left on the 5:30
train.
May 26th I received a letter from M. Brizard
and a letter from Tours in which
Lassaigne denies everything.
May 27th I prepared notes for t h e
Lassaigne trial. I went to Tours at
noon from St. Gervais, one hour
from Blois. I discussed matters
with M. Brizard and Soloman. It
Experiences tie somnambuhsmo-mo.:itLii,ue au IWai Bonne-Nomci't.
was decided to still sue Lassaigne
even though he had inserted a Illustration 131 - Lassaigne at the Bazar Bonne-Nouvelle.

101
ROBERT-HOI DIN

THEATRE DES SOIREES FEERIQUES

Silue sur lit Place tlu Chump~t1e~Woire, tmeien Cafe-Chmttanl.

Tous les Soirs Tous les Soirs

si tieurcs u 8 hcures

1
Vari6e

LE SPECTACLE SE COMPOSE DE
Physique, Magie, Mecanique, Prestiges, Ventriloquie, Electricite, Automates, Optique, Microscope, Magnetisme,
Sp'iritisme, Jeux Acrobatiques, Exercices Indiens, Intermedes Drolatiques. etc., etc.,
EN 12 SOIREES SUCCESSIVES

Tous les Soirs, a 8 heures, Representation variee.

Cr Spectacle n des plus nttrm/antset des mieti-r composes, est o/fert par nnc n'union <VArtistes en Socie'te

LE PROFESSEUR LASSAIGNE
Premier Physicien-Prostidigitateur do notre epoque, paraitra a toutos los Representations et donncra une seric
U(! ses "mimitables Experiences qui, toutes marquees au cachet du bon gout, laissent Mm en ;rriero tout ce qui a eW;
fait jusqu'a nos jours.
M. VALENTIN, ( d e Paris,) dit l'HOMME A LA POUPEE, Premier Ventrilcqus de France,
M Viitonlln a ou bien des imitatours depuis sa creation au Palais-Royal, rnaisjamais do uval. Les scenes dialoguees
' ' avec le desopilant Fouyou et los liebes parlants, sont ii croquer.
Af. Admn NKGER p r e s e n t e r a ses Automates Mecaniqucs Cfui font
partout l'admiration des Visiteurs.
DIAVOLO ANTONIO
vemavquera eotte liguro mecaniquo se mouvoir, s'agiter, monter descendro, accomplir miime des Rxercices
On iisliiiues
gynmasliqU' a rinstar de Leotard, comme si e'etait une personno vivante. Ici, on pout dire : il no lui manque quo la
parole.
M. A L B E R T RTJELLO E T L E J E U N E ANTONY
Awos
1 avoir accompli des efforts de mnemoteclmie et des divinations surprenantes so rendront completomcnt
invisibles par un nouveau procede.
Prix des Places:
I'remieres, 1 Fr. 50, Secondes, 1 Fr. Troisiemes, 50 Cent.
// y aura des Places riiseroe'es et nutniroUes a 2 fr.
On pent rotonir des Places sans augmentation do Prix, do 1 heures a 4 heures.
: 483 <
KXHIBITTON FERMANENTB D'TJNE MAQ-N1FIQXTE ET BTONNANTB MAOIIIN"K

A MOUVEMENT GONTINU
Brevcti- |>ui- iiluhii-uiB Gouverncmeiili 8. G.
DASft S n LBS I.OIS DE I.A l'KSANTEUR, ET SEIiVANT DE MOTBUIt A UN imOYEUB A CHOCOI.AT,
ET A ONI! MACHINE A MBSOMSJt LE TEMPS AVEC UNE PHECISION CHKONOMETRIQUE.
(let Appavcil esl visible Ions los jours do dix heuves du matin a onzo houres du soir,
ADMISSION SO d.
Tous Its soirs ajirrs Id Representation, il sera donni une Seanrc explteativi) de, ce chef-d'wuvre me'eanique.
Nola - I,'Administration Iraite pour Soirees partic.ulieres, soif, pour une partie ou pou- une Seanco complete,
Ainsi qu'avoc MM. los Ch.'t a mwitutions.
Pondtmt los premieres soirees, la Sociftlo s'occupera activeiivmt ' * menterson Spectacle d'O])tiquc qui demandc
do longues ol sorieusiss iM'ejiUtitions

Illustration 132 - Small bill for Lassaigne.

In this document. Lassaigne did not hesitate to plagiarize the engraving of The Horn of Plenty or to christen one of his automata
Diauolo Antonio
 rv

damages and the insertion of the
ruling in three newspapers in the
provinces and one in Paris.
On June 10th Robert-Houdin learned that
Lassaigne had appealed the verdict and was
preparing for a new legal battle. Following
M. Daridan's advice, he went to the court in
Blois to hear pleadings by a lawyer from
Orleans, a certain Master Lecoq, who had
been recommended for the upcoming appeal
trial in Orleans. His new defender told him
the trial would take place the following
Saturday:
1
July 19" Awake at 6 o'clock. My wife and
I left for Orleans by the 8:15
convoy. We stopped at the
hotel d'Orleans. I went to see
M. Lecoq... I discussed my affair
with my lawyer Lecoq and my so-
licitor Lecoq his brother-in-
law...We spent the evening at
M. Lecoq's...
July 20th I went to see M. Pagnere the
editor-in-chief of the Loiret
who gave me a letter for the
trial publisher M, Gotel. I went
ceived in awards, but his honor was saved,
and this victory was all that counted for
him. As for the mesmerist, he only agreed
to pay the damages ordered by the Orleans
court after a few harsh letters from Master
Felix Lecoq.
Robert-Houdin, having won, described
Lassaigne's work in 1868 in The Secrets of
Conjuring and Magic (p. 30). He dedicated a
laudatory footnote (2) to him as well as an
equally laudatory quote in his posthumous
work, The Secrets of Stage Conjuring (p. 95).
Concerning Geraud. who is also mentioned in
The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic, Robert-
Houdin wrote the following in 1864 in his
Tablettes journalieres-.
MEMO IRES
MAGNETISEUR
LA BIOGRAPH1F DE LA SOMNAMBL'LE

to see him... I went to the

court. Lassaigne was not there.
M. Robert de Macy defended
him in a very awkward manner. IXTR0DICT105 Slit L i KA01E lIAGAlSTIOlJE
M. Lecoq made a closing
speech that moved the judges. E DE OEUX BE& t PORTRAITS DE PRJOEHCE BERHftRD ET Q A 0 5 U S T E LiSSftlSHE.

I won my lawsuit: still, the t ' - pi - c

' ... flf.s [ .L r .. -'::> <
damages were reduced to 200 F, &t tnre

because the court ruled that

there were no financial dam-
ages. I paid my lawyer 100
francs.
GLRMER B A I I L I L R E , UBRAIRE-ED1TEUR,
July 21st I wrote to M. Brizard, my lawyer
in Tours, and sent him one hun-
dred francs and my thanks. 1851.

July 22'"' I wrote...to M. Soloman to ask

what I owe him.
Illustrations 133 to 136 Memoires d'un magnetiseur by
Lassaigne.
As we can see, the artist spent more on
Engravings and title page of the work of 1851 by the mes-
legal fees and various costs than he re- merist Lassaigne.

103
ROBFRI-HOUDIN

January 31" We went with Ghocat [Hamilton]

to Manicardi's house to see
Geraud. Manicardi's perfor-
mance is always very poor. As
for Geraud his imitations of
mesmerism are very good; they
are like those of Lassaigne.
This is one of the characteristic traits of
Robert-Houdin who, once an incident was set-
tled, elegantly knew how to turn the page and
never use his pen, in his private or public
writings, to settle a score.

Illustration 13" - The conjurer Manicardi.

104
 ACT IV

Illustration 138 - Robert-Houdin's repertoire, as in this engraving, became a Inexhaustible Horn of Plenty" for his plagiarists!

105
ROBERT-HOUDIN

!
. i . i' I

a Melle BENITA AiWHMl

I'ULKA-AIAZLHKA,
Pour Piano, par

L.MICHELI.
Polka
Du meme auteur
Schoihsch-
hOJ ,Palkn
i Vakt

Pans,aaMenestrel, %^\ r.Vtwnne, HEUGELet C? Editcurs-Lihraires pp la France ellBranger

Illustration 139 - Miss Benita Anguinet.

Cover of the sheet music of a polka-mazurka. Benita la magicienne. dedicated to Miss Benita Anguinet b\ L. Micheli.
 ACT IV

Mile. Benita Anguinet

It is probably because of too much gal- Tuesday November 5th Anguinet did fairly well
lantry that magic literature is so discreet but his incorrect liaisons
about the biographical details of this nine- caused gaiety; in short,
teenth century magicienne. We indeed know M. Gomte was missed; his
very little about the lovely Miss Benita demeanor proclaimed an
Anguinet [35] - whose passage through honest man and his appa-
Marseilles we have already mentioned ex- ratus and costumes were
cept that she performed in elegant Parisian very decent.
salons in 1856, in the Hertz theater, and es-
Anguinet participated in other perfor-
pecially in the Pre-Catelan, where a pleasant
little magic theater had been established and mances at the end of the year 1822 and in
where this artist was the graceful attraction 1823- He probably improved his presentation
for several seasons. because following a private performance
dated January 13, 1824, M. Comte wrote,
The first reference to a possible relative of
"Anguinet pleased for one hour and fifteen
Miss Benita Anguinet I have found is in
minutes..."
M. Comte's book of private performances. In
this document, which gives the names and A brief note by Robert-Houdin from his
addresses of his beneficiaries, M. Comte wrote Tablettes journalieres of June 15, 1859 tells us
comments on the kind of welcome he had re-
ceived, how successful he had been, the qual-
ity of the refreshments, and performances of
all sorts of artists whom he provided for these
soirees. The fees for his shows and the
salaries of his employees were also noted.
When an individual could not or did not want
to pay the price asked by the King's Conjurer
for a performance he planned to do himself,
he would send his students or other col-
leagues.
The name Anguinet appears several times
in 1822 and this date suggests that the person
referred to could be the father or at least a rel-
ative of this lady. Here are some of M. Comte's
comments on his occasional replacement:
Wednesday July 14"1 Anguinet did well except
for his dialogue, which was Illustration 140 - Musard of the Pre-Catelan.
a bit heavy but acceptable. Engraving from the Album deportraits comiques fop- cit).

10"
ROfllR'l-HOLDIN
Illustration l4l - The stage and equipment of Miss Anguinet at the Pre-Catelan. (Jacques voigmer collection)
the following: ''Soiree at the Musard concert,"
otherwise known as the Pre-Catelan, managed
by M. Musard. Although we have good reason
to believe this was not the artist's first meet-
ing with Miss Anguinet, we do not know for
certain what their relationship was. Was this
seductive magicienne among the creator's
plagiarists or part of the first wave of his stu-
dents or proteges?
Miss Anguinet's theater was indeed very
precisely based on that of M. Robert-Houdin:
same decoration, same consoles on one side,
gueridons and center table, not to mention
some of the "borrowed" elements of his
108
repertoire, such as the famous Fantastic
Portfolio, The Cabalistic Clock, The
Marvelous Orange Tree, The Crystal Chest,
The Fabulous Rosebush (or Love Nest), The
Harlequin, and even The Cannonball Globe.
Although these elements could suggest a new
case of "piracy" against Robert-Houdin, one
can notice on the photograph of the Pre-
Catelan theater in 1856, which we reprint
above, several disturbing details. Indeed,
The Cabalistic Clock and The Marvelous
Orange Tree, to mention only these two
pieces, are completely identical to those
manufactured and used by Robert-Houdin in

his tours and which we have already shown
in this work. Even more surprising is the im-
pressive center table, which is built in ex-
actly the same way as Hamilton's except
for the supporting piece - and the decor,
shape of the feet, and the top are similar
down to the last detail. One can thus assume
that, for reasons unknown to us, the master
temporarily loaned to the lovely magicienne
- or to her manager? - a few of his most pre-
cious pieces, since Miss Anguinet's magic
repertoire prior to the Pre-Catelan, as shown
in the poster opposite, had nothing in com-
mon with Robert-Houdin's. The two artists
must have also met - or met again? - in Blois
the following year, when the author's jour-
nals mention their meetings.
Le Journal de Loir-et-Cher, no. 48, February
I860 described the artist in this way:
We have announced for next Sunday the per-
formance of Miss Benita Anguinet. The following
lines from the Loiret newspaper support what we
have said of the famous magicienne:
"We have seen and applauded all the famous
conjurers; Gomte, who recently died and who so
amused us in childhood; Robert-Houdin, who
found in his inexhaustible bottle a princely for-
tune; Philippe; Hamilton; Bosco; etc. We will not
say that Miss Benita Anguinet surpasses these
great masters, but she has the advantage over
them of being a woman and a pretty one at that.
To the dexterity of her fingers, her skill, and ad-
dress, she adds all the graces of her gender, and
does not have the usual dress of necromancers.
She performs her tricks bare-armed in evening
dress..."
Robert-Houdin did not seem to want to
watch this young lady again when she came to
Blois to give a few shows, because he noted the
following in his Tablettes journalieres:
February 23ld I worked on my corrections
...Miss Anguinet sent me 4 tick-
ets for Sundav's show.
109
ACT IV
Par permission dc M. le Mniie.
THEATRE BE COGNAC.
Pour la Cldture.
VENDREDI, 25 AOUT 18S0,
REPRESENTATION EXTRAORDINA] Rli.
MLLE B E M T A ANGUINET,
Premiere Prestidigitatrice d'Europe,
Aura 1'homieur de donner une seconde et dermere Representation, choisie
dans les recreations les plus nouvelles et les plus extraordinaires.
La Soiree sera entierement vaiie'e par des Tours nouveaux qui n'ont pas
encore paiu.
OU LES MYST&RES DU DIABLE.
Les Exerctces de ta Soiree seront dhisfc en km Parlies.
Premiere Partie.
Une Deception, les P\i amides d'Egjpte, le Tableau magique, le Biscuit fan-
tastiquc , le Verre d'Encre enchante, la Tomlerelle savante , les Pilules du
Uiable, 1'Orange dn Paradis.
iSranbermunmntt aiu i&onfisnirs et nnx fyM
Deuccicme Partie.
LE POIN01R D ' C l MAGICIENNE
Le Vase de la Chine, les Foulards incendies , il Signor Glrinkao ( automate
qui H'poudra a toutes les questions qui lui seront faites par le public), le
ConlUeur inoderne, le Pot de fleur du jardin. des Hesperides.
L i BOIIE DE P A 1 0 E , 01' U SORCIERE DE LI MAGIE WIRE.
Les Distractions cTAmphitride.
Le Spectacle sera termine par
Luxe d'appareil et de decoration, |ien n'a ete neglige par M]lB ANGUINET,
pour se mellre a la hauteur des speetateurs nombreux qui accourent partout
en foule a ses Representations.
Le jnagnifique Cabinet sara eclaire par 250 Bougies et
Flammes Infernales.
Les Bureauxouvriront a 7 henres 1j2.Oncommencera a 8 heures trh-presises-
S'adresser, pom !a location des Loges, chez M. Laine.
PRIX DES PIACES : Premieres et Pouitouis, 2 fr. 20 c.J Stalles, 1 fr. 75 c ;
Paileire, 1 lr. 25 c.; Sccondes, 1 fr.
Saintcs. Imp. de I1US,
Illustration 142 - Small 1850 bill for Miss Benita Anguinet.
(Jacques \oignier colleclionj
February 24th I went to Blois to return the tick-
ets to Miss Anguinet ...The
evening spent doing corrections.
Miss Anguinet did not plan to give up as
quickly as Robert-Houdin returned her tickets.
Having decided to take advantage of her stay
in Blois to learn from the master (again?), she
decided to run into him each time he left The
Priory to visit his acquaintances in Blois.
Robert-Houdin therefore very quickly gave
up. As the proverb says, "What a woman
wants...''
February 28th I went to Blois to work with
M. Reber...! encountered Miss
ROBEET-HOUDIN

?hi!Atvedc prestidigitation de M Uo Aiifminpt, an Pr^-CMeian

Illustration 143 - Miss Benita Anguinet at the Pre-Catelan.

Engraving from L'lllustration, November 8, 1856.

Anguinet at Duberge's ...The The Blois newspapers were not stingy in

evening spent on my correc- their praise of Miss Benita Anguinet:
tions.
...For more than three hours the seductive en-
March 2nd In the morning I worked on cor- chantress kept her large audience under the
rections of the first volume...I charm of marvelous illusions, whose solution
went to Blois to take the first we will ask of the great master of the art, our com-
volume and two letters to the patriot M. Robert-Houdin, and look in his
post office...I met Miss Anguinet Confidences...
at Lecesne's. The young lady
Miss Anguinet, finding the master's
visited me that evening.
lessons very profitable and his hospitality
March 4th I worked on my new book... I charming, remained in Blois for a few more
went to Blois at noon...I went to days:
see Miss Anguinet.
March 10th In the morning I wrote a letter to
th
March 5 In the evening, Miss Anguinet M As I was preparing to leave
staved until 11 o'clock. for Blois Miss Anguinet arrived. I

1 10
 ACT IV

had to stay with her until 5:15.

We left the house together.
In leaving the city, the lovely magicienne
still had many questions to ask Robert-
Houdin. She undoubtedly made him promise
to answer, as shown by these two notes:
March 17th I wrote to Miss Anguinet until
3 o'clock.
March 27"' I received a thank-you letter from
Miss Anguinet.
Throughout the Tablettes journalieres, we
find mentions of letters received from or sent
to Miss Anguinet, and one can praise the
mastery with which she turned a situation,
which at first seemed unfavorable, to her ad-
vantage.
We will see that throughout his stay at
Saint-Gervais, the artist received renowned
professionals of the art who were passing
Illustration 144 - Full portrait of Miss Anguinet.
through Blois, but also more humble ones, to
whom he often provided help or had it pro-
vided. In September 1859, Robert-Houdin Au Caft

noted in his Tablettes: i houres dsi soir

th RLPRLSEN f U'lON V.X'l B IOUDIN YIRl.

September 11 At noon, visit from a conjurer
named Gabriel, a card expert and
billiard player...In the evening I DE BILLARD
went to see M. Gabriel's perfor- DE GARTOMANIE
mance at the Cafe de la Loire; he Par M. GABRIEL Professeur de Paris

is quite skilled at cards but he is PROGRAMME

above all amazing in billiards. BILLARD
Explications ih<5oi iq>ies et axfciitons pratiques du Jeu do BiHard.
en joiiant par les moycns ordiuaires.
Gabriel's small advertisement, which we re- Parlie avec deux doigts, eo rentijiit 95 pomt sur 100.
Demonstrations en car.imljotant avec deux queues

produce here is not part of Robert-Houdin's
archives. Although not dated, it is clearly from
the same period. In 1861, the author men-
tioned these two visits:
June 10, 1861 I had a visit from a conjurer,
nephew of Maffe [See chapter
"The Little Parisian Curiosity
Environ deux cents coups de hautes difficultes des plus modernes
seront executes (ant commo s6ries qua comme fanlaisies.
100 CAflAMBOLAGES BN DEUX MINU1KS A L.V MAIN.
CARTOMANIE
Pi asLidigitation <ans appareils, CuTromagTe
SurfiHses, Illusions, Peusces anti niagaeiique->, Obicurdgraphotecbuie.
Tours de destente avec ies cartes,
Part!^ fDlmiUlbles de Piquet, ficarte. Bezigue, Whist et Impcnale
en jouaot les yeux lwnles.
GVLCULS. COMBIXUSONS. \! MHLMATIQU.S, MNKMOfKHME. \
DLS, DAHBS l-.T DOMI.NOri-

Shows"]. \ Le^oos parlicoltes a\ Amakorset Soirees i\ domicile

August 6,1861 A certain Jourdain, former worker
and now actor, came to ask me Illustration 145 - Small bill for M. Gabriel, expert in bil-
for 5 francs, which I gave him. liards and "cartomania."

j1 1
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration I46 - Robert-Houdin by Disderi.


Robert-Houdin and Amateur Magicians
We must not deduce from the preceding
chapter that Robert-Houdin was not generous
in his teachings except to the fair sex because
he made it a point of honor to always answer
in detail and extensively those who asked for
advice. For some, these questions turned into
veritable correspondence courses. Among
these amateurs, there is one with whom he
remained in contact, Moreau-Sainti, the
founder of the Cercle philomagique. In July
1859. we find in the Tablettes journalieres the
trace of a letter, which was doubtlessly one of
the last, as Moreau-Sainti died on March 31,
1860:
July 20th I wrote to Moreau-Sainti and I
sent him fake balls, a wrist [?]
and my memoirs.
In 1861, during a trip to Paris, Robert-
Houdin visited Moreau-Sainti's family to give
them his books but also to ask them for his
old friend's notes and magic. At that time,
there was no transgression of the notion of
secrecy and nothing concerning the art of
magic was to be in uninitiated hands:
April 12dl Went to Moreau-Sainti's sons'
home in Auteuil...
April 14lh I went at noon to Moreau-Sainti
in Auteuil to ask him for his fa-
ther's notes and give him my
memoirs.
April 21st I went to Auteuil to Moreau-
Sainti's to whom I gave the
tricks.
For the month of June, we find this note in
the Tablettes journalieres:
113
ACT IV
June 13th I received a letter from Amelie
[the wife of Chocat-Hamilton]
containing a note from M. Maffey
[Masse] to offer me a few papers
belonging to Ghalon the con-
jurer. I wrote to Ghocat to go
pick them up.
This M. Massey, relative of the conjurer
Chalon, who signed his letters "Chalon de
Massey,'' was the uncle of the conjurer w h o
came to visit Robert-Houdin at The Priory.
He was one of the members of the Masse
family, allied to that of "Pere Roujol" since
the marriage of Alexandre Francois Roujol,
the eldest son of the builder of conjuring ap-
paratus, with a Mile. Masse (see Act II, note
6). The author was in familiar territory; these
documents on Chalon were to enrich his col-
lection and allow him to write or complete
this famous conjurer's biographical note. He
published it a few years later in the Grand
Dictionnaire universe! du XIXe siecle by
Pierre Larousse [36],
A debutant managed to convince Robert-
Houdin to take an interest in him through his
letter sent from a far-off island in I860. His
name was M. Mailhol:
March 7th I received from the lie de la
Reunion a long letter from
a certain M. Mailhol asking for
advice on his conjuring the-
ater.
March 9"' I spent part of the day sketching
response for M. Mailhol.
March 10th I wrote the letter to M. Mailhol
in the morning.
ROBHU-HOUDLN

J? {'WSJ dy*ry&ffWW &*'" !%;/,

Jt-c

u>.&zs /

rdd Of
2 i^c&X

i'xcdUwt,

Illustration 147 - Letter of March 31, 1818 from "M. Chalon, Professor of Recreational Physics and Mahier, Aerial
Grotesque," to the Minister of the Interior. (Archives nattonales)

114
 ACT IV

This correspondence lasted several years, questions. This missive was written to Francois
without the two men ever meeting - I found Lauzun, [37] with whom he maintained a corre-
no trace of a meeting - and it was undoubt- spondence, of which we have at least one more
edly beneficial to M. Mailhol, as these lessons example:
came to fruition on the stage of Soirees Fan- Paris March 5, 1859
tastiques. For a time the master's distant stu- Sir,
dent was one of the associates when Emile I live in Paris during the winter, so the letter
Robert-Houdin managed the theater. that you sent to St. Gervais was late in reaching
In I860, Robert-Houdin met another conjur- me.
ing amateur, Paul Chenu - referred to by the You do me the honor of asking me a few ques-
tions which I will try to answer.
artist on page 59 of Secrets of Conjuring and
My distributor is a mechanical intermediary
Magic whose goal was not to become a pro-
designed to balance magnetic attraction. You
fessional but to perform for the pleasure of his know, sir, that this force is directly inverse to the
relatives and friends. Paul Chenu. who was also square of the distance. This law is detrimental to
a friend of Rossini, Dore, Dumas, and Theophile mechanical applications, because when the ar-
Gautier, was the husband of a certain Miss mature is at its greatest distance from the elec-
Lafitte. He was at that time manager of a large tro-magnet, it would be necessary to have as
alcohol shop in Bordeaux. During each of his much force as possible to overcome inertia and
passages through Blois, Paul Chenu was invited the molecular adhesions of the contacts. I tried
to remedy this disadvantage with the help of my
to The Priory and he showed his gratitude to his
distributor and I succeeded. With such an auxil-
hosts with delicious gifts that the master of the iary, the initiative force of attraction, although
house noted in his Tablettes journalieres:
September 27th I received a letter from M.
Chenu announcing that he was LI I . //
sending me a basket of rum and
cognac.
Robert-Houdin answered this letter on
October 10lh:
^/
I found them excellent [and I have] found be-
tween them and your procedures this analogy: both
are filled with spirit, delicacy, and generosity...
r
7
^tIT"'/"
At the end of summer 1859, Robert-Houdin re-
he'
/ -*"*
.A
ceived a letter from an American conjurer whose 9 i^
name he does not specify, asking him for the ad- '&>
'
. 71
dress of an apparatus manufacturer. Robert- CM/- CJz. L,. or

Houdin sent this letter on October 1" to Andre

Voisin, who thanked him for this new client in a
11
a.'
x; 3. /Aft
?'*

1
letter on the 10th.
HA

The letter reproduced below illustrates Robert-

Houdin's courtesy towards amateurs of the magic Illustrations 148 to 150 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to
art and the detail with which he answered their Francois Lauzun. (Jacques Vbignfer collection)

115
ROBHRf-HOUDIN

multiplied by one hundred, remains the same. In

the entire journey of the armature it would be
necessary to have a long description with a draw-
ing to let you understand this new principle of
the breakdown of forces; if you want to know the
details I advise you to consult a work by the
Count du Moncel, entitled Expose de l'electricite.
You will also find excellent information on the
applications of electromagnetism to mechanics.
This work has several volumes, which are sold
separately; you can ask M. Bachelier, the pub-
lisher, for the one where the specific instrument
is found. If I were at home, I would have given
you the information as I have all of the volumes.
M. Destouches, watchmaker, Rue St. Martin
228, manufactures my electric clocks; they are, I
believe, 60 francs. You will find them described in
the work that I indicated so that you can learn
about them before purchase.
The Daniel and Bunsen batteries are both very
good but the first has the advantage of leaving no
smell. On the other hand, you need a greater
number of elements to equal that of a Bunsen.
There are many conditions that can determine
the choice of one or the other. I was using a Smee
7 / battery in the theater whose action is great but ir-
fl^ Ata,
regular. Still, as the effects to produce were brief,
I obtained excellent results. This battery de-
scribed in all physics works is not manufactured
much in France. I obtained my supplies in
England.
I do not want to finish without thanking you
for the compliments that you gave me on my
work, but allow me to believe that the pleasure
you said you had in reading is especially due to
the connections that you refer to in your letter,
and to your passion for everything dealing with
conjuring.
Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my perfect
consideration.
Robert Iloudin

In certain epistolary circumstances, however,

Robert-Houdin was beguiled and his kindness
and determination to keep his promises would
play an unpleasant trick on him.

116
 ACT IV

Illustration 151 - Profiles of Robert-Houdin and his spouse by Dantan, with a quatrain by the conjurer in homage to the
sculptor's talent. (See illustration 93, page ~0)

117
ROBhRl-HOl'DIN

Illustration 152 Portrait-rebus of Robert-Houdin by Dantan: "Robe, R, Houe, Daim" (Dress. R, 'Hoe, Deer).
 ACT IV

1 0'' '"'

Alexander Heimbiirger

This great German magician performed es-

sentially in North America and South America
from 1844 to 1854. His career, which seems to
have been brilliant, finds its place in this
work because thirty-five years after Robert-
Houdin's death, Harry Houdini claimed that
Alexander, who was then eighty-four, told
him that Robert-Houdin had admitted to him
that he had his memoirs written by a Parisian
journalist because he was pressed for time. So
much for the falsehood; now let us look at
the facts.
Alexander addressed a letter in April I860 to
Robert-Houdin, in which he asked his col-
league to sell him the translation rights to his
memoirs for Germany. The author, given that
the sender was someone he did not know, an-
Illustration 153 - Alexander Heimbiirger.
swered in generous and courteous terms:
St. Gervais, near Blois, April 28th decide to pursue your project. In France,
England, and America, the book is in its sec-
Sir,
ond edition.
Although your letter was sent to Paris, it was
transmitted to the country, where I reside nine As a response to this letter, Alexander
months out of the year. Heimbtirger asked Robert Houdin to ask
I will say to you in answer to your demand that Bourdilliat for the translation rights on his
I sold the book in question to M. Bourdilliat, man- behalf. Robert-Houdin wrote this in his
ager of the Librairie Nouvelle; I can therefore no
Tablettes journalieres of May 10th:
longer sell you the translation rights.
But as an associate I can be of use to you I received a letter from M. Alexandre, retired
through my publisher. I will fulfill this role in conjurer in Munster who has asked me to ask
making sure he deals with you in your best in- Bourdilliat for the translation rights...I wrote to
terests. Bourdilliat.
When I gave a few performances in Berlin I Aside from this note, Robert-Houdin makes
heard about you in the most favorable terms; I am
no more allusions to Alexander in his Ta-
enchanted, sir, for this opportunity to correspond
with such a famous conjurer. blettes journalieres of the year I860 or the
Please accept, sir, the expression... following. We also do not know the content
Robert-Houdin of his letter to Bourdilliat or the latter's re-
P. S. You will find here some information sponse. It is therefore impossible to assert that
that could be of use to your publisher if you the translation rights - meaning publishing

119
ROBFRI-HOUDIN
rights [39] - of Confidences d'un prestidigita-
teur were sold to Alexander. However, if we
lean towards this hypothesis, it is because
Robert-Houdin wanted his memoirs to be
published first in countries where he had suc-
cessfully performed. The present work repro-
duces several of his notes on letters written to
foreign publishers or to persons who could
potentially help him contact one of them.
However, after his correspondence with
Alexander, there is no mention in his writings
of any other steps taken, by him or by
Bourdilliat, concerning a German edition of
his memoirs. This implies that he considered
it settled. The facts also seem to
support the above because Confidences
d'un prestidigitateur was not published in
Germany during the nineteenth century. It
was, however, published in all the other
countries where he had performed and one
can legitimately assume that the German pub-
SDIe
tics fn(fd)en
Gutfjiiftt nitb ertautcvt
BOH
Jjoubtn,
) 2>ie Snuff, in icbcm Spiel 511 genritinen.
f trtttr, 1862,
u 3?cinf;oft> d
Illustrations 154 and 155 Cover and title page of the German edition of Les Tricheries des Grecs devoilees (op. citj.
lishers were not indifferent to Robert-
Houdin's works since Les Tricheri.es des Grecs
devoilees |>i] was published in Germany in
1862, barely one year after the original
French edition. The name Robert-Houdin was
so famous in Germany that the translation of
his son Emile's book, L'Art de connaitre et de
regler les montres et les pendules (The Art of
undestanding and setting watches and
clocks), was published there in 1865. We can
therefore wonder about Alexander's inten-
tions in wanting to publish Robert-Houdin's
Confidences. It is fairly rare that a profes-
sional magician promotes a colleague, at least
during his lifetime, so wasn't the actual pur-
pose of this maneuver to keep the market
clear in Germany for his own memoirs and
therefore to give himself time to write and
have them published? [42]
Two other events gave these agreements an
unforeseeable persistence; the first was the liq-
5Die
t p l)fi falfdjftt
lSntI)ii((t it it b ertatttcrt
ic Swift, in jebcut 511 geuiiimtit.
Snlin, 18G2.
Sicifag ton Sfeinfjotb d

uidation of the Librairie Nouvelle (September
1861) - as a result, only Bourdilliat's bank-
ruptcy creditors, for whom this little "affair" of
the German Confidences was the least of his
problems, could have eventually sued; the sec-
ond came from political tensions. Moreover,
the war between France and Prussia did not
further editorial exchanges between French
and German authors.
We can therefore form from the above many-
hypotheses. Perhaps Alexander obtained the
publishing rights for Germany of Confidences
but did not manage to have them published, or
he blocked their publication, or finally, he did
not get them and so resented his famous col-
league.
Whatever the hypothesis chosen may be,
we are quite positive that the letter printed at
the beginning of this chapter is Alexander's
only contact with Robert-Houdin. It also
clearly shows that the two men had never
2)ie Jtunfl
| 'gafdjcti- imb
md) Wftm SBertty
ju |"$&|cn, lie in Sana jit ctljaltcn tint btnftlbtn
jit rtgullrat.
SHoiett oui>iit ofjn,
Ut)imnd>er unb SSIedjamtei: m ^PiniS, S l i d e s won 5}tefltiet.
ifiridi, 1865.
ags^iKagaj
(3- edjaStlm)
Illustration 156 - Title page of the German edition of Emile
Robert-Houdin's work L'Art de connaitre et de regler
les montres et les pendules (op cil )
ACT IV
met. After Alexander's response to Robert-
Houdin's letter, the German magician's name
appears no more, either in Tablettes journal-
ieres or in any other personal document of
Robert-Houdin that I consulted. This seems
to confirm that after their attempt to come to
an editorial agreement (whether or not it was
concluded) the two conjurers were never in
contact. Supposing that we grant the slightest
credibility to the appalling declarations "at-
tributed" by Harry Houdini to Alexander [a]
- lies contradicted by several rough drafts
of the chapters of the manuscript of Confi-
dences, which allow one to follow the au-
thor's thought processes step by step, and by
his former and later writings, public or pri-
vate, all stamped with the same personal and
so easily recognizable style - the facts re-
ported in this chapter and its footnotes
would take away all credibility from them, if
need be.
Citt
ttwbenter Jaubetet-
SagetotdjHttttei
rfttr.SSaitb.
HRit citter inteitung Don Dr. SeBin S^itding.
Muftet i. S .
vIad ber Soppenvatlj'jefjen S&uifc
1882.
Illustration 15 - Title page of Volume I of Alexander
Heimbiirger's autobiography.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Card Sharping Exposed and Les Figures du temps
On January 29. I860, Achille Bourdilliat
and Robert-Houdin decided to begin a second
Parisian edition of Confidences d'un pres-
tidigitateur. The author began correcting and
recomposing his work, and by the beginning
of spring he sent it to his publisher. The first
proofs only began to arrive, however, on
August 21SI. Robert-Houdin was displeased
about this delay; his second English edition
had already been on sale in London since the
end of February or early March (March 3'd
I860 "I received a copy of the second edi-
tion of my work by mail from M. Chapman in
London"). The last proofs corrected by the
MEMOIRS
ROBERT-HOUDIN,
AMBASSADOR, AUTHOR, AND CONJUKOK.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
StconB eKfition.
LONDON:
CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193 PICCADILLY.
1860.
[Rejitteml according to t\>. international CoppigM Art.]
Illustration 158 - Tide page of the second English edition of
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, condensed into a single volume.
122
author arrived on October 15lh at the Librairie
Nouvelle but the work did not emerge from
the presses until the end of December.
Robert-Houdin finally received the first ten
copies of the second edition of his memoirs
on December 27lh I44] Following are a few ex-
amples of letters Robert-Houdin sent to his
publisher Bourdilliat in I860. They clearly
show the author's concern for the publication
of his works and his attention to detail, but
also, depending on the situation, his courte-
ous firmness or irony:
St. Gervais near Blois on March 2, 1860
My dear Publisher!
I am sending you with this letter the first vol-
ume of my confidences corrected and ready to be
sent to the typographer. I would not like you to
print it without my having seen the proofs. To do
so, you could send me one or two pages at a time,
and I would return them to you immediately. I am
sending with this volume a portrait of myself I
arranged under favorable conditions to be placed
at the front of the work. Several people have re-
quested I do so. See what you think about this
idea. The engraver could arrange the image to the
size suitable for your format.
In two weeks I will send you the second vol-
ume, from which I have removed all the illustra-
tions depicting my tricks as well as the accompa-
nying text. I have replaced all this with only five
pages.
This information on the second volume and
that from the first will suffice, I think, to give you
an idea of the material that will make up our new
edition.
Please be so kind as to let me know when you
have received the volume, because in the event
that it does not reach you I will immediately carry
out all necessary procedures.
 ACT IV

MECANIGIBN ET PRESTIDIG1TATEUR

Illustration 159 - Frontispiece engraving of the second Parisian edition of Confidences by Robert-Houdin.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Please accept, dear sir, the expression of my af-

fectionate feelings.
Your devoted
Robert-Houdin
P.S.G. Have you read the complete series from
our friend Lescure on my work in the Gazette de
France of the 11th? I read it and sent him my
thanks.
/U

St. Gervais near Blois, March 7, 1860

My dear Publisher!
I do not intend to change the title of my work;
I think it is good and complete; we will therefore
keep it as it is, if you agree. However there is a
small deletion to make in the subtitle; it is the
last line of experiments explained with engrav-
ings. If it was left in, it would be misleading to the
public.
I have asked you for a portrait for the second
edition of my work to compensate for the illustra-
tions removed from the first; but I never thought
that you would assume that I would bear the cost.
I could, my dear publisher, prove to you by A
+ B multiplied by the rotation of the earth that
this expenditure, in the event you decide to pro-
ceed, should be borne by yourself; I prefer to call
upon your excellent feelings for all that is artistic
and also poetically tell you that it includes a poor
W. O'Yl t^<!t**.4*S' *< t^4<JZn*. I
pun:
Of your friends you like the portraits
We are on good enough terms
To believe you will hold firm
To the colony of my traits
Please accept, moreover, the expression of my
affectionate feelings.
Your devoted
Robert-Houdin [to the left of his signature
Robert-Houdin glued a miniature photo-
y r. graph of himself]
P.S.G. The day before yesterday I received the
second edition of my Confidences from
M. Chapman, our publisher in London, in one
Illustrations 160 and 161 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to the volume. You surely know that the first edition
publisher Bourdilliat. was sold at one guinea per copy (26 francs).

124
 ACT IV

YtAsfajA

4fr(L,l.W.
- /

-/
I,

(STn^a^,

U^IOAMJ

7
' u
e /T^> <jAA..e>

n+.

* * j

i.j, , Uu **, **-;^>"***

p ./, C .

/oJ^Ls

Illustrations 162 and 163 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to the Illustrations 164 and 165 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to the
publisher Bourdilliat. publisher Bourdilliat.

125
ROBERT-HOUDIN
St. Gervais near Blois, September 10, 1860
Dear publisher!
We are going quite slowly for the proofs; what is
the reason? I nonetheless put aside all serious ac-
tivities in order to think only about this work,
which I am eager to see finished. I am ready and
waiting.
I have in my entourage a few people who wish
to obtain this work and are pestering me for this
reason. Free me as quickly as possible from this
importunity. I have reason to believe that the
bookstores in Blois will also would melt for a cer-
tain number of copies.
As soon as your friend's face is finished, please
be so kind as to send him a copy.
Please, dear publisher, favorably welcome the
complaint of the least fortunate and also the most
devoted of your unhappy authors.
Robert-Houdin
'ttC^WM <U* >9n t^iJt*tJlJL4 9 <L- 4?\JLsi
CA
IP *<l*JZJh isv a VL*J>
Illustration 166 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to the pub-
lisher Bourdilliat. From Figures du temps.
126
St. Gervais near Blois, the 6th of November 1860
Dear Bourdilliat
I have been waiting for a copy of the second
edition of my Confidences over the past few days,
but seeing nothing arriving I decided to send you
this question:
If my book could merit
For a few readers some merit
Why does the publisher who publishes me
Meditate to publish me?
Whatever the case may be, dear Bourdilliat, all
the best and believe me to be always
Your devoted
Robert-Houdin
St. Gervais near Blois, the 19th December 1860
Dear Sir!
I received the copy of the second edition you
sent me. Let it be said with no reproof that the
work was in progress for one year. This is a long
time for a company in which this could be done in
two weeks. But let us not discuss that any further.
I am going to have a few excerpts inserted in the
Blois newspaper in order to attract the attention of
amateurs and bookstores. We must admit that you
have in me a famous assistant. Unfortunately my
employer who lets me do all the hard work alone
does not support me. It is now your turn, My
Master; we are going to see how you do things.
The work is very well printed, the type is very
lovely, but, you know the but of the fake good-na-
tured characters of the Vaudeville, but it is unfor-
tunate that the paper is not satin-finish. The con-
trast is considerable. I can understand that for a
work that costs one or two francs per volume, this
detail could be neglected, but for books at 3 francs
each it must be done. Moreover it is a question of
at most one centime per volume and my boss. I am
sure, could part with this centime.
I will come to Paris around the end of January
but if before then you have some copies to send
me I would be pleased, as I have a few gifts to give
friends to whom I could not give the first edition.
Please receive, My dear Publisher, the assur-
ance of my good friendship and a bit of resent-
ment.
Robert-Houdin
 ACT IV

r* / i / />
> CONFIDENCES

ROBERT-HOUDIN
if UNE VIE D'ARTISTE

THKATRE ET PRESTIDIGITATION

4, euWi

f* " / "
;

to, i^ 5^ -. . fa _ ; , . ^ _

, MiA PARIS
LIBRiiaiE NODYELLE
a. 1'al* ./., - BOULEVARD DFS [T4LieW3, I S

Alj ^ O^ A. BOURDILLIAT ET Gie, EDITEURS

A;. La traduolioii ot la reprnduction sont resorvces

1861

fN /) ' ^/ > JJ s ' A

Ojtt/Q-V

r CONFIDENCES
'i ft"
7 i
*. i tot, 4

*1" 1 *>/'

'L sJ \ J\y r ROBERT-HOUDIN

8.. 0.
UNE VIE D'ARTISTE
^ /v
A ,
V - c/t /an

THEATRE ET PRESTIDIGITATION
/ . ^ /.
7 //

,/; ., JL, TOME I I

DSiUXIHMK ftDI

PARIS
LIBRAiaiE N0U7ELLE
<&
/.A S-/
BOULEVARO Di'S ITALIEN5, Ifl
<. U Via?* /i+-6eoO
T'J" ^mJ- civ
A. BOURDILLIAT ET C!, EOITEURS
/ - ^ l.i traduction et la reproduction sent reservees

Illustrations 167 and 168 Letter from Robert-Houdin to the Illustrations 169 and l""0 - Title page of the two volumes of
publisher Bourdilliat. the second Parisian edition of Confidences.

127
ROBERT-HOUDIN

CONSTITUTE LE 12 NOVEMBRE 1S57.

EXTRAIT DES STATUTS,

Pour l'AmMoralion de I'Espril Francais
ART. 4*r. Les reunions sont de'signe'es
SMUS le titre de Diner du Figaro.
ART. 5. La direction du journal est
cliargde de choisir 1'emplacement ties
reunions j sont exceptes, Umtefois,
Cayenne, Clirhy, Nouka-Hiva et I'Hip-
podrotne.
ART. 9- Pour stmserire utilement, tl
fautetre connu parses ujuvres. Chaque
cand.dat est tenu d'appor-tor un mot,
mer la gaiele, a exciter la soif et sur-
taut la verve.
/>. 23. Un joli mot dit MIX petitos
tables pourra valoirason auteur l'lion.-
neur d'etre prorau a I'une des grandes.
Le mot en question sera done imme'-
diatetnent soumis au vote des convives
de la premiere categoric. On pourra
voter par acclamation.
ART. S3. Un mot prudhomme, sans

P1QUE-NIQUE iisli; e"pigrammey au uno itnecdoto, 60it

DE LA FORKT DE CHAMBON
29 aout 1860. 2 heures precises.
CETTE CARTE EST RIGOUREUSEMENT PERSONNELLE.
en vers, soit en prose, mats toujouis
en franc>is.
ABT. 20. 11 y a deux especes de ta-
bles, les grandes et les petites. Les
grandes, magniflquoment nrn^es et
eclair^es, mieux servies, et serviesles
prein^res, sont la recompense de coux
dont lapreuve a <kejugee la mcilleiirc;
les petites, modestement rele'gue'es a
l'^cart, sont assignees a la seconde
eate'gorie : die;; n'auront le droit de
trouver ni les vins trop jeunes, ni le
gibier trop vicux, nl le service mal
fait, nl le cafii mediocre.
ART. 24. Chaque table nommera son
president a la majorite des vois. Les
devoirs du president de cnaque table
consistent a malntenir l'ordre, a rani-
rtrconstances attenuanUs, prottr^ aux
grandw tables, potirra, par une re"ei-
prouite sdvere, niais juste, valoira son
auteur d'6tre exile1 a I'une des pe-
tites.
ABT. 3*. Cliacun se place a sa guise
et clioisit ses voistns de table; mais
on est engage* a s'en remetlre au hasard,
qui, dans une reunion \le gens d'es-
prit, ne peut mal servir pcrsonne.
ART. 26. Tout convive qui nrborera
la cravate blanche, qui fere une ten-
tative de visile au rddaeteur en chef,
qui porters un toast, essaiera de lire
un morceait de quoi que ce soit ou
parlera avec IrrtvSrence de Mile Ri-
golboche, sera passible d'une exclu-
sion de troismois a un an; en cas do
re'eidive, la peine sera doubles.

Illustrations 171 and 172 - Invitation addressed to Robert-Houdin for the Figaro picnic of August 29, I860.
A reading of the statutes of this company, with which Robert-Houdin was affiliated, is particularly delightful!

Please print the portrait as lightly as possible.
The letters that make up the name Robert-Houdin
are a little dark; I had asked for white letters with
no shadow. Is it still possible to change it?
On November 14, 1859. the author wrote
this sentence in his Tablettes journalieres: "I
wrote down the first ideas for a new book
called Les Tricheries devoilees. "
The writing of the work lasted seventeen
months and was published at the end of
March 1861 under the title Les Tricheries des
Grecs devoilees (Card-Sharping Exposed: The
Tricks of the Greeks Unveiled). To write this
book, Robert-Houdin used his own knowl-
edge, his memories of past meetings with
"distinguished" representatives of this illicit
crowd - of which he had already given ex-
amples in Confidences - and carried out re-
search in libraries. The author, leaving very
little to chance, called on his contacts in
France and abroad to obtain writings to com-
plete his own documentation but also to ver-
ify that no other work had already examined
the same subject. One of his French corre-
spondents was a certain M. Xavier (one of his
schoolmates from Blois) who lived in Paris.
Robert-Houdin wrote to him on March 21,
I860:
Sir and dear comrade:
I think that by the nature of your commercial
relationships you must be familiar with a great
deal of English and American books. I therefore

17.8
 ACT IV

JiDOIIARD GOURDON

I.ES

FAUCHEURS
"J yi i DE NU1T
JOUEURS ET JOUEUSES

' Co :::/A
DKlXU'iME EDITION

uM.

/ PARIS
LIBRAIE1E N0BTELL1
11 BOULEVARD DES ITALIESS, to

e
A, B O U R D I L L I A T ET C , KDITEURS
? / # // n '
rr -^- La tratiuction et la reproduclion sent r6servees

1860

Illustration 173 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to M. Xavier. Illustration 1""4 - Title page of Edouard Gourdon's work Les
Faucheurs de nuit.

would like to ask you if you can obtain a few
works for me from one of these two nations deal-
ing with cheating in games or giving information
on modern card sharpers in these countries or in
any others. It is said that America is very strong
in this sinister science; it would therefore not be
impossible that with a moral goal someone has
already tried to divulge the ruses of these
crooks...
The author also asked his first biographer
Eugene Hatin to help, and sent him letters on
September 17 and 27, I860:
Dear sir and friend
I vividly thank you for your kindness in sending
me Les Faucheurs de Nuit. I have read this work;
I find it very interesting but it has no technical de-
tails. We can see that the author has no knowledge
of card-sharping techniques. My book will serve as
somewhat of a complement to this publication. I
also propose referring to it for details that I would
not know how to provide...
Dear comrade
Would you do me the pleasure of sending me
one of these little books whose title is La maniere
de faire sauter la banque (How to beat the bank)
or something similar; it is a theory about playing
and infallibly winning at roulette. I need informa-
tion on these techniques; I think that this book
will be useful to me...
Robert-Houdin also received information
from a certain M. De Beaulieu, who gave him a
few details on the Lavareille affair. As with the
publication of his memoirs, the author person-

129
ROBERT-HOUDIN

ally supervised the promotion of the work. He

had a prospectus and small poster printed for
bookstores. His friend De Villemessant wrote a
series on this work in Le Figaro; Le Monde il-
lustre published large excerpts of the conjurer's
new opus and his friend Lecesne was to do the
same in Le Journal de Loir-et-Cher. The work
LES came off the presses at the end of March 1861.
Upon his return to The Priory, Robert-Houdin
TRICHERIES DES GREGS wrote this letter to his publisher Bourdilliat:
DfiVOILfcES
St. Gervais near Blois, April 2, 1861
Dear Bourdilliat
Before proposing my work to the bookstores in
Illustration 175 - Title page of the copy of Tricheries des
Blois, I thought it necessary to have the two local
Grecs devoilees signed to William Manning. From
Robert-Houdin's biography by Henry Ridgely Evans. newspapers discuss it. I think I can have every-
thing I could wish in these two papers at any time
but the articles will have to be well done.
In thinking about it, I realized that no matter
LKS
how interesting the anecdote, this would not be
enough to attract the public who will at first look for
i\C\ anything but a narrative in my book. To begin we
must simply print an excerpt from the prospectus.
The reader will understand the purpose of the work
DES GRECS and look forward to having the tricks revealed. At
DEVOILEES the end of the article we could give an anecdote
that would add further appeal. Believe me: it is the
table of contents that will determine our success.
L'ABT BE ftAGNEB, A TODS LES JEDX
If you take my advice, send me a prospectus by
KclaTrez lea dupes, il n'y ;UUM return letter and I will take care of the rest.
plus de fripons.
MONTFSQI n u You were right to write to Chapman & Hall, and
preferably to Captain Lascelles Wraxall. You must
have noticed the latter's style. It somewhat resem-
bles military command or reflects a great desire to
express it. The same day I received his letter, I an-
swered him that you were waiting for my book to
be finished to send a copy to Chapman & Hall.
I have just finished Georges Bell's charming
work; reading it gave me infinite pleasure. This
PARIS book must be a success. I will write to the author
LIBRA1RIE NOUVELLE tomorrow to send him my compliments.
BOUEY*ISD DFS ITll.IENS, I J

A. B O U R D I L LI A T IT C">, IHHTKPHS Dear Bourdilliat, receive the assurance of my

[.a tradiiction a la lepioiEiiction sont reseiv^es. good friendship and believe me to be your devoted
1861 Robert-Houdin

Illustration 1~6 - Title page of the original edition of 1200 copies of t h e first edition of Les
Tricheries des Grecs devoilees. Tricheries des Grecs devoilees, I'Art de gagner a

130
 ACT IV

tous les jeux were printed. The author received

1 franc per volume, or 1200 francs, payable
upon publication of the edition in the form of
"two drafts" at the "end of September and end
of November plus 22 francs for posters'' (see
note 75). The publisher Bourdilliat reserved the
right to do a second printing within six months.
The work was highly successful and the author
enlarged the following editions with four new
chapters, as opposed to his memoirs, which he
condensed. The Calzado Garcia trial, of which
Robert-Houdin cited the legal sources but not
the names of the defendants in the second edi-
tion of his work, was covered extensively by
the press and was the subject of a very thor-
ough article in a special issue of Le Figaro. The
aforementioned Cuban in this affair is dealt
with in the chapter "Havana, Big Swindle".
LEMEKOIER DE NEUV1LIE
Les Figures du temps was a series of bio-
graphical pamphlets about celebrities of the time
LES
who excelled in various domains. Bourdilliat was
the publisher of this collection and his new au- FIGURES DU TEMPS
thor obviously had his place there. [*5] The biog-
rapher chosen for Robert-Houdin was the young NOTICES BIOOBAPHIQUES

draftsman-journalist Lemercier de Neuville, who PHOTOGRAPHIES DE PIERRE PETIT

later became a famous puppeteer. A decade later

he frequently appeared at the Theatre des Soirees
Fantastiques, which certainly contributed to his
success. Robert-Houdin met him on April 18, B0BERT-H0UDIN
186l at Bourdilliat's and they had a single work
session on the 19th. Robert-Houdin wrote the
essence of his biography himself and gave his
notes to Lemercier de Neuville, who undoubt- PARIS
L1BRA1RIS NOUVEI.LE
edly respected the courteously expressed wishes Boulevard des Itolicns, 15

of his esteemed colleague. A. B O O B D I L M A T E T C9, D I T E U R 9

La (reduction et la teproduction sont rtserties

1 861
Robert-Houdin often applied the proverb "if
you want something done, do it yourself" and we
can credit him with being the author of another
work, signed by his son Emile, L'Art de connaitre

Illustrations 1 to 1 9 - Portrait and signature of Lemercier

de Neuville framing the title page of his biography of
Robert-Houdin.

131
ROBhRT-HOLDIN

Illustration 180 - Robert-Houdin by Pierre Petit.

The frontispiece of Figures du temps was decorated with an original photograph of Robert-Houdin printed from this picture by
Pierre Petit.

L'AET
DE CONNAITRE ET DE REGLER
LES MONTRES ET LES PENDULES
PAH
ROBERT-HOUDIN FILS
Horloger-MScanicien
ELI:VE DE BREGUET
(3 EDITION.)
Prix : SO centimes.
PARIS
CHEZ L ' A U T E U R , E.TJB DE CHOISEUL, I
Et chez les principaux Libraires.
1867
Illustration 181 Title page of the work by Emile Robert-
Houdin, L'Art de connaltre et de regler les montres et
les pendules.
et de regler les montres et les pendules (The Art of
Understanding and Setting Watches and Clocks).
He began writing it on August 17, 1861 in view of
the upcoming opening of his eldest son's watch-
making shop. On the other hand, although
Robert-Houdin was a more experienced writer
than his son, this does not mean that the contents
of this work did not reflect Emile Robert-Houdin's
own ideas. He was a skillful watchmaker who
filed several patents for personal inventions.
For the frontispiece of Figures du temps,
Robert-Houdin posed for the photographer Pierre
Petit. In the booklet, the famous quatrain sent by
Robert-Houdin to his publisher Bourdilliat is
reprinted from a letter quoted earlier:
Si mon livre a su meriter
Pres des lecteurs quelque merite
Pourquoi I'editeur qui m'edite
133
ACT IV
Illustration 182 Letter in very small format from Robert-
Houdin to Lemercier de Neuville, humoristically an-
swering his request for an autograph.
Medite-t-il pour m'editer?
(If my book can merit
From its readers some merit
Why does the editor who edits me
Meditate to edit me?)
[In French, "editor" refers to the publisher and
"to edit" means "to publish."
The work was published in early August. We
can add that for a certain time, Bourdilliat's affairs
had been going badly. As of June Robert-Houdin
had already saved him from bankruptcy by lend-
ing him 500 francs to cover promissory notes that
the publisher had issued but could not pay. By
mid-September the Librairie Nouvelle went bank-
rupt and its prestigious authors, capital, and of-
fices were sold to the publisher Michel Levy (for
the attractive sum of 220,000 francs), who rein-
forced with this purchase the important place he
already held in French literary publishing.
ROBERT-HOLDIN
Hamilton and Pierre Edouard Brunnet
By 1862. Hamilton had been running Soirees
Fantastiques for ten years. He had shown
great management qualities and, having
started from zero, could now begin thinking
about a pleasant retirement, free of all fi-
nancial worries. Hamilton knewr how to
Illustration 183 - Hamilton by Disderi.
134
skillfully manage his name and that of
Robert-Houdin and never tried to put his
own first. Although his ego sometimes
tempted him, his common sense always had
the final say. The press was more or less fa-
vorable to him during his career, although
there were occasional jibes; he was said to
lack the charm and eloquence of his illustri-
ous predecessor. Robert-Houdin did step in
from time to time to help improve and ren-
ovate his program, and to boost advertising.
The facade on the boulevards was modified
in several ways; one of these modifications
was noted by A. de Bragelonne in the news-
paper Le Voleur. no. 105, November 5, 1858.
This eminent journalist was particularly well
qualified to observe Hamilton's establish-
ment, where he was a regular:
Every evening the facade of the Theatre Robert-
Houdin offers strollers on the Boulevard des
Italiens a spectacle that seems to greatly interest
them, especially since it is no longer possible to
see Donati's comet. There is a great black frame
above the entrance. When night falls, flamboyant
large letters of the entire alphabet suddenly ap-
pear in a perfect circle.
Thanks to a very ingenious mechanism, some
of these letters successively disappear to form
complete words in the center of the tableau. The
words are: HAMILTON, physique, magic, marvels,
golden rain," in short, all the feats performed by
Hamilton. After a few seconds, these words in
turn disappear and the letters take their proper
places in the alphabet. Thus, from all parts of
Paris, people meet here to see this new type of
free spectacle.
There was also a time the facade bore a large
pink-colored panel that depicted devils carrying
 ACT IV

. . - . .

M. Edouai'tl Briiiiiiet, t&i'estidigltateur.

i .

: i

Illustration 184 - The conjurer Pierre Edouard Brunnet. For almost two decades, this skillful artist was one of the associates of
the Theatre Robert-Houdin most admired b\ press and public alike.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 185 - The Fire Globes.

'?c7 /r

Illustration 186 - The Oracle of Destiny.

Engravings from the Album ilhistre des seances d'Hamilton. (Jacques Voignier collection)
 ACT IV

Illustration 187 - The Child Raised by a Hair.

Illustration 188 - The Triumph of Raphael.

137
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 189 - Close-up of the facade of Hamilton's the-
ater.
symbolic cornucopias with all types of objects
escaping from them.
The panel, which became weather-beaten
over time, was then covered with a green
wooden latticework with letters spelling out the
title Theatre Robert-Houdin. At the beginning of
the nineteenth century, this latticework then
gave way to windows decorated with rocaille
motifs. [] The name of the theater was then in-
scribed on the marquee, which overlooked the
entrance on the Boulevard des Italiens.
The "creations'' attributed to Hamilton by
journalists and magic historians [&] are The
Triumph of Raphael on January 6, 186l; The
Oracle of Destiny on February 6, 1861; and
The Fire Globes on February 18, 1861. The
most famous of these stage illusions was The
Child Raised by a Hair, [-is] which is the first
138
stage levitation in the history of magic, cited
in an article in Le Voleur of February 1, 186l.
The historian Robelly dates the first perfor-
mance of this trick as January 16, I860. The
explanation of this new effect - which was a
great step in the history of suspensions and
levitations and which owes everything to the
masters creative genius (as do all the "cre-
ations'' attributed to Hamilton) - should have
found its place in the second volume of
Secrets of Conjuring and Magic that Robert-
Houdin had planned.
In March 1861, Pierre Edouard Brunnet []
made his debut on the stage of Soirees Fan-
tastiques and became the understudy when
Hamilton went on leave or performed in the
provinces. Brunnet was already in charge of the
profitable home performances that were re-
quested at the theater. When neither Hamilton
nor Brunnet was able to accept them, this "im-
portant responsibility" was then delegated to
the conjurer Tufferau.
Robert-Houdin was very fond of Brunnet and
regularly met with him during his trips to Paris.
His dexterity and his volubility made him one
of the best magicians of his time, and several
very flattering articles were already regularly
dedicated to him in the major newspapers. If
he had possessed as much skill in management
as he did in performing, Brunnet would have
undoubtedly become Hamilton's successor, but
he was a hedonist with a taste for alcohol that
would worsen over time, a profligate and care-
free soul, and he was never a serious candidate
for this responsible position. This did not pre-
vent Robert-Houdin from always having special
affection for him. During the next two decades,
we will see to what extent the name Brunnet
was closely linked to the destiny of the Theatre
Robert-Houdin.
 A C T IV

SOIREES FANTASTIQUES 0E ROBERT-HOUDIN

LA

VOIX DU DESTIN
LA SCIENCE DES CARTES
a sa plus simple et a sa plus claire expression
SUIYIE DE

&J1 (BBKDIIS IDI Qi'JWSBIlEl

Par HAMILTON
PIITSICIEN PliESTlDIGltATEfR

S, boulevard <lc lialiens

SE VEND CHEZ I/AUTEUR

ET CHEZ TOHS LES LIBRAIBES

Illustrations 190 and 191 - Cover and frontispiece engraving of Hamilton's very rare work from I860, La Voix du destin.

139
RORFRI -HOUDIN

Illustration 192 - Emile Robert-Houdin meets Etnile Robert-Houdin. Composite photo by Disderi.
(Pnvatc collectionj
 ACT IV

The Shop and Wedding of Emile Robert-Houdin

Emile Robert-Houdin. we will recall, In November 1859. Emile expressed this

served his apprenticeship as a watchmaker goal in a long letter to his father and at the
at the prestigious company Breguet, where same time clearly stated that he wanted to suc-
he became an expert workman. Breguet had ceed Hamilton. This second wish must have
maintenance contracts with certain cities surprised the conjurer a bit because, although
where they had supplied clocks placed on Emile knew the art of magic well, he was not
municipal buildings, depots, train stations,
etc. Emile Robert-Houdin went to Tours,
Angers, and Nantes regularly in 1858 be-
cause he was responsible for the mainte-
nance of clocks in these cities. Thanks to
his proficiency in English, he was sent to
London in July 1859 to M. Fitz Henry, a
member of the English aristocracy, to install
the electric bell system invented by his fa-
ther and sold by Breguet. The large homes
of the time were equipped with a system of
manually operated bells which, thanks to a
complicated network of wires, pulleys, and
relays, allowed the master of the house to MONTRES & PENDULES
send for their servants by means of bells sit- de precision
uated in the pantry. These wires and bells,
which were often out of s e n ice due to tem-
perature changes, could be advantageously
ROBERT-HOUDIN FILS
HO^OCER - MECANICiEN
replaced by electric bells. The work, how-
ever, was long and costly. ELEVE DE BREGUET
Emile Robert-Houdin, who believed in the
future of this new market, soon left Breguet BouJevari Haussmann, 48
on good terms and temporarily set up a DERR1ERE L1 OPERA
watchmaking business at his home at 48,
Boulevard Haussmann, where he performed
minor work for his father such as assem-
bling different parts for the Mysterious
Clock, which the artist was still manufactur- P J.J.ES C H E R E T '8 R S "

ing in Saint-Gervais. Emile Robert-Houdin

Illustration 193 - Advertising card for Emile Robert-Houdin.
signed the bases with his own name, while Emile Robert-Houdin was at that time a watchmaker work-
waiting to start his own business. ing at home at 48. Boulevard Haussmann.

I'll
ROBERT-HOLDIN

la Soczdte/ d'TZn /Peu&iZttw S<-rw/J^a 200

Fi<r 3

Fitr. 4.

'0 Certttme-trrs

^, Z8 far-is Ad. cbt<mv del-

BEMONTOIR POUR MOITVEMENT DE PENDULE.PAR M ROBERT HOUDIN FILS

Illustration 19 i Patent for a winding spring for a clock by Emile Robert-Houdin.

142
 ACT IV

a performer and had never before said that he The result of this attitude, which proved to
wanted to make it his career. be awkward although well intentioned, was
Emile's late vocation for conjuring, how- that when Emile had bad luck, he felt dou-
ever, was part of his admiration for his father bly guilty, because he thought that he had
and his desire to resemble him in every re- betrayed the trust his father had placed in
spect. At thirty-one years of age, after having him. Emile practically never dared express
done serious apprenticeships in the fields of his true aspirations to his father, who prob-
watchmaking and mechanics, Emile probably ably did not know how much they meant to
wanted, without daring to clearly state it, to him. Robert-Houdin helped him in every
follow the path laid out by Robert-Houdin in way he could, but in the direction he had
the artistic discipline where he had so bril- chosen for him.
liantly excelled. Robert-Houdin was a fairly strict father to
We do not know the content of the father's his children during their youth, but he tried to
answer to his son but in his Tablettes jour- teach them values in which he deeply be-
nalieres of January I860 during a stay in Paris,
he wrote this slightly disdainful note:
January 29 I dined at Dantan's with Le
Garpentier, his wife, his nephew,
Sebron, and Emile. After dinner
Emile tried to perform card
tricks.
It does not seem certain that Emile's
demonstration was as brilliant as he had
hoped because Robert-Houdin wrote a few
days later:

January 31 Dined at Dantan's. Emile came

during the evening to take a con-
juring lesson.

Without knowing precisely whether this

lesson was a success or a failure, everything
leads one to believe that others did not follow
it, unless the master failed to note them in his
Tablettes journalieres.
Robert-Houdin probably always had too
clear a view of Emile. His son's talents were
due not to natural gifts but to hard work that
could be improved by study; so, instead of
letting Emile decide his future alone,
Robert-Houdin thought that his duty as a fa-
ther was to direct him toward what he
thought to be the best choice for his future. Illustration 195 - Clock by Emile Robert-Houdin.

143
ROBERT-HOUDIN
MAGAS1N I) HORLOGERIE DE ROBERT-HOUDIN FILS.
Rue de Ghoiseul, a0 l e , et rue Neuve-Saint-Augustin. n 18.
Illustration 196 - Emile Robert-Houdin's shop.
Engraving from the work I. Art de connaitre et de regler les montres et lespendides (op. cit.j.
lieved: honesty, a sense of honor, persever-
ance, and also the love of properly done work
and the notion of saving money. His first con-
cern was to give them a good education and
turn them toward a trade that would allow
them to be independent. He also believed he
had certain obligations: firstly, preparing them
as well as possible for the time when they de-
cided to build a family, and secondly, leaving
an intact estate by continuing to work until
the end of his days.
At the end of the year 1861. Robert-Houdin ac-
quired a shop for his son situated at the
corner of 1, Rue de Choiseul and 18, Rue Neuve-
Saint-Augustin. He personally supervised the
embellishment and renovation work, which took
several months to complete, and he advanced the
money for the stock of merchandise.
144
Although Robert-Houdin - generous but
cautious - had responded positively to
Emile's ambitions to set up his own business,
he did so because his son had decided to get
married. His future wife. Leonie Olga
Munier. was not only charming but also
wealthy and brought a dowry of 50.000
francs to the marriage basket. This dowry
was to be paid by the young girl's parents by
a payment of 10,000 francs on the day of the
wedding and the rest in monthly install-
ments, including 500 francs in interest over a
ten-year period. At the signing of the wed-
ding contract, [50] Robert-Houdin generously
advanced these 40,000 francs to the young
couple, to which he added 35.000 francs, the
amount of his son's dowry. To complete the
necessary investment for the shop and allow
 ACT IV

Illustration 197 - Rosalie Olga Leonie Munier, Emile Robert-Houdin's wife, around 1868.

145
ROBERT-HOUDIN
the young couple to keep their own funds,
he was obliged to add 25,000 francs and
therefore involuntarily took over 25% of the
company founded by Emile, his wife, and
himself, whose title was Robert-Houdin fils
et Cie. (Robert-Houdin and Son, Inc.). This
investment of 100,000 francs, a considerable
amount for the time, of which Robert-Houdin
provided two-thirds and advanced the rest,
shows to what extent Emile's future and that
of his future family counted for him.
At the end of 1861, Robert-Houdin and his
wife settled temporarily in Paris, or so they
thought, and therefore had to put their two
younger children in boarding school. This
was the beginning of a three-year period
- HOUBW
Hoploger Mecanicien.
EL&VE DE BREGUET
'#t. O/&Vw<w "^O
--
Illustration 198 - Bill from Emile Robert-Houdin to Dantan.
(Georges Proust collection)
which would remain one of the artist's worst
memories. After a very promising start, the
business stagnated, lost money, or did not
make any, much to the frustration of Robert-
Houdin, who was powerless to change a son
who did not show any real business acumen
in managing such a large investment.
Indeed, as long as Robert-Houdin had an ac-
tive part in his son's business, it was a real
success, but after Emile's wedding he had
stepped back and business turned poor. On
this subject the author wrote in his Tablettes
journalieres of January 30, 1864:
I set up the accounts of the shop, whose busi-
ness was progressing until the time of Emile's
wedding. The first six months of the year we
earned approximately 50,000 francs, not includ-
ing the D'Armainvilliers affair (13,000 francs)...
During the year 1863, Robert-Houdin little by
little retreated from his eldest son's business and
PRECISION his participation in the company Robert-Houdin
fils et Cie. (Robert-Houdin and Son, Inc.). Here
is one of his letters to the great watchmaker
Breguet, in which he proposed taking over one
of the projects undertaken with Emile:
Paris October 19, 1863
Monsieur Breguet in Paris
-,J
I undertook with my son, approximately two
years ago, the organization of an electric service in
the Chateau d'Armainvilliers belonging to the
Pereire family. This work is now completed.
I was hoping, once this task completed, to be
able to go and rest in the country as my health ne-
cessitates; but reasons that you will understand
prevent me from fulfilling this project.
Therefore, as it happens, in the large house
where there are several families, additions are
often requested for new needs and I am happy to
oblige, but these orders are often renewed, making
it impossible for me to leave Paris. On the other
hand, my son, busy with the growing affairs of his
shop, cannot leave his home without detriment
to it.
146
 ACT IV

Obliged to conciliate interests of the March 29th The weather is cold, yet my wife
D'Armainvilliers contract with my plans to rest, I and I are very happy to finally
would like to ask you if it would be agreeable to be back home and tranquil.
you to completely replace us in this affair. Never have we appreciated the
The conditions would be as follows:
pleasure of freedom so much
1. All the work executed until this day,
after the three years of slavery
October 20th, would be on our account.
that we have just spent in Paris.
2. All other work underway and future orders
would be carried out by you, with no guarantee
on our part.
3. In order to facilitate the taking over of my
work, you would freely allow your employee
M. Bouis to work with my son.
4. As soon as this work is completed, I would
ask Mme. Pereire about the substitution and pro-
vide an explanation.
It is understood that I cannot guarantee any
disposition of the Pereire family concerning you
although I promise to always act in your interest.
In the event that this offer would suit you,
please, sir, answer me and our two letters will
constitute our mutual engagement.
Please accept my hurried civilities and believe
me to be your devoted,
For Robert-Houdin et fils
Robert-Houdin

It is not until the month of March 1864 that

Robert-Houdin could finally leave Paris, after
having sold his shares in the company to his
son's new associate, a certain M. Gabriel. This
transaction was referred to on the 23ld by the
author:
...At M. Brugnot's who was not at home - We
went back after dinner - We signed the agree-
ments - Gabriel gave me 20,000 francs in
bonds. He has to give me five thousand francs
tomorrow...

Thanks to this sale, it therefore seems that

Robert-Houdin recuperated all the capital he
had invested in the company Robert-Houdin
fils et Cie. (Robert-Houdin and Son, Inc.J.the
year before.
Here are the sentences that the author
wrote in his Tablettes journalieres on the first Illustration 199 - Clock by Emile Robert-Houdin.
day of his return to the Blois countryside: /'Georges Proust collection}

147
ROBFRI-HOUDIN

An Unexpected Comeback

During this period qualified as slavery, an

event occured that allowed Robert-Houdin not
only to forget his "domestic worries'' but to V1NGT CENTIMES

again prove his pugnacity and his taste for flair.

This episode, until now unknown, seems to
have given a stimulus and a new youth to the
artist, who apparently took great pleasure in an-
swering a sign from destiny that he had been
awaiting with his usual patience for more than L'ENTR'ACTE
a decade.
An announcement published in November
1862 excited the curiosity of the public as well
the little magic community. Ten years after his
farewells to his "dear Parisians," Robert-Houdin SOIREES FANTASTIQBES
was preparing to return to the stage of his own DE ROBERT-HOUDIN.
theater for a limited series of performances. The
announcement of this surprise return was writ- Seanrvs escculees provjsoirement par \f.
RolxHt-Houdin pendant I'absotic de M.
ten in the following manner in certain newspa- Hamilton, #n eo moment en rcpr^senla-
tton a J.\on,
pers of the capital dated November 7, 1862:
Robert-Houdin Premiere partie
M. Robert-Houdin, founder of the theater that La Pondulc.
continues to bear his name, has agreed to give a Lo Chasseur.
few performances to replace M. Hamilton, his suc- La Pelnite de laine.
cessor and son-in-law, who has agreed to give ten Le Coffre.
performances of his show in Lyon. M. Robert- La Carte dans le gi'et.
Houdin's performances will begin on November L'Oranger nierveilleux.
10th. La Come d'abondance.

Deuxieme partie.
RoHert-Houdln. M. Hobert Houdln, fondaiour
du rhcafre qui s continue 4e potter son nom, a coo- Les Boules de cristai.
senli donner quelques stances, pou reroplacor M.
Hamilton, son successeur et beau-fHire, qui el engag6 Les Boulets.
pour donncr dii repr^sentalions de soa spectacle k Les Drag^es.
Ljon. Les seances de M. Robert Houdln cotnraen- Les Poissons.
eeront !e <0 noverabre.
Le Yoliigeur.
i-a Boutoiiie in^puisable
This announcement alone raises several Les Tourterelles sympathiquea.
questions because we have the right to ask Illustration 201 - The program of Robert-Houdin's "come-
what his reasons were. Was it due to a need back" published in L'Entr'acte in 1862.

148
 ACT IV

**> b

Illustration 202 - Robert-Houdin by Franck.

ROBERT-HOUDIN

LES SPECTRES DEYOILES

(Voir, pour 1'Histoire des Spectres, le Cagliosln lie 1864, page 13.)

HENRI ROBIN. Fig. 01. DISPOSITION Dti THEATRE ROBIN PENDANT LES SPECTRES.
Fig. 90. Graruro publieo pap I'lllustrirte Zeitung Leipzig, lo 13 mai 185').

Illustration 203 - Henri Donckele, known as Robin. Illustration 204 - "Revelation" of the Ghosts in Robin's
Almanach dn Cagliostro.

for money linked to his future investments was perfectly likely but Robert-Houdin de-
in Emile's watch-making shop? The answer cided otherwise. The conjurer made the de-
is certainly no; his fortune was not at all in cision to return to the stage for a major rea-
danger because of his son's company. Was son: to defend his honor as a creator and
it nostalgia for applause, the call of the artist in the most dazzling and elegant fash-
stage? The answer is also negative because ion.
Robert-Houdin was then a publicly ap- The magician Robin, who was preparing
plauded and respected man and had no to open a theater in the capital, was the rea-
frustrations in this respect. We can also son behind this decision.
question the truth of the motive evoked in The chapters on Robin which will follow
the announcement. Did Hamilton really will perhaps surprise some readers who
have performances in Lyon on these dates? only know this magician through the partial
There is nothing inexact in the announce- and strangely idealized image that Anglo-
ment because Hamilton actually did per- Saxon literature has often given of him
form in Lyon from November 10th to 23rd- [si] since the beginning of the twentieth cen-
We could then justifiably retort that tury, although the magician had passed
Edouard Brunnet could have just as easily away well beforehand. We must note that
replaced Hamilton and given the perfor- French historians, however inclined they
mances for the length of this absence. This are to recognize the merits of their country-

150

at) S-ILLE E LA CALE/UE BE VARGUE
SOIREE HYSTERIE0S1
M. ROBIN,SEUt RT UMQUE fefiVE
PRIX DES PliCES
Stalin durishttln at 1'nmihe
Parquet ct Seconds
Gain
lti * leg Offwiers el hurt
Illustrations 205 and 206 - Small bills for Robin in Lyon and Saint-Etienne in 1844. (Jacques \ btgnter collection)
men, never granted Robin a greater impor-
tance than he really deserved in the history
of magic. These deliberate or unintentional
historical manipulations very regrettably led
to the glorification of the actions of an artist
who, whatever talent he was reputed to
have, built his career on the two worst ills
the art of magic can suffer, as today: plagia-
rism and exposure.
We know little of Robin's professional
beginnings, except that early on he showed
a pronounced taste for telling tall tales and
for imitating his colleague's programs. Two
of the oldest known bills of this artist dat-
ing from the year 1844 are part of Jacques
Voignier's collection. They announce per-
formances in Lyon and Saint-Etienne; the
magician proclaims himself to be "the sole
student of M. Comte" [!] However, neither
ACT IV
JV3AGIE, PRESTIGES, ILLUSIONS, APPARITIONS, METAMORPHOSES
. . .
Dam
tie a & hettren tttt sair.
Le public sera aUmis a le Msilcr graluitcmenf.
Saml-Elicnne, Imp. tie R. Piciiow ,;1 Ac. 1'HOteI-Je-Viflc,
Robin's surname nor his pseudonym is on
the lists of the young performers of the
Theatre Comte. He never performed as a
conjurer, as he said he did, in the famous
theater of the Passage Choiseul (see Act II,
note 11). Robin is also not among the
artists whose names are cited in the book
of M. Comte's private performances from
the year 1821 until 1854, which lists many
students of the King's Conjurer. As his
pseudonym then had no notoriety, Robin
had the name Comte printed in letters al-
most as large as for his own name, and we
can note that the title of his show, Palais
Enchante, and that of his repertoire, enti-
tled Soiree mysterieuse, were (already)
"borrowed" most flagrantly from those of
Philippe, whose repertoire he reproduced
in its entirety in these two cities while the
151
ROBERT-HOUDIN

famous conjurer was himself performing

at the Bazar Bonne-Nouvelle at the same
SALLE DE M. ROBIN,
time. 232, PICCADILL Y, apposite the Haymarket.
Sole !.es*ee and Proprietor. M ROBI^

SECON D SEASO N.
Entire change of Performance ! More Novelties .' Fourth Programme !
LAST WONDERS!
PA1AIS EMCHAJtlfe Soirees mystifrieuses de K. Philippe.
tawiTims TU 4^)1 un grand nombre do phy&klcns et de preslidigiUleurs habils ;
kutg avoiD, now s<mmes forcii tie J'ayouer, s e j>eoi enEfer e n concarreneo STCC
M Philippe Tul <e qae limasinatlort peut rSver de plus presMgleUX , dfl plus fantas-
Me, M Philippe iBSt ptu A IG rfcallser. II y a deux s!6alos en t'euf ful comma un nia -
gt<(en, el poitfn te biicber e&t it6 le prlx do jon sayotr e l dc son adresse. JUainte-
tat stn iieganl Uitatr* , toojoars Erop petit au gr4 de Is foule, e$i le rendex->oos dc
Ij Bejjieare t i $ \ e
FANTASTIQUES,
At theie JETefjant Place of Efitertainmeitt, 232, PICCADILLY.

In Italy a few months later. Robin would use The Entertainment trill take place

this very same program, perhaps acquired from EVERY EVENING, at i-past Eight o'clock
PRECISELY, AND
EVERT WEDNESDAY,
"Father Roujol."
A MORNING PERFORMANCE:,
Robin encountered his first noteworthy and
long-lasting success in London. Associated BY COMMAND,

with a certain Lettsom, whose entire diplo-

HER MOST HAC1OUS MAJESTY,
matic career we have been able to trace, [52]
he began performing in a theater situated at THE QUEEN
H.E.H. PRINCE ALBERT, AND ALL THE EOYAL FAMILY,
232 Piccadilly in late 1850, with a repertoire At WINDSOR CASTLE, on the 2fith of April.
completely based on that of Robert-Houdin. THE PROGRAMME
Will bo selected from M SOBir. S Oiiomal K\pcrimcnts and Inimitable I n v e n t s , indn
EEANCfcS from
This installation in England greatly resembles PHYSIQUE,
Q , AUTOMATONS,
ILLUSIONS, APPARITIONS,
APPARITIONS MMAGiE,
Gi
an escape since Robin, through his silent part- CHXMIE, PRESTIGES, Of 1'IQIJE, &e,

ner, was directly implicated in the Legrand

trial (as recounted in Act III) and used mater- Illustrations 208 to 210 - Advertisements for Robin's theater in
L o t l d o n . (Hany Ransom Humanities Research Center. University of lexas. AitstinJ
ial copied or stolen from Robert-Houdin in
this show. Also, if he had stayed in France, he
undeniably would have been charged with Munich in November 1834. He was an em-
plagiarism or receiving stolen goods. Through ployee of the English embassy in Washington
Robin's intermediary, Lettsom, an attache of from December 21, 1840; we then find him in
the English embassy, was put in contact with Paris - without any official title - in 1845.
a worker employed by Robert-Houdin, Omer Lettsom was temporarily assigned to the
Legrand, whom he managed to corrupt. This English legation in Torino on October 24,
employee, between 1847 and 1849, made 1849, before finally being transferred to
copies of his famous employer's mechanical Madrid on December 11, 1850. When the
pieces for his own purposes. This criminal Legrand trial opened before the Cour d'assises
connection, of which Carl (Compars) Herrmann of the Seine in June 1850, Robin had already
was the earliest beneficiary, [53] explains how left France; Lettsom, protected by diplomatic
Robert-Houdin's repertoire could have been immunity, was safely in Torino; Legrand
so swiftly plagiarized by some of his English would rot in prison for two years.
colleagues. The diplomat William Garrow Robin left London in July 1852 just as
Lettsom, magic amateur and intelligence spe- Robert-Houdin began a long tour in the
cialist, was an "unpaid" attache of the English British Isles. After England, we periodically
embassy in Berlin from August 5, 1831 and in find his traces in Germany and Holland. In

152
 ACT IV

282, P1S0 AD ILLY.

Paris, however, we "were not able to find an-

nouncements of significant engagements of
this artist between 1846 and 1862. He "casu-
ally" credited himself with many in his al-
manacs, but to the extent we were able to
verify, his name is absent from periodicals of
this period.
At the end of 1861, Robin was back in the
English capital at Egyptian Hall with a half-
scientific, half-magic program that did not
immediately meet its anticipated success.
Robin, hardly discouraged, found inspiration
at the Theatre Robert-Houdin to fill his show,
as he customarily did, this time pirating the
new experiment presented by Hamilton, The
Child Raised by a Hair, which the incorrigible KOB1W.PICCADII.IT.

plagiarist performed in London at Easter 1862 Illustration 211 - Robin's plagiarism of Second Sight.

153
RODbRT-HOUDIN

PARISIENNES
M.&M ME ROBIN
(Xnlr Isxan- nnrf Proprietor, V. KOUI\.)
SECOND SEASON.
R*TIItr. (H t > t i : OF PKKFOKU U l ' f c
More Novelties!! - Third Programme 111

232, PICCADILLY.
THE THEATRE is NOW OPEN
EVERY EVEniING a t 8 o'clock
WHBT WfflMSI AT >MQBIII6 PBRPQRMASCB
At HALF-PAST TWO o'clock.
iniiMt'ii*. IMIISHIK. tiTomro\s,
ILLISIOVS. APF.tklTIOMi. Ali!B.
PEKSTIUKH, I H U U to.

THE CAIINIVAL OF IIOOTE,

DIAVOLO ;j5BfpNIO!
""'A OOMld SCENE'WITH ills'btOWN.

TUB LAST

THEAGIOSCOPE,
THE SIUSEE COMIC AND CHARIVAIlIQtJE i
k

Private Boxes, 1 Is. and 1 lls. 6d.

Orchestra Stalls 41- Stalls a^e* Amphitheatre Xt-

Illustration 212 Bill for Robin in London in 1851.

This bill is a plagiarism of Robert-Houdin's 1845 original.
The artist did not hesitate to ' borrow the title Soirees
Fantastiques from Robert-Houdin. or to pillage his reper-
toire
(Hany Ransom Humanities Research Center Lntteml} of Texas. Austin)
Illustration 21 i - This engraving from the Almanach du
Cagliostro shows Robin in the experiment The Child
Raised by a Hair, which he "borrowed" from Hamilton
for his program at Egyptian Hall in 1862.

151
 ACT IV

So l|!i
S l f IS & II M 15 i
THE TOUR OF H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES
OF i

M M.ftI I I W H By means of the Agioscope. invented by himself, oad never attempted

l>v anyone.

LONDON. | A STREET IN JERUSALEM.

bU;-ting paint of tho Tour

EVERY EVENING at EIGHT, SATURDAY included. THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.
DARMSTADT. THE DEAD SEA.
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT THREE, The Eaihray Station. N.ght S-'-'i effect.
A GRAND MORNING PEBFOBMANCE. THE CHAPEL OF THE NATIVITY
AT BETHLEHEM.
Ilail'VRy bridge over tile Dncube.
EVERY SATURDAY at 8. An Extra Night.See Special Bills. iUilway effect HEBRON.
THE LAKE OF TIBERIAS-
VENICE
$rt | . The Clioreh of St. Mnvk. DAMASCUS.

LEJ NOCES DE CANOES. THE SYMPATHISING TURTLE ALEXANDRIA

DOVES. H.M.S. Osborne off i:.e Poit. Ruina of the Temple.

THL WINDMILL of SANS SGUCI. HARLEQUINS FEEAKS THE FAL1S OF HETT4NI.

CAIRO AND THE CITADEL. Water Fall effect.

THE PYRAMID CHEOPS, THE CONVENT OP ST. ANTHONY.

LE CARTES SYMPATHTQUES. JUNO'S FAVORITE i THE ISLAND OF PHILOE,

OR PHAROAHS BED. THE INTEEIOB of THE CONVENT. 1
, |
I THE TEMPLE OF EDFOU. PANOEAMA OF BEYROUT TO 1
FIVE MINUTES WITH THE THE SHOWER OT GOLD, i CONSTANTINOPLE.
THE TEMPLE OF CARNAC.
The Med!mn R Jnnkennaan A H K tl
' Au3tnU!a:11
^'S^ts
tCHE OLD BRIDGE OVER THE
THE POOL OF SILOAM. GOLDEN HORN.
THE MAGIC PORTFOLIO. With Steamboat efffot.

JERUSALEM. MALTA
THE MOSQUE OF OMAR. WINDSOR.
X.I!SATURDAY, 97th September, 290th, an! positively the iast
Performance. Ca .ages -nay be ordered at 10 and {pasti

g i
m

Illustrations 213 215 and 216 - Robin's program at Egyptian Hall in 1861.
In this program we find Robert-IIoudins Sympathetic Turtledoves. The Shower of Gold, and The Fantastic Box!
(Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center. Lnitersity of Texas, Austin)

under the title Archimedes' Problem. Robins Haussmann. all the theaters that had flour-
last show at Egyptian Hall was on October ished on Boulevard du Temple - and could
expect a comfortable compensation for their
upcoming eviction - had stopped running.
Robert-Houdin had abandoned the Parisian The establishments situated on the even-num-
stage for more than ten years, and the statute bered side of the street were already being de-
of limitations for possible legal actions linked molished. Those that were situated on the
to the Legrand trial had elapsed. Robin there- odd-numbered side were granted delays rang-
fore announced that he would commence per- ing from a few months to a few years. If one
formances in a site on Boulevard du Temple, was not afraid of setting up near this huge
which, like so many others, had just been de- worksite, it was thus possible to cheaply rent
serted. one of the spaces momentarily saved from the
This installation on the famous Boulevard hammer and shovel. Although it was possible
du crime'' deserves an explanation; from July to open a business at a lower cost on this part
15, 1862, and following a decree by Baron of the boulevard, the location could only be

155
ROBFRI-HOIDIN

GREAT SIGHT??

FOB. ONE DAY ONX.TI

(ENGAGEMENTS PRECI.UDIJ !.ONGI:H 8TAY.)

TNI BAi HAY PERFORNIAIIGE

For lrt!iJi oud /','./. .u tin CM'try to ew ttu inlemimg ExitMot, at XtOO pritiufy, EVLNMG at JJJfgfci,
Reserved Scats, JIumbered, neat" Hie Platform, 3s, Second, 2s. Back, Is.
B S C Reitirtd Stiti ami luktli utaild "I tie prim-tpal I ilmrirt. aid at tit /(.<-( / i r BVSA *

4 1(1 t ' K | l i ; i"HO V IAI,. I M1>1 l ' l ^ 1 1 1 .

ft ill b* . u by A lvuiii. ibu I', M Mill tthJ jTi.n-i, Ji <wl llui. pwbija, U*- gtt.it'i Kli T ill fm OH Uid nf j fonmmm 11

a
3UM KUBfN ( i l l
Id put M vKUifMdHr Mi !)<!,, ind n m ),KH i^*ff**I
jiiVi, at Ha.tiUMHOlllXimuil.'lo.idiil the . uf h.i lijb*J'

I1.CB. u, g IM l| K . W e .1 ihn l-p f ifc- l(sj*, .fcr^e UJ

The whole of MONH. and MADS.KE

Illustration 218 - The demolition of the famous "boulevard of crime."

temporary. Robin seized this lucky opportu-

nity and, if all had gone according to plan, the
Bazar du Temple (49, Boulevard du Temple),
renamed Salle Robin, would have opened its
doors on Saturday, November 22, 1862.
Although Hamilton did not seem worried
about the potential competition for his estab-
lishment from this theater, Robert-Houdin did
not want it to be possible for Robin to perform
plagiarisms of his creations in Paris. The con-
jurer was perhaps more injured by the
Lettsom-Legrand affair and its consequences
than he admitted in his writings. He had never
.i.Vp JJ1' K JflOffT 6"K. H1OLH M.MKSTy fled from public conflict -with artists who had
plagiarized his repertoire, like Herrmann,
Anderson, or Jacobs and in each of these cases
the public and press had unanimously de-
clared him the winner. In coming to set up in
Xrx I'ftnmix f ot/at/nnn. Lr tinton Uaf/ique. Le Timbre de Crtetnf.
lAifuhlite d'irti .Inifv. La Piltttr Iiiuhtc. VAilrqitin tie llcifftune. Paris, Robin must have thought that Robert-
Le t'off're Tmint(>fiicut. Lit Ht'ttpaiitioH tic Mudame.
Her most KMHUIW Hujoi) i if the rotithhion or flip pri-formame) riiliirjfil ihniDRh l o r d lljrnn, I o n ! In HaHlag,
h r r lilgb siJjtruluiiofi ur 3IuJi->irtir atii! Jlattnnn VMI;\W\ lahH;itmiH'til, aliltfe Her Sajclj a a s pleased (o
Houdin's retirement would protect him from a
T h e "DOCIH will open a t Imlf piu.t Sevcti. T o C c u r e t a c e a t S i g h t . Cei
i tj age MI
confrontation that he had done everything to
School* treated withfryeoacial arrangement on the Any of ParformancSf avoid. Robert-Houdin, who had awaited this
occasion for so many years, disrupted his
plans to remind this unscrupulous artist that in
the capital he had to respect the rules that he
Illustration 217 - On this bill for Robin, The Disappearance had denied abroad.
under a Cup, The Crystal Stamp, as well as The
It is true that Robin was not an ordinary
Transparent Trunk by Robert-Houdin were "stolen" by
the incorrigible plagiarist. (Harry Ransom Humanities Research
plagiarist. Not content to counterfeit almost
Center. Unirersity of Texas. Austin) all of Robert-Houdin's repertoire, he copied

156
 ACT IV

his "model" obsessively, even the smallest

details. He copied calling cards and stage
settings, as well as the title of his soirees, his
posters and advertisements, and even the en-
gravings and poems of his illustrious col-
league, which he did not hesitate to sign
with his own name! [54] Although working
outside France, especially in England, had
allowed him to go unpunished, the tempo- Irs Jfroirs, a 8 heutce y
rary comeback of Robert-Houdin clearly
showed him that this type of behavior was
over.
Although a series of only ten performances
was announced, the size of the crowds that
stormed the Theatre des Soirees Fantastiques
obliged Robert-Houdin to give thirty perfor-
f%. 44.
mances and thus extend his unplanned return
to the stage. The conjurer ended up performing
Illustration 219 - La Salle Robin, 49, Boulevard du Temple,
from Monday, November 10 to Wednesday,
Paris.
December 3. Let us clearly state that even this
None of Robin's biographers, who praised the 'sumptuous"
was not enough to satisfy his former audi- entrance of the hall of his theater represented in his Almanach
ence, who wanted to come applaud him with du Cagliostro, seemed to notice that this same engraving -
their offspring; amateurs magicians who tried reprinted in preceding pages - had already been used by the
artist to illustrate the entrance of his London hall in Picadilly.
to attend as many performances as possible;
of Egyptian Hall (!), and finally of his Parisian hall.
and readers of Confidences d'un prestidigita-
teur who had decided to come in order to see
the hero of the book that had so made them
dream. This artistic justice, as elegant as it
was efficient - the weapon used in the "con-
frontation" between the two magicians was
talent - resulted in the plagiarist surrender-
ing. Indeed, Robin had very little to offer to
compete with the program and unequaled
personality of Robert-Houdin "in top form,"
who performed every evening for an audi-
ence he had already won over and who,
through this skillful maneuver, prevented
Robin from ever performing in Paris with a
repertoire of plagiarisms of his work. Robin
refused the "fight" and twice pushed back the
opening date of his theater by almost three
weeks, [55] the time necessary to prepare a
Illustrations 220 and 221 Robert-Houdin's visiting card and
"new program" that would now seem quite its copy by Robin.

157
ROBERT-HOUDIN

DA&O
Illustration 222 - Robin's plagiarism of the engraving and Illustration 223 - Robin's plagiarism of the engraving and
effect of Robert-Houdin's The Horn of Plenty in his effect of Robert-Houdin's The Instant Impression in
English Album of 1851-1852. his English Album of 1851-1852.

thin, stripped of more than fifteen years of by Robin this same week:
thefts from Robert-Houdin. [56] Thursday. January 1, 1863
The confrontation that Robin thought he
could avoid finally took place at the beginning
of 1863 because, although Hamilton had taken Soirees Fantastiques Salle Robin
of M. Robert-Houdin Seance of physique and magic
up the magic wand again as early as December
of M. Robin, sole pupil of the
4, Robert-Houdin could not refuse a new se-
famous conjurer Comte
ries of performances for those who had never
been able to obtain a ticket for the first series. Part One Part One
The Cabalistic Clock The Magnetic Cards
The shows were scheduled for the first week
The Hunter The Wedding at Cana
of the year, from Thursday, January 1 to
The Ladies' Mirror The Worry-Free Mill
Wednesday, January 7, 1863 in the morning
The Ball of Wool A Dangerous journey [?]
and evening.
The Crystal Chest Five Minutes of Spiritism or
It is obviously interesting to compare The Mysterious Orange Tree The Medium Inkermann
Robert-Houdin's program with that proposed The Horn of Plenty A Scarf from Carnival [?]
 ACT IV

Illustration 224 - The plagiarisms of Robert-Houdin's The
Ladies' Favorite and The Crystal Stamp by Robin in
his English Album of 1851-1852.
Illustration 225 - The plagiarisms of Robert-Houdin's The
French Guardsman and The Fabulous Rosebush by
Robin in his English Album of 1851-1852.
The English word exercises instead of the French exercices again
confirms the English origin and date of this Album.

Part Two Part Two which his son was no longer young enough to
The Crystal Balls Several Secrets of Physique
Amusante
participate.
The Cannon Balls Juno's Bird Robin, who later claimed to be the "inven-
The Art of Producing Candy The Flower Basket tor" of The Inexhaustible Bottle, simply
Antonio the Acrobat
changed water into wine in The Wedding at
The Shower of Gold
Cana; The Worry-Free Mill [57] was the automa-
Part Three
ton sold by Roujol in 1830 under the same
The Inexhaustible Bottle Hagioscope Moses saved from
the Waters name, and shown by Pinetti and Bologna in
The Sympathetic Turtledoves The Castle of Windsor, the Bridge the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries,
over the Train Tracks in Chalons, respectively; Robert-Houdin explained The
the Golf of Naples [etc.]
Medium Inkermann in his posthumous work
Robert-Houdin's program was a sort of ''great- The Secrets of Stage Conjuring. "Several Secrets
est hits" of his repertoire, except for the Pastrycook of Physique Amusante" was a series of very
of Palais-Royal, the Fantastic Portfolio, The unfortunate exposures of magic secrets that
Ethereal Suspension, and Second Sight, feats in Robin continued in his almanacs; and Juno's

159
ROBERT-HOUDIN
THE SPECTRE DKA.MA XT THE POLYTECHNIC tSSTITUTIOK,SEE ?AGE 486,
Illustration 226 - The Ghosts at the Polytechnic Institute.
Bird is none other than the automaton peacock
that Philippe had presented 18 years earlier.
This fairly unoriginal repertoire probably
explains why the first six months of the Salle
Robin were difficult while the Theatre des
Soirees Fantastiques, stimulated by the impact
of a few of Robert-Houdin's performances,
seemed to gain a new vogue. We must not
deduce from the failure or lack of success of
Robin's first performances that he was a
mediocre performer, because no critic im-
plied this. However, unable to use the cre-
ations of Robert-Houdin, who had just taught
him a cruel but well-deserved lesson, it
would take him a few months to recover.
Robert-Houdin was not arrogant about the
100
conclusion of this episode. He had gotten
what he wanted and asked for no more. The
artist could undertake his other activities
feeling he had protected his artistic work in
Paris and, at the same time, the interests of
his brother-in-law and successor.
Robin was finally saved by Mercury, known
to all as the god of thieves. Since he could no
longer pillage the famous Frenchman's reper-
toire, Robin appropriated the most famous
English invention of his time: the Ghosts of
Messrs. Henry Dircks and John Henry Pepper,
a huge success at the Royal Polytechnic
Institute since December 24, 1862. A perfect
mercenary, Robin betrayed France while in
England, and once back in France betrayed

10.] SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1838.
THE POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION, REGENT STREET.
Illustration 227 - The Polytechnic Institute in London.
England, even though he had been so well re-
ceived there.
Robin took a break during the first days of
April "for improvements" and three months
later gave the first performance of Ghosts on
Saturday, June 20, 1863. This illusion launched
his theater, which lasted for approximately
four years [ss] with a program that always
mixed, and seemingly with some pleasure,
spiritualist feats, magic, exposures, and scien-
tific vulgarizations.
In order to do a favor for his brother-in-law
Hamilton, who showed great interest in the
Ghost illusion Robin had just presented, Robert-
Houdin wrote these lines to his friend and
ACT IV
[Ptt, BRJDGHSrORTH.
I*or Two Nights Only. Extraordinary Engagement
artr Jribaj, gtjtonte 23 aitir 30, 1864.
S E E AND BELIEVE!!!
PROFESSOR PEPPER'S
ANCiEHT AHO MODERN MAGfC.
MR JAMES MATTHEWS.
Who hold3 permission from PROFKSSOS P E P P E R to exhibit the same, will have the
hononr of introducing this Splendid Illusion, as performed at
THE ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION,
BEFORE H 11 H.
HiS PHJSfig Wi&SB, EIS ihSUSbSA,
And other Members of the Eoyal Family.
MARVELLOUS AND ASTOUNDING EFFECTS.
H B.Professor P E P P E E will commence immediate legal proceedings against any party
infringing his rights
Boors Open at Half-past Seven- Performance te commence at
Eight o'clock Precisely.
Admission i Front SeaW, 2a ; Second Seats, la ; Children under Ten, 4 Schools, Halt price
TICKETS TO BE HAD OF MR C EDKINS, H I G H STREET.
Will introduce his entertainment, aa given by him for upwards of 300
Nights, at the Koyal Polytechnic Institution, m which he will Illnstrate
this extraordinary experiments of the
"MOSBHH WiEftRQS,"
Any detailed programme of th<?$e ra narkable Illusions would be supprfluaus,
more especially as they wilt be varied irora night to night, hut the sub-
joined Opinions of tlie Press, and the testimony of so high an authority
as Sir l>avid Brewstcr, will sufficiently vouch for their wonderful effect*
From a Private Letter from S I R DAVID BUBWBTER (who is the highest living
authority on sunh subjects) -~ ' I was greatly d e b a t e d wiih your Magical Illusions, you
wEamiv do a great eerrico to 'iociety in teaching that that ththinge npparsntly above
cj;s,i.-J^i-ioa ana be done without the necessity p them
p y to supe
sity of sscnbing
s
g them to supernat
From the Ttmtt, London ' We thought dint we had eeen all that could ba
s h o n n m t h e way of Migic, but were undeceived when v,-e witnessed the wwvellouadex-
tent) of Mr MAmiBWS?
PAET II.
1ITIFIFICI1L GL1IRIOY1MCS;
OR, SECOND SIGHT!
BY T H E M Y S T E E 1 O O S L A D Y ,
Who has excited the greatest wonder by her extraordinary poner.
PART III.
" T H E MIONIQHT SPECTRE,"
" T H E A R T I S T I N A. F I X , "
*o,, Ac.
That which la Spectral and Imaginary appears more real than that which is known t
e Reality,"illustrating the sentence of Shakespere
' Mine eyes are mads tHefook o' Vie other ttnsu.
Or eke tcorlh all Ihe r w ( '
ions and Grotesque, with aU t
of the Entertainment.
OPINIONS OF T H E PEESS
I H B O K O S T I T H B G H O S T ! T H E G s o a r IThe impres.o^ produced by the Ghost in
ilr Di^ktnasbook is exactly t i u ' i
-
n the Polytechnic BtBge,namely.
th,e lumreuton of a psrwn clearly visible, moving his lips and arreaiing m a sepulohtal
;sf L - m h o l h -l-xrviouB to the sense of touch i h e m a n n e r i a which thefligure and-
jeuiy \itni3hes, hteralii'seeraiug W go nowbdCa, u moce aUrtling, shll more aorptBlflg
^iL3daapiaiai:ce, nnea it gradually raeltaaway, a^uming a more and mote filmy look,
attained absolute uouemty. Xha maintenance of tha illaiiou on so large an aienn
ige of tfie Polytechnic may be regarded as a great trtDmph."Tunes.
Illustrations 228 and 229 - Professor Pepper's Ghosts pre-
sented by James Matthews in 1864.
161
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Fig. I. Gcistererscheinung auf der Biihnc.

Fig. 2. Einricktung der Biihne fiir Geistererscheinunsen.

Illustrations 230 and 231 - The secret of the Ghosts.

Engravings from the work Farend Volk by Signor Saltarino (op. cit.J.

Illustrations 232 to 234 - Robin and "his'' Ghosts.
English correspondent William Manning a few
days after the first performance of this illusion:
Paris, June 24. 1863
Dear Sir,
You have undoubtedly heard about an optical
instrument that projects ghosts and phantoms at
the Polytechnic. I would like to ask you on behalf
of my brother-in-law M. Hamilton if it would be
possible for you to sell him one of these instru-
ments. The price is irrelevant.
M. Robin is currently performing this type of
feat in Paris. He declares that his method was
plagiarized and that he is the inventor. This does
not surprise me: did he not say the same thing
about my own experiments when he went to
London to perform six years after me?
I will thus entrust vou with this matter and
163
ACT IV
I send you my affectionate thoughts.
Please present my compliments to your
nephews, whom I remember with tenderness.
Yours very sincerely,
Robert-Houdin []
The answer William Manning sent contains
precious details and wise comments from an
experienced technician who was also an ama-
teur magician trained in the best of schools:
24 Regent Street
London, S.W.
June 29. 1863
Dear Sir,
The Ghost at the Polytechnic is not such a
scientific person as you imagine, nor is his por-
trait produced by any scientific apparatus.
ROBERT -HOUDIN
After several experiments I succeeded in raising
spectres quite easily and prepared a little model
theater which I shall be happy to show you
when you come to London. The illusion is ob-
tained by means of a large piece of plate glass
covering the front of the stage. Opposite to the
glass is a brilliantly illuminated figure and as
the stage itself should be but dimly lighted, the
reflected image will appear more solid than the
real bodies surrounding it. I can produce many
pretty illusions and with better effect, though
upon a smaller scale than that exhibited at the
Institution.
The chief difficulty, and one not yet sur-
mounted at the Polytechnic, is to get rid of the
halo of light surrounding the image to be ghos-
tified! As that light is reflected by the glass and
mars the effect, I found that by means of bull's-
eye-lanterns the rays were kept upon the image
164
instead of being dispersed around it. Another
thing to be remembered is that velvet absorbs
more of the light than any other material. The
figure is concealed in different manners. I will
indicate by a little sketch showing a section of
the theatre that was adapted at the
Polytechnic.
The no. 2 plan is another which might be
available in a small room. The light employed
should be the oxy-hydrogen gas-light.
With kind regards
Believe me, yours sincerely
William Manning
This information does not seem to have
been used by Hamilton, whose theater had
not been designed for such an arrangement.
The room, with 13-foot-high ceilings, did not
allow the possibility of installing the Ghosts
as at Robin's theater or the Polytechnic
Institute. Moreover, the stage lacked enough
back exits to allow the quick positioning of
the large mirror necessary for this experi-
ment. Even if Hamilton considered the idea
for a while, there were never any ghosts on
the stage of the Theatre Robert-Houdin,
least of all ones in an intangible form.
Robin's later writings, in which he tried to
claim credit for certain famous tricks, as we
will later see, created a bit of controversy in
magic literature and some researchers
strangely accepted Robin's statements with-
out verification. These same authors also
showed very little zeal in clarifying the va-
lidity of the controversy aroused by this
artist when he declared himself to be the in-
ventor of the Ghosts and tried to prove that
his experimentation took place before that
of M. Dircks and M. Pepper.
In an article entitled "Histoire des
Spectres" (History of Ghosts) in his
Almanach du Cagliostro for the year 1864,
Robin claimed to have performed the
Ghosts feat a few times in 1847 in theaters
 ACT IV

( i f 7

Illustrations 235 to 238 - Letter by William Manning to

Robert-Houdin.

165
ROBERT-HOl'DIN
in Lyon and Saint-Etienne under the
name Fantasmagorie vivante. We are then
told that a few years later in 1851, his
painter for the phantasmagoria slides, M.
Seguin, delivered an order to London,
where the conjurer allegedly showed him
the system he used for the illusion. M.
Seguin then supposedly had the idea for an
"optical toy'' (sic) named the Polyoscope,
which he then constructed and patented
with Robin's agreement who, by "modesty''
or "generosity," did not add his name to
that of the inventor in the patent for this il-
lusion! When M. Dircks and M. Pepper
tried to prevent Robin from continuing to
perform the Ghosts in his Parisian theater,
the artist merely had to display a copy of
M. Seguin's patent application and his 1847
bills describing his performances in Lyon
and Saint-Etienne for his good faith to be
recognized, and the threats of legal action
were dropped.
Like all Robin's statements, contradictions
abound in a narrative in which he portrays
himself as a creator unfairly suspected of pla-
Illustrations 239 and 240 - Drawings of the Polyoscope of Pierre Seguin.
Extract from the patent, whose text appears in note 74
166
giarism.
The only irrefutable assertion in this tale is
that on September 16, 1852 a certain M.
Seguin did file in Paris for a fifteen-year pe-
riod, and in his name only, the patent for an
optical apparatus named the Polyoscope, and
this was prior to all filings by M. Dircks and
M. Pepper. The reading of the Polyoscope
patent is very instructive because this appara-
tus is not only the origin of the Ghosts, but
also of the illusion named Metempsychosis,
whose effects he described and principle he
devised fifteen years prior. Given that one
can find erroneous descriptions of the
Polyoscope here and there in magic literature,
it seemed to me helpful to reprint in note 74
the patent of this ingenious instrument and to
give credit to this unknown creator for the in-
vention that others claimed as their own and
whose merit is due to him. Pierre Seguin also
invented the Animated Polyorama, whose
patent he filed on November 20, 1852, which
was then complemented by three additional
certificates on June 21, 1854; April 14, 1855;
and April 26, I860. This instrument allowed
B \

the animated projection of painted or photo-
graphic scenes and perfectly fits among the
inventions classed under the generic title of
Pre-cinema.
Robin's tale of his relationship with
M. Seguin is, at the least, subject to caution.
Like all historical manipulators, Robin in-
voked the testimony of witnesses who, being
no longer alive, could not contradict him, as
was the case for Pierre Seguin at the time
when the conjurer wrote this fable in his al-
manac. No press articles or any of Robin's
publications in London from 1850 to 1852 and
from 1861 to 1862 mention experiments hav-
ing anything to do with the Ghosts. Who
could, moreover, believe that Robin had
transported the huge mirror necessary for this
trick to London but never used it in public ex-
cept to show its virtues to M. Seguin?
My research on Robin led to me to consult
newspaper collections from the region of
Lyons and Saint-Etienne for 1843-1844, and I
was fairly curious to research the years 1846-
1847 because Robin claimed that it was in
the theaters of these two cities that the
Ghost illusion was created.
In La Tribune Lyonnaise, La Gazette de
Lyon, and Le Charivari Lyonnais, one finds
a few announcements and accounts of
Robin's performances at the Galerie de
l'Argue between October 22, 1846, the date
of his first performance, and February 14,
1847, the date of the last. Robin performed
two to three times per week just as he did
during his first tour in Lyon in 1843 and
1844. Although the title of his perfor-
mances was still Palais enchante, his
"Soiree" had become "Fantastique"! His
repertoire was enriched, as if by "enchant-
ment," with several recent tricks of Robert-
Houdin: Second Sight, The Diabolical
Hortensia (Robert-Houdin's Mysterious
Dahlia), The Cabalistic Clock, New
16"
ACT IV
Miraculous Fishing, The Disappearance of
Madame Robin (under a cup), and a
Pastrycook, similar to that of Robert-Houdin
- because it also calculated and made
change - christened The Candy-maker's
Palace.
Three years before, Robin had already
ended his performances with a phantasmago-
ria performance whose nature is easy to imag-
ine when one reads the following announce-
ment in Le Messager des Theatres of October
29, 1843:
To his always amusing experiments of physics and
white magic, he will add animated Phantasmagoria
illusions, for two times only, based on M. Robertson's
system, of which he owns two complete instru-
ments. M. Robin perfected them himself. It is a
PALAIS ENOHAiNTE,
THEATRE DE LA GALERIE DE L'ARGUE.
Jeudi 28 Janvier ,
GRANDE F f i T E ,
Composee ^'experiences aussi surprenantes qu'extraordinair?s,
parmi iesquelles on remarquera une no'ivello piece mecankjue, in-
vente'e et e x e c u t e pur M. Robin depuis son retour 5 Lyon. Le spec-
tacle sera termini par line grande Tombola dediee aux dames.
Dimanche prochain, avant-derniere soiree.
PALAIS ENCHANTfi,
Galerie de I'Jrguc.
CL6TUBE DEFISITIVE ET SANS REMISE.
Avjourd'hul jeudi, 11 fivrier 1847.
Dernl&re soiree fantaflttque.
5POUK U PREMlkBK F0I8,
Le Triomphe de la Magie-Blanche, experience exlraordi-
naire de I'escamotage de Madame Robin, qui deviendra com-
pletcmcnt invisible.
Illustrations 2 il and 242 - Advertisements for Robin at the
Theatre de la Galerie de l'Argue in Lyon.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
show that, in spite of its ghosts, devils, and phan-
toms, is not the least frightening, even for the most
superstitious and fearful minds. Here is a good op-
portunity to learn what the mysterious apparitions
oi Isis's Temple and Dodon's forest really were.
Robertson's Ghosts were projected on
screens partly surrounding the audience and
obviously had nothing in common with the
Ghosts of M. Dircks and M. Pepper. As for the
phrase ''Living Phantasmagoria" that Robin
supposedly used in his 1846-1847 advertise-
ments, of which I have been able to find no
trace, this was also a creation of Robertson,
who, in chapters XII and XIII of volume 1 of
his memoirs, described in detail this experi-
ment, which has no relationship, even slightly,
to the system of the Polytechnic Institution.
Illustrations 243 and 244 - Ghosts by Robertson and Phantasmagoria.
Engravings from Memoires recreatifs, scientifiques, et anecdotiques by the Conjurer-Aeronaut E.G. Robertson {op. cit.) and
L'Almanach du Cagliostro by Robin.
The first account of Robin's new exhibition
can be read in La Tribune Lyonnaise of
November 1846:
This charming soiree ended with the Diapha-
norama, a show unknown in Lyon; we have never
seen anything like it. The tableaux are really re-
markable; the changes occur in such a perfect, al-
most magical way. We did not know that optics
could go this far. We would have a difficult time de-
scribing the Diaphanorama, because how can we ex-
plain in words the presence of a new point of view
somehow emerging whole out of the one already
being observed without, even with the most perfect
concentration, being able to tell where one ends and
the other begins? We see a farm, the haystacks are
there, nearby there is a bull eating and ruminating,
we see them and a second later, the Kremlin or some
other point of view appears. As an artform, the
Diaphanorama seems to merit public attention.

In reading this article, we easily realize
that they are melting tableaus with the
same name as those done by Seraphin in
1845 and very similar in principle, if not
also in procedure, to those shown that
summer in Belgium by Robert-Houdin, a
review of which we reproduced earlier.
Although in Robin's advertisements of 1846
and 1847 in Lyons and Saint-Etienne we
find the Diaphanorama, the Megascope
de Cagliostro, and the Chromatrope Fire-
works - these last two were invented by
Robertson - and also his Grand Animated
Phantasmagoria of 1843, there is absolutely
no doubt in any reviews that I could find
that these experiments are all based on
projections.
Fig. 68. LA FANTASMAGORIE. (Gravure tirfe. du Magasin Pittoresque.)
169
ACT IV
Robin obviously has nothing to do with the
invention of the Ghosts, which legitimately
belong to M. Seguin, M. Dircks, and M. Pepper.
Robert-Houdin did not doubt this because he
mentions in his Tablettes journalieres two
appointments that he had with M. Seguin's
widow, who then lived at 177, Rue Faubourg
Saint-Martin.
The conjurer who replaced Robin in the
theater of the Galerie de P Argue was M. Aldo,
who performed before the public of Lyon on
February 28, 1847 under the title: "Conjurer
of the Court of Japan"; he then performed on
March 7th under the title "Conjurer of
Tuscany"!
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 245 - Francois Eugene Lahire, known as Cleverman.

 ACT IV

Francois Eugene Lahire, known as Cleverman

Since 1862, Hamilton had devoted much en-
ergy ensuring that the theater's success remain
constant. In order not to tire the public, he al-
ternated his performances with those of
Brunnet, each artist performing every other day.
The program was constantly varied. To be fash-
ionable, one saw for the first time onstage spin-
ning tables and feats of famous mediums, and a
huge advertising effort was directed at foreign-
ers passing through Paris to whom the name
Robert-Houdin was still a powerful attraction.
In reality, Hamilton did not increase his efforts
during these years to ensure long-term profits
but because he had made the decision to retire
since 1861 and wanted to sell a theater with a
brilliant income after so many years of exis-
tence.
Hamilton for six years and three months begin-
ning on January 1, 1864 [61] until April 1, 1870
for the amount of 18,000 francs yearly rent, of
which 9,000 francs were paid in cash, to be im-
puted to the rent of the last six months of the
lease. Although Cleverman acquired in this
agreement the usufruct of the name Theatre
Robert-Houdin and Soirees Fantastiques de
Robert-Houdin, Hamilton sold him only a small
part of the theater's magic repertoire. Indeed,
Robert-Houdin, who did not want his precious
equipment to fall into uninitiated or foreign
hands, had repurchased from his brother-in-law
all the mechanical pieces of Soirees Fantas-
ROBERT H0UDIN

Francois Eugene Lahire, known as Cleverman,

[60] would become Hamilton's successor. It is
highly likely that Hamilton's choice came more
DEYOILKKS
from financial than artistic considerations be-
cause Cleverman was not a professional and
I/ART IJE GAGKEft A TOLK LES JEl.A
Hamilton did not seem to have transmitted to
him the training he had received from his illus-
trious brother-in-law. Francois Lahire, who was
thirty-nine years old (the ideal age for the pre-
senter of Soirees Fantastiques - the age of
Robert-Houdin and Hamilton's debuts), was a
well-ranked employee of the War ministry, had
a comfortable financial position thanks to fam-
ily assets, and one can imagine that he was a
great conjuring enthusiast and that he had al-
PARIS
ready performed in public. J. HETZEL, LIBRA1RE-EDITEUR
IS, lilt JUOB

A lease between M. Chocat-Hamilton and

1S0S
M. Lahire-Cleverman was signed on November
24, 1863. Through this agreement, Francois Lahire Illustration 246 - Title page of the Hetzel edition of 1863 of
sublet the location of Soirees Fantastiques from Tricheries ctes Grecs devoilees.

171
ROBFRI-HOl DIN

Illustration 24" - First page of Cleverman's lease subletting the theater from Hamilton. (Archives nationalesj

172

tiques, and they went to his Cabinet de Physique
in The Priory.
Around this time, and to also take advantage
of the "spectral'' vogue, magic dealer Andre
Voisin began to build Ghosts that could sup-
posedly be shown in the family circle, at least if
we believe Ernest Blum's humoristic article ex-
cerpted from Le Charivari and published in
L'Entracte of January 6, 1864:
I must inform you of a new vogue. Gentlemen
living in respectable neighborhoods are making a
complete study of conjuring. It is in good taste for
these well-bred hosts to form conjuring cabinets
like Robin and Hamilton and offer their guests a
light seance of Physique amusante. The cabinet
can be instantly set up in the living room, a de-
voted friend is clothed with the necessary dress,
and Voisin, the famous manufacturer of these
fashionable objects, sets to work. This famous
Tablettes journalieres:
Voisin is currently more sought after than was the
puppet maker you once knew. The Rue Vieille du
Temple, where these boutiques are located, is
* " ) APPARITIONS
Illustration 248 - Andre Voisin's advertisement for the Ghosts and Phantoms in 1864.
173
ACT IV
subjected to a veritable invasion of carriages with
innumerable springs, which, in parentheses,
seems to cause great surprise to the street.
Nothing like this has happened since Henry IV.
These soirees are said to have the greatest suc-
cess in the Faubourg Saint-Germain. It is custom-
ary to end them by ghost appearances similar to
those of Le Secret de Miss Aurore, in which ghosts
are also provided by the aforementioned Voisin,
who has found a way to let anyone perform this
show without any preparation. Elegant decentral-
ization furthers his little business. We already had
comedie de societe, now we have physique de
salon. This is the inauguration of the era of home
entertainment. You will see that with this system,
there will be no one left in the streets of Paris.
What humiliation for the pavements! But admit it,
my goodness, this is just too unfortunate!
In January 1864, Robert-Houdin wrote in his
January 12"1 [Paris] My wife and I have been
to the circus to see a juggler
DES
SPECTRES ET FANTOMES
M. Voisin, fabricant de physique amusante,
a 1'honneur de pre'venir les amateurs qu'il
vient ae fabriquer des appardls pour fairo
les spectres dans les salons ou dans les
the'dlres. Avec ces apparcils qui se montcDt ft
SR demontent sans degrader la moindre des
choses, on peui faira voir des spectres d'en-
fans ou de grandes pprsonnes.
SI. Voisin, pour satisfaire ses cliens, a tm
apparcil tout monW daas ses magasins, 83,
rue VJeille-du-Temple, que I'on peut vemr
visiter. Les amateurs trouveront nussi uti
grand choix de boitet de physiques pour
eHrennes et objets divers pour la physique
amusante.
II previent en outre les phvsiciens et les
amateurs que pour l'annec 1864 il vient de
f<tbri<|uer qualre series de tours entierement
noureauj.
VOISiN
Hue VieiHe-da-TempIe, 83, h Paris.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
SOUVENIR
SOIREES FANTASTIQUES
CLEVERMAN
sap CE> EJES na
Edition illustree
Illustration 249 - Cover of Souvenir des Soirees Fantastiques de Cleverman.
and a Chinese conjurer. The
juggler is skillful; he juggles with
few balls but he has much assur-
ance in his tosses the conjurer
is not very good. He does the
trick of the daggers in the
boards and a trick of a paper
ribbon coming out of the pocket
and a hat. It is the tow trick that
children do.
January 261'1 Ghocat [Hamilton] informed me
that Robin was performing
tableaus depicting the formation
of the world. It is an idea that I
gave to Ghocat; he must have
been indiscreet.
January 29"' Visit from M. Dreifus [Spelled
"Dreyfus" in other extracts from
the Tablettes journalieres], conjur-
ing enthusiast.
On January 10, Robert-Houdin wrote this
sentence: "M. Lahire is taking complete own-
DES
1
CP a a t a sacs ca oo,
ership of the theater; he moved in yesterday.''
Until his departure from Paris to return to his
dear Priory, Robert-Houdin met with and
helped Cleverman almost every day. His debut
was saddened by the death of his father on
the 17th of the month, which forced Hamilton
to quickly return from the country [62] in order
to replace him onstage immediately. Destiny
again struck the new director, who also lost
his mother on January 28lh. Brunnet in turn
came to replace him, and Cleverman could
not resume his performances until the 25th of
February. It also seems that the latter became
aware of the difficulty in giving performances
in such a popular theater with a demanding
public, and that he latched onto Robert-
Houdin like a life-vest in asking him for help
and advice. The Master was himself preoccu-
pied by the income from the theater that bore
his name:
174
 ACT IV

March 6th At Cleverman's, the daytime perfor- vited him to come stay at The Priory for a
mance is no good. The theater is few days to continue the magic teaching that
dropping considerably. should have undoubtedly begun much ear-
Robert-Houdin's realistic remark clearly con- lier.
tradicts the few laudatory lines published in
L'Entracte, March 10, which shows that the
public, and also historians, must not place
complete faith in press reviews.
The public rushing to the charming Theatre
Robert-Houdin comes out still dazzled by the
surprising novelties offered by Professor
Cleverman, the incomparable conjurer that all of
Paris will want to come and applaud. Very soon
will be appearances of the new ghosts that were
announced by all the press. One also speaks of
the lovely paintings representing the marvels of
nature.
It is true that newspapers of the time often
gave good reviews to artists who regularly ad-
vertised in their pages, and what held true for
Cleverman also held for his colleagues...
On February 29, 1864 Robert-Houdin
began his posing seances at his friend Dantan
the sculptor's studio. [63] In the workshop of
this artist, who also simultaneously worked
on the bust of the Archduke Maximilien,
Robert-Houdin met Gustave Flaubert, the au- I'
thor of Salammbo. The plaster bust was fin-
ished on March 8. Dantan used this mold as
a model for the definitive bust in white mar-
ble. To thank the sculptor for this remarkable
work, Robert-Houdin gave him a valuable
gold watch. Several copies in tinted plaster
based on the original bust were given to the
conjurer. One of them was placed in his son
Emile's shop, and another was exhibited in a
place of honor in the lobby of his theater.
Before leaving Paris, Robert-Houdin went to
see Cleverman every day to work with him.
He taught him "the tricks of the old reper-
toire" at his request. Finally, having fulfilled
the expectations of Hamilton's successor,
Robert-Houdin left him on March 27 and in- Illustration 250 - Bust of Robert-Houdin by Dantan.

175
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 251 - Robert-Houdin by Disderi.

 ACT IV

Return to The Priory and Robin's Mythomania

In 1862, Robert-Houdin began writing the art and was not satisfied with merely producing
work that he had promised his readers would yet another book on how to perform tricks.
follow Confidences d'un prestidigitateur and With this visionary work, whose relevance is
to which he devoted almost six years. The consistently amazing, Robert-Houdin indeed
first reference to the future publication of this built the foundations of the modern magic art.
new opus is found on the last page of Figures At the beginning of 1864, Robert-Houdin
du Temps: "In preparation: Manuel du ended his participation in the company Robert-
Prestidigitateur [Conjurer's Manual]." This Houdin fils et Cie. (Robert-Houdin and Son,
title was not definitive and the author regu- Inc.), and continued his efforts to help
larly referred to the work as Cours de Magie Cleverman. We will also take note of his reac-
(Course in Magic) in his Tablettes journal- tions, more amused than indignant, at reading
ieres. This work, originally planned as several Robin's Almanack du Cagliostro for 1864. The
volumes, was perhaps the one on which
Robert-Houdin worked with greatest perse-
verance, because for him it was important to LALMANACK
ILLUSTRE f (,
transmit his knowledge to new generations in
the form of lessons that would cover the var-
ious aspects of the art of magic: history, pre-
sentation, manipulation, parlor tricks, stage il-
lusions, complementary disciplines, etc. The
first part of this immense task was published
in 1868 under the title Les Secrets de la pres-
tidigitation et de la magie (The Secrets of
Conjuring and Magic), but the author's death
deprived his readers of volumes that were to
make up the rest. His posthumous work
Magie et physique amusante (The Secrets of
Stage Conjuring), which his heirs decided to
have published, is only a very incomplete
outline of what Robert-Houdin had planned.
[64] We must insist on the importance of
Secrets de la prestidigitation with respect to
all the other published works - before or after
- during the nineteenth century, as it is the
first truly pedagogic work on magic. Robert- In NfU mini As i l m n t e . MGHLME, (8. m It Stiti, tl t t n MS In liSrmris ft From tl lit Iknagfr
Houdin provided the aspiring magician with
the psychological and technical basics of his Illustration 252 - Cover of L'Almanach du Cagliostro by
Robin in 1864.

177
ROBERT-HOXJDIN
Illustration 253 - Henri Robin.
reader will notice that the title of Robin's al-
manac - always taking his literary "inspiration"
from others - was also "borrowed" from the lit-
tle newspaper that Robert-Houdin used to give
to his audience: Le Cagliostrol
Robin used this publication to get revenge
on Robert-Houdin in a fairly mediocre fashion.
In order to deny his guilt about his thefts and
plagiarisms, he tried in his writings to give him-
self the paternity for certain tricks or tried to
minimize them in giving them a previous exis-
tence, a traditional technique of all counterfeit-
ers which we have already emphasized.
178
In his almanac. Robin claimed to be the
inventor of the most famous experiments of
his time, be they magic or scientific. The au-
thor also showed himself to be very liberal
in condescendingly revealing the secrets of
creations of artists he had pillaged. The
Inexhaustible Bottle is one of the tricks that
Robin credited himself with. Although
Robin's other claims about Robert-Houdin's
repertoire or those of his colleagues were
never taken seriously by historians of the
magic art, the "proof" presented by Robin to
support his rights as "inventor" of The
Inexhaustible Bottle seemingly convinced
some of his "good faith."
To clarify this controversy on the pater-
nity of this famous trick, we must recall the
facts: in the 1864 Almanach du Cagliostro,
Robin claimed to have created the effect in
1844 and "generously" given it to Robert-
Houdin. In order to prove the anteriority
of his "invention." Robin reproduced on
page 25 of his almanac an engraving de-
picting him standing and performing the
trick before a Milanese audience. Here is
the text of the caption placed under this
engraving: "The Inexhaustible Bottle with
liquors invented by M. Robin and per-
formed for the first time at the Theatre Re
in Milan on July 6. 1844." This proof, pre-
sented by Robin as authentic, implied that
he presented The Inexhaustible Bottle be-
fore Robert-Houdin. Some researchers
were sufficiently satisfied with Robin's
word to credit him with this invention, al-
though the wisest step was to verify
Robin's claim at the source in Italy. [65]
However, although Robin did perform in
Milan at this date, there is no reference to
The Inexhaustible Bottle in his advertise-
ments or in press reviews, and the list of
his feats precisely corresponds to those of
his performances in Lyon and Saint-
 ACT IV

SOIREE MYSTBRIEUSE
SOIREE MYSTERIEUSE

DE M. ROBIN, DE M. ROBIN. Seul ilkve d M. COMTE ,

Seut eteve d M. GOMTE , ruvsiciKiv iir HOI.
PHTS1CIE1V OV HOI.

La None sanglanto.
PREMIERE PARTIS. DEDXlfeftfS P4RTIE. Le Miroir cnohsnto. Uoscoo, vue d'ete et d'hiver.
Le Vase egypticn. Le Ptumet de la Garde imperiale. Le Coflre et Is Montro invisible. L'Astre da jour.
Le Miroir enchanle. Le Bassin de Neptune. La Decapitation de Paillasse. Le Moine ot la Hort.
Le Voyage du Canari. La Bouteiile infernale. Le Voyago da Canari. Lo Diablo enchtne.
L'Omelette fanlastiqtre. La Maison hoihmdaise. La Maison liollasdaise. [jn Pont dans lo Bourbonnaif, vuo
Le Foulard de Verdun. Le Boolet de Irente-six. Le Confisour gulant. dejour et denuil.
La Colon ne. Le Trousseau. La Liquoriste impromptue. Le petit Cochon de Sainl-Anfoine.
La Houleltc sympathique. Le ConHseur galiant. Les Ecus devins. Le Druide et l'Oracle.
Le Domino noir. LP Cdfeimprovi.se. Le Chapeau incpoisable. La Chauve-Souris.
Le Peloton merveiileux. La Liqnoriste impromptus. La ftuille ntonslro. UnMoulinaeau deCharenton, vne
Les Caries dansanles. L'Art de faire d<> ta Creme. La PScha miracoieuse. d'ete et d'hivcr.
Les MignonneUes. La Cuisine dcs Gitanos. La Decapitation sauvagc.
Le Moucbotr sacrifie. Le Paon. Les Tourterelles savantes. Le Magicicn a douie t6tcs.
Le petit Colomhior. Mayeux galanl.
Le spectacle sera termhie par la grande Fanlasmagoi ie animee. La multiplication des Bombons. Un Uochrren Ecosse, vue dejour
NOTA. Toules lessemaines es Experiences sont vartees. L'Oranger mcrveillcux. et de nuil.
Spectacle le dimanche et le jeudi, a sept heures precises. Distribution <ics Drapoaux dc lou- La Fcmine avare.
tes les nations. Feux perriques.
I^e Lit de piame improvise. Le Galop dcs Rats.
La Dame armec et le Domino noir. La Ferine de Dondy, vuo do jour
Le Foulard de Verdun. et dc nuit.
Illustrations 254 and 255 - The complete program of Robin l.es grandos Pyramides. Arlequindans une bouteilto.
Le Paon magique. Le Tombcau dc Robert le Diablo.
in Lyon and Saint-Etienne in 1844. TEOISlfeHIi FABTIE. L'Astrologue el la Coincle.
PoIjrorAma e t F o u t k t m a g o r i e . Les Chats de la mere Michel.
These programs of Robin were directly 'inspired' by Asmodee. L'Empercur a la veillo de la ba-
Amphitheatre d'Arles, rue de jonr laillo d'Autorlitz.
Philippe's repertoire, along with effects sold b\ Roujol. We ot de nuit. Une Messc dc minuit a S'-Elicnne-
will later return to these issues in the technical complement Pierrot avale. du-Mont, a Paris, vue de jour et
La Teto volante. de nuit.
to this work, and especially with respect to Tlie Marvelous NUT*. Spectacle Ie dimanche et le jendi, a sept heores precises.
Orange Tree, whose effects were far from those of Robert- Lea Experiences sont cbangees toules les setnaines.
Houdin's Mysterious Orange Treel

Etienne a few months earlier. However, in
the artist's repertoire, which is identical to
that of his Lyon advertisements, reprinted
above, the titles of two of his tricks could
create a certain ambiguity about their
theme. In his work Henri Robin, Expositor
of Science and Magic, Abracadabra Press,
Balboa Island, 1990, Mr. Edwin A. Dawes
highlighted this ambiguity concerning the
second effect, The Infernal Bottle or The
Bottle of the Wedding at Cana and The
Impromptu Liquor Merchant.
Here is how Le Messager des theatres of
Lyon of January 28, 1844 described the ef-
fect of The Infernal Bottle, which Philippe
had already performed in 1836:
... then with the help of his infernal bottle
M. Robin performs the miracle of The
Wedding at Gana before us. This miraculous
bottle profusely pours out wine and water at
the audience's request...
The experiment of The Infernal Bottle,
which alternatively distributes wine or water,
is part of Alexandre Roujoul 1830 catalogue
under the name The Bottle of the Wedding at
Cana. It is described in detail in Robert-
Houdin's 1831 manuscript which we have al-
ready cited: Recueil de Recreations de
Physique amusante indiquant en abrege la
maniere d'executer Differentes Recreations.
In the Le Messager des theatres of the year
prior, on November 26, 1843, is a review of
Robin's performance that mentions effects of

179
ROBERT-HOUDIN

two automata, The Gallant Candy-maker of

Illustrations 256 and 257 - Exterior and interior of a model of The
Impromptu Liquor Merchant christened Cafe des Arts.
(Former GaiUard collection)
Philippe and The Impromptu Liquor Merchant
of Jules de Rovere. Here is an excerpt:
Similarly, can you understand the candy-maker
and his wife who emerge from their little house in
turn and bring out little baskets of chocolate,
mints, and various candy according to the audi-
ence's requests?
Do you want rum, anisette, moldavia, or
other liquors? Just ask and you will be served.
The liquor merchant and candy-making couple
are extremely obliging. Your wish is their com-
mand.
The descriptions of the effects of these tricks
seem to clearly answer questions which could
have arisen as to their titles, and Robin perhaps
played on the ambiguity of their titles for his
claims twenty years later.
In order to conclude this debate, I did
some complementary research in France and
Italy, the result of which is as follows. None
of the Milanese newspapers reproduced the
engraving fearlessly captioned by Robin in
his almanac and for a crucial reason: this fa-
mous engraving, contrary to what is specified
in the caption, does not date from 1844! It is
such a blatant lie of Robin's, so obvious that
it seems surprising that it has never been ex-
posed. Robin's engraving is nothing more
than a servile copy of the engraving used by
Robert-Houdin's successor, Hamilton, to ad-
vertise The Inexhaustible Bottle in 1852, and
which was reproduced in the newspaper
L'lllustration, no. 501. I will add that all
Robin's engravings depict him with a very
thick beard until 1854, when he grew side-
burns instead. It is indeed in sideburns that
Robin is depicted on this engraving, which
can therefore not date from 1844.
The absence of The Inexhaustible Bottle from
all of Robin's Italian programs in 1844, the ab-
sence in all the Milanese newspapers of the en-
graving reproduced by Robin in his Almanack

180
 ACT IV

t I.

e (Ic Ro'vil-Hnrini. - s-.iiMr- tU- M. Hamilton. I i l'':ufoi!

Fig. 87. LA EODTEILLE l^f.H 1SABLE ACX LIQUBORS,

inventfe par M. Robin et donnt5e p^ur Ja premiere fois au th^Stre Re, k Milan, le 6 juiile

Illustrations 258 and 259 - The original version of Hamilton's 1852 engraving and its plagiarism by Robin in 1864.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

du Cagliostro, and which proves to be just an-

other fakery, reduce to nothingness the "proof
presented by the incorrigible plagiarist.
Robin's boasts in his Almanach du
Cagliostro in 1864, especially those concern-
ing the invention of this trick, did not overly
bother Robert-Houdin, as he knew the mytho-
mania of this character and the extent of his
lies. Father Moigno, director of the scientific
reviews Cosmos and Des Mondes, first told the
conjurer about the existence of Robin's al-
manac. Here is the post-scriptum of a letter of
January 8, 1864 sent to him by Robert-Houdin,
who speaks with much irony about Robin's
pretensions:
P.S. M. Robin's assertions about my invention
do not surprise me; these self-serving claims have
become a mania with him. Did he not say to any-
one who would listen that M, Pepper stole his
ghosts; didn't he tell me that M. Rhodes had
Illustrations 260 and 26l - Engraving by Pruche in 1845 of Robert-
stolen his geology paintings? Let all inventors be-
Houdin's Miraculous Fishing and its plagiarism by Robin in ware; M. Robin is a sword of Damocles who will
1851 under the title New (sic) Miraculous Fishing.
A if
<mH01T1)KK&08J
2 3 8 , PICCADILLY
Opposite the Hajrnarlcet.

V) Co
Ul
fe^3> li.il O
ar. 30
2: n-
ISIE

m
0)
tt
a Z
09
.

a
/On mm H
>
-4
O
SOI

'(f _ j C
m
v>

LAIfOUVElLEPECHE MIRACULEU&E.
Vim* aid t/oyer tH.ff-t' &-c<?tt.
( -/^

iey uurtie a rtu>?vm<nfr-e- t/ *tit tntfitJL '.<r< />

1 82
 ACT IV

slice them up one after another. M. Donkelle [sic]

calling himself Robin has already conjured away
half of my name; does he also want to take my
place?
Rob ert Houd in
?"V *
An anagram I find more apt and which only
chance provided is the following: /b
Ro Berthoud in
In which can be found the name of a famous
watchmaker and a distinguished writer, our mu-
tual friend.
Here Robert-Houdin makes two bits of
wordplay based on his name; we find in the
first the name Robin and in the second, that
of Berthoud. It seems obvious to me that
Robert-Houdin wrote this in a humorous
tone, and not accusing Robin of having
stolen his last name. Researchers nonetheless
seem persuaded of this and wrote that if
Robert-Houdin did not like Robin it was par-
tially because he believed that he had plagia-
rized his name.
I do not share this interpretation of Robert-
Houdin's wordplay on Robin's name. But on
the other hand, one must remember that, since
his wedding with Miss Houdin in 1830, Jean- a^ 1-,
Eugene Robert had called himself Robert- ,- A
Houdin. It was under this name that he be-
^ ? 7 O^J>^1S O 1-<_J) ,
came famous, as a watchmaker mechanician
and as a conjurer in Parisian salons, seven
years before his debut on the stage of his the-
ater at Palais-Royal. However, we do not know
specifically when Henri Donckele, known as
Robin, chose his pseudonym or who "inspired"
it, because it only first appeared on his adver-
tisements in 1843.
0.1*4 - O -J'tt. P7e
The second letter that Robert-Houdin wrote
to Father Moigno dates from January 17, 1864.
Although still written in a humorous tone -
characteristic of the author's writings - his
missive has the advantage of being exceed-
ingly clear and ''putting the dots on the Is, " as Illustrations 262 to 26-i - Letter from Robert-Houdin to
the saying goes. Father Moigno.

183
ROBERT-HOUDIN
SECONDE EDITION, REVUE ET AUGMKNTJA?
I/ART DE GAGNER A TOUS LE8 JED'X
,is b,.t.ice., ci MHI
PARIS
7. HETZEL, ED1TEUR, 18, <2?cW JACOB
COLLECTION HET?EL
Illustrations 265 and 266 - Cover and title page of Tricheries des Grecs devoilees signed by Robert-Houdin to his friend
Henry Berthoud.
Dear and wise Father
Thanks to you I read M. Robin's almanac and I
concluded that if its author does not pass for a first-
class scientist in the public's eyes, it will not be due
to a lack of trying to prove it instead by laudatory ad-
vertisements. "Once we give ourselves flattery, we
can never have enough," said the American Barnum.
But if M. Robin really has such great superior-
ity in mechanical and physical sciences, why does
he go to so much trouble to prove it? A drum
major has no need to stand on the tips of his toes
to be noticed in the crowd, and no matter how
simpleminded this privileged being may be, one
will never see him make the mistake of diminish-
ing his neighbors to elevate himself.
M. Robin, for his part, believes that there is
not a leaf small enough not to overshadow him
and as no one more than he possesses the art of
184
LES
TRIGHERIES DES GRECS
DfiVOILfiES
L'ABT DE GAGNER A TOUS LES JEUX
sharing light, he seeks to prune everything
around him.
This poor M. De Waldeck, so modest and vener-
able, whose magnificent phantasmagoric tables I
respect, is treated with great disdain by M. Robin:
M. De Waldeck cheated Father Moigno's good faith
and the praise he received in Les Alondes must be
retracted. I, however, thought this praise was well-
deserved. See how many mistakes we make when
we have not read Le Cagliostro by M. Robin!
M. Pepper, that wise manager of the
Polytechnic Institute, is nothing more than an ex-
ploiter of a performance only dignified for the pub-
lie square at 25 shillings: very low cost for London,
according to M. Robin (page 20). Conclusion: M.
Pepper is a charlatan, M. Robin is a scientist. So,
M. Robin invented Ghosts; and if he did not pre-
sent them before him it is by pure generosity; he
 ACT IV

esteems him enough moreover to do him this

favor.
M. Robin's generosity is highlighted again by
another trait (page 12). In 1847 the learned in-
ventor knew that a certain conjurer was popular in
Paris; M. Robin, far from being jealous, brought
the artist the famous Inexhaustible Bottle and
modestly stepped back for fear that his generosity
become known.
I frankly admit that I am not as virtuous as
M. Robin and that if I had invented The
Inexhaustible Bottle as well as all the other tricks
that have made the artist's reputation, I would have
come to exploit them in Paris and I would not have
waited twenty years to claim them; and if I had
committed this generous error I would now prove
my rights to my inventions in presenting new feats
on the same level as The Inexhaustible Bottle.
Second Sight. The Ethereal Suspension. The
Portfolio. The Cabalistic Clock. The Orange Tree.
The Crystal Chest, etc...I would therefore put into
practice the moral of the fable The Hornets and
Honey Flies and my cause would be easily won, to
the great satisfaction of the public.

St<**Ht4/

* M t 3 a * * * ^ i . < J f arm eu* &*~p> "?M

iru^-h^Jb *\J**J}J asm MAI

Illustrations 26 7 to 269 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to Father Moigno.

185
ROBERT-HOUDIN
FANTASTiQU
deMTROBIN
The spelling error PORTEFULLE instead of PORTEFE11LLE, highly unlikely in a French publication, clearly suggests that these
engravings are of English origin like the Album in which they appear.
M. Henry Donkelle, known as Robin, does not
lower himself to such details; he contents himself
with stealing, crying thief, and playing the victim.
Audaces fortuna iuvat.
Please receive, my dear Father, my affectionate
civilities and believe me your well-devoted
Robert-Houdin
This last letter takes on a special flavor
today because the reader knows with what
repertoire Robin was obliged to open his
theater in Paris and the truth about The
Inexhaustible Bottle and Ghosts. Except for
these two private letters to the learned
priest, Robert-Houdin never made any public
commentary on Robin's fictitious writings. At
the time the press did not reprint them, be-
cause the journalists as well as the magicians
knew the truth. This attempt at creating con-
186
troversy thus had no effect and the debate
that Robin felt it wise to start ended for lack
of fighters.
In his writings, Robert-Houdin shows tact -
or customary objectivity when referring to
Robin - and he refers to him as among the best
French magicians in his work Secrets of
Conjuring and Magic. In his posthumous
work, Magie et Physique amusante, the author
remarks that Robin's version of the Ghosts was
among the best ever performed in France.
Some of Robin's biographers thought it best
not to mention the laudatory comments made
by Robert-Houdin with respect to this artist in
the works that we have just mentioned, in
order to insist upon the fact that he does not
mention him in his Confidences. Neither do
these historians mention the last paragraph of

Illustrations 2~0 and 271 - Plagiarisms of Robert-Houdin's Fantastic Portfolio and Second Sight by Robin in 1851-1852.
the appendix of the French edition of Memoirs
in which Robert-Houdin apologizes to his
readers for not being able to describe or men-
tion all the experiments of his repertoire due
to lack of space, and which he concludes with
this sentence: "I hope that I can also be ex-
cused for the silence which, for the same rea-
sons [Lack of space], I had to keep concerning
certain famous conjurers." This is a promise
which Robert-Houdin kept in Secrets of
Conjuring and Magic. Although no honest re-
searcher can deny that Robert-Houdin simply
wrote an autobiography, that he did not at all
imply that this work could be considered in
any way a history of contemporary magic,
which would not even have been of interest to
the lay reader, it is apparently necessary to re-
call some obvious facts here.
187
ACT IV
In 1858, the date of the publication of Robert-
Houdin's memoirs, Robin like Herrmann was
a complete stranger to the immense majority of
the French, which was obviously not the case
for Comte, Bosco, or Philippe, who were clearly
depicted in the book; moreover, we do not see
what Robert-Houdin could have said in posi-
tive terms about Robin that could have satisfied
his biographers of today.
What would they have written if Robert-
Houdin had revealed the theft and plagiarism
of Robin with respect to Philippe or himself -
as testified to by all Robin's engravings and
bills which we have reprinted in these chap-
ters - or even the accusatory details of the
Lettsom-Legrand trial? What is true for Robin
is also true for Herrmann and many other
more-or-less well-known artists whom even
ROBlR'l-HOLDIN

Illustration 272 - Robert-Houdin by Pierre Petit.


press articles of the time did not hesitate to
condemn. No one may doubt that if he related
his altercations with these dishonest practi-
tioners, and the way in which he triumphed
over their betrayal, Robert-Houdin, with his
narrator's verve, would have enriched his
memoirs with picturesque descriptions which
would have won over the hearts of his read-
ers even more. On the other hand, the reve-
lation of these crimes would have consider-
ably hurt the business of more precarious
artists still performing. Finally, and this is
probably one of the main reasons behind the
eminently diplomatic silence of the author,
how can one imagine that an artist - whose
major obsession, the goal of his entire life,
was to give a brilliant and respectable image
of his art, and to raise the status of the con-
jurer to that of the great painters, sculptors,
or musicians of his time, and who gave the
flattering illusion to his readers that all magi-
cians were not only greatly skilled but also
erudite scientists for whom physics, mathe-
matics, and mechanics had no secret - would
decide to forever destroy the reputation of an
entire profession, simply to validate himself to
his readers, by revealing reprehensible ethics
and unfortunate practices that dishonored the
art of magic then and certainly do so today?
Whatever this may have cost him, the
artist's writings are always stamped with cau-
tion and lucidity. By remaining silent about
these regrettable episodes, Robert-Houdin
shows much generosity toward the entire
magic community; he probably would not
have imagined for a single moment that
some of his members would one day have
the bad intentions and disgracefulness to
blame him for it.
In April 1864, Robert-Houdin's life resumed its
normal path: progress on The Prior)', continuing
work on his automata, the writing of his new
189
ACT IV
book, and the exchange of letters from all hori-
zons. This was embellished by various encoun-
ters and little daily pleasures:
April 30th [The Priory] I received a letter from
a conjuring amateur (M. Bouchard)
that he had sent to Paris.
May?* I answered M. Bouchard, conjuring
amateur in Marseilles.
May 18th [Paris] I had dinner at Lahire's
[Cleverman] with his brother-in-
law at Maisons Laffitte...I was at
the theater; Brunnet was perform-
ing.
June 3 rJ [The Priory] I wrote...to Lahire
[Cleverman] to talk to him about
issuing a little newspaper.
August 8th In the morning an unfortunate
artist named Deschamps came, to
whom I gave five francs.
During this year, in which Robert-Houdin
fully took advantage of his newly found lib-
erty, his Tablettes journalieres repeatedly ex-
press his joy for life and his contentment:
September 27th In the midst of occupations
where I find that the days
pass very quickly. We are all
doing well; we have nothing
that unpleasantly preoccu-
pies us. Simply put, we are in
one of the happiest phases of
our existence.
October 10"' I am in excellent health and
more than that because I
transported huge loads of
rocks in the wheelbarrow all
day.
That year the author had other more pleas-
ant tasks than transporting wheelbarrows full
of rocks. Thanks to the birth on June 25th of
Emile and Leonie's first daughter, he became
a grandfather. The baptism of Marie Eugenie
Alice [H took place in Boulogne on July 21sl
in the presence of the entire family because
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 2~3 - Alice Robert-Houdin. Illustration 2 4 Eugene Robert-Houdin.

Eugene was able to benefit from a leave of theater pieces - He asked

absence. Alice was brought to the baptismal me to sell him the pas-
font by her grandmother Munier and by trycook - The [electric]
Robert-Houdin, who on this occasion distrib- plate clock dial - The
stem of the broken bottle
uted large and small boxes of candy and gifts
and my orange tree,
of cash to the entire staff, from the nursemaid
which I must fix - I
to the gardener. agreed to the sum of
On July 31sl, Cleverman came to visit The 1,300 francs including
Priory, where he stayed for four days. Robert- 500 for the pastrycook -
Houdin spent his days giving him "conjuring 300 for the clock plate
lessons" and ''discussing performances." and other little objects
and 500 francs for the or-
Cleverman told him about his projects, the
ange tree.
first being to sell the theater as soon as he
could and the second, contradicting the first, On August 4"1 and 5th these precious acce-
to enrich his repertoire and embellish his sories were packed up and sent by train to the
performance: Theatre des Soirees Fantastiques, which they
August 1st I went through my playbill were not to leave until its definitive closing in
collection with Cleverman. f920. In the days that followed, Robert-Houdin
I gave him a few - We also wrote the instructions for each mechanical
examined mv mechanical piece for Cleverman and began repairing The

190
 ACT IV

Illustration 2~5 Seating chart of the main room of the Theatre Robert-Houdin under Cleverman's management. (Jacques
Voignier collection)

Marvelous Orange Tree, which he sent com-
pleted on October 14th.
These few days with the master had probably
inspired Cleverman, who followed his advice.
He shared the bill with Brunnet and the show
was clearly improved. In October 1864, he an-
nounced the return of the ''Patissier des Italiens,
one of M. Robert-Houdin's most remarkable au-
sor in physique. Among the phenomena of the reper-
toire, there was one called the magic pastrycook. A
box-like shop was brought on, from which emerged a
little automata, which M. Cleverman introduced as
the promised pastrycook and whose goods he listed.
i u

tomata, which has not been seen in Paris for fif- PATISSIER-GLAC IER DU THEATRE
teen years." Here is the amusing account by ROBERT -HOUDIN
Alter [67] concerning the Parisian return of the Brioches Rhum
Pastrycook of Palais-Royal, renamed The Vol-au-Vent Anisette de Bordeaux
Pastrycook ''des Italiens" because of the change Biscuits au Rhum Cognac
of business address: Nougats Sirop de groseille

Chance took us the other evening to the theater of

Robert-IIoudin, or Professor Cleverman, his succes- Illustration 2~6 - The menu of the day for the Pastrycook "des Italiens."

191
ROBBRT-HOUDIN
At first no one said anything; they all looked at
each other. Some were not convinced that the pas-
tries were free; others clearly feared being too
greedy. Here, Professor Gleverman gracefully in-
sisted. Finally an Englishwoman in a maroon cloak
and wearing a hat with steel studs, opened the mar-
ket. She asked for a kirsch-flavored ice-cream with
the ease of someone who has paid for her seat in the
orchestra. From then on the ice was broken.
Let us not be fooled by the treacherous ap-
pearance of this pun - a second lady did the same
I/Oranger fccrlque.
I.e Farfadel a loug-ucs orellles.
Venx chinois.
i<a Ilouteille dc Champagne.
nevination de la pensec.
lift Cihle ina^ique.
Vingt Experiences
Illustration Z1^ - Advertisement for Cleverman.
192
thing; a couple of old bachelors, my neighbors,
gravely asked for glasses of rum. After having
asked his mother, a little boy cried out in a fluted
voice: "A light cake. (This is Lent.)" Finally a
long-haired person who seemed to have sworn to
find the flaw in the magic pastrycook asked for
four glasses of anisette in a row. After this first
round, others came; commands rolled out every-
where, a smell of alcohol spread out through the
assembly and the overworked automaton ran into
his little shop just as a little lady nearly gave way
Phiie d'Or.
fusiilc.
Poissons rouges.
Papillons .japonai*.
Esprits
par soiree.
 ACT IV

to the general hilarity in saying: "Really, these name is evoked in these

ice-creams are delicious...I would like another discussions. Wolghemuth
one." It was time because we heard behind us is begging me to answer
several high school students deciding amongst him.
themselves to ask for a strong dose of cognac. In November 8th I wrote to Emile...I told him
spite of all his science, Professor Gleverman was
forgotten and his audience took over the show.
LEWIS'S THEATRE,
Everything leads us to believe that, after a nMS MR. GKOKUH ANnEttSQV

more difficult start than he had foreseen, WORLS REHOWIEB

Cleverman found his stage persona, trained
himself with Brunnet, and understood how to
take advantage of the teachings that Robert-
Houdin had provided for a while longer. PROFESSOR FAY,
That summer, Robert-Houdin bought his first T H I S EVENING.
horse and buggy, which came to join the other
boarders at The Priory, the donkey Vol-au-Vent
and Fanchette the goat, a gift from Father Ranc.
He again received the amateur magician Paul
Chenu, for whom he wrote a letter of recom-
mendation to John Mitchell in London. Emile
sent him a letter containing "a letter from
Herrmann asking for his bird," and we do not
know the end of this affair (In a letter of Thsir Unique and Startling Wonders.
December 7, 1865, Robert-Houdin wrote to Mysterious displays, ami mmceomilablo Afanifoitatmns liavo l>eeu given in ...>
presence of the Crowned Ilviula and Nobility of Europe, and befort1 large ;ui<!
Emile, who did not want to sell his "bird piece" uJtelligofttassomblngim throughout (lie Civilized world, their profoundly
MYSTERIOUS POWERS
for the 3,000 francs that Herrmann offered. Was Iluvc astonished tlu- wTaai, at all CouotirTns, arid (In- most learned Iiare tii-en forced
by overwhelming c\ idrrice to HcklimvIcdgQ (4KVIH ;is nu'vpliutble '
it the same piece?). General Morin, the director No Complicated or Glittering Apparatus for Deception used

of the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, asked BTARTLIfi Q WONDERS

MYSTERIOUS MOVEMENTS ARE PRODUCED BY
him to repair The Harpsichord Player automa-
ton, which we will discuss later. In his Tablettes INVISIBLE AGENCIES.
journalieres of October and November, Robert- Arc made to phtj m tin- miisl e\tr.ii:>i<iiiuiy manner ami in lite most profound and
inysti'riou-t" way, Human lUtiitLj and Arms become V&lblo to tliG whole
Houdin also noted: Audience, which lliioiurli ignorance and .Siiper-dilion iiavc been attributed to
WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY.
October 10th My wife took Eglantine back
to boarding school. The
poor child was very sad.
THE MYSTERIOUS CABINET DAVKKPOHT UKOTrXEBS.
October 16 th
In Blois there is a traveling INEXPLICABLE
BY I'ROF ^DARK
}ssoll FAY. SEANCE
conjurer named Massau - I Doors open at 8 o'clock Commence at 9 precisely.
Stats m.iy now l)e M-cured at th> Bos Dliicc ol tho abov o El oatro.
did not go. P M C I X 1'
Boxes to hold six Ila. 30
st
October 31 I received a letter from Ditto lour
Proa (jtrdo and Orche-tra Stalls
20
4
Ktalll 3
Wolghemuth about Ameri- Til
Back Seals lie. 1
can spirit mediums [The Full particulars in uture Ailvcrtiitmcutjs.
Davenport Brothers] on
the experiments creating a
polemic in England - My Illustration 2~8 - Poster for the Davenport Brothers.

193
ROBFRT-IIOUDIN
that I do not want to have
my mysterious clock to be
made in Paris and that I will
take care of it in the spring-
time.
November 25"1 [The Priory] At one o'-
clock a conjurer named
Alberti came to see me;
he is very skillful with
cards and stayed until 5
o'clock.
November 27'1' I went to see the conjurer
Illustration 2~9 The conjuror Alberti.
194
Alberti this evening -
There were very few people
- This artist is skillful but
his performance, made up
of only card tricks, is mo-
notonous.
On November 21, Robert-Houdin began pos-
ing for the photographs of his hands with a
photographer in Blois named Bailie. His pho-
tographs served as models for the illustrations
of Secrets of Conjuring and Magic. The author
ended the year 1864 with the following lines in
his Tablettes journalieres:
December 31*' Today is the end of the year
1864 so painfully begun
and so happily ended -
During January we still had
25,000 francs in Emile's
shop and it was impossible
for us to say when we would
return to St. Gervais. We
have been completely free
here for eight months.
Emile seems to be doing
well in business and we are
as happy as we could be.
 ACT IV

Illustration 280 - Robert-Houdin performing the Cups and Balls by Mieusement.

195
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 281 - Ira and William, the Davenport Brothers, with their famous cabinet and props.
The size of this cabinet - w hich w as peihaps impossible to take apart - probably prevented Disderi from taking a picture in a
studio and forced him to do so outside on the sidewalk.
 ACT IV

The Davenport Brothers and The Stacey Brothers

In 1865. Robert-Houdin continued his work February 171'1 [The Priory] The wife of a
and round trips to the capital, journeys in which certain Beaumesnil fair-
conjuring still had its place: ground conjurer who is
doing business in Blois came
February 3"' [Paris] I dined at Emile's. I
to present a subscription.
took Leonie to the circus to
My wife gave 10 francs.
see Leotard [The Famous
February 19" I had 10 more francs given
Acrobat] and the Bonheur
brothers [Mediums and to Beaumesnil the con-
Second Sight]. jurer.
February 4'1' At Hamilton's, at Lahire's - I March 28"' I answered an Englishman
met Tuffereau and Hamilton named Clark about tricks.
there.

LALMANACH
AmUe ILLUSTRE ! j u t e

H B(( cnlnl cits Mnnibi. HG\IRB8, 18. ree Je SliK. a thel Ins Its Librairu It Franco tl Je lttnign.

Illustration 283 - Cover of Robin's Almanach du Cagliostro

Illustration 282 - Ferdinand and Isidore, the Bonheur brothers. of 1865-

197
ROBERT-I lOUDIN
Illustrations 284 and 285 - Robert-Houdin during The
Melting Coin effect.
Photograph b\ Mieusement used as a model for the illus-
tration published in Secrets of Conjuring and Magic fop.
cit.).
The good relationship that had been estab-
lished between Robert-Houdin and Hamilton's
successor continued through the entire year.
The conjurer, at his request, sold him several
other objects from his repertoire and
Cleverman continued to take lessons with him
in Paris or at Saint-Gervais. In February
Robert-Houdin sent him three packages: a
table and its accoutrements and "the ball" (of
Destiny or The Cannonball Box?). This trans-
action was made for 300 francs. The artist
gave Cleverman the choice of "accepting this
198
Illustrations 286 and 28" - Robert-Houdin showing the prin-
ciple of Forcing a Card.
Photograph by Mieusement used as a model for the illus-
tration published in Secrets of Conjuring and Magic fop
at.).
deal or having [his] table copied." If they
came to an agreement, Cleverman was to
send his professor a promissory note for four,
five, or six months, as he wished. Cleverman
also asked Robert-Houdin to sell him his
Harlequin and a cage, and announced his ar-
rival in June.
While nothing pointed to this so soon,
Leonie, Emile's wife, gave birth to a boy
named Paul. [69] Here are the terms in which
the happy father announced the good news to
his family:

Illustrations 288 and 289 - Robert-Houdin showing one of the
sleights of the Diminishing Cards routine.
Photograph by Mieusement used as a model for the illustra-
tion published In Secrets of Conjuring and Magic (op. citJ
Paris, May 20, 1865
My dear father
Here is unexpected news...This morning at
6 o'clock Leonie gave birth to, I will not say a big,
but a little boy.
I was afraid that the event would be more
somber. Three days ago she was inundated upon
awakening in her bed, like someone who was
about to give birth, but with no pain. I immedi-
ately took her to Boulogne and I feared a miscar-
riage. I could not believe that she was seven
months pregnant. And yet it must have been so be-
cause M. Munier came to announce that the affair
199
Aci IV
Illustrations 290 and 291 - Robert-Houdin by the Blois pho-
tographer Mieusement.
This photograph was not used in the final version of Secrets
of Conjuring and Magic fop. cit.).
was over, and in the best conditions, with no pain
and that the mother and child were doing well.
I do not know how I will manage to spend two
months without her, especially Saturday; with my
payments and the business, which is doing fairly
well, I am run off my feet. But it does not matter,
I am very happy to have a boy and that it all is
over.
Where am I headed, my God; two children in
eighteen months of marriage!!!
Decidedly even better than my father.
I embrace you with all my heart.
Your Happy son!
Robert-Houdin son
ROBLRl-HOUDlN

Illustration 292 - The Harlequin.

The automaton reproduced abo\ e as manufactured by Yoisin.

Cleverman came to see Robert-Houdin, still sioned them. Robert-Houdin wrote in Tablettes
overcome with the joy of being a grandfather journalieres:
and comfortably set up in The Priory with his June 16th Cleverman practised conjuring
wife from the 14th to the 23'd of June. During this with me - I sold him the
time, in Paris, Brunnet replaced him onstage in Harlequin for 500 francs. I im-
Soirees Fantastiques. The stay went well and mediately began repairing this
piece. I worked on it all day. I
Mme. Robert-Houdin kept Mme. Lahire com-
gave the cabinetmaker the box
pany, taking her to visit Saint-Gervais and its to fix.
surrounding countryside in order to allow the June 2V I worked with Cleverman on the
two men to talk about the subjects that impas- organization of a crown appear-

200
 ACT IV

1|H 1
ing above the head of he who
hits the bull's eye. [70]
June 21" I worked with Gleverman on the
organization of a crown coming
from above the head of he who
hits the bull's eye [70].
June 22nd Mme. Gleverman, who is a very
good musician, played the piano
every night for us.
On July 10, Robert-Houdin wrote to the
American publishers Dick and Fitzgerald, who
had made proposals for his new book, and he
noted on September 29th:
1
H
' ' , ' " - ' :
' - . - . i '"1.- ' - ' . ' " - " " , " * ' " * '

I wrote to M.G. Evans of Philadelphia to ask t CHO{fl. W

him to give a letter to M. Mackenzie to whom I pro-
pose my work.
The restored Harlequin was sent to Cleverman
on July 21. During this year, Robert Houdin was,
as always, in close contact with Emile, whose : f
business he followed closely and whom he tried
to help in different ways. Emile, on the other
hand, carried out small administrative tasks for
his father, among them the filing of patents. In
March, Robert-Houdin started the manufacture
of new watch-stands of his own design called
the Magic Watch-Holder, [n] Emile had enough
success with these objects to incite plagiarism,
and he had to sue counterfeiters. The Illustration 293 - The Magic Watch-Holder.
Mysterious Clock with two columns went back Folding watch-holder created and manufactured by Robert-
and forth between Saint-Gervais and Emile's Houdin for his son Emile.
Parisian shop for reasons unknown to us, and
Robert-Houdin returned to his hand photographs Harpsichord Player, read Les Vendeurs de bonne
but this time with the Blois photographer aventure by Alfred de Caston, made plans for a
Mieusement. Previously, in May, Robert-Houdin new Chess Player, answered Cleverman's request
had his picture taken by Franck in Paris. The for clarifications about Second Sight, and wrote
artist was beginning to feel the burden of age to Emile for information on the 1867 Exposition.
and the limitations of a body that he never took He was again in the best of health as Paris pre-
care of, and wrote on September 5: "I realize that pared for the arrival of the Davenport Brothers.
I am really starting to grow old; my legs some- These famous American mediums, who had
times do not support me and my back hurts," but just caused a sensation in London, were to
this assertion did not stop him at all, because on debut in Paris in the Salle Hertz on September
the 9"\ he organized his Cabinet de physique in 12. For several days all the newspapers dis-
the parlor, continued his restoration of The cussed the Davenports, who had several impor-

201
ROBERT-HOUDIN

a voulu en rire a son tour, et un soir i\ a mande les

deux mediums americalns a Saint-Cloud poury donnei*
la representation de ieurs exereices; mais le lende-
main (lecon salulaire) H invitait M* Robin, I'anlispi-
rite, a venir repeter devant !a cour la parodie quo
cet ingenieux prcstidig'ttatcur avail faite de la charge
des Yankees. Le rire fou, 1c rire homcrique dont
Lcut's Majests out e(e les premieres & donner le
signal a venge tout lo long de la soiree Io bon sens
franftftis, anqupl IPS joiiylfiUfS d'ouErp-mnr voiifaient
s'en prendre. A Tissue de ceiie seconde seance, ou
jes assistants derides ont pris leur revanche de la
veille, les felicitations clont rftmpereur et Flmpera-
triee ont gratifie M. Ilobin ont dfl eHie pour tous
une veritable profession de fot. Aussi n'avons-nous
pas eu tort de le dire en commencant, que e'etait
la le dernier coup de grftCG porte aux Davenport. U
nous a semhle quo nos lecieurs vorraieut avec in-
teret, mises en parallMe l'uue de 1'autre, les deux
fiimeuses armoires dont sc servant les Americains ot
leur triompEiant antajjoniste. Et tout d'abord, pour
1'edification de ecus qui ne s'en sont pas rendu
cooiple par eox-aiSines, en assistant a CG spectacle
chez M, Robin, si toutelbis il est de ces gens dans
Paris, tant 1'affluence a ete" ct est encore grande h
sou ihddlre, dlspns done que chez lui tout s'y
passe a lu grando lumiare du giiz, tandis que chez
les freres !es luniieres sont baissecs a tin tel point
qu'on y dislirtguo a jjrand'peine (juelque chose; la
question est deja posee, de cette facon, iR'ttcmcnt
enlre les esprits de lumiere et ceux des ienebres;
la t'ietoire ne saurait etre douleuse. Mais il y a plus,
les Davenport sont deux dans leur araioire a U'ois
L'AKMOIKE DES DAVBNPOBT, portes; le medium de M. Robin n'a pas de frere L'AKMOIHE DE ROBIN,
dans la sienne pour 1'aider, et elle ne se I'ernie que mains (les siennes, bien entendu). Je vous d6fie de
MM. ROBIN ET DAVENPORT. par deux portes. Les premiers se font attacher avec gardet' voire serieux devant In pantomiaie desordonnee
Finis coronal opus. sept ou buit bouts distincts de cordes, I'autre se scrt a laquelle le public assiste an theatre Robin, assaisonnee
Lafineoarosae fosusre. d'une corde de quinze metres de long, d'un seul mor~ surtout, comme elle Test, des remarques piquantes du
Le dernier coup de grace vient d'etre porte aux fibres ceau; vous ne ponvez savoir ce qui se passe dans la spirituel metteui1 en ceuvre de celte scene, Les deux
Davenport et & leur charlatanisine Spirits, il y a une boite des Davenport, puisqu'ils s'y enferment, mais gravures qui accotnpagnent cet article feront facilement
dizaine tie jours, et le coup leur vieni d'on haul ; il M. Robin, lui, laisse tout ouuertes les portes de son comprendre a tous la position respective des mediums
iart de la cour, L'Empereur a voulu voir de ses yeux armoire, et Ton voit son niddium accompltssant. coram dans Ieurs deux armoires.
fa jongieric qui avait fait rire tout Paris, ou piulot il populo D le charisari spirile, et faisant apparaitre les A. LAYNAUD.

Illustration 294 - The Davenport Brothers and Robin's "medium."

Article and engravings from Le Journal illustre.

tant allies in certain worldly circles, but also de- showing reproductions of their show at a rea-
termined opponents in the academic and scien- sonable price. [72]
tific world. The opportunity was too perfect for True to his usual behavior and not wanting
magicians of the time not to stir up this contro- to testify for or against the Davenport Brothers,
versy and try to fill their theaters at the expense Robert-Houdin went incognito to some of their
of their American colleagues. Robin led a huge seances, which took place in two different the-
offensive against the Davenport Brothers and aters. [73] Between these performances, the
defied them in the newspapers - which was fair conjurer returned to his Priory, where he fol-
play but became detrimental to the entire magic lowed the "affair" in the newspapers. The im-
profession when he revealed their secrets to the presario Wolghemuth asked Cleverman to hire
public. In keeping with his unfortunate past be- two of his proteges, the Stacey Brothers,
havior, he decided that duplicating their famous English "mediums" - who were not "brothers"
experiments was not enough. but partners, one named Kelly and the other
The public, given the Davenports" exorbi- Stacey - for Soirees Fantastiques, and he
tant prices, went to competing establishments jumped at the opportunity. Cleverman asked

202
 ACT IV

Illustrations 295 and 296 - Robin's "medium."

Robin, with his associate, "revealed" the Davenport Brothers' feats in public.

Robert-Houdin to supervise the "seance." The army staff has dropped.

master accepted and again returned to Paris in
the early days of November. He wrote in his
Tablettes journalieres:
November 1st [Paris] We went to see
the Conjurer at the Gaite.
[with Emile, his wife,
etc.]
November 13th I went to see Lassaigne
with Dantan near the Gare
de Lvon.
This prolonged stay in the capital elicited this
sad remark from Robert-Houdin:
November 17th [Paris] I learned three
pieces of bad news: the
Cleverman has substituted
his name for mine at the
theater - and the Lyon
[shares] lost much value
this week.
These three pieces of bad news would
have no effect on his son Eugene's career, or
on the state of his fortune wisely invested
here and there, because the hyon shares
quickly regained value. Shortly thereafter
Cleverman renamed the theater with its cre-
ator's name, his ego having dropped as
quickly as his income. It is, however, not cer-
tain that Robert-Houdin ever forgave him for

203
ROBLRT-HOLDIN

THEATRE CLEVERMAN
Aneien tbeitre Eokri-Houdii
8, Boulevard dft Italians, 8.

Tous les soirs, ^ 8 h. 1/4

PflYSIODE. IHAGIB ET

Par ic profes&eur

TABLEAUX ANIMES DE

AGIOSCOPE-ASTROMETROSCOPE
De PIGELEll

TOUS LES D^MANCHES

SEANCE A 8 HEURKS
Sans prejudice da celle da soir*

Illustration 29^ - The Theatre Robert-Houdin very briefly become the "Theatre Cleverman.

204
 ACT IV

-1969 Vip^^jjjB mk
m
mm
|1
MW

:

) Fi!i 1I
1
>J
111
:
TlieStre de la Gaite, VJSscamottur, aotc dciisiimr,

Illustrations 298 and 299 - Engraving and photograph of L'Escamoteur at the Theatre de la Gaite.

this temporary blow to his self-esteem. For

the time being, Robert-Houdin, faithful to the
promise made to his successor, upheld the
role he had accepted:
November 20th The Stacey Brothers (me-
diums) arrived with Wolghe-
muth at 8 o'clock.
November 21" I went to Gleverman's. I
spent the day preparing
the cabinet trick rehearsed
with us by the Englishmen;
it is very well done.
nd
November 22 I went...to Gleverman's for
the cabinet and the differ-
ent props...we did a small
rehearsal with the Stacey
Brothers and in the evening
a performance for the press.
Everything worked well but

205
ROBtR 1 -HOUDIN

~- M. Cleverman, 1'habile suceesseur de Robert Flout)in,

THilTRl CLEVERMAI nous a convies ces jours dernieis a la repetition generaie

d'uneseance de prestidigitation a I'lnstar des freres Daven-
port. Rien du spiritisme et de 51. Bernard Derosne.
S, boulevard dss Jmitms^ 8, Les freres SUcey ne sont ni moins jeunes ni moins Ame-
rica ins que les freres Davenport. Leurs tours ont les monies
Tous les jours a 8 heoies que ceus de leurs confreres; la seule difference que j'y vois,
c'est qu'ils les executent beaucoup p!us lestement.
S6a&ce de Comme eux, et en moins de temps, :1s detachent et ratta-
chent leurs cordes sans iaisser echapper un grain do la fa~
PHYSIQUE ET DE MAGIE rine qu'ils tiennent dans les mains; comme eux ils Pont voter
les guitares, enlevent a un monsieur ses lunettes et sa cra-
vate qui se retrouvent : les unes, sur le nez, 1'autre, au
cou de i'un d'eux; comme euxilsechangeot leur habitcontre
Le Vase a Fenere. un paletot place au milieu des spectaieurs; comma eux Us
executent la musiqueinfernale les mains lie'es derrierele dos
Le Chasseur. et les cordes. sceHees avet de la cire, les pieds poses sur un
papier et se retiouvant exactement dans la ligne trace'e par
Le Roi das coctrefe&ndiere, un des assistants.
Pas de comperage possible : la seance se passait en fa.-
Les Pieces* mille ,et chaoun des spectateurs pouvait raonter sur la scene,
verifier les cordes et visiter I'armoire a la malice; c'est ce
qu'ont fait, aveoloute la conscience possible, Obin, \eprimo
basso de J'Opera, et noire confrere Beckmann du Tempsj ai-
Cmq mioutes d'esc&motage. des d'un monsieur habile a faire les nceuds marins, et d'un
autre monsieur venu tout espres de Toulouse pour 6tudier
LesEtoffesmagiqusa. le true qu'il n'a pas pu decouvrir.
Le mot de la soiree a ete dit par Cleverman.
Le Gymnasiarqne. Pendant que les gu!(aressepromenaientdansrobscuritee*ri""
Le Carlos* caressant locciput ou le nez des assistants, voila qu uny \oix
s'ecrie: Garde a vous, messieurs, on me fait ma monfre!
Cette vois eta it ceile de Jules Momaux. \
TroisiSme partie Ne craignez rien, messieurs, replique Gleverhian,
nous faisons quelquefois les monlrcs, mais nous les rendons-
Le Panler in&ien. toujours.
Deja Robin avec sa chambre mvsterieuse et son amusante
Quatri&me partie parodie des jongleries de la salle Herz, avail as*ez malmene
les freres Davenport. Cleverman, avec les freres Stacey, vient
de leur donner le coup de grace.
Les Memilles de la nuit (ta- J'engagefortceux qui ontencorefoi dans les manifestations
bleaux animus T,... spirites, a consacrer une ou deux soirees au\ exercices
de MM. Robin et Clev^rman. Mais nest-ce pas pour eux
qu'il a eie ecrit : Oculos habenl e,t non videbunt!

Illustration 300 - Advertisement for the "Theatre Cleverman" Illustration 302 - Account of the Stacey Brothers' perfor-
proposing The Indian Basket in the third part of its mance at the "Theatre Cleverman." (Btbliotbdque de I'Anenal)
program.

it was a bit long - we need

THiiTRi GLEVERMAI to cut sections.
I went to Cleverman's for a
8, boui&wd des Itulims, 8. November 23ld
few opinions on the Stacey
Tous les jours a 8 heures Brothers - I had dinner
Seaace de at Saint Georges's with
PHYSIQUE ET DE MAGIE Garvalho and Dantan - All
Reproduction complete de la four of us attended the
stance des freres Davenport,, performance, which was a
Le true de Farnioire execuie ea little rough - I do not know
pleiue lumiere par les freres if it will work in Paris be-
Stacey. cause of the prolonged
Une heure daos les finfebres, darkness.
avec guitares, violons, soa-
Eettes voltigeaat dans toutes Once back in Blois, Robert-Houdin wrote to
les directions,, Cleverman a certain number of remarks about
Illustration 301 - Advertisement for the Stacey Brothers' this seance and wrote an article for the Stacey
performances at the "Theatre Cleverman." Brothers in his friend Lecesne's newspaper Le

206
 ACT IV

Journal du Loir-et-Cher. On December 9, he

noted a few elements to be used for a play / AD,'tL~i^-> t*6 r
/
about The Chess Player inspired by the "tale"
he had so romantically narrated in his memoirs.
On the 11*, Robert-Houdin learned of the death
of his friend Huart of Le Charivari and in the
following days he began to outline new effects
for a fairy play he was working on. Finally, in
his Tablettes journalieres, the following sen-
tences summing up his feelings on the year may
be read: LA JZ:.
December 31st Now the year 1865 has
quite happily ended. God
willing that 1866 not be n $ /
worse. We have been
spared great sorrows - We
)
are in fairly good health -
Our children have made us
happy - we ask for nothing
else.
Robert-Houdin had just turned sixty years
old. ;.- 2 XL -.
*fc A) x^> ^

II'. <U CMKTM rf-^-.

n: *,.

4.,.,t I'lll'/
A/' . I

Illustrations 303 and 304 - Letter from Robert-Houdin asking

the Librairie Nouvelle to send him "fairy plays" for his
research. (Georgia Proust collection)

20"

Notest
The moving of Soirees Fantastiques
de Robert-Houdin from Palais-Royal
to Boulevard des Italiens was an-
nounced in the following terms by
Philippe Busoni in L'lllustration,
no. 578, March 25, 1854:
... Let us conclude by announc-
ing to all good mothers M. Robert-
Iloudin's change of address. It is no
longer to Palais-Royal that all well-
behaved children should be
brought to show them the conjur-
ing performance and suprising me-
chanical apparatus. M. Hamilton,
M. Robert-Houdin's successor, has
followed the movement changing
NOTES TO ACT IV
the center of Paris - it is on
Boulevard des Italiens near Passage
de l'Opera that one must go to ad-
mire his tricks in a theater, which
is itself a marvel of elegance and
taste.
2.
Lecture by Francois Voignier
of January 29, 1996 at the Club
des Magiciens collectionneurs.
"Commentary, analysis, and dating
of a few rare or unknown docu-
ments."
In the 1857 lease, linking Illustration 305 - Autograph from
Hamilton to M. Disderi and M. Lebel, Hamilton to M. Devina.
in the heading "Charges, Clauses, (Frangois Voignier collection)
209
ROBfcRi-HOtDIN

A LA COUR
DE MADAGASCAR
MAGIE ET DIPLOMATIE

Marius CAZENEUVE
MEDEC1N ET GONSEILLEB INTIME DE LA REISE DE MADAGASCAR

RANAVALO MANJAKA

PARIS
LIBRAIRIE CH. DELAGRAVE
15, HUE SOtJEFLOT, 15

1896

M vii 11 - CAXBXKUVK.

Illustrations 306 and 30" - Photograph and title page of the work by Marius Cazeneuve: A la Cour de Madagascar: Magie et Dtplomatte.

and Conditions." and among the puppet show, mechanical tableaus, 5.

very rigid terms and conditions,
there is mention of a strange obliga-
tion for the two photographers:
23: To do a portrait every
year at their own cost of four or
more people at the demand of
M. Gasimir Dovina, residing in
Paris, Rue Basse du Rempart no.
50 and to give him two framed
copies.
Francois Yoignier's brochure
reprints a photograph of Hamilton
signed to this M. Do\ma or Devma,
of whom we know nothing!
3.
In June 1857, Hamilton asked for
the authorization to open, on the
third floor above his theater, a little
and picturesque images. This autho-
rization was granted on September
9, 1857 but we are not sure that
Hamilton followed through with the
project.
4
M. Andre Keime Robert-Houdin
published a remarkable documenta-
tion of the scientific inventions of
his illustrious great-grandfather. The
present work owes much to the
learned research of M. Keime
Robert-Houdin and our friendship.
Robert-Houdin, le magicien de la
science by Andre Keime Robert-
Houdin, Champion-Slatkine, Paris-
Geneva, 1986,
Compte rendu des seances de
I'Academie des Sciences, 1855. 2nd
quarter.
6.
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, op.
cit., p. 421.
7.
The following year this demand
was heading in the right direction
thanks to a decree of the Prince-
President of the Republic on
February 21, 1852:
1. That M. Robert (Jean Eugene),
born in Blois (Loir-ct-Cher) on
Frimaire 16, year XIV, mechani-
cian, performer, residing in
Paris, is authorized to add to his
last name that of Houdin and to

210

call himself henceforth Robert-
Houdin.
2. That M. Robert will not be
able to come before the courts to
claim this change of his civil status
before the expiration of the delay
set by the law of 11 Germinal, Year
XI and in verifying" that no opposi-
tion was formed before the Conseil
d'Etat.
At the end of the year 1855,
Robert-Houdin received a docu-
ment from the legal department of
the Conseil d'Etat:
The Master of Requests, General
Secretary of the Gonseil d'Etat cer-
tifies that until today, no opposing
request was filed at the Secretary of
the legal department of the Gonseil
d'Etat to the Decree of the Prince-
President of the Republic of twenty-
first February, eighteen hundred
fifty-two that allowed M. Robert
(Jean-Eugene) born in Blois (Loir et
Cher) on 16 Frimaire, year XIV,
mechanician, performer, residing in
Paris, to add to his last name that of
Houdin and to call himself Robert-
Houdin henceforth...
Paris, November twentieth, eigh-
teen hundred and fifty-five [signed]
Boilay.
8.
We know of a second case in which
a magician helped French diplomacy
with his art: Marius Cazenem e in
Madagascar, beginning in 1886.
More recently, the talent of the
English magician Jasper Maskelyne
was successfully used during World
War II by the British secret services.
On Marius Cazeneuve see A la cour
de Madagascar: Magie et
Diplomatie, Delagrave, 1896 and Le
Magicien de guerre by David Fisher,
Presses de la Cite, 1986.
9.
Rene Frangois Edouard de Neveu.
born on November 19, 1809 in
Savigny-sur-Braye (Loir-et-Cher),
died in Algiers on February 17, 1871.
He became an officer in 1852, then
commander of the Legion of Honor
in 1856, and was promoted to the
rank of general of the brigade on
March 4, 1864.
10.
In Robert-Houdin's archives is
the rough draft of a letter sent to
Algiers to one of his acquaintances,
whose name is not specified. In
this response. Robert-Houdin tells
this friend, whose son was sta-
tioned in Algeria, about the steps
he had taken concerning him. This
letter is filled with precious unpub-
lished details on Robert-Houdin's
stay in the colony. On the specific
subject about the delay of the cele-
brations in Algiers, Robert-Houdin
wrote:
When I arrived in Algeria, the
governor had just left for Kabylie
DAVID FISHER
Le magicien
de guerre
Collection DOCUMENT
PRESSES DE LA CITfi
PARIS
Illustration 308 - Title page of the work
by David Fisher, The War Magician.
211
NOTES TO ACT IV
with his unit...When the Marshal
returned from Kabylie, he was ill
and went to rest in the countryside
of Algiers, then had to take care of
his daughter's wedding which was
celebrated with just a few close
friends and relatives with no
pomp...The governor of Algeria is
almost as important as the
Emperor of France.
11.
"Robert-Houdin," one paper
said, "cannot be in Algiers, for we
see daily announced in the Paris
papers, 'Robert-Houdin every
evening at eight o'clock.'
And why," another journal
asked pleasantly, "should not
Robert-Houdin perform in Algiers
and yet remain all the while in
Paris? Do we not know that this
sorcerer possesses the gift of
ubiquity, and that he often gives
performances in Paris, Rome,
and Moscow on the same
evening?"
The discussion went thus, for
several days, some denying my
presence, others affirming it.
The public of Algiers was willing
to accept this fact as one of those
pleasantries generally denomi-
nated canards, but they also
wished to be sure of not being vic-
tims of a delusion if they came to
the theater.
At length the matter was taken
up seriously, and the publishers
explained that M. Hamilton, on
succeeding his brother-in-law, had
kept up the old title; so that
Robert-Houdin was a term equally
applicable to the performer and to
the style of performance.
This curious discussion, the
annoyances occasioned by M. D-,
and as I hope I may believe, the
attraction of my performance,
brought me an enormous audi-
ence. All the tickets were bought
beforehand, and the house was
stiflingly hot, for the centigrade
thermometer denoted 35 degrees,
and we were in the middle of
September.
Poor spectators, how I pitied
them! To judge from my own sen-
ROBERT-HOLDIN
sations, they must all have been
mummified on the spot. I feared
that the enthusiasm, as is the gen-
eral rule, would be in an inverse
ratio to the temperature; but I had
no cause to complain of my recep-
tion, and I drew from this success
a happy omen for the future.
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin. op
cit, pp. 376-77.
12.
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin. op.
cit., p. 380.
13.
The last sentence of this compli-
ment is the translation of an Arab
poem. Memoirs of Robert-Houdin,
op. cit., p. 391.
14.
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, op.
cit.. p. 386. This diploma is among
Robert-Houdms souvenirs kept at
the Chateau de Blois.
15.
Robert-Houdins letter, which I
previously identified (see note 8).
confirms that this journey into
Algeria lasted longer than the au-
thor says in his memoirs, where his
stay seems to have lasted four
days. He only mentions one inci-
dent, during the only stop de-
scribed in his peaceful tour among
the tribes:
...As for your second letter, I
only received it yesterday; here is
why. Immediately after my perfor-
mances I went to travel inside
Algeria to visit the Arabs in their
tribes. I was supposed to go for
only three or four days but I
stayed for twelve...your letter ar-
rived during this time at the Hotel
d'Orient...
Without entering into too many
details, because it is more of an
impression or personal conviction
than something proven, I would
like to say that the tone of this let-
ter by Robert-Houdin is unusual.
Its cautiousness and feigned hu-
mility make me strongly suspect
that the author knew that his cor-
respondence would be read by the
military censors.
16.
J. Joseph-Renaud, "Contribution
a Vetablissement d'une biographie
de Robert-Houdin," Journal de la
prestidigitation, no. 106 (March-
April 1939). In this text. J. Joseph-
Renaud, pursuing the narrative of
anecdotes related to him by General
Devaux about the Algerian jour-
ney of Robert-Houdin, wrote:
...There again, electricity helped
him greatly; he had a metallic
mannequin made to represent a
French captain, with his hand ex-
tended: "When one is a friend of
France," he said, "one can safely
shake the hand of this officer.
Try!...But if one is an enemy of
my country, here is what hap-
pens...Try now." This time a
strong electrical current was sent
through the mannequin; the
Arabs who touched the out-
stretched hand received a painful
shock...
Thanks to a trick with mirrors,
he made terrifying ghosts appear
in his tent...
17.
The trick I have just described,
though so curious, is easily pre-
pared. I will give a description of
it, while explaining the trouble it
took me. As soon as I was alone in
my room, I took out of my pistol
case - without which I never
travel - a bullet mould. I took a
card, bent up the four edges, and
thus made a sort of trough, in
which I placed a piece of wax
taken from one of the candles.
When it was melted. I mixed with
it a little lamp-black I had ob-
tained by putting the blade of a
knife over the candle, and then
ran this composition in the bullet-
mould.
212
Had I allowed the liquid to get
quite cold, the ball would have
been full and solid; but in about
ten seconds I turned the mould
over, and the portions of the wax
not yet set ran out, leaving a hol-
low ball in the mould. This opera-
tion is the same as that used in
making tapers, the thickness of
the outside depending on the time
the liquid has been left in the
mould.
I wanted a second ball, which I
made rather more solid than the
other; and this I filled with blood,
and covered the orifice with a
lump of wax. An Irishman had
once taught me the way to draw
blood from the thumb, without
feeling any pain, and I employed
it on this occasion to fill my bul-
let.
Bullets thus prepared bear an
extraordinary resemblance to
lead, and are easily mistaken for
that metal when seen at a short
distance off.
With this explanation, the trick
will be easily understood. After
showing the leaden bullet to the
spectators, I changed it for my
hollow ball, and openly put the
latter into the pistol. By pressing
the wad tightly down, the wax
broke into small pieces, and could
not touch me at the distance I
stood.
At the moment the pistol was
fired, I opened my mouth to dis-
play the lead bullet I held between
my teeth, while the other pistol
contained the bullet filled with
blood which, bursting against the
wall, left its imprint, though the
wax had flown to atoms.
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, op.
cit.. pp. 412-13.
18.
During research carried out in
the archives of Marseilles we
found several articles talking about
the violence of this exceptional
storm. Here is an example in La
Gazette du Midi:

News from the South: Marseilles
November 26''. Yesterday and espe-
cially last night were marked in our
city by a furious storm from the
northwest. Roof tiles and chimneys
fell under the blow of the strong
winds, whose violence sometimes
seemed to shake houses. The ef-
fects of this wind must have been
terrible at sea...
19.
Here is an unpublished text
from Robert-Houdin's youth, from
a manuscript he wrote for his
Cagliostro in which he described
a few anecdotes on the debut of
Jules de Rovere's career:
Olivier was succeeded by Jules
de Rovere, who was not, as
claimed, the inventor of the word
prestidigitateur, but perhaps he
anchored it into our language by
giving it, in this fashion, the right
to be cited in the new dictionary
of French language. This qualifica-
tion of prestidigitateur goes much
further back because it is none
other than the Latin word circula-
tores or better yet prestigitatores
3Pheatrc ttoya^ Htymarket
PERFORMANCES,
FIRST gIPIE In BUtttflM P
Mousienr
J U L E S de KOVERIfl,
CELEBRATED P R E S T I D I G I T A T O R , AEBOPBR1BT
Profeuorof ilrM ve PMIowphy. nd AHtktrofmtrat
la (he Arts ud SCISDCLB ndai ted to Pub! o Annwmcni, wijl hsre thi
honorofpurin5licfiite8 Dntwh And.caM
On MONDAY, Oct. 20tb, WEDNESDAY 22ni5
and rBZDAY the 24tb, 1828.
2rttnB4nrar frjaTi'^"^ **7' T J ^' t ^*T'^JLJ-.Ma*
The MHsappoiHtea Giuttoa,
The Mysterious Rose, Flora's Pavllllon,
FOIlTIINATIIS's CAPi
Or, tbo HOBH of PI.EKTY.
LB Coucrtt do Cni-heilk,
Madaxta da SOVWRB K
--^'' | ^V,_ ^ I.-, v- v|__b
AV SbSartal M m . h, HMn. .1M
P I T B MINUTES at MISSOLONGHI;
_ O ^ T H B GREEK HEBO.
Illustrations 309 a n d 310 - Bills f o r J u l e s d e R o v e r e .
(J.B. Findlay collection and Magic. September 1901)
NOTES TO ACT IV
that Pliny the Younger used to Tube painted green and gold in the
designate acrobats, jugglers, and lid of which can be seen an oval
mountebanks who, during his label, ''Barbier/Opticien/Marseille,"
time, traveled through Rome's
countryside, where they per- with a handwritten note: "20
francs."
formed their feats of skill.
Whatever the ease may be, 21.
Jules de Rovere was the only During our research in Marseilles,
French conjurer who, inthe precious help of the historian
Constantinople, received the honor Jacques Echinard allowed us to re-
from a great lord to perform one of
construct the passage of conjurers
his marvelous shows in his harem
before his wives who were, to tell in this city.
the truth, veiled from head to toe.
22.
From Constantinople, Jules de
Rovere returned to Paris and dur- ltobcrt Houdio n' fait que paraltre per-
ing one of his performances at the mi nous; le ceiebre preslidigitateur s'esi <tfto-
Odeon in 1817 on Good Friday, a liii , sprit deux lifouccs seulement, aus ap
pliiiilissenicnts <lu public marjsillals. Un its
fire destroyed this theater a second ses 6mul(S vionl aujourd'hui rtdamer A son
time. lour les suffrages des amateurs e t , nous <fa~
vous le dim, il les a c>nquis dis a pre.oierg
apparition. M Lcvicu* a dona^, mardi der-
The first fire at the Odeon took nier, sa premiere mirte , SOD programme aa-
place during a performance of noDQait ono foulo de (ours nouvemx (ju'il a
vitcaU.s avee tine adrcsa tQf!rveiileua6 6t de
Physique amusante by the conjurer mauicre h surprendro les specfaldirs \u;..-.t
Chalon. See Appendix II on this recommandoiis-nous out ncrsoniie* qui 'y
out pas encore assist'!, leg witte de M Le-
subject. vieux, KilesuDt lieu lous lejours, fioepii h
vonjredi, rue Haio, a' 21, dans one sallauV
i a eel f(tut.
20.
Volker Huber has in his remark- Illustration 311 - Announcement of Mar-
able collection a metal Feather seille performances by the conjurer
Levieux, known as The Wizard of the
West.
Enthusiasts from Marseilles had
4 o - The d r c d n l SUCKM of tht I'KKNCH PHKHOKM \NCKS. ami th K
to console themselves about Robert-
un mm. r . ^ ^ ^ A u ^ n s " l ns"iiriuetrt' ' " " " Houdin's brief stay by attending
ME. J. de ROVERE
performances of the conjurer
ENTIRE LY NOVEL F.E ATS
FOR THRI-.l NIQHTS-MOKI.
This Evening, MONDAY. Oct. 27th, Levieux. nicknamed The Wizard of
On WEDNESDAY 29th, & FRIDAY t h e 31st, 1828.
the West, who sometimes per-
HW rfucavtrw,
F
i
Flora's Pavllton, 9 White j9i
iThe
She Sorcerer 8 SvPC'flrapbg
A p
Rabbit,
formed in a little space at 21, Rue
Haxo, beginning in mid-December
TKtiL. FUOITIVSS DOVE,
Thi BoshuiMd r i o n r w k t t . Tha Dutch. Uauar Haaaa.
1856.
flu EHest sf'white ftlaflis.
some Noiel IMITATIONS l.j
Monsieur ANDRIEUX, 23.
O/.V OIlttY. in Ilit Wrfa/ UikwrtHr, and of an Old Blind Uinitnl Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, op.
THE TWO PRIVATE ACTORS cit.. p. 419.
By Invisible Musicians.
and La HurcUnde de Coi.jona
The Aerial Nnv 24.
It is thanks to this often elliptical
FIVE MINUTES a t MISSOLONQHI;
h
OR THE 0 REBK
T1IK UKCHSaTKA (which:
type of note, which is part of his
. f ' ~ ' j . ILLIU i l l * "HlUWI
;
BIT Mr. B . BARNETT. archives, that I have managed to re-
lCr A T A QUARTFK BErOkh NINh construct certain little unknown facts
and details about the high-society
evenings Robert-Houdin participated
in as a guest (see the chapter "The
Salon Conjurer," Act II, page 37). He
had decided not to include them in
213
ROBERT -HOUDIK
his memoirs in order to respect the
privacy of his hosts as well as to
avoid repetition of his descriptions
of his public performances.
25.
In his Tablettes journalieres,
Robert-Houdin carefully noted his
appointments with M. Reber, their
length, and the sums paid. L. Chesneau
first suggested the existence of this
proofreader, not yet identified, in his
scarce booklet Robert-Houdin a
Saint-Gervais. Blois, 1932. The au-
thor, Father Chesneau, was an eccle-
siastic who was very close to the
Keime and Robert-Houdin families.
M. Andre Keime Robert-Houdin has a
very vivid memory of him. This brief,
well-written, and well-documented
work was probably a precious tool
for the work of his compatriot Jean
Chavigny.
26.
Lecesne was the publisher of the
Journal de Loir-et-Cher and had the
largest printing shop in the region.
He was one of Robert-Houdin's
close friends throughout his entire
lifetime and a frequent visitor to
The Priory.
27.
The preface of the work is dated
September 1858.
28.
Dickens wrote his very laudatory
review using the French edition. To
be convinced of this, it will suffice to
read his account, in which the French
title Confidencesd'unprestidigitateur
- line vie d'artiste was translated liter-
ally by Dickens: The Confidences of a
prestidigitarian - An Artist's Life,
whereas Robert-Houdin's memoirs
had been entitled Memoirs of Robert-
Houdin - Ambassador, Author, and
Conjurer when published in London
in July 1859-
29.
The English translator of
Robert-Houdin's memoirs was the
baronet Sir Frederic Charles 32.
Lascelles Wraxall (1828-1865). He Le Moniteur universel. July 2.
was the son of Charles Edouard
1859.
Wraxall, lieutenant of the royal ar-
tillery. His mother. Ellen Cecelia, 33.
was the daughter of John Madden "Catalogue des riches collections
of Richmond in Surrey. He was ad- artistiques delaissees par feu le pro-
mitted to Oxford University in fesseur Compars Herrmann de
1842. He served in the army and in Vienne," Koln. 1888.
1855, he was in Kerch in Crimea in
the Turkish contingent, where he
had the rank of captain. During his
CATALOGUE
lifetime, he was fascinated by mil-
itary affairs and his experience in
the Crimean war is described in his COLLECTIONS ARTISTIQUES
work Camp Life-. Passages from the PROFESSEUR
Story of a Contingent, published COMPARS HERRMANN
in I860. Lascelles Wraxalls time DE VIENNE.
spent in the army must have made
him used to being instantly Filiscit 1UU*UM. VemriN- iTclm t t a u x . tUtwx prtotm
Ftw. Plww. Hwlogwlt. B1K. Ctdi U Xaablts TtplfMriM.
Tbl U U
obeyed, and this is probably why
Robert-Houdin wrote this com-
VENTE A COLOGNE
ment about a letter he had re- le 2 8 at 29 Kai 1888
ceived from Wraxall. In a letter Q /, heuies i!u matin el i 3 Inures de r e W c ,
i n i la flrwtton, *t din* IM Mtvsaax ISCMX
dated April 2, 1861 addressed to
J. M. HEBERI.E (H LEMPERTZ' SOHNE)
his publisher Bourdilliat (reprinted
on page 130), he wrote [His
style] somewhat resembles mili-
tary command."
We owe several novels, histor-
ical works, and famous transla-
COLOGNE 1888.
tions to this author, including
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
Among his own works, we can
mention: Remarkable Adventures
and Unrevealed Mysteries (1863),
which includes a chapter on
Cagliostro, Criminal Celebrities,
A Collection of Memorable Trials,
The Backwoodsman , or Life on
the Indian Frontier (1866), and
The Life and Times of Caroline
Matilda, Queen of Denmark and
Norway (1864).
This above information comes
from John Braun's article in The
Linking Ring, vol. 46. no. 7, July
1966.
30.
Journal amusant, no. 155,
December 18. 1858. Illustrations 312 and 313 - Title page of
the catalogue of collections of Carl
31. (Compars) Herrmann and engrav-
Le Voleur, April 22, 1859- ing of the artist.
214

34.
See the letter of May 30, 1851
reprinted in Act II. chapter 1849-
1851 - Return to Paris."
35.
See on this subject nos. 37 and
38 of L'Escamoteur by Robelly.
L Illustration of November 8. 1856
praised the artist in the following
manner:
Make way now tor Miss Benita
Anguinet in the theater of the
Pre-Catelan. After Bosco and his
successors, all extremely remark-
able, and especially after M. Ed.
Brunnet the inimitable, there will
still be room for admiration for
Miss Benita. This amiable con-
jurer is wholly from the good
school, where one produces a ball
from a cup where there is noth-
ing. As for the original tricks with
which Miss Benita dazzles the
public. I will not try to describe
them, in order to let you enjoy
the surprise...
36.
See the biography of Chalon by
Robert-Houdin in Appendix II.
37.
Jacques Voignier has two letters
in his collection by Robert-Houdin
addressed to M. Francois Lauzun, a
conjuring enthusiast from Bourg-
Saint-Andeol (Ardeche). Over the
years, this amateur wrote a verita-
ble magic encyclopedia of the
tricks of his time, in five volumes,
called Guide du prestidigitateur on
Recueil complet de tous les tours
qui s executent sur les grands et pe-
tits theatres. These manuscripts, il-
lustrated by the author, describe a
host of routines and illusions and
notably several of Robert-Houdin's
automata. Nothing indicates that he
had the opportunity to see the mas-
ter on stage but it is certain that he
often went to the Theatre Robert-
Houdin w hen Hamilton was the di-
rector, as he refers to him several
times. Unfortunately, three of these
volumes were destroyed by a fire
before Jacques Voignier acquired
the two others from Maurice
Sardina. They are entitled Guide du
prestidigitateur 2. 1858-1859 and
Guide du prestidigitateur 3 They
are among the most important
magic documents of the time; the
Illustrations 314 and 315 - Title pages of
manuscripts by Francois Lauzun.
(Jacques \oignier collection)
215
NOTES TO ACT IV
descriptions and feats they contain,
notably those of Robert-Houdin's
automata, are unique and have
never been reproduced in any
work to this day.
38.
This letter was published in the
work by Sam H. Sharpe. Salutations
to Robert-Houdin, pages 36 and 37.
The eminent author could not draw
any conclusions at the time because
he did not know to whom the letter
was addressed. He only knew that
the unidentified correspondent li\ ed
in Germany. Here is the commentary
made by Sam H. Sharpe about this
document:
April 28"': Robert-Houdin wrote
as follows to an unnamed corre-
spondent in Germany. The original
of this letter is in the possession of
Mr. John Mulholland of New York, it
having been given to him by
Houdini's widow Bessie Houdini. I
am able to translate and print it
through the kindness of Mr.
Mulholland (who also owns three
other Robert-Houdin letters which
have been reproduced in The
Sphinx), and my well-known friend
Mr. Jay Marshall of Chicago, who
sent me a photostat of the original...
The reading of the Tablettes
journalieres of Robert-Houdin. of
which I reprint some entries in
this chapter, definitively identifies
Alexander as Robert-Houdin's cor-
respondent.
39.
In order to be as precise as pos-
sible, when Robert-Houdin wrote
in his Tablettes journalieres the
words '"translation rights." the)
must always be understood as "for-
eign translation rights." He used
these same terms in his agreements
with Chapman and Hall. Evans, or
Dick and Fitzgerald.
40.
Robert-Houdin's memoirs were
finally published in Germany in
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Die'plemoirendes
ftobert-Jfoudin
Konig der Zauberer
herausgegeben
Von
Alexander |idrion
Illustration 316 - Title page of the
German edition of Robert-Houdin's
memoirs by Alexander Adrion.
1969, more than a century after
their publication in France, thanks
to Alexander Adrion, under the title
Die Memoiren des Robert-Houdin,
Konig der Zauberer.
41.
Robert-Houdin, Die Kunstgriffe des
falschen Spiels, Slingmann, Berlin,
1862.
42.
Ein moderner Zauberer. Tagebu-
chbldtter von Alexander (Alexander
Heimburger), Miinster, 1882.
43.
One would like to believe that
Alexander lied to Harry Houdini,
but in fact, the contrary probably
happened. Robert-Houdin's letter to
Alexander was given or sold to
Harry Houdini by the German con-
jurer. At the University of Texas,
Austin (Harry Ransom Humanities
Research Center), which holds part
of Harry Houdini's archives, there is
a handwritten German translation
by Alexander of this letter by
Robert-Houdin as well as its English
translation by the "Handcuff King."
Harry Houdini therefore had exact
knowledge of the contents of this
letter when he wrote The Unmasking
of Robert-Houdin, and this letter
alone refutes all the imaginary
and slanderous language that he
attributed to Alexander as truths
whereas he was probably their
sole author.
Reading Mahatma, vol. 6, no. 11,
June 1903. in which Harry Houdini
wrote a long article on Alexander,
also enlightens us as to the "good
faith" of the "Handcuff King." We
find none of Alexander's so-called
statements about Robert-Houdin's
Ethereal Suspension which he "re-
vealed" years later in Conjurer's
Monthly Magazine, then in The
Unmasking of Robert-Houdin.
44.
Instead of yet another lauda-
tory review of Memoirs, the fol-
lowing text is an excerpt from a
private letter sent to Robert-Houdin
by his compatriot and friend Dufay,
mayor of Blois. In my opinion,
this letter is pertinent as it is writ-
Illustrations 317 and 318 - German trans-
lation by Alexander Heimburger of ten by one of his close friends and
the letter sent to him by Robert- answers an important question:
H o u d i n . (Harry Ransom Humanities Research did the manner in which Robert-
Center, University of Texas, Austinj Houdin portrayed himself in his
memoirs correspond to the image
that his friends and family had of
him?
S t . aervalB , by BloU Blois March 17, 61
es/iBAo
nix , s n My dear compatriot
on* of t h e ^ a r
D tbe KB ntry if her t I live r tao BORtil It is time for me to thank you
to thB q ueatlon nhioh yoa ot t , mat
Boarail 1st, Thu Diraotor of the new Jl.bM'y, therefore I ha
for your charming gift. Your
right J> grant j
Sat In i-.y rank af
Bn>tti t r t i a t , 1t 1 i n bo o any >er vice to yon toBarda ay H i tor
Confidences made me spend sev-
I will da all thst la In sv
yen < t of tera k your In
that be aan nosoti at<
teront.
eral very pleasant evenings; more
la Bsrll n, I hnva
Sir
ben I gnve j
of yon ia the Kiat favorsb La LS1TJ9.
I an pportnalty
than once I wanted to have you
b t t I restated itsalf to pla
lgltUwr alto of nsh r m i n
sorraapondMoe with nearby to shake your hand, or to
Sir kindly accept sl nearest
tonairt tfKtiooa ftoa youra i laasrly laugh with you about a few good
jests I read in your book.
Not only did your book move
Btro Is 0t laforaitLM fron BloU, tb*t nay be tul t o
, aho-jia i-on oontlftua with jaar projaot. tl FsnD,
me, interest me, and amuse me -
sMtlon
trloa, the wo r t in qamUon i s now in i t teoad
which I am grateful for - but, in
addition to that, I want to compli-
ment you on the style, which I
Illustration 319 - American translation
by Harry Houdini of the letter sent found perfectly adapted to the
by Robert-Houdin to Alexander subject, natural without lacking
H e i m b u r g e r . (Harry Ransom Humanities wit and humor. That awful lie
Research Center, University of Texas, Austinj Style makes the man is a truth
216

Illustrations 320 and 321 - Portrait of Mr.
Dufay, mayor of Blois, signed to
Robert-Houdin.
with respect to you: I thought I
saw and heard you while reading...
The underlined words are of
course underlined in the original
text.
45.
If we believe the back cover of
the work, three other biographies
were also on sale at the date of the
booklet dedicated to Robert-Houdin:
those of Mme. Ristori, Gustave Dore,
and Marie Petipa, while those of
Pius IX, Abd-al-Aziz, Havin, Jules
Simon, Felicien David, Jules Noriac,
Rossini, Paul de Kock, Auber,
Theodore Barriere, Edmont Texier,
Emile de Girardin, etc. were an-
nounced as upcoming.
Lemercier de Neuville, Les Figures
du temps - notices biographiques -
Photographies de Pierre Petit -
ROBERT-HOUDIN'price 1 franc - Paris,
Librairie Nouvelle, 15 Boulevard
des Italiens, A. Bourdilliat et Cie.,
Publishers, 1861.
46.
See Eugene Heros's article in
Paris-Theatre, April 1925.
47.
See, among others, L'Escamoteur
of Robelly, no. 66, September-
October 1957.
48.
See also the article by Philippe
Saint-Laurent in no. 27 of the mag-
azine Imagik, April 2000.
49.
Pierre Edouard Brunnet, born in
Paris on May 20, 1824, died in 1883.
50.
Rosalie Olga Leonie Munier -
daughter of Jacques Munier and Jeanne
Arthuis - born in Constantinople
(Turkey) on June 7, 1844, died in
Boulogne (Seine) on October 26,
1934.
The wedding contract was signed
before notaries on August 24"1 and
the marriage was celebrated in Paris
at the town hall of the seventh ar-
rondissement on August 27, 1863.
51.
Article from L'Entr'Acte lyon-
nais, no. 1253. Sunday, November
9, 1862, 27th year, pages 1 and 2,
Cercle Musical:
Soirees Fantastiques de Robert-
Houdin
M. Hamilton is to begin his per-
formances on Monday, November
10. Praising M. Hamilton is super-
fluous and very difficult. How to de-
pict the dexterity and subtlety and
skill of each of his tricks? One must
see him at work, and then everyone
is in agreement to applaud him and
affirm that he deserves the title of
217
NOTES TO ACT IV
the Prince of sorcerers that the
press has unanimously granted
him.
Many of our readers who already
saw M. Hamilton a few years ago
will not miss seeing him again. As
for those who have not seen him
yet, we are certain that they will
take advantage of the advice we
give them to go see him.
M. Hamilton will only give a
limited number of performances.
Although they have the privilege of
applauding him every evening,
Parisians already regret the depar-
ture of their favorite sorcerer to ful-
fill the wishes of his numerous ad-
mirers in Paris.
F. Boily.
L'Entr'Acte lyonnais, no. 1255,
Sunday. November 23, 1862, 27'h
year, 1 and 2, Cercle Musical:
L'ENTR'ACTE LYOMAIS
,ZZ\r^ IOtB\ll DES TUEtTBES ET DES SUO\S T 1 S
Xoirtos faatastiques de ROBERT -HQ0D1H.
Nous avions aialheureusement raison Jerque
nous dibions dans notre dernier numro,quo le
nombre des Soir&es de M. Hamilton sera it irfis-
restreint. En cflet, M. Hamilton annooee sa c!6-
ture pouraujourd'hui dim on die, et nous n'osone
pasesp^rerqu's! differcson depart. Si nous avions
a faire la imputation do U. Hamilton, nous es-
sajerions de aaerlre son habilele , ce qui SBt'ftlt
fort difficile, mats hcuteusemci.i e'eit chose foile
depuis longiemps.
Nons nous con le nitrons done dc dire qun !cs
quelques se'ancus di- M. Hamilton out cie aulaiu
desoiiecsdc plaisirpourli'spersonnesquiovaient
eu I'heureuse idde d'y ambler; el nous niiierous
5 nos lecteurs le eonscil de profiler de la seance
de oloiuro pour oiler admirer IV'gaiice du ca
bind cl sippiaudir la dexie'iiti} dc i'cnclioiucur
du boulevard des Ituliens.
F. BOILY.
Illustrations 322 and 323 - Article announc-
ing the end of Hamilton's perfor-
mances in Lyon in November 1862.
ROBIRI-HOUDIN

Soirees Fantastiques de Robert-

Houdin
We were unfortunately correct MORNING PERFORMANCES.
when we said in our last issue that
the number of M. Hamilton's soirees M AGIQ U E
would be very limited. Indeed, M. THE WONDER OF THE WORLD!
Hamilton announces his closing for This Horning. Wednesday, M;ty 3rd 1848.

today Sunday, and we do not dare M. HERRMANN

hope that he differ his departure. If
we had to make M. Hamilton's repu-
tation, we would try to describe his Four Farewell Performance;

skill, which would be very difficult,

but luckily this was done a long f-\v,'-, Inl.jn 'liili Dlcal.nn

time ago. it J Ttu V !!.,< 0- Pan*

We will therefore content our- MADE- HERRMANN

selves to say that M. Hamilton's few SECOND SIGHT | "OR ANTI-MAGNETISM,

performances were pleasurable for PROGRAMME

the people who had the good idea to

attend; and we reiterate to our read- ""- ' ; '"< ' " l l
v'r^H't'"-\,,. v . .

ers the advice of benefiting from the

closing performance to go and ad- (jRANO m W II.LL3IONS I ROM INDIA
Le SUSPENSION HTHEREENNE
mire the elegance of the room and
applaud the dexterity of the en- ILLUSIONS WITH CARDS AND MAGIE BLANCHE!
chanter of Boulevard des Italiens.
F. Boily

52.
The connection between
Lettsom and Robin is so evident Illustration 324 - Plagiarism of Robert- Illustration 325 - Bill for Carl (Compars)
that, almost fifteen years after the Houdin's engraving of The Light and Herrmann in London in 1848.
Legrand trial, which could obvi- Heavy Chest reprinted by Robin in From Magic June 190-r
ously no longer be pursued. Robin his Almanach du Cagliostro.
again tried to credit his accom- pounds on July 29, 1859- Lettsom doves, The Mathematical Clock.
plice (whose name he spells was the co-author with R.P. Greg of The Isolated Clock Bell. The Birth
''Littson, attache at the English em- Manual of the Mineralogy of Great of Gold Fish, and The Ethereal
bassy in Paris"), in the Almanach Britain and Ireland. He passed Suspension. In this program, one
du Cagliostro of 1864 with the "in- away in Surrey on December 14, could discover, in the midst of the
vention" of The Light and Heavy 1887 at 142 Northwood Road, Lower other tricks, a "mechanical piece"
Chest! To illustrate this new lie. Northw ood. with the "charming" name "Robin
Robin used an engrav ing taken the Sorcerer".
from a sou\ enir fan of Soirees 53.
Fantastiques de Robert-Houdin! 54.
Carl (Compars) Herrmann, born
Lettsorrfs participation in "a little While running his theater in
in Vienna. Austria, on January 27,
theater in London" is referred to in London. Robin published a book-
1816, died in Carlsbad, Bohemia,
the works of Jean Chavigny and let called Album des soirees de M.
on June 8. 1887.
Sam H. Sharpe. et Mme Robin during the 1851-
Carl (Compare) Herrmann found
To complete the information on a way to publicly thank Robin for 1852 season. The booklet is illus-
William Garrow Lettsom's diplo- his "good deeds." During his first trated with engravings depicting
matic career that we discuss below, passage through London in 1848 his" experiments, accompanied
we can add that he was part of the at the Royal Haymarket Theater, by poems which describe their ef-
English delegation to Mexico as of almost all his effects were plagia- fects. However, all these engrav-
June 12. 1854. then made director rized from Robert-Houdin's reper- ings are plagiarized from Robert-
and General Counsel of the Uruguay toire, such as Second Sight (Anti- Houdin's engravings and all the
bureau on September 9. 1859. He Magnetism), The Inexhaustible poems are the servile reproduc-
retired with a pension of 900 Bottle, The Sympathetic Turtle- tion of Robert-Houdin's poems for

218

his own experiments that he
printed in his sow enir albums for
Soirees Fantastiques at Palais-
Royal and in the souvenir album
of his performances at the Saint
James's Theater for the 1848-1849
season in w hich the illustrations
and poems differed from his
French publications. Faithful to his
usual brazenness. Robin did not
hesitate to sign them in his own
name!
One can also remark in passing
that the souvenir album of Robert-
Houdin's performances at the Saint
James's Theater, just like that of
Robin for the Picadilly theater, were
both written in French, which at
that time was still the official
European diplomatic language.
In Album des Soirees de M. et
Mme. Robin, we find an ode to the
glory of the artist entitled: "To
Monsieur Robin, Conjurer." The
caption of this laudatory poem"
specifies that it was published in Le
Charivari of February 7, 1846. This
date led some of Robin's biogra-
phers to build erroneous hypothe-
ses, even though a simple com-
mon-sense verification would have
sufficed to reveal this new manipu-
lation by Robin.
Indeed, on February 7. 1846 there
was not a line published on Robin in
Le Charivari! In order to be com-
pletely clear, there is nothing on the
artist in this publication in the weeks,
months, and years preceding this
date nor in the decades to follow.
This example again confirms that
none of these documents" or 'dec-
larations" by Robin can be taken se-
riously, and this 'poem" is a good
example of such dishonest)' and op-
portunism. The reason why Robin
only published this text in his
English albums of 1851-1852 was re-
lated to the fact that he wanted to try
and convince his audience in
London of his imaginary celebrity
status in Paris, although at that time
he was totallv unknown in the
NOTES TO ACT IV
he Ghanvari du 7 Mvrier 1846.
r, Mobin,
A toi qu'un peuple entier couronne de suffrages,
La lyre du poete apporte son hommage,
A toi que nous Voyons offrir aux speetateurs
L'atlrait toujours nouveau des magiques spiendeurs
De cet art qui jadis, la terreur du vulgaire,
Aux regards faseinds est encore un mysWre.
Fils de Cagliostro, la nature, a ta voix,
Semble esclave soumise, obeir a tes lois
Pour semer sur tes pas tant de pompeux trophdes,
As-tu done retrouv^ la baguette des fies?
Dis-nous qui t'enseigna ees secrets merveilleux
De cliarmer a la fois, et I'esprit, et les yeux;
D'obtenir sans effort, a l'aide du prestige,
Tous ces brillants succes qui tiennent du prodige,
Et vionnent retraeer a nos yeux e"blouis,
De la belle Ciree" les faboleux r&its.
Mais s'il n'est pas permis aux regards des profanes
De sender de ton art les tdne'brenx arcanes,
Jc veux du moins t'offrir un tribut mdrild;
Prfit it quitter les murs de ["antique Cite'
On d'un fleuroi) dc plus s'enrichit la couronne,
Ton nom d^j;\ Tameux et dn gloire entourd
A-t-tl besoin des elianis de mon lulh ignort?
Mais ne dddaigne pas I'hommage du poflte;
Et les faibles accents d'une Muse indiscrete,
Qui chanta le malheur, et n'a jamais flattd;
Mes vers en te louant on dit la v4rile\
UEVERT.
Illustration 326 - The "famous" poem published in London by Robin, during the 1851-
1852 season in Album des Soirees de Mr. et Mme Robin which was never, how-
ever, published in the Parisian newspaper Le Charivari as the artist "implied"
to his readers and biographers.
French capital and only periodically transform a modest provincial news-
performed in the provinces. In order paper into a prestigious Parisian one
to succeed. Robin used a strategy and. as a true illusionist, to deceive
that was unimaginable in a French his public as easily as his future bi-
publication, where this process ographers!
v\ ould have been inevitably detected
by the press: he "deleted" half of the 55.
title of the newspaper that had pub- The opening of Robin's theater,
lished this poem" on February 7, after having first been announced in
1846, but whose complete title was: Le Moniteur L'niversel for November
Le Charivari Lyonnais. 22"', w a s p o s t p o n e d a n d a n n o u n c e d
This proves that Robin, with a sin- in Le Charivari for N o v e m b e r 3 0 d .
gle cut of the scissors, managed to Finally, d u e to R o b e r t - H o u d i n s tri-
219
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
umph and his decision to prolong
his performances until Wednesday,
December 3. Robin announced in
the Gazette des Tribunaux the inau-
guration of his theater for Thursday
December 4' ;
M. Robin's first soiree of physique,
magic, and optics will irrevocably
take place on Thursday December 4*.
56.
Mr. Edwin A. Dawes. on page
44 of his work Henri Robin
Expositor of Science and Magic.
Abracadabra Press. Balboa Island.
1990. wrote that in Robin's pro-
gram, during his debuts in Paris,
the following experiments were
found: The Light and Heavy Chest.
The Instant Impression, and The
Child Raised by a Hair. This infor-
mation is refuted by all Robins
Parisian programs from the open-
ing of his theater until its closing,
because he was careful never to
perform any of Robert-Houdin's
tricks in Paris. This mistake in in-
terpretation perhaps finds its ori-
gin in the article from the newspa-
per L'lllustration of July 23. 1864.
in which the journalist's account
mixes feats presented by Robin in
his onstage repertoire with those
explained by the artist in his al-
manac, among them The Light and
Heavy Chest, whose secret he re-
vealed to his readers, as well as
The Child Raised by a Hair, of
which he gives a whimsical expla-
nation. None of Robins weekly
advertisements and bills published
in the press mentions these two
effects, or The Instantaneous
Impression.
57.
Description of The Worry-Free
Mill from the 1831 manuscript of
Robert-Houdin. Recueil de recre-
ations de Physique amusante in-
diquant en abrege la maniere
d'executer d iffe rentes de ces
recreations.
THE WORRY-FREE MILL :
Mechanical piece. This apparatus
represents a windmill on a
pedestal. Inside is a miller who
comes out, goes back in, and
makes the mill turn. There is a
rope bell at the door to warn the
miller.
58.
La Salle Robin had exactly four
years and three months of exis-
tence, from December 1862 to
February 26. 1867. The information
provided in the works of Sidney
W. Clarke and Edwin A. Dawes -
seven years of existence and clos-
ing in 1869 - is erroneous.
59.
This letter by Robert-Houdin
was reprinted in Sam H. Sharpe's
work Salutations to Robert-Houdin,
pages 37 and 38. William Manning's
answer to this letter is unpublished.
One can notice that, on the origi-
nal of Manning's letter. Robert-
PREFECTURE
of
POLICE BUREAU
2"" Office
Robert-Houdin
Show
Agreement
demand
220
Houdin wrote "false in principle"
across from the drawing no. 2 show-
ing an additional solution suggested
by his correspondent and friend.
The correct modification of the
angle and size of the mirror, as well
as the stage dimensions required to
make the Ghost appear, was pub-
lished in Magie et Physique amu-
sante. the author's posthumous work.
60.
Francois Eugene Lahire. known
as Cleverman. born in Paris on June
12. 1824. died in Maisons-Laffitte
on June 14. 1875.
The dates given by Robelly in Le
litre d or are erroneous.
61.
Included here is the text of the
police prefect's request to the
Emperors minister, followed by
the latter's answer, which officially
registered Cleverman as Hamilton's
successor:
Paris, December 31, 1863
To His Excellency the Ministre de la
Maison de l'Empereur et des Beaux Arts
Monsieur le Ministre.
I have the honor of informing
your Excellency that Sire Lahire, (Eugene),
residing Boulevard St.Germain, no. 38.
asked me for the authorization to
succeed M. Ghocat Hamilton as of
next January 1" as manager of the
show known under the name Robert-
Houdin, Boulevard des Italiens. no. 8.
The undersigned, employee at
the Ministry of War, is favorably repre-
sented from all points of view. In the
future, he will take the name of
Cleverman.
I will be obliged to your
Excellency to inform me if there are
any oppositions to this demand.
Please accept. Monsieur le
Ministre, the homage of my respect.

MINISTERS
DE LA
MAISON DE L'EMPEREUR
ET DES BEAUX-ARTS.
SUPERIKTENDANCE GENERALE
DES THEATRES.
Robert-Houdin
Show
Sent bv M.h. 7/Januarv/64
62.
Hamilton was indeed the owner
of a property in Saint-Prive in the
Yonne. where he spent a pleasant
retirement and became mayor of
the district. His courage and deci-
sion-making skills earned him the
appreciation of his staff, who were
grateful for his efficiency when he
contributed to quickly eradicating
a cholera epidemic.
63.
We owe to Dantan several
drawings and sketches of Robert-
Houdin, two very lovely medal-
lions with profiles of the master
and his wife, a sculpture portrait
in the form of rebuses, a bust, etc.
Robert-Houdin's funerary monu-
ment in Blois is decorated v\ ith a
superb white marble medallion by
the great sculptor. Dantan was one
of Robert-Houdin's closest friends;
he was a member of the Dominotiers
LETTER EXTRACT
Of January 8. 1864,
M. Le Ministre (The General Superintendant)
to the Prefect of Police.
Monsieur the prefect, you inform
me that M. Lahire (Eugene) asks for
the authorization to replace M.
Chocat-IIamilton, using the name
Gleverman, as manager of the show
known under the name of Robert-
Houdin, no. 8. Boulevard des Italiens.
The information you have given me
on M. Lahire being favorable, I have no
objections to your granting him his de-
mand.
For the Minister
The General Superintendant
club founded by the sculptor and
whose members were the elite of
French artists: writers, painters,
sculptors, poets, singers, and mu-
sicians. During their joyful meet-
ings, each one had to give a sam-
ple of his talents: Robert-Houdin
was. as we can guess, often so-
licited.
Here are two texts concerning
the legendary Dominotiers club.
from the work of Dr. Prosper Viro.
Charges et bustes de Dantan jeune
(op. cit.)
Until recently, and for the last
twenty years, every day. around
four o'clock, a certain number of
Dantan's friends arrived in his stu-
dio and played dominos. This spir-
itual and joyous meeting was called
Club des Dominotiers and in-
cluded others such as Dantan the
elder, Louis Huart, the architect
Renaud. Dr. Lallemand, Alphonse
Karr, Mene, Duprez from the Opera,
Robert-Houdin. the Marquis de
221
NOTES TO ACT IV
Turgot, Jobert de Lamballe. Henri
Berthoud, Ste.-Foy of L'Opera
Gomique, Dr. Toirac. etc. Dantan
was the president. Once a year, es-
pecially recently during pleasant
weather, they gathered in one of
our main restaurants, and during
these celebrations, wit did not bub-
ble any less than the champagne.
In 1850, the rendez-vous was in
Asnieres at Mother Laroche's.
across from l'lle des Ravageurs.
and after dinner, they improvised a
performance outside. Bits of can-
dles were set on stones laid out in a
circle; a noisy parade was formed
around a dense crowd, one of our
best singers of popular songs,
Ghaudessaigues. performed mar-
velously: a referendum officer at
the courts, our friend A.F.. per-
formed the cups and balls and
showed himself to be a very skillful
conjurer; Robert-Houdin crowned
the performance in presenting
some of his most marvelous feats;
finally, a large collection ended the
party and was given to the mayor's
office for the poor people of the
commune.
During one of these brilliant
evenings, in May 1857, Selenick.
head of music of the 2"d troupe of
acrobats of the national guard,
brought by his superior. Colonel
Douay, performed several remark-
able pieces, such as the overture of
William Tell, a fantasy on Fra
Diavolo, and Les Roses d'Or. a
waltz dedicated to Dantan by
Selenick. Several officers and civil-
ian and military doctors attended
this meeting: Marshal Ganrobert.
General Mellinet. General de Failly.
aide-de-camp of the Emperor,
General Partouneaux, Dr. Velpeau.
Dr. Michel Levy, etc. One also
noted M. St.-Georges, M. D'Ortigue,
Jubinal, Mene, Bellange, L. Fleury,
Lepoitevin, Durand-Brager, etc.
After Selenick's concert, Duprez
and one of his best students, Miss
Lehmann, sang a duet of Rigoletto
and the lovely duet of Trovatore.
Finally, one could hear Ste.-Foy, the
Lionnel brothers, and M. Lamazou,
a virtuoso from the Beam, who re-
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 32" - Portrait of Dantan.
From Album de portraits comiques (op
cttj.
cited original melodies with a mar-
velous effect.
In an evening later on. in March
1858, Henri Herz joined the afore-
mentioned artists, and Robert-
Iloudin performed a charming
seance of conjuring.
64.
The unfinished posthumous work
by Robert-Houdin entitled Magie et
physique amusante - which was
originally to be called Trues de
theatre - was composed mamh of
texts already published by the au-
thor during his lifetime in his earlier
works and others published posthu-
mously in Le Grand Dictionnaire
Universe] du XIX siecle of Pierre
Larousse. This explains the pres-
ence in the artist's posthumous
work of certain engravings w hich
were clearly drawn or chosen after
Robert-Houdin's death because the}
do not always respect the author's
very precise text. This is the case
for the engraving which was se-
lected, perhaps by Pierre Larousse.
after the author's death - and
which was utilized by his heirs in
the text of Magie et physique amu-
sante - to illustrate the description
of the Talking Head in his
Dictionnaire in which the decor of
this entresort is drawn with an in-
adequate angle with respect to the
position of the mirrors on the
table. Moreover, Robert-Houdin
would never have chosen Robin's
engraving published nearly fifteen
years before in Le Monde Illustre to
illustrate his chapter on the Ghosts.
In this engraving, the vertical posi-
tion of the actor w ho interprets the
role of the phantom is totally inac-
curate. However. Robert-Houdin's
technical drawing and the very
professional description of the
principle and effects of this illusion
are unanimously considered as the
best and most precise explanation
of the Ghosts published in magic
literature. Although unpublished
parts of Robert-Houdin's manu-
script were included in this work,
several drafts and notes on his ow n
experiments and those he created
for other artists, like Hamilton,
were not. This decision by the il-
lustrious conjurer's heirs is easily
understood because the masters
creations still represented the ma-
jority of his theater's repertoire,
then run by his son Emile.
65.
In the Gazetta Privilegiota di
Milano. no. 184. Tuesday. July 2.
1844. is an announcement by the
conjurer at the bottom of the page
and on three-fifth columns, promis-
ing a grand distribution" specified
as an "extraordinary generosity" of
flowers, candy, liquors, coffee,
gadgets, and jewelry [1] etc." In
issue no. 186 of the year 1844 of
the Gazetta Privilegiota di Milano,
Robin's show was announced in
the following terms in the column
222
Spettacoli d'Oggi". -Theatre Re. A
spectacle of various feats of magic
and mechanics, chemistry, optics,
prestidigitation, illusion, appari-
tions, metamorphoses, etc.. etc. All
by M. Robin of Paris, student of the
famous M. Comte. prestidigitator-
physi den-mechanician of H.M. le
King of France." These advertise-
ments, in different forms, are the
only texts published about Robin
in the Milanese newspapers. They
do not include descriptions of ex-
periments which could lead to
speculation or to credible intr-
erpretations: they include no illus-
trations of any kind, nor of course
the engraving reprinted by Robin
in his almanac.
66.
Marie Eugenie Alice Robert-
Houdin. born in Boulogne (Seine)
on June 25. 1864. died on
November 27. 1878. See genealogi-
cal chart.
67.
This press clipping, conserved at
the Bibliotheque de 1'Arsenal, is
hand-dated from 1865. The name of
the newspaper is missing.
68.
Although I am not entirely cer-
tain, it could perhaps be John
Algernon Clarke - 1828-1887 -
magic amateur, author, and inven-
tor, notably of the famous calculat-
ing and whist-playing automaton
Psycho, exhibited by John Nevil
Maskelyne in 1873. Around 1880, a
copy of this automaton was pre-
sented at the Theatre Robert-
Houdin by Emile Robert-Houdin
under the name Sophos. the
Domino Player. J.A. Clarke was cho-
sen by Encyclopedia Britannica to
write the article "Magic. White."
More information on John
Algernon Clarke can be found in
the elegant and learned essay by
John Gaughan and Jim Steinmeyer.

The Mystery of Psycho. John Gaughan
& Associates. 198".
69.
Paul Robert-Houdin, born in
Boulogne (Seine) on May 20. 1865.
died on October 24. 1867. See ge-
nealogical chart.
70.
The principle of this shooting
stand was derft ed from one of the
masters previous inventions: an
electric plastron for fencers linked
to a tableau that indicated the part
of the body that had been touched.
Robert-Houdin gave this invention
to a young corporal, a weapons of-
ficer named Cabot. Throughout his
life, the latter promoted this system
to fencing competitions, where it is
well-known today. J. Joseph-Renaud.
'Contribution a Vetablissement
dune biographie de Robert-
Houdin." Journal de la prestidigi-
tation, no. 106. March-April 1939.
71.
Patent no. 64^86 of October 13.
1864. watch-holder pendant.
Illustration 328 - Technical drawings illustrating the Pierre Seguin's patent for the Polyoscope.
72.
The question of the exorbitant
price of seats for the Davenports'
performance had much agitated
"minds." In December 1865. jour-
nalists stressed the virtues of the
Theatre Robert-Houdin. which did
not fall into this excess:
... the hospitality granted by
Gleverman, Robert-Houdin's suc-
cessor to two Americans [sic]
marvelously reproducing the Da-
venport exercises. They have no
pretensions to spiritism and the
price of the seats is not too high -
Progress!
73.
See the narrative of the Davenport
Brothers' seances by Robert-Houdin
in Appendix II at the end of this
volume.
74.
Effects of the Polyoscope
By placing the paintings in
openings BB and CC and closing
traps D and G. the image of the
tableau which you have placed in
CC will be reflected in the glass.
This reflection will be all the more
Tier. 5
ECUELLX % "'' '/%
223
NOTES TO ACT IV
vivid depending on the lighting of
the image. By raising trap D, day-
light will enter and strike the plate
you have placed in BB; at the same
time trap E, pulled by thread FF.
will close and the light will leave
the plate placed in CC: at the
same time it will become more in-
tense on that placed in BB: the re-
flection in the glass will be dis-
solved, having become transparent,
and the plate placed in CC will
change into that placed in BB. One
may change the plate on the bot-
tom while observing the one at the
top. and one can change the one
at the top while looking at the one
at the bottom, and this in succes-
sion as long as there are plates to
be exchanged.
For the effects of the Diorama,
one leaves trap E closed, and
when trap D is closed, trap GG is
open and one obtains the day and
night effects of Diorama. For mov-
ing tableaus. one must leave traps
D and GG open: the cut-outs of
the tableau will become visible by
turning the handle of the small
board (illus. 5). which one has
placed behind the moving tableau
so that water will seem to flow and
ROBFRT-HOIJDIN
flames will flicker, depending on
whether the tableau represents a
fountain or a fire.
In order to make transforma-
tions to medallions or little stat-
ues, one must enlarge openings BB
and GG and put objects on small
boards in order to allow them to
slide easily into the box.
The box can be smaller or
larger depending on the size of the
plates or the medallions and little
statues to be used. The Polyoscope
is a new type of optical device.
The plates, paintings, or Diorama
placed inside change into each
other and appear to melt into one
another. By using this device, one
can sec plates change with as
many subjects as available. One
can also produce the same effect
with little statues or medallions.
With paintings, one can give
the impression of movement to
water or fire as much as desired.
The device is built in the following
manner:
Illustration 1 represents the
front side of the box.
Illustration 2 represents the
side. A represents a tube with an
optical glass through which the
box can be seen. BB and CC are
openings for the plates; D is a trap
which opens on the back of the
box crosswise and lengthwise.
From the extremity of trap D,
there is a thread FF attached to
the middle of trap E so that in
opening trap D, trap E closes. At
the top of opening BB is another
trap GG, opening behind the box;
this trap is designed to light the
Diorama's night effects and the
movements one wants to give to
paintings placed in BB. Trap D
must have a silver-plated band
lengthwise to provide light to the
plates placed in opening B.
Illustration III shows the inte-
rior layout of box A; illustration III
is unsilvered glass. This glass is
set at a 45 angle - B and C are
two walls with small square open-
ings slightly smaller than the
width of the plates.
Illustration IV represents one
of these walls.
Illustration V is a little board
on which there is a wheel set in
motion by levers. This wheel is
pierced with small holes. In full
light, this little board must be ad-
justed so that one can easily slide
it behind the plates placed in the
opening BB. These plates will be
painted...behind, and one makes
holes in the parts of the water
and fire one wishes to see in mo-
tion.
The device, being painted
black inside after having been
built as explained above, will be
ready for use.
Although nothing proves that
Messrs. Dircks and Pepper knew
about Pierre Seguin's Polyoscope
prior to the creation of the Ghosts,
they did know about the contents
of this patent in 1863- This did not
prevent Pepper from taking credit
for one of Pierre Seguin's main dis-
coveries a few years later and to
name it Metempsychosis. This is
even more bothersome as Robert-
Houdin was the first artist to adapt
this principle to the magic art. In
Magie et Physique amusante, he
describes the little theater for
Ghosts built in 1865 in the former
milking-room of The Priory, whose
gradual and visible transformations
of objects are exactly those of
Metempsychosis. We also find in
the footnotes to Act V references
to letters sent by Robert-Houdin to
Pepper and Manning between 1866
and 1868, concerning his own ex-
periments with the Ghosts.
75.
In the publisher Hetzel's
archives are two letters by Robert-
Houdin concerning Les Tricheries
des Grecs devoilees. It was indeed
Hetzel who published the second
edition of this work because of
the liquidation and sale of the
Librairie Nouvelle to Michel Levy.
The first letter which we
reprint here details the clauses of
224
the contract between Bourdilliat
and the author for the first edition
of the work and Robert-Houdin
proposes that Hetzel renew this
agreement:
March 16, 1862
Sir,
My card-sharpers are free of
all contracts; would you like to
continue the publication of this
work? To facilitate your deci-
sion, I will give you a few of the
clauses of my contract with
Bourdilliat.
Between
The said sale is for four years
as of today in the following con-
ditions:
1. The first edition must be pub-
lished in a 8 format
2. The high price is set at the
sum of five francs per copy.
3. Twelve hundred copies in
double pass will be printed.
For the price of the first edition
Messrs. Boudilliat and Gie. will pay
M. Robert-Houdin twelve hundred
francs...
Messrs. Bourdilliat and Gie. will
give M. Robert-Houdin fifty copies
of the first edition.
Six months after the publica-
tion of the aforementioned first
edition, M. Robert-Houdin will be
able to request the publication of
a new edition whose price he will
determine; in this case, the roy-
alties paid to him for this new
edition will be established as fol-
lows: for the price of four francs
per copy, seventy-five centimes;
for three francs, 60 centimes;
and for two francs, 40 centimes
per copy.
For the second and following
editions, Messrs. Bourdilliat and
Gie. will give 25 copies of each to
M. Robert-Houdin. All income
from the reprinting and transla-
tion rights in France and abroad
would be the property of both par-
ties under the following condi-
tions:
Two-thirds to M. Robert-Houdin
and one-third to Messrs. Bourdilliat

and Gie. In the case where Messrs.
Bourdilliat and Cie would refuse a
new printing of the edition in the
three months following its publi-
cation, M. Robert-Houdin would
assume total control over his
work.
Here are the main clauses of my
contract; those relative to the roy-
alites could be used as a basis if the
affair is of interest to you.
Whatever the ease may be,
please answer me as quickly as
possible; we must hurry because of
publication opportunities.
My corrections are all ready on
an awaiting volume; a reprint could
be therefore quickly done.
Illustration 329 - The original Blois and Paris editions of Confidences d'un prestidigitateur
Please accept, sir. the expres-
sion of my distinguished senti-
ments.
Robert-IIoudin
Rue de Ghoiseul, no. 6 in Paris
The "opportunity" mentioned
by Robert-Houdin in this letter was
the Calzado-Garcia trial which had
made headlines because of the
personalities of those concerned
and the size of this fraud.
The tone of the author's second
letter to Hetzel recalls that of his
letters to Bourdilliat. Robert-Houdin
definitely found his two publishers
to be much too slow:
225
NOTES ro ACT IV
April 17, 1863
Dear Master
We have eome to a halt in our
typographic work. M. Poupard's
workers are going very slowly and
it is going to take a very long time
if you do not go and roust them up
a bit. The Rue du Bac is a daily
promenade, but I return each time
empty-handed; we are only at the
third page; you can imagine where
this will lead us!
Yours sincerely
Robert-IIoudin
The second edition of Card-
Sharping Exposed was put on sale
at Hetzels on July 21, 1863-
from Robert-Houdin's library.
on of Robert-Houdinfs profile by Danlan in 1864.
(Christian Fechner collection)
II - First volume of the manuscript of Confidences by Robert-Houdirt.
(Chrlstiun Fechner collection)
Second volume of the manuscript of Gonfidenc
(Christian Feolirwr collection)
liofitre Robert-I Ioudln during (31
(.htc<i>ies Voignier collection)
VI Manuscript o t'richcrics </e.s Green d&ooilden by Robert-IIoudin.
Uiristktn Feehner collection)
(Ghrtstian Feehner collection)
\ MI - Tahlettes joiinialicies by Robcrt-IIoiidln.
(Christian Fechner collection)
IX - Small black
(Private collection)
oek with columns by Robcrt-IIoudta.
(Gh&teau cle la Ville tie Blots)
\ l - Clock with columns signed Rohert-IIoudln, I'ulais-Royiil.
(Private collection)
Bleetric clock by Robcrt-IIoudin christened T ('onimon (Hock.
(Christian Pechner collection)
jtrio door to the grounds of I
(Georges Proust collection)
 cine of The Prlorv.
((Hiiitcttii dc hi Villa da Illois)
Standard regulator by Robert-IIoudin.
(Chateau de la Yilhi de Mois)
XVIII - Vertical bcinnneter clock and Perpetual vertlccd calendar ot The
((ihristlun Fechner collection and private collection)
XIX - Lanier regulator and The Priory
(Chateau lie U< Ville tie Blois)
XX - Ophthalmology instruments of Robert-Houdin and little table for The Writing and Drawing Automaton.
(Ch&teau tie la Villc dc Blois)
 1864-1866
The Common Clock,
The Electric light Bulb with a
Vegetal Filament, The Musical
Telegraph, and Ophthalmology p. 229 ^
1864-1866 The Harpsichord or Tympanum
Player p. 239 1866 A Peaceful Year The Sphinx
and The Talking Head p. 249 1866 Hamilton, Cleverman,
and Plantet Tufferau, Littson, Varner, Lynn, and Alfred Stodare
p. 262 1867-1868 The Chess Player or La Czarine, and The Secrets of
Conjuring and Magic p. 272 1869 The Grand Affair, The Odometer,
and Dr. Epstein p. 294 1870 The Year of All Sorrows p. 304 1870-1871 The
Occupation of Saint-Gervais and Blois during the War of 1870 Described Daily by Robert-Houdin
p. 324 1871 The Master's Last Days p. 349 1871 Last Farewell Performance p. 354
Epilogue p. 362 Notes to Act V p. 377
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 331 - Portrait of Robert-Houdin by William Manning.

From Manning's work Recollections of Robert-Houdin (op. cit.j.
 ACT V

The Common Clock, The Electric Light Bulb with a Vegetal Filament,
The Musical Telegraph, and Ophthalmology
In his youth Robert-Houdin had served a Among the inventions credited to Robert-
particularly wealthy clientele, but at a mature Houdin long before his death, the first elec-
age he dedicated himself to works which less tric incandescent light bulb with a vegetal
fortunate social classes could acquire so that filament is probably one of the most as-
everyone could benefit from science. We re- tounding. Jean Chavigny revealed the exis-
member how successful he had been at the tence of this invention in 1943 in his work
1855 Exposition with his little electric clock devoted to the old master. This experiment,
distributed by the Destouches company. according to the biographer from Blois, de-
During this new period of his life, Robert- buted by electrically illuminating a country-
Houdin created a different simplified version, side dinner under the arbors of The Priory
which was less expensive and more efficient. to conclude his daughter Eglantine's first
The name of this clock is alone a profession communion in June 1863, but was not re-
of faith: The Common Clock. He made the peated by Robert-Houdin because of its
first copies at his home in Saint-Gervais at a high cost.
fairly slow rhythm because each piece was in-
dividually made. The first models were for
Emile, who displayed and sold them in his
shop. Wanting to give his invention a much
larger distribution, Robert-Houdin made an
agreement a few years later with the company
Billoret & Moras, 57, Faubourg Saint-Denis in
Paris, an establishment specialized in the sale
of very sophisticated optical and mechanical
apparatus. The contract was signed on
September 23, 1869- Here is an excerpt:

...You will deliver to us a model of the clock, for

which we will pay three hundred francs for the
system, which we will then make ourselves. We
will place the following inscription: Robert-Houdin
creator of the mechanism plus our name as manu-
facturer. All clocks delivered to Mr. E. Robert-
Houdin son will be billed at the courtesy price,
with a 20% discount...
As we may note, even in business agree-
ments that solely concern him, the learned
mechanician did not forget to protect the in-
terests of his son Emile. Illustration 332 - The Common Clock by Robert-Houdin.

229
ROBLRT-HOUDIN
The late revelation of this invention, whose
paternity Robert-Houdin never claimed while
alive, at least in the very precise manner that
Jean Chavigny indicated, leads us to recall that
first of all, there is no reference to this research
prior to 1943- Moreover, the text of the lecture
that Eglantine Lemaitre Robert-Houdin gave in
Blois around 1920, which describes the various
learned works of her illustrious father at The
Priory, does not mention the incandescent light
bulb with a vegetal filament wThich, according
to Jean Chavigny, lit up the evening after her
first communion. Finally, this invention is not
referred to at all in Father L. Chesneau's inter-
esting 1932 booklet Robert-Houdin a Saint-
Illustration 333 - Advertisement for Robert-Houdin's electric
clock in the catalogue of the company Billoret & Moras.
(Volker Ihtber collettionj
230
Gervais, even though the author was close to
the master's descendants, the Keime and
Robert-Houdin families. In order for the case to
be as complete as possible, we must also take
into account the study published in the maga-
zine Magicus [1] by the historian and emeritus
collector Jacques Voignier, a PhD in nuclear
physics. The author's scholarly investigation,
which we reproduce in its entirety in the notes
of this chapter, seems to scientifically weaken
Jean Chavigny's version, which is mainly sup-
ported by second-hand testimonies. On the
other hand, we must remark that in the very
specific "Inventory After Death of Robert-
Houdin," we find gathered together in his
t. CHESWEJU
Bobet>t - Houdia
A Saint'Gervais
E BLOIS. I L I ' i lB 1 J V t t U h n
i'SAA
Illustration 334 - Cover of the first biography of Robert-
Houdin published in 1932 by Father L. Chesneau.

workshop all the elements that permitted this
type of experiment: jars, batteries, air pump,
etc. What is also undeniable, as proven by his
writings, is that during this period, the learned
mechanician made several attempts in this area.
Robert-Houdin was therefore without a doubt a
pioneer in electric lighting, but this is perhaps
not enough to credit him, without proof, with
an invention he never claimed during his life-
time, although several concordant indications
strongly support this hypothesis. (See the end
of note 1, which summarizes M. Andre Keime
Robert-Houdin's opinion on this subject.)
This debate, far from being resolved, shows on
the contrary that Robert-Houdin's research and
Illustration 335 - Manuscript of Utopies mecaniques by Robert-Houdin.
231
ACT V
successes were always visionary. His imagina-
tion, worthy of Jules Verne, sometimes led him to
anticipate inventions useful to all mankind and
he succeeded in finding several solutions in such
domains. If he had possessed the technology re-
quired by his creativity, how many more miracles
would he have dazzled us with? His description
of the musical telegraph, a cousin of the future
telephone, and the means he suggested to de-
velop it, is another example. Here is what Robert-
Houdin wrote, more than thirty years before the
birth of this remarkable invention, in a handwrit-
ten text called Utopies mecaniques and decorated
on the back with an example of the souvenir fans
distributed during Soirees Fantastiques:
ROBhRT-HOUDIN

Mechanical Utopias - Daguerreotype of sounds

Make a musical telegraph that produces the
TfiLfiPHONE PUBLIC
same result as the mechanism of the ear. 8, jBoUt-BVAKD DBS JTAIJ.HS, 8
(Salon annexe du tbeatt-e Robert-Houdin )
When a sound is emitted, it is due to the effect
SPECTACLE SCIENTIF1QUB If AMUSANT
of an undulating vibration that reaches the chords EXPERIENCES If DEMONSTRATION

of our ear in unison.

These sounds are transmitted to the brain by
the intermediary of fibers possessing musical
sensitivity. MONSIEUR,

Why could we not reproduce this effect me- JJous vous prions de vouloir
chanically? bien nous faire Vhonneur d'assister
A singer in London could be heard in Paris. a I'ouverture du TfiLfiPHONE PUBLIC,
A range of chromatic tones would vibrate in installe dans notre Salon annexe,
imitation of the notes a singer would emit - le Jeudi 4 avril dc 3 h. a 6 h.
nearly every chord would be a very sensitive
de I'apres-midi, et de 8 h.a 11 h. du
touch that would establish an electrical cur-
rent and by the intermediary of an electro- soir,
magnet would strike the same note on a piano El nous vous presenlons nos
- there would be as many isolated wires as civilites tres-empressees.
notes.
R O B E RT-HOU DIM
We could use this same method to hear an ora-
tor speak; the applause would make all of the
notes vibrate. Cette lettre servira de 3ettre d'entr^e pour 2

Thanks to a stroke of luck, this prophetic

text by Robert-Houdin was proven in 1878 in
his own theater, then managed by his son
Emile, when the first public Parisian demon-
stration of the telephone took place on April
2 in the "salon-annexe." This demonstration
was so incredibly successful that the theater
remained open day and night. Spectators,
having paid a one-franc entrance fee, could
use one of the four Bell telephones to call an
operator situated 500 meters away. The oper-
ator would then sing and play popular songs
and ballads.
Robert-Houdin's Utopian mechanical visions
had become reality.
Today, some of Robert-Houdin's inven-
tions are part of our daily life and have be-
come so familiar that we take them for
granted. We use one of them several times a
Illustration 336 - Invitation from Emile Robert-Houdin to
attend the demonstration of the Public Telephone in
the "salon-annexe" of the Theatre Robert-Houdin on
April 4, 1878.
The premiere of Alexander Graham Bell's telephone took
place at the theater forty-eight hours earlier.
day when we enter and exit a room: the
light switch.
When we evaluate Robert-Houdin's scientific
work, we are struck by the astonishing variety
of subjects that interested this savant, including
inventions in mechanics and electricity, which
we have already detailed, and those designed
to deal with natural catastrophes, such as an
electrical device to warn of a leak in a ship, a
thermometric alarm for fire or cold, and his
plans for defusing bombs and an electric tele-
graph that produced illuminated signals. These

232
 ACT

were invented during the war of 1870, the first , I '( < ^ ( -.. i p v ,<
two to help civilians to support the defense of
Paris, and the final to help French troops com-
municate at night. We can also mention his
electric plastron for fencers, his kilometric
odometer for carriages, and even his experi-
mental periscope. Still more surprising, Robert-
Houdin became renowned in another science
very far from his main disciplines: ophthalmol-
ogy.
In 1866 the conjurer began this research,
which so impassioned him and had so much
impact on the scientific community of his time
that his other creations would be
overshadowed. In less than a year. Robert-
Houdin created seven new instruments allowing
the observation of different parts of the eye.
The first, originally named the Crystallinoscope,
then the Eautophalmoscope, and then the
Eautoscope. would finally be called the
Iridoscope. Baron Cloquet presented this
instrument to the Academie des Sciences.
Robert-Houdin's research was saluted by several
articles in the scientific and general press and

Illustration 338 Photograph by Mieusement illustrating

what one may observe with the Iridoscope. /chateau de la
VUle de BloW

Illustration 33~~ - Drawings by Robert-Houdin concerning Illustration 339 - Watercolor by Robert-Houdin depicting
his research in the field of ophthalmology. h i s i r i s . (Chateau de la I ille de Blois)

235
ROBLRT-HOUDIN

Illustration 340 - Technical drawings of the Iridoscope patent.

234
 ACT V

was the subject of lectures followed by

demonstrations for doctors. The savant from
Blois gave a lecture about the Iridoscope at city
hall on June 7th before practitioners of the town.
Thanks to Robert-Houdin's Tablettes jour-
nalieres, we can follow his work as an author
tackling this new field of research with tenac-
ity, passion, and a certain courage, since he
did not hesitate to experiment on himself. He
had belladonna placed in his eye by Dr.
Dufay [2] to increase the diameter of his pupil
and measure it. The side effects only lasted
four days, but another of his experiments al-
most cost him his sight while he was trying
the Listing process.
The instruments invented by Robert-Houdin
in the field of ophthalmology are:
- The Iridoscope, an instrument for view-
ing entoptic images. Illustrations 341 and 342 - A few instruments invented by
Robert-Houdin in the field of ophthalmology. (Chateau
- The Dioscope, which helped display the de la \ ille de Blow
reversing of images on the retina.
- The Pupiloscope, showing the dilations
of the pupil in an amplified manner.
- The Pupilometer, for measuring the pupil
to within a quarter of a millimeter.
- The Diopsimeter, a tool for measuring
the extent of the visual field.
- The Optometer to determine the distance
of distinct vision.
- The Retinoscope, an instrument with
which one could see the networks of blood
vessels in one's own retina, collectively
known as the Arbre de Purkinge.
Between 1867 and 1869 Robert-Houdin pub-
lished three brochures summarizing part of his
work: Note on specific instruments for the obser-
vation of diverse organs of the eye, Imprimerie
Lecesne. Blois, 1867; Note on light radiations,
Lecesne Printer, Blois, 1869; Exploration of the
retina by phosphenes, Imprimerie Lecesne
Blois, 1869 W.

235
ROBERT-HOUDIN

NOTE

B E
PRANCK. DE NOUVEAUX INSTRUMENTS
PKOPHES * I. 0B5KRVATI0N BE DIVERS OBGASE~

DE L CEIL

ilKSl Qtl 4 LA MAWrESTATIOH I>KS HI \t}Rs

/
UOBKUT-HOUniN
y
ft /er/t I ouvra&e fifM tn>ud avez O-ieti

t&tvta& &-^ee (Mtoae wtthf u

lil.OIS
IMPRIMERIE LECESNE
MDCOCi.XVIl

Illustration 3^3 - Letter from the Institut Imperial de France Illustrations 344. 345. 346 - The three booklets published by
stating receipt of Robert-Houdin's booklet Note on Robert-Houdin summarizing his works in the field of
new instruments for the observation of various or- ophthalmology.
gans of the eye. (Chateau de la Villa dc Blots)

236
 ACT V

NOTE OPTIQUE PnYSIOLOGIQlE

RADIATIONS LUMINEUSES EXPLORATION DE LA RfiTINE

yi t L'ON APLIU on
PAR LES PHOSPHKNES
AlTdlfl l l ' l \ KOVEB M Ll Mll-.Rfc

1 AH

ROBERT-HOUDIN IMAGES SUBJECTIVES

de la M A C I ' U L i T t v el de In I n v n

VoiR I.ES COMFITS RENM/S 1E I.'Ai At-JiMIH

BI.OIS

IMP. LECESNE, 8 B 8 110 l'l

SIDU CI.X1X.

237
ROBFRI-HOUDIN

Illustration 347 - The Harpsichord Player. (Uusee dm Arts et Metiers - CMAM, Paris Photo p Paltgot - Seventh Square)

238

The Harpsichord or Tympanum Player
For the Grand Dictionnaire universel du
XIX" siecle by Pierre Larousse, Robert-Houdin
wrote an article about The Harpsichord Player
automaton - better known today as The
Tympanum Player - which he restored in 1864:
Let us now say a few words about a famous
automaton known under the name of The
Harpsichord Player.
At the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers in the
room dedicated to precision instruments, known
as the clockwork room, there is an automaton de-
picting a miniature version of a musician playing
the harpsichord. The figure and its instrument are
one-quarter life-size.
When a button is pushed to start the machine,
the artist begins by graciously bowing to the audi-
ence in various parts of the room; then, as she
raises her mallets above the cords of her instru-
ment, she raises her eyes to the heavens as if look-
ing for inspiration.
After this preamble, the little woman begins to
play, with great precision, one of the twelve pieces
of her repertoire, her right hand performing the
melody and the left the accompaniment. The eyes
and the head continually follow the movement of
the mallets, as with any instrument in the musical
world.
This mechanical piece dates from the middle of
the last century. Around 1772, Louis XVI, whose
taste for mechanism is well-known, had the idea of
ordering from two skilled German mechanicians,
Roentgen and Rintzing [sic; the German cabinet-
maker David Roentgen and the watchmaker me-
chanician Pierre Kintzing], an automaton playing
the harpsichord to depict Marie-Antoinette's physi-
cal charms and musical talent.
The creators took great care in this work or-
dered by the sovereign: they had the lovely char-
acter made by a skilled sculptor, the material of
the clothing was made in Lyon, and the woodwork
239
ACT V
was made by a German cabinet-maker based on a
drawing sent from France.
This ensemble of work produced a masterpiece
that was carefully packed up and sent to the royal
client. The automaton was long the admiration
and delight of the court, and everything leads us to
believe that the mechanician monarch fixed the
deviations of such a complicated machine several
times with his own hand. The Revolution came:
the aristocratic toy must have, in its own best in-
terests, left the golden paneling of the Tuileries for
a simple storage room in the buildings of the
Institute, where it was subjected to the ravages of
time for almost eighty years.
In 1864, the Institute offered this precious wreck
to the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers. General
Morin, director of this establishment, understood
that it was possible to restore it. He brought it to a
mechanician who undertook this difficult task and
was lucky enough to carry it out properly. It took
him two years of constant work to return The
Harpsichord Player to its original form and func-
tion.
On September 25, 1864 Robert-Houdin re-
ceived a letter from General Morin, director of
the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers asking
him to restore the famous automaton. The
pieces of this eighteenth-century masterpiece
had just been handed over to General Morin,
who naturally called upon the leading me-
chanician of his time, who was expected to
save something that was beyond restoration.
Indeed, parts of the automaton were missing,
including the eyes, hair, clothing, etc. The
Harpsichord Player arrived in Blois by train on
October 5.
During the first weeks, Robert-Houdin dedi-
cated himself particularly to the keyboard, which
the Blois music expert Pestrelle examined with
ROBI R I -HOUDIN

Illustration 3-i8 - The m e c h a n i s m of The Harpsichord Player. (Muse'e des Arts et Metiers - C\A \1 Pans Photo P paltgot - Seventh Square)
 ACT V

Illustration 349 - "Close-Up" of The Harpsichord Player. (tfllsSe des Arts et Metiers - CNA V Pen ts Photo P. raligot - Set enlh Square:
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
Illustrations 350 and 351 - The mechanism of The Harpsichord
Faligot - Seventh SquareJ
him and came to tune at The Priory on November
24. Robert-Houdin, always occupied with a thou-
sand activities, resumed the work on January 16,
1865. He wrote every day: ''I worked on the au-
tomaton." On February 6 in Paris, he went to
Debrage's for the eyes of The Harpsichord Player
and had models of costumes of the period de-
signed for the automaton. On the 17th, he wrote
to his son Emile, asking him to speed up this ini-
tial work.
On February 13, 1865 Robert-Houdin wrote a
few painful sentences in his Tablettes journal-
ieres, which well summarize the philosophy of an
artist whose work was his passion and credo dur-
ing his lifetime:
242
Player and its base. Oiusee des Arts et Metiers- c\ \\i Pans Photo P.
I felt so tired by my cold that I stayed in bed
for part of the day with a big headache. I did
nothing today. I consider this to be a day that
does not count in my existence...
Ill for several weeks but also in a hurry
because of the order he had accepted, it
was only on April 18 that the mechanician re-
sumed the restoration before again stopping
for a few months. Robert-Houdin recom-
menced his daily work on The Harpsichord
Player on October 2 and wrote in the Tablettes
journalieres:
November 5th I took apart the automaton
to take it to Paris for clo-
thing.
 ACT V

243
ROBERT-HOUDIN
November 7th [Paris] I went to see General
Morin, who was not there. I
went to inquire about the au-
tomaton's costume.
November 8"1 I went to General Morin's.
November 11th I went...to see about the au-
tomaton's costume.
1 - Robert-Houdin wrote to General Morin to in-
November 24" I went to see about the au-
tomaton's costume.
After returning to The Priory on the evening
of November 24, Robert-Houdin began working
on the automaton's head on December 2. On
January 14, 1866, he went to Blois to his friend
the painter Ulysse Besnard (perhaps Bernard) to
ask him for advice on the painting of the face
and hands of The Harpsichord Player. In
February Robert-Houdin seemed to encounter
certain problems with his work and wrote:
February 6th This piece is causing me
much trouble; I should not
have undertaken the work.
February 9th I rebuilt the automaton; I
tried its costume - I am going
to have a hard time -
On the 31, "Cousin Robert" came to help
clean the cogwheels. Robert-Houdin wrote in his
Tablettes journalieres of February 22: "I went to
Blois at one o'clock to Martin's for the painting
of my automaton. It is not a good shade but for
paint it is fine." Robert-Houdin reclaimed The
Harpsichord Player on the 28Ih and seemed satis-
fied enough with the new "tone" given by
Martin. In Paris on March 16, he went to the li-
brary to study Louis XVI styles of women's hats.
From mid-March to the end of April, he returned
to his other numerous activities; he wrote on
April 16 to General Morin, asking for his pa-
tience, and to Emile regarding the wig he had or-
dered for his Marie-Antoinette. In Paris on May
7, the mechanician went to a miniature-wig man-
ufacturer at 107, Rue St. Martin and picked up
his order on the 11th. He was in a period of frail
health during this time: he did not go back to
244
work until June 9 and wrote: "I worked on the
automaton; the hairpiece is giving me a lot of
trouble." Finally, on July 10, after having appar-
ently suffered so much in order to overcome dif-
ficulties - more capillary than mechanical, which
he never mentioned in his Tablettes journalieres
form him that the automaton was completed,
which was a bit of an exaggeration, because he
kept working on it daily until August 1,
On Sunday, August 6, he organized a meeting
of his friends at The Priory, to which he also in-
vited a journalist from the Le Journal de Loir-et-
Cher, and presented The Harpsichord Player. To
thank his host and give him good publicity for
this new work, the journalist published an arti-
cle on August 8 whose introduction detailed the
history of the automaton and explained the cir-
cumstances in which the piece had been con-
fided to Robert-Houdin, to whom he then of-
fered homage:
The mechanician from Blois gladly took over this
delicate and painstaking task, which he alone could
accomplish: after much work and with a great deal
of patience, he managed to piece together the indi-
vidual parts, without adding anything to the original
mechanism; his skilled hand could have perfected
the defective device in certain respects, but he
wanted to faithfully reconstitute the concept of his
precursor, although the progress of art and his own
ideas would have permitted him to do a better job.
He therefore reconstructed it with scrupulous exac-
titude, and this automaton figure, which rehabili-
tates its legacy of misfortune, charmed us with its
suppleness, ease, and distinction; depending on the
audience's wishes, it can execute the eight or ten
airs of a repertoire of the period without losing any-
thing of its noble air, without failing in the accuracy
of its sound or the precision of its movement, always
synchronized with the melody and measure.
As the Tablettes journalieres show, the open-
ing of this article irritated Robert-Houdin, who
had never implied that "his skilled hand could
have perfected the defective device in certain
 ACT V

Illustration 352 - General v i e w of The Harpsichord Player. CMusSe de<, Arts et Hitters - CNA u, Pans Photo p Faltgat - Seventh Square)

245
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustrations 353 and 354 - The Mandolin Player by Vaucanson.
Robert-Houdin, in his Tablettes journalieres, designated this automaton as the "Petite Vielleuse."
(Musee des Arts et Metiers GVAT/. Paris Photo P. Faligot Seventh Square)
respects" or that "his own ideas would have per-
mitted him to do a better job." The mechani-
cian's discomfort was not over, however, be-
cause this wise chronicler thought it relevant to
add to the preceding paragraphs a conclusion
resembling an invitation for the entire popula-
tion to come visit him in his private domain:
This art object deserves to be seen and heard;
thanks to the courtesy of its present caretaker,
everyone can have this pleasure before the Parisian
conservatory retrieves its legitimate property.
Moreover, in visiting The Priory in Saint-Gervais-les
Bois and its amiable master, the intelligent stroller
will be charmed by the variety of marvelous things
collected there, as in a fairy palace or in Armide's
gardens.
246
Aside from the pleasures of its picturesque loca-
tion and the transformation of the irregular terrain
as if by a magic wand, The Priory offers an exam-
ple of the applications of electricity for domestic
use; everything works there, everything functions
by this energy, docile to the master's desires from
inside the house; nothing could equal the punctu-
ality, promptness, and precision of this new type of
service. Even Marie-Antoinette's salon seems to ar-
tistically come to life and has even more surprises;
likewise, the canary lesson or the Gups and Balls
conjurer are Robert-Houdin's own creations, well
known in the world of industry. They contributed
to his great reputation in a justly appreciated field.
This automaton seemed even more astounding in
agility, aplomb, expression, and...we will say intel-
ligence. Finally, after leaving such an enchanted

sojourn where the best welcome was received, we
wonder if some elf, spreader of delicious illusion,
had passed through as an adventure.
Only a few hours after the publication of the
article, The Priory was invaded by dozens of on-
lookers who asked for their right to visit and
wanted to admire The Harpsichord Player, the
mechanician's automata, and his enchanted gar-
den. The gates had to be hastily closed, the
growing crowd calmed, etc. Le Journal de Loir-
et-Cher published a rectification the next day
apologizing for having unwillingly contributed to
disturbing Robert-Houdin's tranquility and work.
Robert-Houdin delivered The Harpsichord
Player to the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers on
October 18 and received several official congrat-
ulations for his work. Upon his departure for
Paris on the 31SI, he took with him La Petite
Vielleuse by Vaucanson, which General Morin
had also asked him to restore.
It must be said that Robert-Houdin accepted
no salary for this work, and to thank him for
his talent and generosity, General Morin gave
a (i.t. *0*. Af"tv
'"*''
/:' C *
trvz
T atvjtr
y/0
Illustration 355 - Handwritten note by Robert-Houdin attached to the inside of The Harpsichord
24"
ACT V
him a burnishing tool that had belonged to
Louis XVI and two medallions depicting the
sovereign and Queen Marie-Antoinette (see
page 367).
Before bringing the automaton to the
Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, Robert-Houdin
attached this handwritten note to the interior of
the instrument:
This automaton belonged to Louis XVI; it is
said to represent the physical charms and the mu-
sical talent of Marie-Antoinette. Abandoned since
the revolution in a storage area of the Institute
where it was subject to the injuries of time, it was
one day offered to the Conservatoire des Arts et
Metiers. General Morin, director of this establish-
ment, entrusted me with the renovation of this
precious machine. The advanced state of decay of
the automaton, its abrupt, noisy, and unnatural
movements, rendered my task long and difficult. I
especially did not want to go beyond my role as re-
storer by correcting the machine's flaws, and in-
sisted on preserving its original design in order for
it to remain the work of its creators.
Saint-Gervais near Blois, October 10, 1866
Robert-Houdin
\4 c, f.u..,/
/./,...,/, ^ / <.. / / * /
7-141 7 rJfO **t 4 f tO t
CTTZ.^^ ^
Player.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

N* 508. 1865 Prix durnim^ro: 35 centimes 23 Septembre 1865.

Hue du Croissant, 16. Rue du t'rois ant, 16.

m
JOURNAL AMUSANT
- 5fr JOURNAL ILLUSTHE, 3 ,of"
N

;;S?: Journal Vintages, jom-nnl fomique, nittqw, entiriquc, etc. m ;

Tons Jes abonnemeats datent du 1" de ebaqae mois.

Illustration 356 - First page oi Le Journal amusant of September 23, 1865.

Humoristic portrait of the Davenport Brothers, christened The Davenfour Brothers. In French theater terminology, the word four
(oven; means a failure. (DtdierMoreau Mom.x collection)

A Peaceful Year - The Sphinx and The Talking Head
In January 1866. the fashion for spiritualism did
not seem to have calmed down in Paris. One
could applaud Prince the clown at the Cirque
Napoleon in The Spirit Swings and the clowns
Chadwick and Leroy in The Cabinet: the mediums
tied up in white suits accompanied by 'spirit
music"! Le Petit Journal maintained the contro-
versy by publishing an interview with Barnum on
January 15 in which he explained the Davenport
tricks and the way the)- were performed in six
steps. This interview, which must have greatly
amused Robert-Houdin. inspired a humoristic ar-
ticle in Le Journal de Loir-et-Cher by his friend
Lecesne. This text has not been not noticed by
any of the master's biographers because the au-
thor anonymously signed it: "One of your sub-
scribers ..."
The Secrets of mediums
O....January 16, 1866.
rz=m
i'SCgl
Le caifisier n'a pas peu contribue" au succes de la soiree.
II a prottv^, en rendant a chaque spectateur le prix de sa
place, qu'esprits et mediums Boxit comple"tement de'sinte-
Illustrations 35" to 365 Humoristic portraits of the disaster of the Davenport Brothers' performances in Paris.
(Didier Moreait Morax Georges Proust, and the author's collections)
249
ACT V
Ah! Finally, we know the mysteries of these
American mediums. The Davenports. Staceys,
and other smart mediums' tricks could not resist
the great wisdom of the King of the humbug, as
the Americans call him; the King of hoaxes, as
we would say in French; in other words.
Barnum.
There was nothing left for the glory of this fa-
mous puffiste [''Puffist"] (to use words from the
other side of the Atlantic) except to expose his
compatriots and colleagues in the art of mystifi-
cation.
I must still confess it here: I was not happy in
the execution of the procedures indicated by the
great master. Perhaps I did not correctly under-
stand his tricks and information. Please be kind
enough, dear Editor, to explain this to me when
you have read my letter.
Here are the directions given yesterday in Le
Petit Journal:
M Gogo soft t. o.if r er ivceIre frvres Davciiixirtdonsleur
.ystikiuuso an u.re re Qu Quelle nest pa? sn etupitfne?io ;;c
coi stater dans
dnus Ira
lea fo.11.bre3
to/itJms. que 1 capnt des Bossuef, des Pns-
cal ct des SuSulyio
ly so co
conplQit
npioit .1 lai :
, it l'i .at
1 d(loll
) uif m a
ROBERT-HOUDIN

1. When one is being tied up, make one more

Vive la modestie se ddrobant aux applaudissements
par la fuila.
turn with the rope around one's wrists, which
helps to free them later.
2. The main point is to have a knot near the
wrists to slide it off and dispose of it.
3. Make a knot in the rope beforehand. The au-
dience will have no idea that it is a slipknot.
4. Have artificial hands to put one's feet in.
Bring the feet thus covered to the height of a man
and place them together through the opening,
which gives time for the instruments to be played.
5. When one has flour in one's hands, the mois-
ture forms a sort of dough that one can place in
one hand, one wipes it in one's pocket, and the
dough becomes flour again as needed.
6. Greatly enlarge the arms and legs and hand
and squeeze them back together as needed.
I was invited yesterday to spend the evening at
a neighbor's. The idea came to me to give these
good friends a performance of the cabinet trick.
I had the mistress of the house forewarned.
Wishing to render the trick as complete as pos-
sible, I made, with the help of a partition, a cabi-
net somewhat like those we have all seen in the
newspaper L'lllustration. These preparations took
me more time than I thought.
Ten o'clock rang. I had my cabinet brought to
my neighbor's. I awaited with feverish impa-
tience. The entire town was invited: one hundred
and fifty spectators were grouped together in the
living room.
Ten-thirty. I made them wait a bit like a great
artist; I made my entrance in the middle of a mur-
mur of anticipated congratulations. God, is it good
to be a medium!
Ten forty-five. I reveal the purpose of my per-
formance in a little speech: expose impostors;
clarify public opinion; and benefit from the cir-
cumstances to create a pleasant performance for
ladies of the region.
I would have wanted it to last until midnight to
remain in my role as medium but it was eleven
o'clock and I had nothing else to say. And also, I
must admit, it was the first time that I appeared
in public and I was greatly intimidated.
I began my performance in p r e s e n t i n g sev-
eral ropes, in which, according to prescription

250
 ACT V

no. 3, I had made many slipknots. A rustic with

whom I will be angry my entire lifetime said in
a mocking fashion, "Now really, sir, must we
leave you with slipknots to make it easier for
you? - "Do as you wish," I answered, taking my
work to heart. "Tie me up in any way you like."
My good man then finding himself in a posi-
tion to create opposition, approached to tightly
tie my wrists and he was going to continue the
tying when, remembering prescription no. 1, I
made one more turn around the wrists. It was
even tighter, but I trusted Barnum.
Finally, I was completely bound; I was tied to a
chair and locked up in my partition.
A thought crossed my mind: the trick is not
complete - we forgot the flour. I had taken care,
luckily, to bring some; it did not take long to fill
my hands with it.
I saw with pleasure that my hands were moist,
as prescribed by point 5. '...._ j. .- L i -

1
I was locked up again, and here I was left to -Tieiis'jcvais lm demander de m'atUcher
-lm demande done pas l'unpossible I des femmes comme nous est ce ijue 5a s'attache'
my inspirations. An imposing silence reigned in
the assembly. I gathered myself a moment. Let's
see!, I said to myself, let us try to have a bril-
liant debut; first I must place the flour, also
known as the dough, in one single hand, and
then wipe it in the pocket of my pants. But for
that, I think, I must have my hands freed...Let
us first put the two dough balls in one single
hand. There! Here is all the flour spread on my
pants and what is left of is a paste that is...very
unpleasant. I will brush myself off later. Let us
first try to get out of these cursed knots. Ouch.
Ouch. It is becoming painful because it is so
tight. But I do not see my arms and legs shrink-
ing at all (article 6). Ah! An idea. For making
them wait, I will show the famous false hands.
For lack of artificial hands, I brought suede
gloves; I will put them on my feet and when I
show them above the partition, they will cer-
tainly take them to be hands.
Oh! Devil! The gloves are in my coat pocket. I
should have come wearing them. We can never
plan enough! _ Alors .vous rroyez aui spintes >
_ Dam!imeMs dans i o i s a i n t c j a i r e g u n E e t r e p i g n p e ! ! ' etpuisj'aipaye trentc
Eleven o'clock chimes. I thought I heard snor- fraitcs' ecoute'A done!
_f.1 Madanip'
I.es FspntsltinmtseulfmenUapotf doui'emfnUes joues vons roinuitnez uno
ing around me; a cold sweat ran through my hair. friiraif.. . . c n h n l
I kept trying; my pulling was useless. The hostess

251
ROBERT-HOUDIN

addressed me: - "Tell me, Sir medium, can we

serve drinks while waiting?" I got angry and did
not answer. I also heard that oaf, my sworn
enemy, who treated himself to this bad joke: -
"Perhaps the medium fell asleep with his spirit."
It nonetheless had to end in some manner. Ah!
An idea. I sense that I am not tied up very solidly
on my chair; with a brutal shake, I will get rid of
it; we will see...
I do not know what happened in this supreme
effort, but it would seem that a wrong movement
having shaken the partition, my mysterious en-
velope was struck and brought me down with it.
When I was picked up from the debris, I was
breathless and covered with sweat. To top it all,
the rest of the flour had escaped my hand and
was covering my face.
Ingrale Francel tu n'aurai pas noire armolre. They were kind to me; they took into account
my good intentions and my debut in conjt;ring; a
little applause was granted as a consolation
prize.
Decidedly I was not born to be a medium, even
for laughs. And this Barnum has the type of mind
that one must have to understand.
Ah, but I think, perhaps this was a trick played
by him to keep his hand practiced???
This thought has come to me too late!
One of your subscribers...

Robert-Houdin spent the year 1866 essen-

tially on the restoration of The Harpsichord
Player and the start of his research in the
field of ophthalmology. Most of his evenings
in January were dedicated to writing the out-
line of his "spectacular play" on which he
collaborated with the playwright Saint-
Georges:
Januarv 23"' I sent my project for a spectacu-
lar play to St. Georges. I am
probably creating great torment
for mvself.

Tons les Spmles.Esprits frappews d atftres mediums (Scrasfis par la chute &e 1'antioire This was not the first time that Robert-Houdin
des fr^res Davenport.
worked with the famous playwright, as shown
by this letter sent to Saint-Georges twelve years
earlier: 0]

252
 ACT V

ance, and once one has arrived at t r a n s -

Comment 1 c'est encore 1'armoire des splrites qui
revient sur l'eau ?
Ce n'est pas gtonnant, elle devait Stre si Ugire,
s'il n'y avait dedans que les recettes qu'ils ont faites.
parency, one would only have to turn it a bit
more to completely turn off the light. This
would also allow M. Dubosc a free hand to run
his device and attach it because he would only
need one hand to make the disc spin. One
could nuance the disc by dabbing as with un-
polished p a n e s , b u t with black instead; a
painter could do such work. I have every rea-
son to hope that with this modification there
would be no more accidents to fear.
I also need to ask you to extend the effect for
a few more seconds. The curtain drops a bit too
soon.
I leave definitively next Monday. If you need
to write me, it should be at Saint Gervais.
Goodbye, dear Sir; please accept the expression
of my good and sincere friendship.
Robert-Houdin

Thereafter, the two men frequently met during

Paris, March 20, 1858 Robert-Houdin's trips to Paris and they both ex-
Dear M, St. Georges pressed themselves frankly about each other's
I begin by telling you that my wife is thrilled work. This is apparent in the note Robert-Houdin
and that she has asked me to say how pleasant wrote in his Tablettes journal'ieres upon receiving
your splendid and interesting opera was. I have the dramatic author's negative response:
not yet seen Dantan, but I know that he spent a
lovely evening and that he also expressed his high Thursday, February 1" I received a letter from St.
opinion of your work several times. Georges announcing that
I learned with satisfaction that the trick had my theater project is not
been more successful than at the first perfor- amenable to him - Fie
mance; a green glimmer can still be seen travel- thinks it is no good - I think
ing on the neck before arriving at the recipient, that since the play is scien-
although for the audience the effect had been
tific and based on mechani-
perfectly successful. I think that one should
cal effects, St. Georges fears
avoid this lighting problem, which reveals the
that the author's hand will
trick.
be too easily recognized. I
Here is what I would suggest to M. Dubosc.
Instead of a two-part diaphragm as I first proposed am only a little bit upset. It
to him, I would prefer to use a simple glass disc would have been a lot of
with all the nuances of opaque black to complete work. Still, St. Georges
transparence (fig. 1). wants to do something like
This design would offer the advantage of this with me.
having a color imperceptible to everyone ex-
cept the operator, and in making the disc turn, The two authors talked about this project
one would subtly reach a light tint that would again during the following months, because
be infinitely preferable to its sudden appear- Robert-Houdin mentions their letters and meet-

253
RODERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 366 - This unpublished "advertising" photograph is the only known document showing Stodare and The Sphinx.

254
 ACT V

ings in his Tablettes journalieres but it does not
appear that this collaboration ever really
began.
On October 16, 1865, Colonel Stodare pre-
sented a new mystery in London at Egyptian
Hall in London called The Sphinx. This trick,
whose principle is at the origin of several great
illusions and many side-shows that made the
fortune of fairground exhibitors, became the
main topic of conversation for the public of the
English capital in just a few days.
A sort of large, draped partition with three
solid panels could be seen onstage. The audi-
ence clearly realized that this partition separated
a very thin, oval three-legged table from the
back and sides of the stage. The magician carried
on a sort of silver chest, approximately 35 cen-
timeters wide, placed it in the center of the table,
then lowered the front panel. The audience then
saw the contents of the box: a head with an
Ancient Egyptian-style headdress, crafted with
great realism. The magician, moving to the front
of the stage, waved his wand and spoke to the
sleeping head with the following sacramental
words: ''Sphinx, awaken." The Sphinx then
slowly opened its eyes and gazed deeply at the

CO at,OUST 3E JKi

NOVEL THE NEW & MARVELLOUS ILLUSION

MUJfti!
BY COMMAND A T

MAGIC CASTLE
Before Her Sfajaity the

Ventriloquism QUEM AND THK

Royal Family
ox

TUESDAY,
REPRESENTATIONS Aa pressnted by COLONEL STODARE for the firat time on Monday,
Nov. 21st, 1865.
October 16th, 1865, entitled the

Illustration 36" - The Sphinx by Colonel Stodare.

From the work by Max Dif. Histoire et evolution technique de la prestidigitation (op. at J

255
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 368 ~ Stodare.
audience; then, gradually regaining conscious-
ness, turned to the right, then to the left. The
magician spoke to The Sphinx, who answered
him. The audience could also, by way of Colonel
Stodare, ask this enchanted head questions,
which it answered in the form of a prediction in
verse. These predictions ended the performance;
the magician closed the box and removed it from
the table, but if the audience asked for more,
Colonel Stodare, still holding the box, ap-
proached the footlights and said to the audience:
Ladies and gentlemen, I am glad that The
Sphinx has afforded you satisfaction, and I
should be only too pleased to be able to indulge
the desire that you kindly testify of seeing it
again. Unfortunately, this is not possible. The
charm by which I was amenable, as you have
256
Illustration 369 - The Sphinx.
Illustration from the frontispiece of Modern Magic by
Professor Hoffmann.
seen, to revivify for a moment the ashes of an an-
cient Egyptian, who lived and died some centu-
ries ago, lasts but for fifteen minutes. That time
has now expired, and the head which has astoni-
shed you with its mysterious eloquence has again
returned to its original dust." [s]
He had barely ended the last words of his
speech before again opening the box: the
head had disappeared, leaving only a hand-
ful of ashes, quickly dispersed into space.
This illusion was invented by J.W. Tobin,
the secretary of the Royal Polytechnic
Institution, an establishment that had already
presided over the birth of the Ghosts. Tobin
had at first proposed this trick to the magician
Anderson for a price of 80 pounds.
Momentarily in difficulty, he could not con-

Illustration 370 - Stodare and 7*e Egyptian Basket at Egyptian Hall.
elude the agreement. In light of the success of
his colleague. Colonel Stodare, Anderson, The
Great Wizard of the North, must have bitterly
regretted it. [6]
Robert-Houdin, always curious about new-
magic tricks, wrote in his Tablettes journal-
ieres in February 1866:
February 16th I wrote to Manning in London
asking for information on
optical illusions performed in
London.
William Manning answered this by return
mail and Robert-Houdin summarized his re-
sponse in the following manner:
February 21"' I received a letter from Manning,
explaining the Sphinx trick.
257
ACT V
It was perhaps Hamilton who drew Robert-
Houdin's attention to The Sphinx and asked
him to get information for him. Henry Ridgely
Evans's book The Old & the New Magic (1906)
includes on pages 320 to 322 a reprint of an
article published by Alfred Thomson, "the
well-known manager," in the New York
Journal. He relates that having attended one
of the first performances of The Sphinx in
London, he discovered the secret of the mirror
table by chance. In Paris a short while later,
Alfred Thomson proposed to Hamilton to re-
veal the trick for compensation. Robert-
Houdin's brother-in-law refused the terms of
the agreement unless the secret of the experi-
ment was revealed, which his interlocutor re-
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 371 - Hamilton by Disderi.
fused, and the deal was not concluded.
Hamilton then no longer professionally per-
formed onstage, but he may have been inter-
ested in this illusion for his successor and "ten-
ant" Cleverman. This hypothesis is supported
by the public announcement published by the
latter on February 2, 1866:
Professor Cleverman announces the upcoming
tricks The Basket Trick [another stage illusion of
Colonel Stodare] and The Sphinx.
Cleverman never performed The Sphinx in
Paris, because the rights to this illusion had been
purchased by M. Talrich, the manager of a wax
museum, Le Musee Francais, on 39, Boulevard
des Capucines, by the intermediary of the magi-
258
cian Dr. Lynn. The Sphinx, re-christened The
Talking Head, was successful for a time at this
establishment.
Around this time, Emile asked Robert-
Houdin to participate in the creation and man-
ufacture of mechanical entrance controllers at
the Exposition. The master declined, as he
was completely absorbed by academic work
that fulfilled him, as he expressed in these
terms upon his return from a trip to Paris.
March 18th What a joy for me to return to my
Priory with my nice little wife
and my children - I brought
some elements for fascinating
work - I ask for nothing else to
be happy.
We also find some worried and sad remarks in
his Tablettes journalieres:
April 25th I read in my stock market
newspaper details that worry
me about my Lyon and the re-
duction of the premium on my
Lombards to 17 francs 50 -
which makes 2 francs 50 less
per share - these problems
bring trouble to my calm tran-
quility.
th
July 18 I received a letter from Emile...
business is very bad - I have be-
come so impressionable that this
news made me ill for the rest of
the day.
These moments of passing depression were
happily swept away by little events in the magic
world [7] and by the new grand project he was
planning.
This was the play depicting The Chess
Player, and the playwrights Octave Gastineau
and Jules Adenis worked together on the pro-
ject, entitled La Czarine. Robert-Houdin went
to Paris on November 2 to see the debut of
Dr. Lynn, whom Cleverman had just hired for
Soirees Fantastiques for a series of perfor-
 ACT V

mances from the 2nd to the 8th. The advertising Lost Spinning on a Single Tableaux of the Agioscope,
and performance of Lynn's show was in Thread
English with the following repertoire: Tim in a Fix and the Phantasmagoria, Microscopies.
Telegraph Eclipsed
Theatre Robert-Houdin Part Two The Gordian Knot
Novembre 3 rd The Great Secret Attraction The Mysterious Blood Writing on the Arm,
Physics seance or Fairy Fishing spirit-writing mediums
by Dr. Hughs Lynn The Spirit Calculator
The Perlexity of a
Lynn's performance did not impress Robert-
The great worldwide traveler Pomaceous Puzzle
Houdin very much, according to the following
and oriental illusionist The Right Thing in the comments he wrote in his Tablettes journalieres:
Wrong Place November 2nd I went back to Paris...I hired
a carriage to take me to
Cleverman's to see English
conjurer Mr. Lynn perform -
Part One Part Three His spinning top is the only
The Lost stead Ghromatrope, Polyorama, original trick.

Illustration 3~2 - Dr. Lynn presenting The Indian Basket. Illustration 373 - Dr. Lynn in Neptune's Basins.
Photograph from issue no 14 of L'lllusionniste. September Photograph from issue no. 14 of L'lllusionniste. September
1913. 1913

259
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
November 3rd I went to Lynn's performance.
His fish trick is the only one
well done. After the perfor-
mance I went to his house
with Tobin, who showed me
several optical illusions.
Tobin's presence in Paris, during Lynn's
appearance at the Theatre Robert-Houdin,
and this the day before the presentation of
The Talking Head at the Musee Francais.
seems to confirm that he was familiar with
Lynn's transaction with M. Talrich, as indica-
ted by Robert-Houdin in his posthumous
work Magie et Physique amusante. In a little
book published in 1878, [] Dr. Lynn narrates
his adventures, reveals a few tricks, and pre-
tends to be "the true inventor" of The Sphinx.
He also talks about his meeting with Robert-
Houdin:
Illustrations 3 4 and 3 5 - Cover and title page of the work by Dr. Lynn.
260
...From Dublin, I went to Paris, and while there
I invented my celebrated Talking Head illusion,
which I introduced at the Musee Frangais, and
sold the permission to produce it, also at the Paris
Exposition; about the same time an unauthorized
imitation of this trick was brought out in
London...
Here I made the acquaintance of Mons.
Robert-Houdin, the celebrated conjurer, who
makes a graceful illusion [sic. ] to me in writing a
work entitled Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation. I
have also had the honor of sharing experiences
with such men as Philippe, Wiljalba Frikell, and
Bosco...In recalling the names of some men of ge-
nius I have met, I must not omit to say a word in
praise of Mr. T.W. [sic] Tobin, a gentleman of ex-
traordinary scientific ability and originality [...].
It would be unwise to write the history of the
invention of The Sphinx based on the version
given in this "autobiography".

KUMHDIC
Le decapito parlant. L'aspect.
On November 5, 6, and 7, Robert-Houdin
went to see the "wax figures" at Le Musee
Francais during M. Thill's performance of
"Stodare's Head," otherwise known as The
Sphinx, in the form of a living "decapitated"
head in a dungeon decor. In Magie et Physique
Amusante, the author gives a picturesque nar-
rative of the presentation of The Talking Head
in one of the vaults of the Musee Francais and
explanations for the failure of its exhibition
(see Appendix II, Talking Head article). The
price asked by M. Talrich for the short visit to
the "torture victim" was five francs, an exorbi-
tant price for the entrance to a sideshow.
Unhappy spectators began to bombard the
head with paper balls for revenge and fun.
Some projectiles missed their mark and
bounced off the mirrors that had initially been
invisible under the table. The trick was then
forever ruined in spite of a protective grill
brought in later. The exhibition had to be
closed for lack of spectators.
261
ACTV
La realite.
Illustrations 3~6 and 377 - The Talking Head. How it looks. How it is per-
formed.
On November 27, Gastineau and his wife
came to dinner at The Priory, where the play-
wright read the first sketch of a drama about
The Chess Player. Robert-Houdin wrote: "It
agitated me so much that I could not sleep."
In December, while he continued his hand-
posing sessions with the photographer
Mieusement, the latter refused to be paid in
anything but conjuring lessons. Mieusement
was therefore among the master's last stu-
dents. Robert-Houdin wrote this optimistic
epitaph in his Tablettes journalieres at the
end of December 1866:
December 31" This year 1866 has gone by
happily for us except for a
few rheumatisms that bother
me, everyone's health is ex-
cellent.
We have had no major prob-
lems and we only ask for the
continuation of this enjoy-
ment for the vear 1867.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Hamilton, Cleverman, and Plantet Tufferau,
Littson, Varner, Lynn, and Alfred Stodare
Hamilton, as we have already emphasized,
always knew how to do business well. He
leased almost the entire building of 8.
Boulevard des Italiens, which he had re-
newed with its owner until April 1879. The
different sublets brought him a large income
in addition to that of the theater. Fortune
seemed to smile upon him and gave his leases
Illustration 378 - Hamilton by Disderi.
262
new value when the building was hit with a
future destruction permit, because it was on
the axis for the building of the current
Boulevard Haussmann. This forced eviction
and payment of damages or compensation
made speculators dream of gain. Unlike
Hamilton, who kept a cool head, the others
calculated poorly because the demolition, al-
ready planned in 1866, only took place in
1924, fifty-eight years later.
A speculator named Hippolyte Joseph
Plantet saw in the Theatre Robert-Houdin an
opportunity to be seized, [s>] He had to accept
several restrictions, however, such as signing
a lease for a longer period than Cleverman,
whose lease ended in April 1870. He also had
to continue running the theater, which was to
be used only for conjuring performances and
kept in good working order to obtain a size-
able income. All of this was necessary in
order to even hope for a comfortable income
in the long-term. [io]
Four agreements were therefore under-
taken: one signed between Hamilton and
Cleverman which prolonged his old lease for
nine years; another between Hamilton and
Plantet, who acquired the deed to the theater,
that is, the right to perform under the name
Theatre Robert-Houdin, Soirees Fantastiques
de Robert-Houdin and/or d Hamilton" - as
well as to all the ordinary and magic furnish-
ings; the third agreement was between
Cleverman and Plantet by which the latter be-
came seller of Cleverman's sublet lease until
April 1, 1879; and a final agreement under
prh ate seal by which Plantet purchased from
Cleverman the right to perform under his
 ACT V

Illustration 3^9 Amelie Braconnier, Hamilton's wife, photographed by Disderi around 1865.
ROBFRT-HOLDIN

-4. C^L^r^^r^^^^-- <%

Illustration 380 - First page of the sale of the lease by Cleverman to M. Plantet. (Archives nationales)

26-1
 ACT Y

name as well as use all his material, appara-
tus, and mechanical pieces. At the end of
these various agreements, Hamilton was guar-
anteed a comfortable income for the rest of
his days as well as a not-inconsiderable share
of the possible eviction compensation, and
Cleverman would be relieved of all the
charges that weighed on him. He remained
manager with a premium on the income.
Plantet must have hoped for huge compensa-
tion while carrying out his daily functions of
sole lease holder to the title and property of
Soirees Fantastiques,
The year 1866 began with a publicized
competition between Robin and Cleverman,
who both proposed practically the same
program:
Theatre Robert-Houdin: the cabinet trick and
"one hour in darkness," presented by Mr.
Cleverman at the Theatre Robert-Houdin, will be
the great success of the winter.
M. Cleverman, the manager of the Theatre
Robert-Houdin, did not need to wait for
Mr. Fay's revelations to unmask the American
mystifiers. He has already performed the follow-
ing in the theater on Boulevard des Italiens: One
hour in the dark with guitar, violin, and bell ac-
companiment, flying in all directions, and the
cabinet trick performed in full light. But he pro-
duces marvelous effects himself, attributed to
spirits by the Davenport Brothers. He only has
recourse to conjuring. He called upon two
English conjurers to help him in this circum-
stance, Mr. Stacey and Mr. Kelly, who usually
perform in London.
One of their compatriots, Mr. Wolghemuth,
their drama agent in England, announced them

Salle Robin: M. Robin adds spirit mystifica-

tions to the cabinet trick, the demonstration of
"an hour in darkness" performed in 10 minutes
in full light.

How ever, the two artists did create different

matinee programs for children. The Stacey
Brothers returned to the theater as of Friday.
January 12, but their performances quickly-
ended because of financial litigation with their
impresario Wolghemuth, which ended up in
the courts:
The spirits at the Theatre Robert-Houdin:
Income Litigation referred
The Davenport Brothers have had as little suc-
cess as pleasure in Paris. Discouraged by the wel-
come of their spirit mystifications, they did not
hesitate to pack up and disappear. We were relating
the other day, according to the Messager Franco-
Americain, that in New York, one of their former
accomplices, Mr. Fay, had revealed all the secrets
of the mysterious cabinet before a large audience. Illustration 381 - Amelie Braconnier by Disderi.

265
ROBLRl-HOLDIN
Illustration 382 - The Disappearance of a Child under a Cup by Cleverman. (Fmnc-ois Votgnier collection/
in France and put them into contact with
M. Cleverman; for the price of his services, he
claimed one third of their income.
On December 23, because of a so-called debt of
2000 francs and by virtue of the judge's permis-
sion, he had the assets of Mr. Stacey and Mr. Kelly
seized from the Theatre Robert-Houdin.
The two conjurers immediately called upon
the president of the Court of the Seine and asked
him to refer to the decree authorizing the dis-
traint of December 23 or at least to reduce the
effects of this to 1/5 of their income.
266
Their lawyer M. Lenoir had maintained that
his clients owed nothing to Mr. Wolghemuth
and that the latter, by his opposition, wanted
to put pressure on his compatriots, which
their status as foreigners and their ignorance
of our language would not allow them to re-
sist, and that French justice needed to protect
Mr. Stacey and Mr. Kelly and ensure their
means of existence.
Having heard the explanations of M. Fitremann,
M. Cleverman's lawyer, the President ruled
against Wolghemuth, who did not appear, and in
regards to the defendants, who claimed not to

owe the plaintiff anything, agreed that at the
end of their conversations they had agreed to
forfeit one third of their income from the
Theatre Robert-Houdin, and considering that
the plaintiff could not justify that they owed
him money for any other reason, the President
upheld the opposition of December 23, 1865
that it could retain one third of Mr. Stacey and
Mr. Kelly's income, but authorized the latter to
keep the surplus in the hands of M. Cleverman.
Cleverman very quickly resumed the tradi-
tional repertoire of his theater and announced
as early as Friday, February 2:
At the Theatre Robert-Houdin, resuming of
the Pastrycook des Italians and the double dis-
appearance of a child, which means a full house
AcrV
every evening. Professor Cleverman will soon be
performing the Basket trick and The Sphinx.
From Thursday the 22nd to Sunday, March
25th, the conjurer Tufferau performed at Soirees
Fantastiques and on April 12th, the first an-
nouncements for the Basket appeared, while
Lassaigne performed at the magic theater of
the Pre-Catelan, where he had debuted on the
6th. During the month of June, Littson (no rela-
tionship to Robin's "English associate") waved
the magic wand at the Theatre Robert-Houdin
from the 1st to the 6th, and during the month of
August Cleverman announced the conjurer
Paul Varner, with whom he alternately per-
formed for most of the fall. Finally, he wel-
Illustrations 383 and 384 - The conjurers Tufferau and
Littson.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 385 - The Indian Basket p r e s e n t e d b y Cleverman.

Engraving from n o ~6 of L'lllusionniste, April 1908.

corned Dr. Hugh Lynn for a few performances
from the 2" ' to the 8l of November. For the
first performance, on November 2, Cleverman
performed during the first half and Lynn dur-
ing the second, but from the 3 d Lynn was
alone on the playbill. Cleverman and Varner
resumed the show again from November 9.
and on the 24' one could read the following
advertisement in L Entracte:
Colonel Stodare. who just died in London after
having astonished the town with memorable feats
of skill, bequeathed all his conjuring secrets to his
brother. This brother, Stodare II, has just arrived
in Paris. He will be performing in the Salle Hertz.
The memory of the Davenports does not intimi-
date him because he does not present himself as a
friend of the spirits but as a very good Robert-
Houdin [sic].
Transformed into a theater for his experiments,
the Salle Hertz will open its doors this Saturday
evening at 8 o'clock. During its occupation by
Mr. Stodare, the Salle Hertz will take the name of
The Mystery Theater.
This Stodare II, Alfred Stodare. who pre-

268
 ACT V

sented himself as "a very good Robert-
Houdin," had neither the admiration of the
public nor the majority of journalists. As Jules
Claretie wrote about him in L Illustration of
December 8, 1866:
Colonel Stodare and his Mystery Theater,
which promised us such fantastic performances,
have hardly managed to attract the public's atten-
tion. Well-known tricks, a worn-out talking head, a
cabinet that should be sent back with that of the
Davenports, does not suffice...The audience did
not seem to be having much fun the other evening
in the Salle Hertz. I also left this performance with
a painful feeling...
In the Conty guide, Les Plaisirs de Paris,
1867. Alfred Devau commented on three of the
performances we have discussed:
The Theatre Robert-Houdin. Boulevard des
Italiens, where conjuring and white magic is per-
formed - including the exhibition of automata,
very ingenious mechanical pieces, and the famous
inexhaustible bottle which, toward the end of the
evening, distributes a host of varied liquors to the
audience. A show at Robert-Houdin's - or more
correctly, Gleverman's, son of Lahire - is more in-
teresting than an evening at the Odeon.
La Salle Robin. Boulevard du Temple, where
Physique amusante is performed and where the
tricks of American puffers such as the Davenport
Brothers and others are revealed. Between
Gleverman and Robin, I cannot decide.
The Palrich museum [sic], Boulevard des
Gapucines, where a decapitated head speaks -
alive. Strange spectacle, but which has lost a bit of
its charm since a member of the audience decided
to throw a ball of bread in the tortured man's eve.

THEATRE ROBERT-HOUDIN
. boulevard des Italiens. 8

On commence 6, 8 h. 1/2

SfiANCE DE PHYSIQUE PAH M. VARNER

Premiere partie.
bs Cadran myste" deux. Le Petit mes-
sager. Un De" qui passe partout.
La" Naissapce desflevtrs. Bagues et bi-
joux. Cn voyage extravagant. L'o-
ranger merveilleux.

Deuxieme partie.
Cinq minutes d'escamotage. Magie au
XViIIe sieele. On ceuf a surprise.
Les anneaux fusibles.Les Tourterelles
sympathiques,

Troisieme partie.

Le Panier indien, doubleescamotage d'un

enfant.

Illustration 386 - The conjurer Varner at the Theatre Illustration 387 - Portrait of Henri Robin.
Robert-Houdin.

269
ROBERT -HOUDIN

NOUVEAUX TABLEAUX

Illustration 388 Bill for the Salle Robin in 1865.


In July of this year, Robin had already an-
nounced his eviction from the Boulevard du
Temple in three months. He carried out his "re-
peated" farewells to the public throughout the
winter and announced his last performances in
December. Robin's last performance finally took
place on February 26, 1867. This eviction
brought him neither compensation nor advan-
tage because the demolition of his theater was
already planned when he signed the lease. As
fate would have it, his equipment - having been
271
ACT V
used after his death for a while by Cleverman's
former associate, the conjurer Littson, for the
ephemeral Cercle Fantastique on 8, Boulevard
Saint-Denis - was purchased by the Theatre
Robert-Houdin - Emile Robert-Houdins and
Georges Melies's programs notably reintroduced
Juno's Bird - and we can justifiably think that
his long career as a plagiarist brought him little
financial security because he ended his life as a
manager, and not an owner, of a small hotel on
Rue Mazas.
RORI in -HOUDIN
The Chess Player or La Czarine and The Secrets of Conjuring and Magic
At the beginning of 1867 Pierre Larousse
asked Robert-Houdin to contribute entries to the
Grand Dictionnaire universel du XIX" siecle for all
words relating to his art. [u] The author ac-
cepted this prestigious and benevolent task
alongside his other activities. He declined to
take part in the Exposition, although the orga-
nizers wished him to participate to such an ex-
tent that they graciously offered him all the
space he deemed necessary. The plans for the
PIERRE LAROUSSE
Dapris un baste de PBRRAUD
Illustration 389 Engraving of bust of Pierre Larousse.
From the Grand Dictionnaire unwersel du XIX'' siecle (Grand
Dictionary of the 19' Century) (op cit)
272
play about The Chess Player was taking form,
and a letter sent by Jules Adenis to Octave
Gastineau reveals the interest taken by theater
managers in working with Robert-Houdin on a
dramatic work, as well as their preoccupations
and their demands:
Paris, January 19, 1867
My dear Gastineau,
The day before yesterday I spent one hour
with Faille, the manager of the Ambigu theater. I
explained to him as clearly as possible, and the
way in which we agreed, the plans for the play
that we want to write with the help of M. Robert-
Houdin.
Basically, the chess player is fine with him; the
way that I presented it seduced the manager.
The play and the plot, the era, the characters
are, according to Faille, to be wisely discussed, but
a play based on Robert-Houdin's memories and in
which inventions of this ingenious mind would
play a role, that play, whatever it may be, greatly
interests him and he thinks it would be very suc-
cessful. We are looking for the best form and sub-
ject with him, as agreed.
But what supereedes everything according to
him is the guarantee of the success of the tricks
and surprises. He says that he does not doubt the
success of the chess player, the appearance of
Pierre Ill's shadow next to Pougatcheff, but how-
ever, whatever his trust in M. Houdin's skill, he
wants to see with his own eyes before any fur-
ther negotiation.
"I cannot," he said, "rehearse a great play for
two months, make five or six stage sets but be
halted at the last minute for a trick or effect that
would have to be redone. Each day of delay would
cost me one thousand francs, and especially in the
theater, time is money."
This is indeed a reason.
 ACT V

Illustration 390 - Robert-Houdin by Angelidis, "21, Rue Vauquelin, Paris."

ROBFRT-HOUDIN

You told me that M. R.II. could have the trick

chess plaver made by a carpenter - when is he
coming to Paris? He will have to take the time to
ROBERT-HOUDIN
come and in a secret performance, could he show
the trick to the manager and the future authors?
He will have to give guarantees to the manager
LE PRIEURE himself for other surprises to be produced...
Is this possible? Please find out as quickly as
possible because Faille is talking about the
month of April or May in order to fall right
ORGANISATIONS MYSTERIEUSES within the Exposition.
I repeat: he likes it a lot but above all, he wants
to see our famous collaborator and talk with him.
That's all and right now everything depends on
LE CONFORT ET L'AGRfiMENT
M. Robert-Houdin
A thousand friendships,
D'UNE DEMEUnE
J. Adenis
The foundations and the magic effects of
the drama La Czarine being solidly set,
Adenis, Gastineau, and Robert-Houdin came
to an agreement for this work with the man-
ager of the Ambigu theater, M. Faille. After
PARIS
this meeting, they agreed that the mechanician
MICHEL LEVY fibres, iditeurs would first create a new model of The Chess
Libralrie Nouvelle , boulevard dcs llalicns, 15.
Player. [12]
1867
Upon his return to The Priory at the begin-
ning of March, Robert-Houdin began con-
struction of the automaton with the help of
'Cousin Robert." The difficult beginnings of
the creation, whose plans he had prepared,

a.. drew pessimistic thoughts from him:

April 1" Robert came and we worked on
the chess player all day long. I
regret having undertaken this
trick, which is delaying me for
other work, and I am not sure to
succeed.
April 3"' Robert came and we worked to-
gether on the chess player - I
think I will have a hard time
managing it.
Robert-Houdin continued this construction,
hurried by Adenis and Gastineau, who came to
Illustrations 391 and 392 - Title page of the booklet The
Priory by Robert-Houdin and signature by the author visit him on April 23 and left enchanted by the
to Charles Decle. state of the work. The mechanician had just re-

274
 ACT V

Illustrations 393 and 394 - Drawings of the gardener of The Priory and Robert-Houdin by Dantan.
According to the caption of Dantan's second drawing, the sunflower was Robert-Houdin s favorite flower

Figure 395 - Olympe Robert-Houdin, Jean Martin Robert Renou, and Robert-Houdin in front of The Priory.
This photograph is an enlargement of a detail from one of the pictures taken of The Priory by Mieusement (see p 82).

275
ROBhRf-HOUDIN

Illustration 396 - Brunnet and The Talking Head at the 1867 Exposition.

276

ceived the happy news of his son Eugene's
nomination to the rank of captain. Having fin-
ished the restoration of Vaucanson's Hurdy-
gurdy Player, Robert-Houdin delivered it to the
Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers on June 4
and stayed in Paris for a while, occupying his
time with daily visits to the Exposition. He re-
turned for the month of August when his in-
ventions were presented at the ophthalmol-
ogy convention; he ran into Wolghemuth
and Brunnet, who were performing in the lecture
room for the Exposition. On October 5, Lecesne de-
livered the first proofs for Les Secrets de la prestidig-
itation et de la magie (The Secrets of Conjuring and
Magic); [13] Robert-Houdin returned to Paris on
October 23 to attend Brunnet's show at the
Exposition presenting The Talking Head, and where
he met Robin and his wife. He had very sad news
on the 25th, the death of Emile's son, little Paul,
Illustrations 39 7 and 398 - Photograph of M. De Graefe given by the eminent scientist to Robert-Houdin at their meeting at
the Ophthalmology Congress of 1867.
The handwritten note on the back of the photograph is by Robert-Houdin. (Jacques Volgntercollection)
277
ACT V
born with too fragile a constitution. Robert-
Houdin received news from Jules Adenis of
The Chess Player as well as demands for tech-
nical information on one of the episodes of his
memoirs (pages 429 to 431), which relates the
demonstration that the savant Mr. Boutigny
performed of "washing" his hands in a stream
of molten lead. [i<| He then performed the ex-
periment himself:
Paris, November 18th 1867
My dear Master
Today I had a visit from our friend and collabo-
rator Octave Gastineau, back from Touraine.
But he came with nothing!
I had hoped that he had written - in collabora-
tion with yourself - a note on the success and
harmlessness of M. Boutigny's experiments with
molten lead. That lazy man - I am not speaking of
c&v /fir
' c ' i/ A /
13 lU,u oU,t r M ,<(, 13.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

M. Boutigny - told me to contact you for scientific

proof.
Here I am at the 3'J Act; Catherine II an-
nounces to her court that the next day she will
witness the melting of a cannon or a bell, and the
Baron must offer to put his hands into the
molten lead, and as everyone is shocked, he
must give the explanation of the phenomenon
and the conditions that allow one to confront
heat of 1,800 degrees without roasting oneself.
You spoke to me of spheroids I believe, but can
I to say it in a lively fashion that is not too dry?
You know well enough everything about theater
- my dear master - to send me a little speech
about this, or (if you are too busy) to tell me
where I can find the passage in M. Boutigny's
work.
No mistake must be made before 1,800 peo-
ple among whom there will certainly be sa-
vants.
The drama is getting better and better; I
think that I can state that the first two acts are
solidly set and the more I work on it the more I
like it.
I hope to have finished by November 31" with
the year 1869 - I will send you the manuscript in
the hopes and desire that you bring it back in the
automaton in order to come to an agreement with
a manager and take our turn.
Please be kind enough to give me the informa-
tion that is blocking me.
And from near and far I am affectionately yours
J. Adenis.
Please give my best regards to Mrs. R.II.
Your young captain had his semester of vaca-
tion well depleted. Octave tells me that he is in
Avignon.

Robert-Houdin visited the chateau of the

Duke D'Avaray on December 19, where he
had stayed when he was an office boy at
Maitre Roger's (see note 34, Act I) and wrote
in his Tablettes journalieres his impressions
on the year that was ending [15]:

December 31st The year that has just ended

Illustrations 399 and 400 - Photograph and calling card of was as happy as possible for us.
Captain Eugene Robert-Houdin. Eugene made the rank of cap-

278
 ACT V

tain. Emile expropriated [with ...However, if the automaton was already fin-
a large compensation coming ished at the beginning of April, extremely fin-
up]. My entoptic inventions ished, I could begin to take steps and, the play
succeeded - Problems with the received, ask you to come with us. This would
Exposition avoided, excellent save time. But your presence, I repeat, can only
health for everyone around me be of use once the play is accepted. And this
- I am well myself except for a reading and desired reception can only take
few rheumatisms - I have noth- place after you have read the manuscript. So, be-
ing to hope for other than the fore resting, you must have:
continuation of this state for
1. received the play
my family and myself.
2. made remarks
In 1868, [16] Robert-Houdin divided his time 3. received notice of receipt by a director
It is logical, and I would not ask for more than
between all sorts of unending tasks at The
to be there...
Priory: proofreading Les Secrets de la pres-
tidigitation, creation of The Chess Player, and On March 20, Robert-Houdin received a
scholarly work. From the 12th to the 19th of letter from Bourdilliat's successor, the pub-
January, he dedicated himself to the installa- lisher Michel Levy, authorizing him to put
tion of the '"mysterious music" or "mysterious his name on the cover of his new book.
echo" in his small living room. He read Balzac
- Le Pere Goriot, Vautrin - and Ponson du
Terrail - Rocambole - and wondered about
the number of pages he would write for the
volume to follow Secrets de la prestidigita-
tion, which was about to be printed. He had
already written 250 pages of the planned 420
for the subsequent volume. On February 3, 4,
and 5 he was summoned to the court of Blois,
where he was a member of the criminal jury
judging a theft of gowns from the Saint- PRESTIDIGITATION
Nicolas church, sexual harassment of young
girls by a teacher, and theft of wheat by ma-
rauders. Robert-Houdin wrote that these ses-
sions greatly tired him. A long letter to Jules
Adenis, on March 23, 1868 informed him of
the state of the play:
...I was told that one is not bored an instant
and that if the automaton trick is as I indi-
cated, we will make piles of money with this
play...

His collaborator promised to send him the

complete manuscript in the first days of April and
reminded him of the obligation to finish The Illustrations 401 and 402 - Les Secrets de la prestidigitation et
Chess Player before beginning the final steps: de la niagie, signed by the author to Count Du Moncel.

2-9
ROBERT-HQUDIN
a Jnejt
LES SECRETS
LA PRESTIDIGITATION
LA MAGIE
Levy was therefore only Robert-Houdin's
publisher on paper, although he was in
charge of selling and distributing this work,
of which the author had him regularly de-
liver, monthly or bi-monthly, 103 copies.
Les Secrets de la prestidigitation et de la
magie (Secrets of Conjuring and Magic) is one
of the essential works of magic literature.
During each era, and decades apart, the highest
authorities in this field have emphasized the ex-
ceptional qualities of this important and vision-
ary work which after more than 150 years has
lost none of its merits and whose teachings are
still relevant. Here are the testimonies of Louis
Hoffmann in 1908 in The Wizard; Sidney W.
Clarke, The Annals of Conjuring in The Magic
Wand (1924-1928); and Jean Hugard in his mag-
azine Hugard's Magic Monthly during the 1950s:
I unhesitatingly assert that given its goal, this
book is the best contribution ever to literature on
the magic art.
280
Magic has made great steps since Robert-
Houdin's time, and the quantity of relevant litera-
ture has therefore increased. There are bigger
books covering more terrain, more current books,
but not one of them is better - and even as good....
The other books teach the neophyte how to per-
form tricks - this one teaches one how to become
a conjurer, in the full sense of the term.
Professor Hoffmann
...a veritable textbook on conjuring, a trust-
worthy and to this day complete guide on the
subtleties, artifices, and manipulations which
make up the art of conjuring. Step by step, the
neophyte learns the essence of the art, the
sleight-of-hand, preparation, presentation, dia-
logue, and routines; and the experiments de-
scribed are more conceived as lessons and com-
binations of details than as the revelation of
conjurer's procedures.
Sidney W. Clarke
Today almost one hundred years after Robert-
Houdin wrote this book, there is no work compa-
rable to it. If all the other books that were written
on magic were to be destroyed, the entire magic
art could be reconstructed thanks to this sole
work.
Jean Hugard
In one of the rough drafts of the manu-
script of this pioneering work, Robert-
Houdin wrote a chapter that remained a
sketch, dealing with a few books and
brochures compiling conjuring tricks. In a
short paragraph the author expressed his dis-
approval of all form of exposure for purely
financial reasons, which clearly rendered him
indignant, and one may regret that he did not
decide to publish this informative "mood let-
ter," which has lost none of its relevance:
Compilers still find excuses for their mercantile
aim, their works selling for less than those of their
predecessors. But what one cannot understand is

how these incompetent self-styled conjurers are
satisfied to reveal in cheap booklets the secrets of
tricks that they themselves barely know, for the
sole benefit of putting their names on an almanac
and harming those they want to despoil. They ob-
tain no other result than tarnishing the audience's
illusion.
Les Secrets de la prestidigitation was proposed
to the public at the beginning of April. At this time
a third, revised edition was planned, in a large for-
mat, of Confidences d'un prestidigitateur, pub-
lished by Lecesne in Blois, which would first be
offered to subscribers of three regional newspa-
pers, L'Echo Dunois, La France centrale, and Le
Journal de Loir-et-Cher. An identical Parisian edi-
tion, except for the introduction, would be pub-
lished under the label of A. Delahays, bookseller-
publisher. [17] These two editions were entitled:
Confidences et Revelations - Comment on devient
ROBERT-HOUDIN
CONFIDENCES
ET
REVELATIONS
COMMENT ON DEVIENT S0RC1ER
ill ill
L|| ilslBu
it*
| | Hiliii |||p|!
DINE CAUJGRiPHIpUE
BLOIS
LECESNC, IMPRIMEUR-ED1TEUR
RUE DES 1'APF.GAUr
Illustrations 403 and 4O4 - Title page of the Blois and Parisian editions of Confidences et Revelations in 1868.
281
ACT V
sorcier (Confidences and Revelations How to be-
come a Wizard).
Robert-Houdin learned that the play had been
accepted from Jules Adenis's letter as follows:
Dear master,
Great news! Just when I was beginning the 10th
and last tableau of your play I received a notice
that my friend Plouvier's play, in rehearsal at the
Ambigu, needed so many changes that the perfor-
mance is adjourned and that the theater is looking
for a play to replace Plouvier's. Immediately I
wrote to Faille that I am ready: he gave me a read-
ing for the next day at 6:30 in the evening, I stayed
up all night doing the last tableau. I read Saturday
night the 2 tableaus and the next day Sunday the
last 4.
Received with numerous shows of satisfaction.
In the midst of all this commotion I did not
have time to send you the manuscript, because I
did not have time to have a second copy made.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
CONFIDENCES
ET
REVELATIONS
COMMENT ON DEVIENT SORCIER
pli
\I
Mr.tO3!SE CAUIGRAPHIQUE
PARIS
A. DELAHAYS, LIBRAIRE-EDITEUR
I i[ 6, nt Caiimir Ddavigat
RODERT-HOUDIN
But here is what was agreed:
Either we begin rehearsal on Thursday 23"' to
perform on the 19"' to the 20th of May or we will
wait until August; this depends on Mme. Marie-
Laurent, who will play the role of Catherine II.
If we begin rehearsal on Thursday, you must
absolutely come to Paris and you will therefore
read the play in Paris. If we are put off until
August, I will send you the manuscript at the end
of the week and I will keep you informed of the
situation.
The lead tableau has been eliminated.
The contraption or mystification and the ap-
pearance of the Czar remain.
I took it upon myself to tell Faille that three
weeks would suffice for you to decorate the au-
tomaton and the dais and prepare the apparition.
I hope that you will not prove me wrong [...].
DIVERS ESCAMOTAGES
Sees de monnaie, muscades, boules, cartes et bouchons.
(reir aux articles traiiant cesobjets)
282
Another letter dated April 24lh informed him
that the play must ''go on in three weeks." The
mechanician then went to Paris on the 27th with
The Chess Player, which, he said, was still in a
"rough stage." On May 3ld he was back at The
Priory for the finishing touches on the automa-
ton which, once finished and packaged,
weighed 600 pounds. Before leaving Paris,
Robert-Houdin gave a model and outlines for
the Ghosts, which would be the object of one
of the tableaus of the play [is], to M. Zara, the
theater manager. In keeping with the artist's
wishes, he would fulfill all demands and no-
tably that of providing a large mirror without
silver, essential for the trick. Robert-Houdin
was worried about the care that had to be
ROBERT-HOUDIN
LES SECRETS
PRESTIDIGITATION
3LA MAGIE
COMMENT ON DEVIENT SOGGIER
Nomtocouses gravures
PARIS
MICHEL, LEVY FrSres, Editeurs
Rut Vimnnt, % bit, et Boalewd del Ililteni, i 5
A LA LIBRAlItlE NOUVKI.LK
1868
Drolls f!c reproduction et tie traduction reserves
Illustrations, 405 and 406 - Frontispiece engraving and title
page of Les Secrets de la prestidigitation et de la tnagie
by Robert-Houdin.
 ACT V

jerie. A* 12i U IVE CEVTIJIES. Dimaneke t i Juiit 186S.

LE BOUFFON
RtOHCIlOU

Paraissant la DIMANCHE
UEPOIS LE 15 AVRIL IMS BUREAUX SOST TRAKSFERftS : 4 9 , KCE MONTMARTKE.

LA CZARINE A L'AMBIGU
ROBERT HOTJDIN EN RTJSSIK

gameH**, mm content de jtw

nVspirsit * rieu
litroiu-. C
xAnnnx":^ Cn.\iujnw\ joi jHi-sait ta uioitif lie

La nature i'avait eiwj* pour t;lr* bonne
u*nfaLDt% ou- rile louaait dans le n^Itteire
rone fscon rman{a%ble; ao liea d cU elle
lail rttriw de loales Ie3 B u ^ e s . U j ' a ties
L Iettticir K|UVI1VI aviil aiiai Uil ufi &iia-
f ? soldat du uoui d'Oriof, qu'elle avaii fait
<eu n.J :)' ,|c ut' sls ou- et Hi- \\%iU f-tt VHCtU
Iu iitov*rlie * ( / i*t st. peril sit |$lrr
trop sea^lbie * z-9tne lul dim
uc jeuiie soidaS |'!@t de nettle, fthtL tint
AWa*'h nail ef Jour BI S |MT
\ Ue rjto^ue fori'iuet it* ^t"lda.t ?
[ttniuit sou h.jvti dc &.-'?< I|UQ

omtt et geaen! de tcatea Sfe arua^s. 3Uk

Illustration 40 - La Czarine at the Theatre de l'Amblgu, "Robert-Houdin in Russia."

283
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration ^08 - The Chess Player by Robert-Houdin.

This photograph was taken by Mieusement at The Prior) in April 1869

28-1

brought to the programmed effects, and won-
dered whether he should officially co-sign the
work or simply attach his name to his Chess
Player. The authors sensed this uncertainty and
sent him letters to reassure him as well as to re-
mind him of the necessity of his presence:
Thursday
Dear Master and friend.
Thank you for your letter and excellent dispo-
sitions.
I only regret that you are worrying yourself for
no reason.
Again, we need the automaton and its accou-
trements and the dais that you proposed. That's
all, that's all! But it is essential that it be tried out
and finished in 3 weeks.
As for the apparition of Pierre III and the sec-
ond to last tableau:
You proposed a tomb topped with a plaster
statue, which is broken and put back together
LA
CZARINE
DRAME EN CINQ ACTES ET T1UIT TABLEAUX
tin
JULES ADEN1S ET OCTAVE GAST1NEAU
L'AUTOMATE, JOUKUR o'ffcHttos
T A R M . R O B E R T - H O
PARIS
MICHEL LEVY FKERES, L1BBA1RES EIHTErRS
ROE vlYIUNHli, 2 n i s , I:T n o u i . r v A U D
A LA L I B V U I I U E N O O V E L L E
1868
Di'oiU do reproduction, de tradtictioa et de representation rfisorve'
Illustration 409 - Title page of the brochure of La Czarine.
ACTV
again: then the tsar comes out of the tomb,
takes off his shroud, his face becomes flushed
and he sits up...
Well? If this causes a few difficulties or delay,
according to the disposition of the theater, it is
agreed that the actor will appear alone, lit up by a
green electric light, as with the magician in
Hamlet on the Red bridge.
Please be perfectly reassured - there are pre-
cisely two choices:
1-The automaton
2-The apparition...optional - by the mirror
And this last one is subject to the layout of the
theater.
Now, dear master, I read to the artists on
Saturday or Sunday -
Do not forget that once the reading done,
Octaye and I would forfeit the terms of the
agreement contracted with the managers, an
amount of one thousand francs per act, mean-
ing 5 thousand francs if by our fault the theater
could not perform the play at the set time. I
hope that you will not giye up and in the hopes
of seeing you.
I am cordially yours,
Jules Adenis
62-Faubourg Poissonniere
The play will not be called The Chess Player,
but the Czarine, and Faille will do what you like.
We will include your name in the way you like. We
U D I N
will talk about that. At any rate, get started, we are
waiting for you -
As of May 15th, Robert-Houdin had returned
to Paris and was working on the finalizations
of The Chess Player in the basement of the
Ambigu in a "terrible" heat. On May 28lh, re-
hearsal of the Ghosts. Robert-Houdin had se-
rious problems with a stage-hand who was
not doing a competent job, and the next-day
DBS ITALIENS, I D
was the dress rehearsal before fifty guests.
The author wrote in Tablettes journalieres:
Eyerything worked well. The chess player was
applauded. The decor of the Ghosts took a long time
to set up and we finished at 3 o'clock in the morning.
285
ROBERT-HOUDIN

, t : - : : ; j : ! : i i : : : : j : : ; : :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

>< r ' :*:: !; i i i ; : :', X '.'. J- j TT"'T"T '' "'"'* -

nWlllllllllllllmlllllllllllM

Illustrations 410 and 411 - Technical drawings by Robert-Houdin for the illusion of the Ghosts in La Czarine at the Theatre
de l'Ambigu.
These unpublished documents which come from Robert-Houdms archives show all aspects ol this legendary illusion.

286

fz*Z' %_.
Illustration 412 Catherine II of Russia playing against The Chess Player by Robert-Houdin in La Czarine.
The trials were not very good because of the awk-
wardness and bad will of the stage-hand.
The day of the 30th was dedicated to fixing
different little problems of the show and the
first performance was "successful" and
warmly applauded. After a few cuts in the
text and various technical improvements, it
seems that the play took flight, the income in-
creased, and the press published very lauda-
tory reviews.
Robert-Houdin's Chess Player was based
on a different psychological principle than
that of its creator, M. Von Kempelen. In the
original, the art of the presentation consisted
in successively opening the doors of the cab-
inet which contained the mechanisms, and
convincing the audience that the automaton
could not contain a human being. In that of
Robert-Houdin, the principle is exactly the
opposite. The main theme of La Czarine is that
Von Kempelen's character is building a fake au-
28~
ACT V
tomaton to help the young Christian escape
the anger of Catherine II of Russia. During the
play, the audience therefore knows that
Christian is hidden in the desk of the au-
tomaton and they assume that the fact of
opening the doors successively allows the
actor to move from one compartment to the
next. Having therefore led the audience down
the garden path, Robert-Houdin then created
two very strong effects one after the other,
which amazed the audience and won this
scene hearty applause. Let us first remember
that the automaton was set on an uncovered
dais that eliminated all possibility of "escape"
through a trap door. Here is how the climax
of the automaton scene took place:
During a dramatic scene where Catherine II
is surrounded by police searching Von
Kempelen's house looking for Christian, the
Viennese scientist demonstrates his Chess
Player for the sovereign. She then has a
ROBKRT-HOUDIN

THEATRE DE LAIY1BIGU - C0M1QUE

IMMENSE SUCCES
Tous les Soirs b 1 henres 3/4,

LA CZARINE
Drame nouveau en CINQ actes et HUIT tableaux, de
MM. JULES ADENIS & OCTAVE GASTINEAU
L'Automate Joucnr d'fichecs, et les Apparitions de
ffl. ROBERT-HOUDIN
Mme MARIE-LAURENT
Joue Catherine II.
Les nitres principaux r51es par MM, REGNIER, MONTAL, OMEH, ALLART,
RICHEZ, MACHANETTE, PERNIN, M" MARIE-VANNOY,CH, BARDV,
Au (3rae Tableau, a 9 h . 1/2

LE CELEBRE AUTOMATE
Invente au sicclc dernier par un savant Hoiigrols, le Baron BE KEMPELEN,
un des personnages de la piece, et dont le secret perdu, a eta retrouve,
apres des recherches infmies, par fli. B5OJ5i:it'I'~fill l I \ .
Les Litterateurs des deux moncles out tous essaye de donner des explica-
tions sur cette merveilleuse invention, et tous ont passe a cote de la verite,
Ce qu'il y a d'incontestable, e'est que M. DE KEMPELEN sauva la vie a un
proscrit, en le rendant invisible a tous les yeux, au moment meme ou il
venait de faire une partie d'ecliecs avec son persecuteur.
Cette scene, que le 6 tableau de LA CZARINE reproduit en entier, est de
L'effet le plus saisissant, et fait courir au THEATRE de L'AMBIGU-COMIQUE
tout Paris, qui applaudit en meme temps Fceuvre et les eminents artistes qui
L'interpretont: "lIASSIi: B . 4 I U I %T en tete.
Le Drame commeDce a 7 beures 3/4 e t finit i l l heures 3/4
27 Paris. Typ. Morns et Cuinp., rue Amelt,

Illustration 413 Bill of La Czarine at the Theatre de l'Ambigu.

288
 ACT V

discreet aside with one of her henchmen and
for a few seconds turns her gaze away from the
automaton, which Catherine II seems to find
suspicious. During this conversation, the sover-
eign and the policemen look away from The
Chess Player. The young premier Christian,
wanting to turn himself in so as not to cause
harm to his hosts, comes out of the top half of
the body above the desk to exchange a few
words with Von Kempelen. The latter makes a
sign telling him to immediately return to his
hiding place, which Christian hurriedly does.
Catherine II, believing that she has heard a
noise, turns around and orders Von Kempelen
to open the doors of the automaton buffet.
Instead of opening the doors successively, as usual,
he opens them all at the same time, front and back,
as well as the large drawer on the bottom, and
opens the Chess Player's robe. Christian has
"truly" disappeared! The audience's astonishment
and their applause barely dissipated. Von
Kempelen closes the doors and drawer and im-
mediately sets the automaton to work again:
checkmate\
The sudden disappearance of the hero of the
play, followed by his sudden "reappearance",
was one of the most applauded magic effects of
the play.
Robert-Houdin, congratulated on all sides, at-
tended almost all the performances, and on June 14th,
he wrote his demand for admission to the Societe
des Gens de Lettres (Society of Men of Letters).
Although Robert-Houdin presented his candidature

f
Jd .

L
r-
/' '

<P

~^t s.

r
v. B^Jt^^^
/' >t>^4# . ... ^ _ J ^
Jif- ^-J^4 HUM -/a*uj ni* .

3'.

Illustrations 4l4. 415 and 416 - Admission request by Robert-Houdin to the Societe des Gens de Lettres (Society of Men of
Letters).

289
ROBfcRT-HoUDIN
itS
r^,^"7 '
Robert-Houdin's two sponsors who signed this request were G.
de Landelle and Jules Adenis.
well, the associates seemed neither to refuse
nor accept and the author had to wait for six-
teen months before hearing the verdict! This
episode once again illustrated the fight led by
Robert-Houdin to position his art next to other
disciplines and to overcome prejudices in all
forms, including that of literary figures of his
time. He triumphed over each of these setbacks
and small humiliations with an infinite patience
linked to an unwavering determination. In this
particular case, it was thanks to the intervention
of his colleague and friend Jules Adenis that he
finally received confirmation of his admission
into the venerable society on November 9, 1869.
Here are a few extracts from the letter sent by
Jules Adenis to announce this belated but good
news:
290
SOCIETE
W
BES GESS DE LETTRES
fold
tett t
XmUii /m<J 4euAj" Javtvf iuttotk * d
Illustration 417 - Letter confirming Robert-Houdin's admis-
sion into the Societe des Gens de Lettres.
My dear colleague and friend
I learned on Monday evening that at 4 o'clock
on that same day you had been unanimously ac-
cepted. I am pleased about this unanimity and I
gave cards to the main members.
You could send some to the Society's headquar-
ters to Leo Lespes (Timothy Trimm) who I was
told was very enthusiastic about your admission.
Finally, it is done. I had no other merit than
conquering a ridiculous prejudice and (which es-
pecially motivated me) obliging you...
Following the success of the play at the
Ambigu, Robert-Houdin received the proposi-
tion from a drama agent named Kuschnick to
do a tour of La Czarine in the provinces. He
also noted his appointments with the press in
Tablettes journalieres-.
 ACT V

Illustration 418 - The facade of the Theatre de l'Ambigu in June 1868.

291
ROBERT-HOUDIN
,,,. i M o^.. hut cA^-y...,, Lu..
7
Illustration 419 Letter from Robert-Houdin to the drama
agent Kuschnick.
This letter set the rental conditions for the automaton Chess
Player during the tour in the provinces of Zfl Czarine as
well as royalties due to Robert-Houdin. (Jacques Voigniercollec- appoint Hamilton, who had
tion)
June 15dl I dined at Vallee's with Tony
Revillon, Montselet, Labedoliere
and other journalists. A man's
dinner. Labedoliere did an im-
promptu song about me. Monselet
recited poetry. I could not avoid
doing something.
On June 16th, Robert-Houdin, back at The
Priory, wrote to Engel in Berlin and to the im-
presario Wolghemuth, as an answer to their re-
quest for information on La Czarine.
Strangely, the publication of Les Secrets de
la prestidigitation et de la magie, which sold
292
well, irritated Cleverman. who picked a fight
with Hamilton, then with Robert-Houdin over
this book:
July 3 ul I received a letter from Ghocat
[Hamilton] about a letter that
Cleverman wrote to him about
our sale of the theater. I was at
M. Vallon's [lawyer] to ask him
about Hamilton's letter.
th
July 4 I wrote to Hamilton to calm him
down on my position with re-
spect to Cleverman.
th
August 11 I received a letter from
Cleverman about my new book
Secrets de la prestidigitation. It
bothered me for the rest of the
day.
th
August 12 I wrote to Cleverman saying that
I had the right to do my book
through a clause in the sale con-
tract. I showed my letter to
M. Vallon.
August 26"' I received a letter from
Cleverman telling me that he had
not received my last letter. I sent
him a copy with a second letter,
which I sent with a receipt.
Cleverman's recriminationscould only dis-
offered him a
great opportunity, and also Robert-Houdin,
to whom he owed so much. Robert-Houdin,
after this new pettiness, broke off contact
with him.
In July, Robert-Houdin was back in Paris
where he welcomed Herr Engel from Berlin,
and they both went to see the play at the
Ambigu. The two men agreed upon the finan-
cial terms of La Czarine for Germany: 1,500
francs for the rental of the automaton and
royalties.
The war between the two countries ended
the project.
The last performance of the play took place
on July 19th. Robert-Houdin packed up his ma-

terial, said his farewells to everyone and re-
turned to The Priory on the 25th.
During the month of August, his son Emile,
now living on boulevard des Italiens, sent him
an assistant to help him in his work. This Mr.
Gamier took care of various tasks, among
which fixing the mechanisms of The Genie of
the Roses whose large dancer Robert-Houdin
had dismantled. On August 26th, the happy
grandfather learned that his daughter-in-law
had that evening given birth to a boy, Joseph
Eugene Henri, whose godfather was his
younger son Eugene. On the 17th, 18th, and 19Ih
of September, Robert-Houdin had the young
actor Carpentier rehearse with the Chess
Player as he played the part of Christian dur-
ing the tour and, on September 20Ih, he did his
first session of posing for Mieusement for the
different portraits accompanying the future
Blois and Parisian editions of Confidences et
Revelations. On the 11th and 12th of October,
Mieusement came to photograph the exterior
of The Priory. The tour in the provinces of La
Czarine, which had begun in Dieppe on
September 24th, seemed to be destined for suc-
cess in terms of audience, but given the costs,
it was only a modest financial success [19] for
293
ACT V
the promoter, Mr. Kuschnick. Robert-Houdin
attended the performance given in Orleans
before a "full house" and the premier in Blois
before a "bursting house''. The author added:
"The automaton was highly applauded." It
would seem that Robert-Houdin had planned
to build a second Chess Player for the tour in
the provinces, but, for lack of time, he used
the one from the Ambigu theater. His collabo-
rator Jules Adenis, who had just asked for the
automaton in "forty-eight hours" for a possible
replaying of La Czarine in Paris, gently be-
rated him for this. On November 19th. facing
the possibilities offered for performances in
the capital as well as abroad, Robert-Houdin
began the manufacture of another Chess
Player and, at the end of December 1868, we
see the traditional resume of the year:
December 31" This year, except for a few fa-
tigues that I endured for my
chess player in Paris, was very
happy for us. We had fairly
good health for our age and no
serious worries - we can only
hope for the continuation of
this situation.
ROBFR'I-HOUDIN
The Grand Affair, The Odometer, and Dr. Epstein
Robert-Houdin dedicated the beginning of
the year 1869 to finishing Chess Player no. 2. In
January he also began to set up his little
Theatre des Spectres (Ghost Theater) in the old
dairy of The Priory. At the end of the month, he
went to Paris and on January 22 met a German
artist whose identity he did not reveal: "At the
hotel I met a conjurer I had seen in Berlin." He
visited Charles Comte at Les Bouffes-Parisiens -
probably for a biographical passage on the
King's Conjurer - and on January 27 accompa-
nied by Emile, he went to see the conjurer
Epstein at the Salle Hertz. In fact, this journey
to Paris was only a pretext to establish the first
contacts concerning what Robert-Houdin called
in his Tablettes journalieres "my Grand Affair.''
This ''Grand Affair" was the request for the
Legion d'Honneur. Robert-Houdin, encouraged
by his entourage and scientist friends, had been
thinking about it for several months already,
and this legitimate ambition occupied his
thoughts and made him take certain steps in the
weeks to follow.
On February 1, Robert-Houdin was back at
The Priory, where a letter from M. Martorell
from Montevideo was awaiting him. He worked
on the finishing touches of The Chess Player
no. 2 and wrote in his Tablettes journalieres:
February 7th I worked on automaton no. 2. In
the evening we tried the automa-
ton with the children. Eglantine
played the Gzarine; Georges,
Christian; and myself, M. Yon
Kempelen.
February 8"'I worked on automaton no. 2,
which I finally finished. It
worked out well. M. Ranc arrived
at five o'clock. At dinner were
294
M. and lime. Lescene, Marie
Lecesne, M. Jollois, Dufay,
Father Ranc, and the Roberts
(me and my wife, Georges, and
Eglantine). It was served by
M. Morand and Alexandre. After
dinner we did the scene of the
Chess Player automaton and it
was a great success.
Eglantine and Georges played
their parts well. We played a bit
of music afterwards. We played
ecarte until 11:30.
Amateurs from around the world, as we have
already noted, corresponded with Robert-
Houdin and the master made it his duty to an-
swer them. The next person to come onstage
could boast of having made a particularly long
trip in order to talk to him:
February 11* I received a letter from Emile an-
nouncing the visit of M. Martorell
from Montevideo...At 3 o'clock
M. Martorell came and stayed
until 6 o'clock - we talked about
conjuring. He is a young man
very impassioned about conjur-
ing and traveled to Paris to speak
with me.
February 14th M. Martorell from Montevideo
came in the afternoon. He had
dinner with us. He is a very in-
telligent and skillful young man
and wants to be a conjurer. He
said he was sent to France by his
government to perfect himself in
physique.
We can assume that these few days spent
in the company of Robert-Houdin were
valuable to this young M. Martorell, whose
 ACT V

Illustration 420 - Robert-Houdin by Mieusement.

ROBI R"I -HOI DIN

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Illustrations 421 to 424 and 42 to 430 - Draft of the request for admission to the Legion d'Honneur by Robert-Houdin.
 ACT V

PABIS. S&mca donnie aux Tuileries, devant U u n M&jestfa et le Prince Imperial, par le doeteur Ejtfteto.

destiny may one day be related by a South

American historian.

In Paris on February 26, Dr. Epstein an-

nounced the prolongation of his magic and
conjuring soirees at the theater at 26 [6?],
Boulevard des Italiens." where he performed
until mid-March, and was invited to perform be-
fore the Emperor at the Tuileries palace. On
April 22 at a performance given at the Cirque
Napoleon (today Cirque d'Hiver), the conjurer
was the victim of a serious accident during the
bullet-catching trick. Every evening Dr. Epstein
invited a member of the audience onstage to
help him with this effect, asked him to examine
a rifle, and after the weapon was loaded in the
usual fashion, asked him to point it at his heart.
The operator was negligent in a way that could LL DOCTEl'R KPSTEIX,

have been fatal because he forgot to remove Illustrations 425 and 426 - Engravings of Dr. Epstein.

29"
ROBERT-HOUDIN

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298

from the rifle the ramrod used to pack in the
gunpowder. When the shot rang out. Dr. Epstein
fell in a heap. The ramrod had gone through
the left side of his chest. [20] Healed from his
wounds, he was able to resume his perfor-
mances as of June 1.
In March and April, while continuing his
work on optics, Robert-Houdin installed his
Hermit in one of the caves of the property
and provided it with a mechanism that al-
lowed its head and body to move. The
learned mechanician also spent time on the
terrace of The Priory in his camera obscura,
whose long view he perfected. Several years
after his death, this earned him credit for the
invention of the periscope, which his as-
cending and pivoting telescope uncannily re-
sembled.
In his Tablettes journalieres of March
th
15 , Robert-Houdin wrote: "Robert came
to dine with us to sign the request for the
Grand Affair."
A written request to the Minister estab-
lished by members of the family was the first
step in the procedure to obtain the Legion
d'Honneur. The co-signers were Robert-
Houdin's cousin, Jean Martin Robert: his rela-
tive Adam Ruelle, the former notary: and his
two sons Emile and Eugene. The contents of
this carefully written document emphasized
Robert-Houdin's mechanical creations, his re-
search and success in the field of watchmak-
ing and electricity, and his numerous scien-
tific and literary works, and also stressed the
political importance of his mission in Algeria
serving France.
For this step to have the best chance of
succeeding, it needed to be accompanied by
the testimony of persons who supported it.
Administrative protocol undoubtedly attempt-
ing to avoid each candidate flooding them
with long letters, the recommendations had
to fit onto a single sheet of ministerial-format
299
ACT V
paper, which forced the candidates for this
high distinction to be extremely selective in
the choice of their supporters, who had to be
very brief. For months, Robert-Houdin had to
arrange visits to those whose approbation he
did not doubt, and little by little, the essen-
tial document began to be covered with the
tributes rendered to his talent by some of the
most learned and influential men of the time.
Here is the text of their testimony:
Having been able to appreciate the merits of in-
ventions and the utility of M. Robert-Houdin's
works for a long time, I support with insistence the
request made in his favor
Edmond Becquerel
I join my son in recommending to the Minister
of Public Instruction the request of M. Robert-
Houdin's family. His work, through its originality
and usefulness, deserves the reward that has been
solicited in his favor.
Paris, March 23, 1869
Becquerel
I do not know anyone more deserving of the
honor than M. Robert-Houdin
Babinet
I join my testimony to that of my honorable
colleagues in recognizing M. Robert-Houdin's
merits in his application of mechanics and optics
to the use of [Illegible word] and his scientific
research.
Baron Jules Gloquet
I have been particularly able to appreciate
the tools of physiological optics conceived by
M. Robert-Houdin. I certify that by his talents
in mechanics and his studies of physics and op-
tical phenomena, M. Robert-Houdin has ren-
dered great services to industry and science.
J. Gavarret
As a member of the jury of expositions of in-
dustry products, I have been able to directly as-
sess the merit of the mechanical and scientific
works of M. Robert-Houdin and I am happy to
ROBERT -HOUDIN

join my colleagues of the academy to call upon

the benevolence of His Excellency concerning
this skillful artist deserving of the favor solicited
for him.
Baron Seguier of the Institute, Vice President of
the Societe d'Encouragement de l'lndustrie
National.
With this precious asset and confident of
the benevolence of the Minister of Public
Instruction, Robert-Houdin's steps would
have been able to begin but he did not file
his request because one of the co-signers
warned him of ministerial changes.
Robert-Houdin then wisely decided to
wait, but serious political events in France
long prevented the filing of his request. In
I S e.LL(J o k June 1869, riots and barricades in Paris
forced the government to step down and the
A pa r a 11o s c o p e Z Oitn e r following year, war was declared against
Prussia. Robert-Houdin would probably have
pursued his "Grand Affair" after the end of
^r _^f ^* ^r ^* this conflict. Unfortunately he did not have
the chance.
N. At the beginning of 1869, Emile Robert-
Houdin was again about to launch into a
s s / s s sy ^ s ' *s>iC>' N
new business venture. A large part of
Parisian horse-drawn carriages and coaches
belonged to a very powerful company, La
Compagnie des Petites Voitures, and this
V VVVVV company, wanting to reduce the negative
. N. S. N. *s. N.
reputation of drivers and the arbitrary price
of rides, decided to launch a call for pro-
///////S/////////S posals to any manufacturer or inventor ca-
pable of creating reliable and solid odome-
ters and furnishing them in great quantities.
This opportunity literally bewitched Emile,
who saw the possibility of making a fortune,
and he decided to enter this competition by
Cp S investing everything he could and beyond.
LXlz Robert-Houdin, faithful to his ways, helped
him as much as possible in the mechanical
domain but disapproved of the excessive fi-
Illustrations 431 and 432 - Drawings by Robert-Houdin of
his optical illusions. nancial risks his son was taking.

300
 ACT V

Emile had already begun manufacturing a On the 14th, Robert-Houdin went to Paris to
prototype but, facing certain difficulties he Emile's shop. He worked there all day with an
encountered, which he expressed to his fa- assistant on the transmission of his son's
ther, Robert-Houdin also decided to ponder odometers, which were very difficult to adapt
a design for an odometer. [21] As of the be- to the shapes of the carriages and their jolts.
ginning of April, Robert-Houdin worked Confronted with these problems, he finished
every day on a first model and presented the a note about his son with these words: "I do
result of his work to Emile at The Priory on not know if I can help him manage this."
After a week entirely dedicated to this me-
June 1:
chanical problem, Robert-Houdin wrote in his
Emile arrived at five o'clock; together, we tried Tablettes journalieres:
the odometer I made for his project and to facili-
September 20th[Paris] I finished the trans-
tate the work he was undertaking with La
Gompagnie de Petites Voitures. Emile left this mission for the odometers
evening and we tried it in the evening;
it is fine and fulfills all the de-
Robert-Houdin resumed his activity in op- sired conditions.
tics for a few weeks, took care of the print- September 21s1 [Paris] I worked a bit on the
ing of his scientific booklets, and pursued transmission. At noon one of
various activities he had put aside. In mid- the administrators [0/ the
company] came to see it and
July, he went to Paris and wrote on the 18th
in his Tablettes journalieres: "I went to chez
Emile, who was finishing his first odometer. I
went with him to Petites Voitures; it went
poorly and we stayed with M. Jenissieux until
6 o'clock." Luckily on the 27th, back in Paris,
he wrote this sentence: "I went to chez
Emile, who gave his first odometer to La
Compagnie de Petites Voitures. They are very
pleased with it." However, on the 29th of the
month, Robert-Houdin resumed work on his
own odometer, which he intended to im-
prove. He wrote on August 2: "I worked on
the car odometer; this invention is quite dif-
ficult." While the mechanician worked daily
on the odometer and also on his little
Theatre des Spectres and his camera obscura,
in which he obtained "very strange views,"
he received a letter from Emile saying that he
was ready to sign a deal for his odometers
with La Compagnie des Petites Voitures. On
September 9, another letter announced the
sad news of the death of his friend Dantan,
victim of a stroke on the promenade of Bade
on September 6. Illustration 433 - Small model of a camera obscura

301
ROBERT-HOUDIN
we went to the carriage at
the depot, where two other
administrators complimented
me.
One may imagine that Robert-Houdin was
far from being satisfied with this result, be-
cause as soon as he got back to The Priory,
he immediately began fervently working on
the creation of his own model and did so for
the entire month of October and November.
In his Tablettes journalieres of November 11,
he gave a short description of the progress of
his work:
I worked on the carriage odometer and went
with my wife to Blois to try it out; it works well
although it is just in a rough stage now. I at-
tached it to the front of my carriage; it is a
square plate - at the top is a clock face for the
time and on the bottom a kilometer dial divided
into 100 decameters - when the hand has gone
around once, a kilometer appears in the window
- tens of kilometers are in another window.
Inside, on a piece of paper, the kilometers are
marked with their speed - as well as stops and
slowdowns.
302
In November, while he was working daily
on this invention, Robert-Houdin wrote;
November 27th I have been waiting for
Emile's letter for a month
about his great affair with
the carriages and I am very
worried.
At the end of the year, a few rheumatisms
forced him to stay indoors, w h e r e he spent
most of his time writing his second volume
of Les Secrets de la prestidigitation et de la
magie, or working on the definition of cer-
tain words requested by Pierre Larousse
and, as usual, on December 31st he wrote
an optimistic commentary on the year 1869:
[22]
The year that has just ended was happy
enough for us except for a few passing indisposi-
tions. I am fine. We have had nothing very bad
happen and we can only hope that the year be-
ginning will be likewise.
 AcrV

THEATRE FAURE-NICOLAY
Boulevard tics llaliens, ( 2 , Passage dc l'Opera, Galerie tin Baromttrc
ANCIENNK SAIXE BEETHOVEN, NOUVEf.LEMENT DECOHEE

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Repr6sentation tous les soirs k 8 heures 1/4

LES DIMANCHES, A 2 HEURES, SANS PREJUDICE DE CELLE DU SOIR

, 41 f'r. FauteullH, 3 fr. SKalle, a f t - . Gnlorle, * fV.

LBS BRFANT3 PAYERONT DEMr-PLACE POOR LES SEANCES DE

Lo Bureau da Location est ouvert de deux heures a oinq heures,

LEQONS PARTlCULlfiRES ET SfiAT^CES EN VILLE.

Illustration 434 - Cover of the program of the Theatre Faure-Nicolay, which opened its doors in October 1869 at 12,
Boulevard des Italiens, Passage de l'Opera.

303
ROBERT-HOUDIN
The Year of All Sorrows
The year 1870, during which Robert-Houdin
would extensively suffer in his body and soul,
began with a long litany of problems for Emile,
who, in these circumstances as in others, ac-
cepted the common-sense advice dictated by
his father's business experience.
I have already presented Emile as having un-
limited admiration for his father, and it is prob-
ably this excess of eagerness to resemble him in
every way that made him oppose him so often.
Curiously, until the death of the master, Emile
Robert-Houdin accumulated every possible mis-
take imaginable. The brilliant position that his
Illustration 435 - Emile Robert-Houdin by Disderi.
304
father desired for him, and for which he was
probably not prepared, tore this bitter comment
from him, in a letter of January 25, 1870 ad-
dressed to Robert-Houdin: "...and it is certain
that I am more of an artisan than a business-
man, having been the apprentice of one and
not the other." There is much truth and sincer-
ity in this simple sentence and we must not
judge Emile too severely. As soon as the tute-
lary shadow of his father no longer weighed on
his shoulders, he showed unsuspected artistic
and business qualities.
For the time being, the Tablettes journalieres
of 1870 enlighten us about Robert-Houdin's
state of depression. For months his son's situa-
tion was his sole obsession, his sole worry, to
such an extent that he neglected most of his
other activities.
January 2nd I received a letter from Emile
telling me that his business was
not finished.
January 28th I received a letter from Emile
telling me that he has just signed
an agreement with the company
for the odometers and telling me
of the problematic position that
he finds himself in. It made me
ill and I did nothing all day. I
wrote to M. Adam asking him to
see Emile.
th
January 29 I wrote a long letter to Emile on
his business position and advis-
ing him to file bankruptcy. All
this makes me sad and sick and I
can do nothing.
dl
January 30 Up at eight o'clock. I slept very
badly. I am too depressed and very
sad. I have decided to send Emile
part of what he is asking me for
 ACT V

Illustration 436 - Profiles of Robert-Houdin and his wife by Dantan accompanied by a quatrain by Robert-Houdin.
ROBFRT-HOUDIN

THEATRE FAURE-NICOLAY
Passage de l'Opfta.
IMMENSE SUCCftS

TOUS LES DIMANCHES & JEUDIS

Deux Seances
la Premiere 4 2 h. 1(4, la seconde u 8 h. 1/2.

SPECTACLE EXCEPTIONAL, NOLYEAli REPERTOIRE

Offeit par

FAURE-NXGOLAY
Phtjsicien-Prttttdigitateur, agrei des cours de Fiance, du Nordet d'Oneni.
La premiere partie comprendr.i la science modernp cr&e detois Comte, liosco, Ro-
bert-Hondm jusqu'a nos jours. Les experiences de Haute Magie Humoristique, de
PUysHfne, d'Hiusion, de M<ten6tisoie etde Spiitfisme divnlgae seront repr^seale'es
d'tme maaiere eompletement nouveHe.
La deuxieme partie se composers de

SfaflCE DE PRESTIDIGITATION SIR UN BILLARD

A la troisieme partie
LES TABLEAUX ANIHIES DU POLY6OSGOPE
PRIX DES PLACES : Loges, 5 fr.; Avant- Scene, 3 fr.
statics, 2 fr.; Galerie, 1 fr. 5 0 .
Le Burenn de Location est ouvert lous les jours de 2 h. S 5 h.

SEANCES EN V1LLE

Illustrations 437 and 438 - Small bill and photograph of Faure-Nicolay in 1869.

and to send Robert [The cousin] February 2'"' I worked on the kilometer-
to him to advise liquidation. I am odometer. I walk a bit to relax.
going to Blois to the telegraph of- Nevertheless I am not well.
fice to ask M. Adam if he is in Paris February 3lJ I am sick and sad abot;t Emile's
- at two o'clock I received a letter business. I am working very lit-
from M. Adam informing me that tle.
Emile received him rudely, saying
that he does not want his family to From this date on, Robert-Houdin tried to
get involved in his business. That move things forward, at least for his son. He
changed my mind; Robert did not composed business papers for him and went
go. to Paris on February 9 to meet M. Adam to try
January 31" I am ill and sad. I have a sort to find a solution to his problems. That
of spleen that I am having evening, Robert-Houdin went to the conjurer
trouble fighting. The weather
Faure-Nicolay's performance at Passage de
is gloomy and rainy. I am not
POpera and wrote this comment: "His conjur-
working.
ing performance is very mediocre, but he is
February 1st I am a little less ill but
still a little sad. I am working very good at billiards." The Theatre Faure-
on the electric door and in Nicolay, 12, Boulevard des Italiens, Passage de
the yard. I am going to bed i'Opera, opened on October 5, 1869 with the
earlv. title: "Soirees of Humoristic Magic and

306

M. FAORE-NICOLAY (Voir page 38).
Illustration 439 - Performance by Faure-Nicolay before Napoleon III. (Georges Promt collection)
Conjuring by Professor Faure-Nicolay." In
December, this artist "humbly" presented him-
self in his publications as "Robert-Houdin's
gifted rival."
The savant mechanician took advantage of this
journey to consult patents on his optical illusions:
February 12th [Paris] At the patent office for
the Pepper tricks.
th
February 17 [Paris] At the patent office,
where I spent the whole day.
Life temporarily seemed to take a turn for the
better upon his return to The Priory on the 22nd.
Robert-Houdin resumed his project, worked on a
Domino article for Pierre Larousse, and led
Eugenie, the daughter of one of his neighbors in
Saint-Gervais, Mathurin Limard, to the altar. Her
dress was given to her by Robert-Houdin's wife.
On March 30, another very sad letter from Emile
307
ACTV
plunged him again into the stress that he had just
chased away. Luckily, he kept busy with his daily
tasks and continued to perfect his odometer. On
July 10 he received a visit from Mme. Ballet [23]
(or Bailee), who began as an usher in his theater
and had the same position with Cleverman after
having faithfully served Hamilton. (This lady,
who must have been very old by then, was one
of the guests at the Theatre Robert-Houdin for
the hundredth anniversary of the master's birth in
December 1905.)
On July 15*, Robert-Houdin learned at the
same time as his compatriots that France had just
declared war on Prussia. This terrible news was
particularly worrisome to this family because
one of their children was in the army.
The next day, Robert-Houdin wrote to Emile
to thank him for the kind traditional birthday
wishes:
ROBFRT-HOUDIN

Saint-Gervais, near Blois, July 16, 1870

Dear Emile,
I thank you and your wife for having thought of
my birthday and the wishes that you sent for my
happiness. Please let this happiness come to me in
knowing that you are prosperous and out of diffi-
culty!
A- 4J#U.
nfr-A
s\^sYY^A C A C ^i'^.j^ Mme. Bonard is always very kind to us and
doubtlessly exaggerated the pleasure that my pres-
ence at his dinner had given him. I was a little bit
ill that day but felt a bit better in the evening. I re-
lated my meeting with Bou-Allem at Mme.
Bonard's request. Since then and without being
able to attribute anything to the cause of this in-
disposition, unless it is the heat and brief storms,
I have been greatly suffering from stomach cramps
and general uneasiness that leaves me little rest. I
have great difficulty working even a little and I
have no appetite. Sometimes I cannot even stand
on my two legs.
What you tell me about the odometers and the
failure of their transmission greatly surprises me.
I thought that during their first trial, you had put
them on several carriages and that you were satis-
fied. Whatever the case may be, and on further
consideration, I think that you should not hastily
condemn them as you are doing. Only the part
that is placed on the hub is exposed to jolts; as for
the rest, and this is the most sensitive part, the
suspended box covers it. So in the first case, one
must only make strong enough pieces to resist un-
foreseen jolts, which does not seem impossible to
me. When we have strength and speed on our side
in mechanics, we can struggle against many diffi-
culties and I am sure that your imagination will
not stop here. I can say no more on this subject,
not really knowing exactly what it is about.
I took apart my odometer three months ago to
have a box made from varnished zinc, which was
very successfully done in Blois. The new shape that
I chose for my clock face in enlarging the kilomet-
ric face and in diminishing the other completely
I f f / changed the caliber and caused me a lot of work
considering the little that I do and the diverse dis-
ruptions from other occupations. Still, I am busy
Illustrations 440 to 443 Letter from Robert-Houdin to his son finishing it and I think it will take me one more
Emile. (Private collection) week.

308
 ACT V

Georges is preparing his baccalaureat with

much effort because he is a bit behind [with his
\ts*siJ studies]. [24] On August 8 I will take him to
Poitiers, where we will spend eight days for this
important affair. Eglantine continues to take
lessons three times per week in Blois. We re-
cently had a fanfare contest; we are now going to
have the high court, which greatly helps busi-
ness in Blois and hurts people with private in-
come. Everything is quite expensive due to the
dry spell.
Ghocat [Hamilton] announced his upcoming
visit and if the war does not prevent it Paul
[Amelie's son -Hamilton's wife] and his cousin
Carlo [Son of Charles Braconnier, Olympe
Robert-Houdin's brother] will visit us later.
About the war: here is another worry for
Eugene. Luckily for him he will be able to face
the expenditures of his travels and his cam-
paign costs. I promised a long time ago that
when he was of marrying age, I would give him
'XJ^^AAMO ,
the income from his dowry, and this will begin
in the first quarter. Our foreseen and unfore-
seen expenditures are high this year and this is
why we have deprived ourselves of going to
Paris. We hope to be able to save this winter.
In learning about the burning of Constan-
tinople we feared an instant that M. Munier
[Emile's father-in-law] was a victim but since
you did not mention it we figured that this mis-
fortune did not occur.
Your children must have grown a lot since we
saw them last. We dearly wish to kiss you all.
Your father and friend
Robert-Houdin

Captain Eugene Robert-Houdin, of the I"1

Zouave regiment, which was stationed in
Algiers, left the country on the 16th of July, ar-
riving on the 19th in Marseilles, and then travel-
ing immediately to Strasbourg. On July 26.
Eugene Robert-Houdin sent news to his family,
who were living in worry. In a letter to his fa-
ther, in which he sent reassuring words to his
mother and his affectionate feelings to his
brother and sister, Eugene Robert-Houdin
wrote this sentence: "Do not worry. I will be

309
ROBFRr-HOUDIN

Illustration 444 - Captain Eugene Robert-Houdin. (Prioate collection)

310
 ACT V

careful and will only risk my life if necessary.

But you know I am happy.'' The next letter
from Eugene Robert-Houdin was mailed from
Reichshoffen on August 2; here is its conclu-
sion:
One says that at this very instant we have just
chased away a Prussian reconnaissance team,
without a single rifle shot.
Do not worry, we will most likely do nothing for
the next 15 days; the Emperor wants to give a lit-
tle ball for his celebration but it will still not be too
much I think.
I kiss the entire family
Your affectionate son
E. Robert-Houdin
On August 5, the battle of Reichshoffen
began and on the 6'h the battle of Forbach.
News arrived late to Blois and Robert-Houdin
tried to find out what was actually happening
on the "stage of war." He learned of the taking
of Wissembourg by the Prussians on the 6th and
the defeat of the French army. On the 7"' there
was only mention of a new disastrous defeat
whose details were not yet known. The enemy
was near Nancy, where Marshal MacMahon re-
treated, and Paris was already besieged. On
August 8, Robert-Houdin learned that his son
was part of the corps that was one of the hard-
est attacked. On the 9th of August, he wrote in Illustration 445 - Letter from Georges Robert-Houdin to
his Tablettes journalieres: "Up at 6:30. I read Emile Robert-Houdin announcing his brother
Eugene's injury. (Private collection)
the newspaper. There is no news. I am sick
with worry. I do nothing all day."
Then August 10th arrived with the feared news: contacts to learn what had happened to his
"I received a letter from one of my son's lieu- brother. Robert-Houdin answered him by return
tenants informing me that my son was seriously letter on August 12:
wounded at the battle of Frischivillier and was
My dear Emile,
placed in an ambulance in the hands of the
From the moment I received the fatal news I
Prussians." Robert-Houdin was crucified with pain.
have been gripped by a terrible illness. I have fever
Emile wrote to his father and told him of his with a headache which continually leads me into a
numerous steps to find Eugene's whereabouts. painful sleep and a sort of congestion. I am making
He had gone to the Val-de-Grace, visited the efforts today to write to you.
hospitals where the injured were sent, con- It is really good, my friend, that you took all these
tacted the War ministry, and mobilized all his steps for your poor brother. I am doing the same on

311
ROBMil-HOLDIX

my end and we will perhaps manage to contact him.

Your mother wrote to her brother [Olympe Robert-
Houdin's brother Charles Braconnier was an offi-
cer in the Belgian army] and we are greatly count-
ing on this neutral channel.
Your mother wanted to write to you and al-
though in a poor state I read the newspaper Le
Gaulois. Here is the fact: Lecesne put in his
newspaper an article full of emotion on the event
concerning my son. I cut out part of the article
(to shorten it) and sent it to Villemessant in the
hope that he would put it in his Figaro, because
these gentlemen have a lot to say at the moment
and it could be that this little note, which I sent
in an envelope without adding anything else that
could reveal the source, was put aside. This is
why I am asking you to personally go to the edi-
torial office of Le Gaulois, a rival of Le Figaro,
and to take this attached note. If you can do
more for the honor of our captain, do it. We owe
him at least that much.
Poor boy: if these articles could reach him, if he
were in a state to read them, they would make him
feel so good.
I have closed my door to everyone, even the
closest friends, mainly because I am too tired to
receive anyone and the solitude suits and calms
me.
I am stopping because I admit that I have been
fatigued by this little letter.
We tenderly kiss you
Robert-Houdin
On August 16, Robert-Houdin received the
first letter from Eugene since his injury in
combat, and he wrote in his Tablettes journa-
lieres:
I have just received a note in an envelope from
poor Eugene, which caused us great and painful
emotion. His chest was pierced by a bullet and the
doctor can promise nothing. We do not know
where he is in Germany. I wrote to several people
to tell them the sad news. Our door is closed and
we see no one.
On August 21, Robert-Houdin wrote to Emile:
Illustrations 446. -w~ and 448 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to Saint-Gervais, August 21, 1870
his s o n Emile. (Private collection) Dear Emile

312
 ACT V

7^.^

L-

Co . ..

A -iJtA^J *K* it

Illustration 449 - Short note from a wounded Eugene Illustrations 450 to 453 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to his
Robert-Houdin to his father. s o n Emile. (Private collection)

313
ROBI RT-HOUDIN

We have just received a letter from your poor

brother dated from Reischoffen August 9th (it is a
12-day journey).
He told us that the Doctor cannot yet say any-
thing about his situation and he is not well cared
for because there are a lot of wounded.
He could not write to us himself because one of
his lungs is wounded and he is forbidden all move-
ment. He is lodged in Reischoffen [sic] at the hotel
l'Ange d'Or.
We would like to be in immediate contact with
this poor boy and it is not impossible that your
mother and I will try to go to him if it is possible.
. Tu*. *) VtYL&AAsU AA * V i A V4>'~ OA* tsr A-*
But we must hurry because he has been hurt for
two weeks and his last letter dates from 11 days
ago. I am asking you to get information on the
possibility of going to Reischoffen [sic] and how
to get there. Please go to the Chemin defer de
I'Est and ask M. Guignard at the title office with
whom I am very close and who has always been
charming to me. You will ask him (1), if the
tracks are free from here to Reischoffen, which I
doubt, and (2), what is the closest city that we
could get to by train to then take a carriage to
_ GJ^> -flA*V^vLv&*>- the destination. (3) Finally, ask him his advice in
order to fulfill our goal. You could inform him
that a letter written on August 9th in Reischoffen
[sic] by my son did not get to Forbach until the
20th and that it arrived on the 21 s ' in Saint-
Gervais; this would therefore prove the difficul-
ties of communication between Forbach and
Reischoffen [sic]. If M. Guignard cannot give you
the information, he will perhaps indicate some-
one in the administration who could - I see in
the business almanac that a M. De Dietrich,
owner of a large construction workshop in
Reischoffen [SJC], also has an office in Paris at
32, Rue Taitbout. It is certain that he has infor-
mation. You could go see him. Try to answer us
by return letter.
We kiss you all tenderly.
Robert-Houdin

Trying everything possible, Robert-Houdin,

in spite of his poor health, went to Paris,
where he contacted all his acquaintances and

314
 ACTV

f-uso<*^ , J<uZ

Illustrations 454 to 456 Letter from Robert-Houdin to his

s o n Emile. (Private collection)
JL/iJG

learned that the Prussians were less than thirty

leagues from the capital. In the office of the
International Society of Help to the Wounded,
he wrote this new letter to his son Eugene:
Paris, August 24, 1870
Dear Eugene
I sent you five or six letters by different means;
I do not know if they arrived because I have had
no answer. The letter you had written to me and
that you signed on the 9th at l'Ange d'Or arrived on
the 22nd. In all my letters I asked you if you need
money and the way in which to get it to you if so.
I thought I would go to Paris and happily I am in
contact with the International Society of Help to
the Wounded. I am taking a chance and sending
you one hundred francs through them. Give an an-
swer to the person who will give you this money
and tell me what you need. I will send it in the
same fashion. I am hastily writing to you in the of-
fice of the administration and I cannot write
much; the main thing is to get well. How are you?
What does the doctor say now? Should it be diffi-

315
ROBERT-HOl'DIN

cult to send you money, contact a banker and with

your name I think you will get some. I was told
that the Prussians are very humane with their in-
jured prisoners and I have every reason to believe
that nothing should preoccupy you except getting
well: follow the doctor's orders.
I tenderly kiss you,
Your father and friend,
Robert-Houdin
11 f
Send your answer to Saint-Gervais

g.
Although the entire family had faith in a
happy outcome, the priest of Saint-Gervais re-
ceived - through one of his parish members,
a friend of the wife of Colonel Gramont, who
was also injured and who shared the same
ambulance as Captain Robert-Houdin - the
confirmation of Eugene's death on the day of
August 10th.
Olympe Robert-Houdin came to the sta-
tion in Blois on August 25th in the evening to
meet her husband, who was coming back
from Paris, and announced to him the terri-
ble news.
After weeks of cruel suspense during which
Robert-Houdin and his entire family had
fought and hoped, the confirmation of
Eugene's death in his thirty-third year was a
sort of relief and allowed everyone to truly
grieve. Perhaps Robert-Houdin's pain was soft-
ened by the narrative of his son's heroic death,
recounted by the men he had under his com-
mand and which several newspapers printed.

Robert-Houdin sent a letter to London to tell

his friend Manning of the circumstances of the
death of his boyhood playmate. This lovely and
^- touching letter was reproduced in the English
paper The Daily News:
^ '1^((. ^ ^>

Saint-Gervais near Blois, September 2, 1870

Dear Sir,
I thank you and your family for the sympathy
Illustrations ID and 458 - Letter from Robert-Houdin to his that you have shown me about the misfortune with
s o n Emile. (Private collection) which I have been struck.

316

u.v EPISODE DE REISCIIOFPEN
Nona extwyons d'wne lettra parliculidra
les p8saa;<38 snivants, relatlfs a U baUille da
Reieh(jffftn et & l'h(5roiiua retratte <jui at
ijauve nolro nfvaie,
Le ton lie ftetta Initre, 4 laqnello nouseon-
servona son siyle intime, montro as*z que
le lendarosiu da 6 aoiit, nos isoiJsts.toin <1 li-
tre abattus, oonservaient inia indotnptsble
cunllsnoe dansleursarams. L'^ve'sement lijur
.... ISaoilt 1S70.
L 4 aout, vers cinq heures du ma-
tin, ie 1" zouanes pariit pour Lemb&ch oil
il f.rciva i iflWi. A peine campes, nous
'elevens 1'ordre da partir, et nous shoos
Jsscju'a la t'routiere. Nous fsusons une
nalte. et !e cauoa se faisant entenlre du
edte de Wissembourg nous y volons. Nous
y ftpiicons Is soir pour recueillif les
'.lorieux debris da 1" tirailleurs, qui ve-
n&itde se fnire forger pUildt quo de se
rsndre,.,
Trop faibles pour rapreudre la luite,
nous uotis rraettonsi eu maretie, et noun
arrivoas k Pr<B3chwiiler )e lendeiaain 4
uiiiii, apris fttra resre3 debout s;tns man-
ger peudaut trente-six Haures. LJ, nous
fesons uae maigre soupe, nous eouchons
eo plein vent sous una pluia battaato, at
)a 6, a liuit teures, nous prenoas posi-
iloa.
En face de nous etait la garda royale.
Le l er et le 3" bataillon se (t^ploient en
tiraiUears daas le bois, la 2e prend la
garde du drapeau, les balles siMsnt, les
bombes iolatant, les mitrailleuses fau-
ctient, les homines totnbent. Le comman-
dant Marion est tu6, les zouares avaooattt
toujours : le lieutenant colonel nous crie ;
Bmbroslions les comme des grenouil-
les, la viototre est a aons !
Et c'etait vral; nos etions daaa le bois,
no-jg pietmions sur la garde prussienne
tnous ne Toyions plus Hen deTant nous.
Misa U n'n etait pas de mtoe partout :
le 2 zouaves, aprea uoa lutta hV
avmt perdu 2,000 homines, 1 3"
plus que de nom ; lea 1st, 2' et3" tirail-
eurs oMpoaiont en vaia a Tenoemi an
mur de feu, la Ugn 8ait retu Toi'd'-o dfl
rompre, et nous 6tlOna taincus, '45 000
coutre 140,000. On nom fit ^suontersur
I* cliaaip d batatle, et da nouyeau on
Illustration 459 - Article recounting the heroic death of Captain Eugene Robert-Houdin.
From Le Figaro, September 3, 1870.
Since the death of my poor child I have been
sick, discouraged, and completely absorbed by my
pain; this is to explain the delay with which I an-
swer you.
You could, my dear friend, judge the extent of
my regrets by the details that I am going to give
you; my son was 33 years old; he had been a cap-
317
ACT V
d4p!oie ma compagnie en tirailleurs.
Seuts snr le champ (id bataiile t sans ar-
rilierie, nous devious soutenir la retraite.
loi cowmenoe un (Spisode de Waterloo.
Sur, 1'ordre do 11. Robart-Houdin ,
M, (Jtlard, mon soua-lieutenant, s'a-
vtice avac deux homines pour recon-
naitro i'ennemi. II fait trois pas et toaabe
en disant:
N abatidonnez pas le coucou I...
Kxpression (atniliere par laqaelle il (14-
signait le drafwau. Nous l'emportons ct la
capitaine oria : Feu I > mam i'ordro de
retrograder nous arrive sans qua nous
I'entendsoas. Je raliie la section da M.
Gri*rd qui repart en avant, eUe capitaine
tombe en me disant:
Dttes-leur... que je tombe le dernier
en faisant face a 1'ennemi,
Quatre homines remportent.
A *oa tour, M. Malaga, mou liautenaat,
est contusionne'. Ja me retourne at m'a-
pwcois que le regiment s'eloignait. Nous
raculons, puis la souneris da drapo^u ia-
sontjaiit, nous courons le rejoibdre. OU!
aiors ce fut beau : les sections m refor-
ment et s'alignent; les soiis-ofdoiefs pren-
ufint la place des otfloiers morts; ua ca-
oitaine, M. Oharvnnat. se d^oouvre, (<alue
id drapaau. et, s'adrussant a nous, iious
dit :
Pour deHlor! au pas, zouaves, au
pas 1 premiers soldats du monda !
Et nous tous repetant: Au pas, ous
defilons au p*u oj'ilinaire, alignfe 6tt or-
dre, l)eux comma en un jour de revua,
deflaut les obus e bravant I'snnemi rtynt
les pieces couronnaisnt iaa hantaurs.
Ainsi nous passfimes Relschoffen, se-
mant nos morts et nos blesses; ainsi Nie-
derbronn, sinsi jusqu'a Saverne oil nous
arr\\.kmeh le leodei'ain, a midi,ainsijns-
qu'a S.irn-bourg, oil nous pumes enfla
mangsr, I5<xs raposer un peu, aprrts Ryoir
sou enu par des marchfs et contre-mar-
ches de 54 heures, la rotraite du corps
d'arnife.
Enfln. woes sommes vaincus, noais do
smnblables d4(aiie sont das viutoires.
Nous avons perdu 10.000 hommes,et nous
ieur en avorsa tue 23,000. Awsi, restons-
nousau r^KJinent plus couflants (fue ja-
mai, et, pour ma part, je na doats pas
un seul instant da Tissue de la batsiila
que nous iivrerons eacore...
tain since 1866. He had had this rank for four
years. He was part of the I s ' Zouaves and he was
cited as one of the brave ones in this brave corps.
You will judge yourself by the following narrative
taken from an article in the Figaro of September
3"' under the title "An episode of Reichshoffen
taken from an individual letter"; this letter un-
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Monsiem et Madame BOBERT-HOTJDIN , Monsieur et Madame Emde ROBERT-

HOTTOIH et leura Enfants, Monsieur Georges ROBERT-HOUDIN; Mademoiselle
Eglantine ROBERT-HOUDIN: Madame veuve ROBERT; Monsieur ROBERT-
RENOTJ: Madame veuve DE LA MARLIER: Monsieur et Madame TOTT^AIN-
AMYOT,

Ont l'honneur de 3 faire part de la perte douloureuse qu'ils ont eproiw i la

Monsieur Josepri-Eugene ROBERT-HOXJUIlSr,

Capitarae au 1" regiment de Zouaves (0
Leur Pils, Frere, Petit-Fils, Onele et Cousm, deeede lo 10 aoftt dernier, dans la
33 annee de son age.

Utu

[|J f.c Cr,,.inine B O B B R n[ blesve a III tolaille tie Fre

I ambalennr ite BeichshRffon,
vlonument de&soldatsfr<incais blesses a la bataille de FrceiChwiller
et niort* aax ambulances de Keicnshoffen (Ai^acej 1870

Illustration 46O - Death notice for Eugene Robert-Houdin. Illustration 461 - Monument erected in the memory of the
French soldiers wounded at the battle of Froeschwiller
and deceased in the Reichshoffen field hospitals.

doubtedly comes from a soldier in my son's com- that lights up the ranks. Soon the Captain falls in
pany; it is signed with an X. I will skip the un- turn, saying 'Tell them that I fell last facing the
bearable details that preceded the unfortunate re- enemy.' A bullet had pierced his chest. Transported
treat. "The line had received the order to break up to the field hospital of Reischhoffen [sic], he died
and we were conquered, 35,000 against 140,000! four days later from his wounds."
My company (1 st Zouave) was again called to the Well! My dear Manning, would you believe
battlefield and the soldiers were deployed, alone that this brave son, right when he had been hit,
without artillery; we had to support the retreat." had the heroic courage, in the middle of gunfire,
Now comes an episode of Waterloo. to pull a card and pencil out of his pocket and
"On the order of Captain Robert-Houdin, write on the back these words: "Dear father, I am
Lieutenant Girard advances with two men to rec- hurt, but do not worry, it is just a scrape." He
ognize the enemy. He takes three steps and falls, could not finish his signature. The envelope con-
saying, 'Do not abandon the coucou,' a familiar ex- taining it is stained with his blood. This precious
pression meaning the Flag. We pick him up and relic was sent to me from Reichshoffen after my
the captain cries Fire. son's death. Well, here is a lot said, dear sir, on
"The order to fall back arrives, but we do not this subject. But I thought these details would
hear it and continue to fight against a wall of fire interest vou.

318

Please always believe me to be,
Your devoted
Robert-Houdin.
Robert-Houdin also received a letter from
one of Eugene's soldiers who, as soon as his
captain had been wounded, took him to shel-
ter away from the gunfire. This letter told him
about his son's last moments, when he had
been taken to an inn called L'Ange d'Or, man-
aged by the Kremer family. This soldier,
named J. Morain, who was then a prisoner of
war, told how Eugene, in spite of all the care
given to him, passed away after three days, in
his arms and in those of the charitable young
lady of the house. Morain adds:
His last words were: "You can say that I died as
a brave soldier in supporting the retreat"; then,
taking off a ring that he had on his right hand, he
gave it to the young lady and said, "Send my watch
to my father," as well as a second ring that he had
on his left hand...
The people of Blois learned that the
Prussians had passed Chalons and were head-
ing toward Paris, where active preparations
for defense of the capital were being made.
On August 30, Robert-Houdin was told that
Paul Devillers, the son of Amelie (Hamilton's
wife), who was also a soldier, was prisoner in
the fortress of Magdeburg thirty leagues from
Berlin. Robert-Houdin was also taking care of
the education of Georges, who had just failed
the baccalaureate, and took him to Poitiers
to M. Doussaint, head of the institution, who
enrolled him in classes for two months to at-
tend the next semester beginning November
1. Robert-Houdin raged against the newspa-
pers, which said nothing of "the stage of war"
but discussed the success obtained when
Prussia announced victories. With the advanc-
ing of the enemy army toward Paris, the en-
tourage was now worried about Emile and his
family. Diverse provisions were sent to him:
319
ACT V
large jars of preserved meat and butter in case
of a siege.
On September 4, Robert-Houdin wrote in his
Tablettes journalieres:
I read the newspapers and learned of the
rerouting and destruction of the army corps of
Marshal MacMahon, who was hurt and taken pris-
oner with the Emperor; and forty thousand men
have capitulated. According to the newspaper,
Paris is in an indescribable emotion. A resistance
commission has been established; a national guard
is being organized at Saint-Gervais. There will be
about 80 men. I was offered the command. I re-
fused because of my age and health.
On September 4, the inhabitants of Blois
learned that the Republic had been proclaimed
at the Hotel de Ville in Paris. The Chamber had
been invaded by the people and the Deputies
dispersed. A government of national defense
was formed: Arago. Cremieux, Ferry, Gambetta,
Garnier-Pages, Glais-Bizoin, Pelletan, Picard,
and Rochefort. General Trochu became gover-
nor of Paris and Minister of War.
The national guard began its defense service
day and night in Saint-Gervais because it was
necessary to protect oneself from the "bad ele-
ments" that Paris had ejected from its limits and
who were running to the provinces. Blois was
very agitated and a permanent committee was
established. The mayor and prefect resigned. In
his Tablettes journalieres Robert-Houdin wrote
these sad sentences:
September 7"1 I received a letter from Emile
and the newspaper, which are
not very reassuring abot;t the
tranquility of Paris - At 9 o'clock
we went to a family mass for my
son. All my friends from Blois
were there.
Olympe Robert-Houdin continued to send
supplies to Emile and his wife, who now
could not leave the capital. She sent baskets
of fruit and ten bushels of potatoes. The
National Guard of Saint-Gervais now had one
ROBERT-HOUDIN
hundred men who were starting to maneuver
but for weapons they only had a few hunting
rifles and 12 ammunition rifles.
In Paris, the police chief decided that as of
September 10, 1870 all theaters would be
closed. (They would only receive the authori-
zation to reopen as of June 22, 1871.)
Robert-Houdin's creative genius was wor-
king to find solutions to support the de-
fense of Paris. He wrote in his Tablettes
journalieres:
September 13 I finalized a plan to prevent
bomb explosions.
Illustration 462 - Georges Robert-Houdin.
320
September 14 I sent Emile my plan for ex-
tinguishing bombs so he could
present it to the defense com-
mittee.
On September 15, Robert-Houdin organized
his weapons; he had resolved to stay in the
country, "except in the event of large-scale mas-
sacres and fires by the enemy." The city of Blois
gave up defending itself because it was unable
to. The author resumed writing his second vol-
ume of Les Secrets de la prestidigitation, al-
though his heart was not in it, because, as he
wrote, "...I would fall ill if I continued to do
nothing."
The general council of Blois voted 500,000
francs for the purchase of twenty thousand ri-
fles. Resistance was in preparation throughout
the entire region. Olympe came back from the
city with very bad news: "Everyone is being ad-
vised to hide and take grains and precious ob-
jects.'' The Saint-Gervais town council was con-
sidering blowing up the bridge.
Aided by his servant Baptiste, Robert-
Houdin prepared an initial hiding place in the
little cave on the property. During the weeks
after September 20, the learned mechanician
equipped The Priory with hiding places for
food, wine, and valuable objects. He built an
imposing secret reserve in one of his large
caves with the help of the stonemason Dupuis.
The only news from Paris, delayed, arrived
thanks to courageous balloon pilots. Robert-
Houdin, who could no longer communicate
with Emile, in this way received three of his
letters in the coming months by way of bal-
loon. Robert-Houdin put precious objects that
he treasured, such as elements of his perfor-
mances, in hiding places until Sunday,
November 5. He let his neighbors benefit from
the shelter of his caves, and they deposited
their dearest treasures there. His Tablettes jour-
nalieres made a daily account of the war, with
both true and false news frequently spread by
 ACT V

propaganda from both sides. Although every- termasters who slept in the parlor. On the 7th,
one hoped for an armistice, they also feared a Robert-Houdin decided to dismantle his Chess
new decisive battle. Robert-Houdin partici- Player in order to hide it. The population was
pated, as did all the inhabitants of Saint- expecting the arrival of the Prussians at any
Gervais, in the little national guard, and sent 20 moment. The next day Robert-Houdin went to
pounds of bread, a pound of preserved meat, Blois to organize the transport of two
and brandy. He established electric communi- wounded soldiers who had to be cared for at
cations with each hiding place in order to be
The Priory, and during the rest of the day, he
immediately notified if someone found them.
hid the remaining valuables, then wrote his
In these nonetheless troubled times, he re-
artistic will, which testified to his desire to
ceived a letter from Mr. Robert Dreyfus in
control the content of his works during his
London, who asked for his Chess Player, [25]
lifetime and afterwards.
and Georges returned to Saint-Gervais on
November 11 without having passed his bac-
calaureat. There was talk in Blois about the
battle of Orleans, which cost the lives of thou-
sands of soldiers on both sides.
Robert-Houdin wrote the preface of his
second volume of Les Secrets de la prestidigi-
tation and had Georges study for his exam for
a new session in January. Several troops on
their way to Orleans went through Blois, and
soldiers were camped out on the Loire.
Robert-Houdin continued his writing activi-
ties, had his son study every day, and cor-
rected his work.
On November 21st, Robert-Houdin had the
idea of a "light telegraph" and went to Blois to
discuss it with the deputy Jollois. Upon his re-
turn he immediately went to work, established
the blueprint for the telegraph, and prepared
a document on a new design for "an electric
telegraph for illuminated signals."
In December, Blois was living in fear, no
one knew anything about the outcome of the
new fighting in Orleans, and there was no
news of the situation in Tours. On the 6th, the
taking of Orleans by the Prussians was an-
nounced, followed by the retreat of the
French troops and the arrival of several flee-
ing soldiers in Blois. In Saint-Gervais, the
mayor's office sent to The Priory two officers
who shared the family meals, and four quar- Illustration 463 - Eglantine Robert-Houdin.

321
ROBERT-HOUDIN

v. ^

1&4 J}.

0 /

^ XD

va
Vt-
/ /

/ i ^ ^ ^

i t>4>-- &

Illustration 464 Robert-Houdin's artistic

322

My last wishes
Today December 8th, the Prussians are 40 kilo-
meters from Blois; everything leads us to believe
that they will be here very soon - I am safeguarding
my manuscript of the 2'"1 volume of Magic of which
the majority is already hidden in several places.
If I myself do not unearth this work, which
could be precious for future conjurers, I want this
introduction to be printed in indicating that al-
though notes were taken to continue it, death sur-
prised me. This will be that much taken away from
the enemy.
Preface these explanations with details of the
author's death.
The cannon is rumbling all around me; I hurry
to close my hiding place.
Robert-Houdin
323
ACT V
On December 9Ih, facing the seriousness of
the situation, he had his carriage loaded and,
accompanied by Baptiste, drove his two chil-
dren to Pontlevoy. Robert-Houdin placed
Eglantine in a religious boarding school and
Georges in the town junior high school.
On December 10, 1870 the Prussians entered
Blois and Saint-Gervais.
The author recorded the occupation of his
hometown and his village day after day in his
Tablettes journalieres. We have chosen to re-
produce this unpublished document, fascinat-
ing and often dramatic, in its entirety here, not
only because of its obvious historical impor-
tance, but also because it admirably completes
the portrait of the old master.
 1870-1871
The Occupation of Saint-Gervais and
Blois during the War of 1870 Described
Daily by Robert-Houdin

service entrance, searched the room. Large piles of straw

1870
Saturday, December 10"1
The public carriages are no
longer going to Blois, so I
rented a horse and buggy and
Georges took me home. Once
we arrived in Blois, Baptiste,
fearing he would be taken
prisoner, returned to
Pontlevoy with the wagon and
a full trunk. I barely had time
to make a hiding place in the
cave for the money that
Lecesne left with me. (We
blew up the bridge of Blois
this morning.) There is fight-
ing in Vineuil and Blois is
:, under attack. I have opened
all my doors so that they do
not break them down.
At 3:10 the Prussians
brusquely entered through the
woods, and left by the front
gate. At four o 'clock the town
was bombarded for half an
hour: we soon capitulated.
But the Prussians, unable to
enter the city, have remained
in Saint-Gervais. We were
very worried and went to
sleep fully clothed.
At eleven o'clock someone
struck the door with a rifle
butt. I hurried downstairs. A
young lieutenant announced
in good French that I had to
house 65 men (from Hesse).
In an instant, all the rooms
were invaded and the soldiers
moved into the billiard room,
the fruit room, and the sec-
ond-floor rooms. A sergeant
major took the bedroom no. 1
- two sergeants in the parlor -
24 corporals in the dining
were placed in all the bed-
rooms. All the closet doors
were knocked in and the sol-
diers, starving from two days
of fasting, raided all the provi-
sions, killed the fowl and rab-
bits, pillaged the fruitier, de-
stroyed the cellar, took the
bottles of wine, and opened the
wine in every room. They ate
for part of the night and got
drunk and made a terrible
noise. All night long they
knocked at our door to ask for
things.
Our bedroom, was taken at
first but I protested so they
left it to us, and this is where
we sleep with our maid Julie.
All the clothing they found
was taken. It was a veritable
pillage. They are burning
masses of wood in the fire-

Illustrations 465 to 477 - Robert-Houdin by Mieusement and engravings illustrating the war of 1870 taken from various works, on this
period.
rfics Pious: colh'.

3
places; it is cold.
Sunday, December 11"'
The Prussians from Hesse
continue their stay and pil-
lage. I saw the captain and
the lieutenant residing at
M. Vallon's and who are very
nice; I showed them the cu-
riosities of the house and the
electricity in my workshop.
Wine was distributed to the
soldiers twice a day. During
the day, the entire house was
searched for weapons. We are
very worried. We did not eat
during the day because they
have taken everything and it
is impossible to go out to buy
anything. However, at night,
I managed to get a handful of
rice from the kitchen. We
cooked it in our room and
ate it without butter or salt;
this was our only meal for
three people. We were on alert
all night long. They went up
and down the stairs making
a lot of noise and knocked on
our door constantly to ask
for things. We were exhausted
with fatigue and needs. We
did not sleep at night. It was
a little bit less cold. But they
filled the fireplace up with
wood at the risk of burning
the wood floors.
Monday, December 12"'
The captain gave us a
piece of a chicken that had
just been killed and we im-
mediately made stew - In the
morning the Prussians left
us to get closer to Blois; they
left guards posted at
Touvien's and at Marquet's
who came all day to prowl
through the house. We hur-
ried to remove the rug from
the living room and clean it
a bit, which tired us greatly.
For lunch, since we had no
bread, we drank broth and
ate stewed cabbage. For din-
ner we ate beef without
bread with our fingers be-
cause all our forks have been
taken - We were again tor-
mented in the evening by
marauders from the posted
guards.
Tuesday, December 13th
The Prussians who re-
mained in the village came to
stroll through the property
and ended up breaking the
train tracks. They destroyed
everything they saw except
for the Hermit, which they re-
spected. Around 5 o'clock the
Prussians from Mecklemburg
sent two lieutenants who are
quite insolent and a very like-
able captain with whom I
talked for part of the evening.
The captain is staying in
no.l. The lieutenants live in
the parlor. The living room,
the small rooms, and the
three rooms on the top floor
have been taken by soldiers.
These people are not as dirty
as the others but they pillage
more. The night was a little
bit better - In the daytime we
had a great scare; several bat-
teries of cannons were set in
the valley right before us and
next to the town in prepara-
tion for bombing. Blois capit-
ulated. All the artillery pa-
raded right under the terrace.
If the city had resisted and
fired back, our house would
have probably been blown up.
 Wednesday, December 14"'
The men from
Mecklemburg continue their
ravaging of the property; they
have lots of their comrades
come and visit from the
village. All the curiosities are
ruined except for the Hermit.
Wine is distributed to the
soldiers. I went to Blois for
cigars (for the captain) as
well as for various provisions.
I left at 3 o'clock with three
armed men and a pass. We
crossed in a boat. There were
no more cigars in Blois - To
Rousselet's for provisions. We
came back at 9 o'clock after
great difficulties crossing in
the pouring rain. I arrived
extenuated with fatigue. My
wife was mortally worried. We
repaired the bridge all night
long.
Thursday, December 15"'
Stay of the men from
Mecklemburg. I took a walk
with the captain and another
captain from his ranks. I ex-
plained my electric tools to
them. In the evening two lieu-
tenants got drunk with six of
their friends, whom they in-
vited (20 bottles of wine). The
weather was nice.
Friday, December 16"'
The men from
Mecklemburg left at 7 o'clock
this morning. I went to see
the priest and Nelly gave sev-
eral poor people the meat that
the Prussians had left. I went
to see all the neighboring
houses whose owners are ab-
sent. I extinguished the begin-
ning of a fire at Metivier's. We
are cleaning up everywhere.
iiliii
Baptiste is back from, his
home and came to sleep at
the house and the next day he
returned to Pontlevoy to get
the horse.
Saturday, December 17"'
I went to Blois to mother's
house; she is doing well. Six
Prussians were sent to her
whom M. Rousseau had
lodged with his own on the
ground floor. I went to
Lecesne's and Rousselet's.
Once hack I put away and hid
various things.
Sunday, December 18"'
My wife went to low mass.
I cleaned the wine cellar -200
Prussians are occupying the
village - Baptiste is back: he
left the horse and carriage in
Cellettes.
Monday, December 19"'
I went to Blois to look for
bread - To Lecesne's - I
learned that Chabault's wife
was taken away by drunk
Prussians and that M.
Rousset the mayor of Blois
incurred some danger to get
her back. There was a big
rumor among the people
about this. Requisitions were
made in the land - They steal
everything they find - They
have not come to my house
yet - (I am hiding 3,000
francs in bills and 1,200
francs in gold in Lecesne's
hiding place and some silver-
ware) - We are quite sad.
Tuesday, December 20"'
I am taking care of hiding
things well - A visit from
M. Vallon - There was a requi-
sition at his place.
Mme. Vallon went to the cap-
tain housed at the chateau to
protest. There was a sort of
restitution. Baptiste went to
Cellettes to get the horse, the
car, and a trunk - We went to
bed to save light, which is
scarce.
Wednesday, December 21st
I hid oats in several places.
Baptiste went to take the
horse to the forest with the
neighbor's animals that are
hidden there - The peasants
are sleeping in a hut and the
animals stay outside
(Baptiste went to Blois for
provisions). We were so wor-
ried to see the Uhlans and
marauders that I did not
leave the house. (I buried two
trunks of linen - Victor has
been sending us meat for
several days).
Thursday, December 22nd
I hid oats, I cleaned up the
cellar. Pointal brought meat
and a duck. I fixed up the liv-
ing room, which is still full of
straw. Visit from Mme. Vallon
- Visit from the priest and
Bodin the baker. It froze last
night. I made my horse in the
woods run. We still fear re-
quisitions at home.
Friday, December 23rd
I hid the harnesses - It was
10 below zero - / went to
thank Victor, who again gave
me some chops from several
requisitions made in the
surrounding areas for officers
of the chateau - at 3 o 'clock
troops arrived in the village; a
guard post was set up at
Touvin's; we are very worried.
Saturday, December 24th
We are still very worried
because of marauders - I
luckily had none all day -
M. Vallon had some; he
went to complain at the
chateau. I went to see him.
The Jollois boys and Dulin
came to bring me news of
their parents - It is freezing
- Victor sent us a piece of
beef and a duck from the
requisitions. (The entire
Bergevin family is still ab-
sent. M. Surateau and
Victor are running the
house.) We received a letter
from Georges. I answered
him.
Sunday, December 25th
I brought in the Hermit
and the picture. My wife
went to low mass with Julie.
There were only six people.
Victor sent us beef. We are
worried about the requisi-
tions and the patrols that are
going on in the countryside.
Yesterday M. Vallon had a
serious dispute; they threat-
ened to beat him (they
wanted to take his chickens
- ours were taken and eaten
the first days). There is a
10-man guard at Touvin's
that is renewed every day.
The last two were mean
imps.
Monday, December 26"'
I hid meat and potatoes in
different places because the
marauders would not hesi-
tate to take them in their
searches. We are very wor-
ried - Visit from Mme.
Vallon who had marauders.
I did not leave the house.
Tuesday, December 27th
I went to Blois (To
mother's, where there are no
Prussians - To see Lecesne,
who has eight to feed - To
see Rousselet, who gave me
1,000 francs toward his rent)
- Blois is in turmoil; the
supplies, the food, and the
wood is almost gone and we
do not know how we will be
able to feed the garrison of at
least 12,000 men. For each
man we need coffee in the
morning, at noon a pound
of meat, a vegetable dish,
and a liter of wine; in the
evening 200 grams of meat
and cheese - back home at
11 o'clock. In my absence
two Prussians from the guard
post came. We gave them two
bottles of wine. In the evening
another bottle - An officer
came to get information on
the electric wires. We have
no news of the war. Around
3 o'clock we heard the
cannons in the direction of
Vendome.
Wednesday, December 28"'
Around 10 o'clock the
guard of ten men which was
at Touvin's suddenly left, as
did the Saint-Gervais gam-
son. We think that they are
heading to Vendome. We were
fairly calm for the rest of the
day except for a few maraud-
ers who came to ask for wine.
(I went to M. Vallon's. Victor
sent us six chops.) We are
fairly worried because we see
many Uhlans circulating with
requisitionary wagons. It is
ten degrees below zero.
 Thursday, December 29"'
At 6:30 in the morning
two Uhlans came to
Metivier for wine; he
brought them to our home;
we gave them two bottles
- A seven-man guard post
was set up at Marquet's - /
went to see Victor - To
Touvin's - It is 8 degrees
below zero -
Friday, December 30"'
The guard is still at
Marquet's. I tried to work.
1 wrote on oculistics. At
2 o'clock I went to Blois
to see Jollois, who has
eight men to feed - At
Robert's three men to feed
- (At Godefroy's a ther-
mometer). There are many
Prussians in Blois. It is a
place of depot and passage
for the troops. In my ab-
sence the guards came to
ask for wine and candles
- They broke the hedge to
get in - It is 6 degrees
below zero.
Saturday, December 31s'
The guards are still at
Marquet's - All day they
asked for wine; we gave
them fifteen bottles. Three
marauders asked us for four
bottles. I complained to the
captain who is in the
chateau; he sent a lieu-
::;,Sg
tenant to reprimand the
guards and tell us that six
bottles a day were enough.
Still, in the evening, they
got drunk with brandy that
they stole somewhere and
they came carousing in
order to get more; we had a
hard time getting rid of
them.
(Georges arrived from
Pontlevoy on foot at
4 o'clock -10 degrees below
zero. How many unfortu-
nate days in the year that
has just ended? And on top
of it all the loss of our dear
Eugene!)

1871
Sunday, January 1st
Yesterday's guard, before
being relieved, asked for
two bottles of wine. I went to
see no one and we had no
visits. I worked a little bit on
the oculistic study, which
distracted me from my trou-
bles - (My wife gave 3 francs
to mother Rose. Mathurin
and his wife came to tell us
of the birth of a boy to their
daughter Eugenie) - After a
modest dinner, we went to
bed at 8 o'clock. Today's post
was reasonable: six bottles -
; :
WJwm
;
V>
We have no news from the doubling their sentinels -
outside -10 degrees below Marauders came to ask for
zero - (We have decided to a lot of things; we gave
keep Georges with us.) them four bottles of wine
Monday, January 2nd not including the eight bot-
tles given to the post - We
I took my memoirs to Victor
have heard that snipers are
and I gave him 20 francs; he
meeting a kilometer from
accepted the book and refused
here in the Russy forest ~
the money. I worked a bit. I
(Since the beginning of the
went to M. Vallon's - We are
still worried -10 degrees below occupation people from
zero. Vienne and the city have
come to get their wood in
Tuesday, January 3rd
the forest; they cut green
The guard is still at
trees and do much damage;
Marquet's (at the little
house). I took apart the they take as much wood for
electric door. We fear events furniture as for heating.) -
because the Prussians are 10 degrees below zero.
M:
wk >
m.
mm
,
-ff&
m
' ' ' - : ' "
WBMM.
: ; :
r
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w

y
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i
 Wednesday, January 4"'
As of 7 o 'clock in the
morning, the Marquet guard
(little house) placed a sen-
tinel on the open corner of
our terrace and one on the
road at the end of the veg-
etable garden - All the doors
remained open to let the pa-
trols pass through. Around
10 o'clock we heard about
fifty rifle shots and we hear
that snipers, having met the
Uhlans in Clenord, killed one
and wounded three - Visit
from Mme. Vallon. We are
greatly worried - eight bottles
to the men of the guard post
-10 degrees below zero.
Thursday, January 5"'
In the morning we learned
that all the Prussians of
Saint-Gervais fell back to
Vienne. Sentinels were placed
in this 10,000 square meter
suburb. The post of the city
gate lets people go through to
enter the city but doesn't let
anyone leave without a pass
- We saw Uhlans going in
several directions with car-
riages to make requisitions -
/ am going to the Municipal
Council to vote for the requi-
sitioning of one sack of
wheat per day - The rest of
the day was fairly calm - We
have no news of what is
going on.
Friday, January 6th
Georges and Baptiste went
to Cellettes to get bread.
Around nine o'clock in the
morning we heard the can-
nons in the direction of
Vendome and this went on
until nightfall; there must
have been a battle over there.
I sought out news all day in
the village - 2 degrees below
zero - Since all our provi-
sions have been raided and
we know that in the neigh-
borhood the Uhlans took all
the foodstuffs they could
find, we are hiding all our
provisions. We took the
precaution of cutting bread
in four parts and hiding it in
four different places; this is
what they are looking for
most.
Saturday, January 7th
I worked a little bit in the
morning. We could still hear
the cannons near Vendome,
but less now. I was around
in the area looking for
news. Uhlans are going
through the countryside
looking for snipers, whom
they seem to fear. There are
very few Prussians in Blois.
No news gets to us -
Everything that is an-
nounced is contradictory. It
is one degree above zero.
Sunday, January 8th
My wife went to low mass
with Georges - We can still
hear the cannons around
Vendome and also near
Orleans. It is said that there
is fighting in Jones - Visit
from the priest - Horses and
cars were requisitioned in
Saint-Gervais to transport
wounded Prussians - Since
the Prussian occupation we
have gone to bed early and
gotten up late to pass the
time. We live soberly because
supplies are scarce. 1 degree.
333
Monday, January 9"'
It snowed from noon
until the evening and there
are 10 centimeters on the
ground - Baptiste went to
take the horse to the forest
because of requisitions, but
is now forced to go back
and get it - I am working
on physiological optics -
Georges is working in my
office next to me - In the
morning I again heard
cannon fire far away near
Vendome. I am going to get
news at the chateau from
Victor - M. Bergevin is in
Saumur and Mme. Donnet
is in Blois at Dr. Arnoult's
- 1 degree -
Tuesday, January 10th
Snow is covering the
ground - I am working on
optics. Baptiste is going to
town to get provisions with
a pass. It is said in Blois
that we are winning against
the Prussians near Vendome,
which is doubtful; there are
300 French prisoners head-
ing to Orleans. I went to
M. Vallon's around 5 o'clock
- After dinner we read and
went to bed early to save the
candles that we have a hard
time finding at this time.
Although the ground was al-
ready covered with 7 to 8
centimeters of snow, it still
snowed during the night. 2
degrees.
Wednesday, January 11"'
There are fifteen centime-
ters of snow on the ground.
We got up late. (We worked
with Georges in my office: he
is preparing for his baccalau-
reat, and I am pursuing my
physiological optics work.)
Around 11 o'clock two Uhlans
came to ask for wine; we gave
them two bottles.
Georges went to town at
1 o 'clock with a pass in
Baptiste's name; he brought us
news that fighting was going
on near Vendome and that we
had the advantage - An army
is supposedly spread out from
Mans to Orleans and another
one is said to be in Vierzon -
Nothing is certain. It is 10 de-
grees below zero.
Thursday, January 12"'
The ground is covered with
snow and it was 10 below zero
last night - I wrote to
M. Bourgeois, head of a junior-
high school in Pontlevoy.
Georges and his mother wrote
to Eglantine and we sent these
three letters by way of one of
Jollois's roadmen. I worked on
pseudoscopy (physiological op-
tics). Visit from M. Vallon -
The only news that reaches us
is contradictory.
Friday, January 13"'
The ground is covered with
snow. It was 3 below zero last
night. I worked on physiologi-
cal optics. I did pseudoscopy
drawings. I went to Blois at
three o'clock. (To see mother,
who is doing fairly well al-
though she is quite worried.
To Lecesne's.) The city is agi-
tated with emotion - a worker
killed a Prussian in the street.
The Commandant is asking
the city for two hundred thou-
sand francs in damages or the
punishment will be two hours
of pillaging. The Municipal
Council has assembled to
send a protest, so it is said, to
King Guillaume. Uhlans come
to requisition every day in the
countryside. Eight degrees this
evening - We learned that Le
Mans was taken by Prussians
and that there were a great
number of prisoners.
Saturday, January 14"'
The ground is covered with
at least 20 centimeters of
snow. I am making an in-
strument to trace pathways
in the garden. It is a sort of
conical box, which makes
grooves in the snow on each
side. It can be pulled fairly
quickly - I worked on pseu-
doscopy the rest of the day -
Baptiste went to town for
provisions - It was said that
the damages were dropped
from 200,000 francs to
100,000 francs. It is 10 de-
grees below zero.
Sunday, January 15lk
The ground still covered
with snow, I drew a path
with my instrument up to
M. Bergevin's door in fifteen
minutes - My wife was able
to go to mass this way. We
learned of the death of
M. Moessard who died sud-
denly last night, choked by
his illness. Baptiste went to
town and tells us that there is
serious talk of an armistice. I
worked on Pseudoscopy all
Monday, January 16"'
It is warmer now - 5 de-
grees. The snow is starting to
melt and there is much wind.
I worked on pseudoscopy all
334- ,:..
day. Contradictory news on
the war.
Tuesday, January 17"'
A lot of wind, 6 degrees, and
the snow has almost melted -
Baptiste went to Blois for sup-
plies - There are very few
Prussians in Blois - At 9:301
went to M. Moessard's funeral
until 11 o'clock. I worked on
Pseudoscopy images. I went to
visit the priest, who came to the
house at that same moment. I
went to M. Vallon's. It has been
raining for part of the day and
there is much wind. There is
talk of a congress that will take
place in England around the
21s' about the Orient issue and
in which the idea of an
annistice will be discussed.
Wednesday, January 18'h
It is rainy and windy. There
is no more snow on the
ground. I am working on my
Pseudoscopy images. Visit
from Mme. Vallon - We re-
ceived a letter from Eglantine
- We can hear the cannons in
the direction of Beaugency
and this noise was said to be
heard for a good part of the
night.
Thursday, January 19th
It was 1 degree below zero
but there is no more snow on
the ground. We could still hear
the cannons this morning
from the direction of
Beaugency. - I worked on
pseudoscopy images. I went
with Georges to Blois (to
Jollois's and for diverse items
at the stationery shop) - I
heard of the defeat of the Loire
army of General Chanzy and
the taking of Mans. Paris was
strongly bombarded on the left
bank of the Seine. General
Bourbaky has had a few suc-
cesses in the East - The
weather is nice - There are few
Prussians in Blois - It is said
that the city of Blois has been
exempted from its 200,000
francs in damages.
Friday, January 20"'
It is thawing little by little. I
worked on pseudoscopic im-
ages. We have no news of the
war. Georges is preparing for
his baccalaureat as best he
can - I worked a bit on fixing
the camera obscura. My wife
had a few rooms cleaned
which had been dirtied by the
Prussians. However, we are
leaving the living room as they
did with the straw and their
garbage - I went to Tauvin's.
Saturday, January 21s'
I get up every day at eight
o'clock even though I have
trouble sleeping. I rest as well
- I worked on pseudoscopic
images - Julie went to the
market in Blois. We have no
news. It continues to thaw.
Sunday, January 22nd
I worked on pseudoscopic im-
ages - At 2 o'clock I went to
Blois with my wife - I went to
see Mieusement, Gervais, and
mother. They are still talking
about blowing up the bridge - I
read two newspapers that
Tlieophile Tauvin brought -
News from Pans is not very
good. It is being violently bom-
barded. Tlie weather is very nice.
Monday, January 23rd
Up at 8 o'clock- I worked
with the stonemason Dupuis
to put a new cowl on the
chimney of the little house - I
worked a little on pseudoscopy
- I went to Tauvin s - We have
started to eat in the dining
room since yesterday -
Madame Donnet sent someone
to find out if we would take
her as a boarder - We gave a
non-committal answer. The
weather is fairly nice.
Tuesday, January 24"'
Up at 6 o'clock. We went
with Georges and Baptiste to
Pontlevay. We arrived at the
hotel at 10 o'clock and had
lunch. I went to the convent to
tell Eglantine that I was taking
her back to Saint-Gervais - I
paid for her boarding for six
weeks - 75 francs. I went to the
junior high school where I paid
112 francs for three weelcs and
Georges's boarding.
M. Bourgeois made me visit
his museum. The people in
Pontlevay are rising up against
the Prussiaris, whose occupa-
tion they did not experience. We
left at 3 o'clock and anived in
Saint-Gervais at 6 o'clock. It
froze a little bit during the day.
Wednesday, January 25"'
I am a little bit tired from
my journey. I am fixing my
battery - I am going to Blois
at 2 o 'clock for news. I met
M. Legendre, who tells me
that the Prussian government
is asking the city of Blois for
30 francs per head for war tax,
therefore 1 million. The mu-
nicipal council is addressing a
reclamation to Prince
Frederick Charles - We must,
people say, ask for 25 francs
per inhabitant in the country-
side. Everyone is upset - I
went to Lecesne's. In the
evening there is a lot of snow
covering the ground.
Thursday, January 26"'
The ground is covered
with snow - I am working
on my pseudoscopy images.
I went to Mme. Vallon's - In
the evening I had a violent
headache, which forced me
to go to bed at 7 o'clock.
News of the war is not very
positive.
Friday, January 27"'
I got up at 8:30 because of
the great cold - The Tauvin
woman brought me newspa-
pers from Romorantin; I have
found out that there are 10
thousand of our men in this
town - The newspapers are
full of bad or contradictory
news. An exit attempted by
General Trochu was unsuc-
cessful - The delegate govern-
ment is in Bordeaux. They are
looking to recruit men - The
ground is covered with snow -
The Prussians do not let any-
one enter Blois - They put
kindling under the wood
bridge that links the arches
and placed three mines in the
arch on this side.
Saturday, January 28"'
Fighting in Saint-Gervais.
Up at 8 o'clock. The ground
is covered with snow. I am
working on my physiological
studies (Punctum corcum) all
day - Around 3:30 we heard
the French bugle and fifteen
minutes later we saw the
troops of the 25'1' battalion of
the army heading towards
Blois near the Saint-Gervais
bridge. Heavy gunfire took
place with the Prussian guard
set up at the city gate. I saw
the action from all the way
down the road - a few of our
men fell (on the ice) - Several
troops launched themselves at
great speed and pushed back
the Prussians, who ran from
house to house, hiding. The
artillery placed first at the top
of the hill and later near the
bridge sent cannonballs (that
do not travel well because of
the foggy skies). After two
hours of shooting, the Piiissians
crossed the bridge protected by
their barricades and we imme-
diately heard a triple detona-
tion; it was the three mines
from the bridge that exploded
without damaging the bridge,
but the wood parts burned -
The French were forced to
stop in Vienne; if they had
been able to cross the bridge,
the city would have been
evacuated - (This fight had no
effect except to cut off the
bridge - Tlie general claims that
the desired goal was fulfilled. It
is also believed that it was a
distraction for another opera-
tion.)
Sunday, January 29"'
According to the large
number of rifle shots (perhaps
about forty thousand and
fifty cannonballs or bombs),
we could have feared a mas-
sacre on either side. There
were scarcely one hundred
men wounded or killed on
both sides. In the morning I
went with the mayor and M.
Vallon to organize a service
to look for the dead, and
group together the wounded
in various houses
(M. Bergevin). We buried six-
teen dead and brought back
ten wounded. The army hos-
pital now has only 17. All the
wounded who could be trans-
ported followed the anny that
went back towards Cour
Cheverny - We do not know
where they are going. My wife
spent the day and night tak-
ing care of the wounded with
Mine. Vallon and Mile.
Dusserre. There was a young
army doctor and two assis-
tants. The priest quickly
dined with us. In the evening
I went to Blois; there were a
few more rifle shots from one
bank to the next. During the
day we heard the cannons in
the direction of Vendome or
Marchenoir. I am very tired
from my very difficult day.
Monday, January 30"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my batteries, which are
in a bad state. My wife
came back from the army
hospital at 9 o'clock; she
was tired. I went to Vienne
with Baptiste for news. The
bridge was cut off and
there were very few
Prussians in the city. To
Cajun's for copper sulfate.
We learned that a 21-day
armistice was concluded
between the opposing par-
ties and the elections for the
constituents would take
place in eight days as of
January 31- noon. I went to
our hospital in the chateau
 Julie spent the night there.
We only have 10 wounded
left. Snow is still covering
the ground.
Tuesday, January 31"
Up at 7:30. I have a cold.
I was going to find out in
the area if the news of the
armistice is accurate; it is
true. We opened the hiding
place (near the dairy); we re-
moved the objects that are
less valuable. Georges went
to Vienne for news; the
bridge has not yet been re-
built; a French colonel and a
Prussian are meeting at the
Lion d'Or for the local condi-
tions of the armistice. I
worked a little bit on physio-
logical optics - Eglantine
iii
went to spend the night at
the chateau hospital. The
thawing seems to be under-
way. It is not as cold and the
snow is starting to melt.
Wednesday, February 1st
Up at 8 o'clock. The thaw-
ing continues. I worked on
physiological optics. I found
Leonie's hiding place, which is
in a very good state - At
4 o'clock I went to the munic-
ipal council to establish a list
of indigents to give them
bread. We put 25 names
down. I went to the army hos-
pital. There I met M. Vallon,
who was coming back from
Blois in a fishing boat; the
bridge has still not been re-
built. He told me with cer-
tainty that the walls of Paris
were in the hands of the
enemy; that we fought for two
days in Paris against the
democrats of Belleville, who
had taken the Hotel de Ville,
and that these troubles, al-
though repressed, were the
cause of our defeat - this is
what the armistice is bringing.
Thursday, February 2'"'
Up at eight o'clock. It was
very nice weather. I took all
my books out of the Lecesne
hiding place and a few
clothes. We also opened the
large hiding place, which is in
very good shape and we aired
it out - We also unearthed
two cases of white wine. (The
two Thauvins helped us -
' \ -
 Visit from the teacher - I am
working on oculistics a little
bit - My wife and daughter
went to help at the army hos-
pital. We are working on the
passerelle of the Blois bridge.
They say that the inhabitants
are quite tormented - another
Prussian was killed; 200,000
francs are being asked. Two
civilians were killed by them
but they do not want to pay
compensation -
Friday, February 3rd
Up at 8 o 'clock - I worked
on my pseudoscopy images -
We learned that during the
armistice the Prussian garri-
son will be lodged by the in-
habitants and nourished by
them - which will not prevent
requisitions in the country-
side. The weather is very nice.
Saturday, February 4th
Up at 7:30. I worked on
my pseudoscopic images.
The bridge rebuilt with
wood, my wife went to the
market in Blois with her
daughter and her maid. The
weather is nice enough.
Sunday, February 5"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked on
my pseudoscopic images - I
went to Blois with Georges -
To Lecesne's. To see Jollois,
whose foot is hurt - To
Robert's. We had the priest to
dinner - In the evening the
army doctor came to see me
with his assistant. The weather
is quite nice.
Monday, February 6"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I went to
Blois with Georges for the clock
face of the city hall, which does
not work. To see Robert, who is
suffering much from a sciatic. I
went to the mayor's, where I
fixed the battery - We brought
back bulletins and two posters
for the elections of the con-
stituents that are to take place
on Wednesday. These eirands
tired me greatly and I did not
work much during the rest of
the day. I went to my neighbor's
to bring bulletins - There are
three lists: Ultra democrats:
Ducoux, Dufay, Germain
SaiTut, etc.;
Independents:Tassin. Emile
Couteau, Basserien, etc.;
Moderates: Riffault, Thiers
Bouvilliers de Sers, etc.
Tuesday, February 7"'
Up at 8 o'clock - I put a
plank in my main office for
my books - Visit of Chabault
mayor about the elections - I
cleaned up my office and did
not do much else. It is raining
a little bit.
Wednesday, February 8"'
Up at 6:30. I went (with
Georges and Baptiste) to
Blois - (I am fixing the
battery at city hall) - / went
to the chateau to cast my
vote to the state room:
Thiers. De la Panouge.
Boinvilliers. Riffault. De
Sers. I found out that
Gambetta resigned - Back at
noon - I worked on my
pseudoscopic images and on
a new regulator for my clock
faces. It rained all day.
Thursday, February 9"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my new electric regulator. I
closed hiding place no. 1,
which I had opened and put
several objects inside. In the
evening I went to the hospital
to see the doctor, who is a very
educated young man. It was
nice all day long.
Friday, February 10"'
Up at 7:30. I worked on
my pseudoscopic images. At
2 o'clock the army doctor
and his aide came to see me
- In the evening I worked on
my electric regulator - It
rained all day.
Saturday, February 11"'
Up at 7 o'clock - I worked
on physiological optics - /
was a little bit ill during the
day. In the evening I worked
on my electric regulator. It is
a little bit cold. We found out
a few details in the newspa-
pers on the deprivations en-
dured by the Parisians during
the siege. We also got a few
details on the surrender of
Paris due only to famine.
The Prussians are not en-
tering; we are paying 200
million in war taxes - The
entire garrison is prisoner -
The forts are occupied by the
enemy.
Sunday, February 12"'
Up at 7:30. I worked on
my electric regulator - I re-
ceived a letter from Leonie
dated from January 3O'h; she
is complaining about not re-
ceiving letters from us but
we did write to her. They are
all doing very well - I went
to Blois with Georges - To
see Jollois, whose foot is still
hurt - To Lecesne's (To the
mayor's for the clock face) -
Three Uhlans came to
St. Gervais to bring the
mayor the order to pay from
now until February 15"', as
contribution of war, 12,500
francs - We had the priest to
dinner - It rained a little bit
in the evening -
Monday, February 13"'
Up at 6:30. I went to see
Mayor Chabault about the
tax - He wrote a letter to
M. Bergevin to ask him to
speed up the funds for the
commune. M. Surateau left
to take the letter. (In
Sologne where M. Bergevin
retired.) I worked on entop-
tic images and on my elec-
340
 trie regulator - / was som-
nolent for part of the day
and this tired me - It is
quite nice weather.
Tuesday, February 14"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my electric regulator. At
four o 'clock I went to the
council to see how we would
face our war tax of 12,500 -
M. Bergevin is giving 3,000
If francs. The municipal council
managed to do the same
through contributions - We do
not know what we can do
about the rest. The weather is
nice.
V i
Wednesday, February 15th
Up at 7 o 'clock - I went to
the Mayor Chabault's to come
to a decision about the
12,500 franc war tax. We
went to Blois with M. Vallon
and the deputy to the
Prussian commander, who
was stubborn and hard. The
only concession granted was
the paying of 3,000 francs to-
morrow and giving guaran-
tees for the rest - We went to
a Prussian prefect who had
just been set up in Blois to
conciliate the interests of the
inhabitants with the demands
of war; he was very kind and
has promised to speak for us.
Scarcely back from Saint-
Gervais at 1 o'clock. 235 men
from Hesse passed through
the village and had to be
housed and fed at individu-
als' homes. We had four who
were very demanding; in ad-
dition to a snack upon their
arrival with bread and wine,
we gave them dinner. Meaty
soup, beef a la mode, fried
Vl I
pork, potatoes, butter-apples,
and walnuts - Visit from the
army doctor who, in German,
helped me to get along with
my soldiers. The weather is
nice.
Thursday, February 16"'
My teeth caused me great
suffering until three o'clock
in the morning, so I did not
get up until 8 o'clock - Our
four men from Hesse left at
7:30 after having had coffee
with milk and butter; we
filled up their jug of wine and
even with all that they were
unhappy or pretended to be.
At 4 o'clock three Prussian
officers arrived with eight
soldiers, who had dinner and
spent the night.
Friday, February 17"'
Up at 6 o'clock - The
Prussian soldiers and their
officers left at 7 o'clock. At
8 o'clock deputy Boucher
fetched me to help him to
collect money to complete
the 3,000 francs that had to
be given on Sunday - We
had scarcely been to a few
homes when we were
warned that 1,000
Prussians were coming. (I
went to the mayor's for the
lodging tickets that we had
made.) - We had the com-
mander and two officers
and 14 soldiers to feed and
house - (Victor luckily came
to help us: He gave us a
chicken and some chops).
We had a very agitated
evening. (The weather is
very nice.)
 Saturday, February 18"'
Up at 6 o'clock. The
Prussian soldiers and the
officers left at 8 o'clock after
breakfast - At noon we had
a colonel with two officers
and six soldiers - We dined
with them and everything
went well. They even spoke
French - There were 150 in
the village. Baptiste and
Georges went on foot to
Cellettes to get supplies - We
are all very tired - We have
been told that the armistice
that was to end tomorrow
has been extended for five
days and will end on the 25th
- (Prussians and French
believing in the possibility
of a peace agreement. It is
wonderful weather. We
received a letter from
Mine. Dantan announcing
the death of Doctor
Phillips.)
Sunday, February 19"'
Up at 6 o'clock. The
colonel, officers, and sol-
diers left at 9 o'clock - At
each departure they always
find a way to steal some
linen or clothing that they
sneak out. We hastily put
everything back in order
and awaited new arrivals
all day long. Luckily for us,
the 200 new arrivals only
occupied the part of the
village near the road; they
are Polish Prussians. They
are said to be good. They
set up guard posts and
sentinels as in wartime and
are ready for the Chamber's
decision on peace or war -
These Polish men are going
to stay in Saint-Gervais
until the end of the
armistice. The weather is
wonderful.
Monday, February 20"'
Up at 6 o'clock. We went
to Blois with Georges at
9 o'clock - to diverse sup-
pliers and to see mother,
who is doing well and has
not had any Prussians, al-
though there were many in
Blois. After dinner I went
to see our horse with
Baptiste; we had placed it
in Charles Thauvin's care
with other animals for sev-
eral days. Baptiste went
back to get it because the
Prussians had a battle in
the forest and took several
cows. I went to see the
army doctor. In the evening
I worked on the electric reg-
ulator. It was very nice
weather.
s
Tuesday, February 21 '
I am a little bit tired and
only got up at 8 o'clock. I
worked on the electric regula-
tor. My wife went to Blois
with Julie for provisions be-
cause Prussians are an-
nounced for tomorrow - We
have no news on what was
decided on the war but we
hope for a peaceful conclu-
sion - The weather is very
nice.
Wednesday, February 22"d
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my electric regulator.
Fifty Prussians have ar-
rived; they are housed in
the suburbs; we haven't had
any - We are quite anxious;
will there be peace before
the end of the armistice
that expires on Friday?
Mile. Thiers and J. Faure
left for Versailles; we have
some hope for their inter-
vention. There is some
trouble, which is easily re-
pressed - Georges went to
Blois for news. There is
none - Visit from, the army
doctor. It is rainy and cold.
Thursday, February 23rd
Up at 7 o'clock. I am
working on my electric
regulator. We have fifty
Prussians in the village
lodged at individuals'
homes. They are Polish
and kinder than the oth-
ers. We do not have any.
The weather is very nice.
The armistice was pro-
longed until Sunday at
midnight.
Friday, February 24"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
all day on my electric regu-
lator, which will set the
time on all of my clocks. At
four o'clock we went to
Blois with Georges and
Eglantine - To mother's - To
Lecesne's, where we learned
that peace has been con-
cluded; although unofficial,
it is almost certain - The
town is full of Prussians
still lodged in homes - It is
very nice weather -
Saturday, February 25"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my electric regulator all
day. My wife went to Blois
with Julie. She brought back
news that there was no
longer any hope for peace.
The Prussian prefect sent his
servant to ask me if he could
come and pay me a visit. I
answered yes. The weather is
very nice.
Sunday, February 26th
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my electric regulator -
At 9 o'clock I went to Blois
(to the Prussian prefect to
agree upon a day he could
come so that I would be at
home. It will be tomorrow
or the day after.) We have
no news of the decision
of the Chambers about
peace. Blois is very worried
and the Prussians are start-
ing to put inflammable
&Mmm
w: m Wm
>'M.
substances under the bridge
again and there are many
troops heading toward
Sologne. The town is
traumatized by its 500.000
francs tax. We had the
priest to dinner. The
weather is very nice.
Monday, February 27"'
(Up at 7 o'clock. I fixed
the train tracks with
Georges) - We learned that
the preliminaries of peace
were agreed upon and
signed. We saw a large
number of Prussian troops
coming back from Sologne
- At 2 o'clock a lieutenant
and his aide-de-camp
came; he slept in the parlor
t'''i
Im
and dined with us. He is a
very decent young man. The
weather is very nice.
Tuesday, February 28"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I
worked a little on the elec-
tric regulator. I fixed the
ghosts and the camera ob-
scura. I am having the
garden alleys cleaned by
the Marquet woman. The
army hospital evacuated
M. Bergevin's chateau. The
doctor came to say good-
bye yesterday. We know
nothing yet of the peace
conditions. The weather
was very nice. The lieu-
tenant had lunch and din-
ner with us.
 Wednesday, March I ' s
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked
on my electric regulator. I
learned of the conditions of
peace: five billion in dam-
ages. One fifth of Lorraine.
All of Alsace except for Belfort
and Metz. Around four
o'clock I had the visit of the
Prussian prefect and his gen-
eral secretary. The lieutenant
dined with us and his aide-
de-camp dined in the
kitchen. It is very nice
weather.
Thursday, March 2"d
Up at 7 o 'clock. I worked
on my new electric regulator -
At 9 o'clock three Prussian
doctors including an oculist
\ .
w&:
came to visit me. They told me
that the Chamber had agreed
on the conditions for peace -
At 1 o'clock the captain of the
company came with two other
Prussians until 4:30 - Our
lieutenant left after lunch to
go to Paris for the entrance of
the Prussians into the capital
- The weather was wonderful
- Marquet came to clip the
trees.
Friday, March 3"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I worked on
my electric regulator - At 10
o'clock I had the visit of sev-
eral officers. At 2 o'clock I
went to Blois to visit Sanesau
of the Comedie Francaise. I
took my memoirs to the Prefect
as he had asked - To Jollois's ~
w
Upon arrival I learned that we
will have one captain and two
aides-de-camp from the 59"'
squadron tomorrow - The 58"',
which is leaving, will return to
Germany. The weather is very
nice -
Saturday, March 4'h
Up at 7 o'clock. Instead of
a captain, it was a sergeant
major accountant who arrived
at eight o'clock with two
Polish aides-de-camp - They
are all very nice and polite -
The first ate with us and the
others in the kitchen - All day
I had Prussian officers visit-
ing the property - At 1 o 'clock
in the morning a courier came
 to announce departure the next
day at 8 o'clock - The weather
was beautiful.
Sunday, March 5"'
Hif Up at 7 o'clock. I fixed the
Hermit's head - My sergeant
#

major and his two aides-de-

camp left at eight o'clock for
Prussia. At 2 o'clock I went to
Blois to the city hall for the
clock face - To see Robert and
Mieusement - The city is al-
most completely evacuated;
there is only one unit but we
await troops that will be pass-
ing through - The priest dined
with us. At eight o'clock Entile
came by surprise; he has
grown a full beard - The
weather was very nice and
waim. 1
Monday, March 6"'
Up at 7 o'clock. I went for a
walk with Entile; then we
went together to Blois to see
mother and Cousin Robert - /
saw Lecesne - I met some mo-
bile units who were returning
home. The weather is wonder-
ful.
m
m
Tuesday, March 7th
Up at 7 o'clock. We talked
business with Entile on his
brother's succession. I gave
up 900 francs that were for
me front my poor son and
gave Emile 500 francs which
remained from the sale of a
 mm
horse, which had been sent to
me by one of his friends. At
one o'clock two Uhlan offi-
cers and two aides-de-camp
came to lunch - Our mayor
Chabault could not provide
hay for the horses and was
hit in the face and put in jail
- I intervened for him with
the colonel and he was re-
leased at 6 o'clock - Several
officers came to stroll on my
property - My two officers
had dinner with us - There
are 9,000 men in Blois - The
weather is wonderful. I
opened the hiding place of
the greenhouse where papers
and silver were hidden.
Wednesday, March 8"'
Up at 6:30. My two officers
M and their aides-de-camp left
at 8 o'clock. I put the Hermit
back in place. We went with
Emile to Blois to Cousin
Robert's - There were many
troops in the city - We had a
sergeant major and two
aides-de-camp in the evening.
The weather is very nice.
Thursday, March 9"'
Up at 6:30. The sergeant
major and the aides-de-camp
left at 8 o'clock. I put the pic-
ture back in place - Emile left
for Paris at 1 o'clock. Georges
went with him. At 3 o 'clock we
had two corporals and two sol-
diers from the army hospital.
, , - . ; :
The weather is very nice. I
went to Blois with Eglantine -
We opened the hiding place
under the cellar stairs where
my deeds and some jewelry
were. Metivier's son is back
from the mobile service.
Friday, March 10"'
Up at 6:30.1 have a very bad
cold and my chest hurts. I did
not work much in the morning
but I put my books and papers
away in my workshop. I went
to bed early. It rained a bit. Our
four Prussians stayed and they
will be in Saint-Gervais for one
day.
Saturday, March 11"'
Up at 7:30. I am very tired
from my cold; I have a little
bit of fever. I spent the whole
day cleaning up my workshop
and organizing my papers.
Our four Prussians left in the
morning - The weather is
fairly nice.
Sunday, March 12th
Up at 7:30. I am very tired
from my cold. I started to re-
organize the electric door -
The Prussians have defini-
tively evacuated Blois. French
troops coming to stay in
Vienne could not cross the
badge before the payment of
the first billion. The priest had
dinner with us -
.
ROBFR'I-HOL'DIN

Illustration 478 Robert-Houdin by Mieusement.


The Master's Last Days
The day after the Prussians left, Robert-
Houdin got up late at 10 o'clock in the
morning, after having spent a feverish night
disturbed with a terrible cough. He immedi-
ately had the large hiding place opened in
the cave, 'which contained furniture and
bags of wheat belonging to his neighbors.
At 2 o'clock, ill, he was forced to return to
bed. For three days Robert-Houdin re-
mained partially bedridden, going out only
to have different hiding places cleared out.
On March 16, feeling a little better, he took
many objects out of their crates and orga-
nized his library, but was still very tired. On
the 17th, in better condition, Robert-Houdin
cleaned up his workshop and unpacked
several pieces. He dedicated the 18th and
19th to various technical repairs, organized
his workshop, worked on the reorganization
of the electric door, and found the time to
sort his mail. Robert-Houdin wrote on the
20th in his Tablettes journal ieres, in the
midst of other notes of his daily tasks, these
underlined sentences:
We heard that Paris was in the midst of civil
war and that the revolutionary committee had
taken over all the administrations. It is said that
they shot two generals.
This was the beginning of the Commune.
Robert-Houdin awaited an assistant named
Roucault, whom he asked Emile to send to
help reorganize his work. He arrived at The
Priory on March 23"'. In his Tablettes jour-
nalieres, the author complained about what
he called his "cold" and wrote that his chest
was burning. He immediately went to work
349
ACT V
on the odometer in the company of his
worker. Until April 5, the learned mechani-
cian spent his time supervising various re-
pairs inside and outside The Priory and his
work on the odometer with M. Roucault. On
April 6, Robert-Houdin completed a figurine
of a gardener that was placed in the large
cave. News from Paris was bad and greatly
worried him. In addition to stonemasons,
he hired a carpenter to work on the box for
the electric regulator. Robert-Houdin repaired
8- subdivide GARDE RATIONALE LIE PAUIS.
2C BtTAlLLOI.
OBDKE DE SERVICE
/7 coupAcme.
a $ heurcsyjtr6s pr&ises da &* &-. dans ia tuiiue
ci-apreh designte, av hen ordinaire de la reutxon de la
Compagme, pour faire te Service qui iui seia commande.
fa
Tout g.irde national command^ pour an sEitice doit ob*ir.
Sont con>iiJ*i*ei coniroe tetviccieoinmaoJei loulcs les priiwd'stmts, quci quesoil le modeie
convucJiHin.
I'heure indiquee ptr 1'ordre de urticc , Is manquenieut a cl BBMI (WralnWi le r*moi au Cuuscil
de discipline.
Lf i c Kfiiptions ii cmr cflu^^ tin in ^ lid If s fLdcid^ntp]lc soni coiiil3l& p&t tin cctlificit dc livrt'
griluiiement par un d Gbiturgiens ilu bataillon-
Prtvcoir, par fettretffranihie, leStrgent-H*jor. pour absence qm devra *trejusli5.
Lepfeietiitegjltnienlauretour.
H- THOUAS, armuner de la Garde nationalc, paswgs Delorm, %tt sent Ctimnui\twn4 pttT l& V\llt
Touts rfelscnaiiOQ on eieute at sera odmiM par le SngiDi-^ajor nue d u i le* Zl teutei
Illustration 479 Service order of Emile Robert-Houdin,
drafted into the National Guard of Paris.
ROBFR 1-HOUDIN

Illustrations 480. 481, and 482 - Alice, Henri, and Valentine Robert-Houdin.
Valentine, the youngest of Leome and Emile Robert-Houdins children, was born in 1876.

his vertical regulator and pursued the ad-
vancement of the odometer. On April 12, he
consulted his family doctor, M. Arnoult, who
prescribed quinine sulfate, and this medica-
tion seemed to relieve him and allow him to
spend better nights. For several days, he felt
very weak and feverish and once again had
to resort to the medicine. M. Roucault
worked on the odometer or the electric reg-
ulator with him. News from the capital was
worse but, to his great relief, Robert-Houdin
learned that Emile was able to escape forced
enrollment in the troops of the Commune de
Paris by joining the medical corps, to avoid
fighting against the troops of Versailles.
From the 21st to the 30th of April, he contin-
ued the same activities and his health seemed
to improve. Georges was considering studying
for a scientific baccalaureat, and Robert-
Houdin sent him to school. He received the list
of the municipal elections on May Is' and
wrote with no further commentary: "I am the
first in the number of votes." Robert-Houdin
remained in epistolary contact with Mile. Anna
Kremer, the young hostess of the inn L'Ange-
d'Or where his son had passed away in her
arms, and sent her a picture of Eugene which
she had asked for. Mile. Kremer informed him
in her latest letter of the result of her research.
Eugene's watch and ring as well as the hun-

350

dred francs that he had sent him were safe in
the castle of Reichshoffen and would soon be
returned.
Robert-Houdin was still very worried about
Emile's condition because he sent no news
or simply could not because circumstances
prevented letters from the capital from circu-
lating freely - and he tried to calm his fears
by attending to his usual tasks.
On May 18, Robert-Houdin finally received
good news: the arrival the next day of Leonie,
Emile, and their two children. On Sunday, May
21, he wrote in his Tablettes journalieres:
At eight o'clock I went to the Counsel for the
naming of new counselors and the election of a
351
ACT V
mayor and deputy - After my refusal to be mayor,
M. Dusserre was named and M. Louis Nay deputy.
As of May 23. Robert-Houdin resumed work
with Emile on The Writing and Drawing
Automaton. They were informed on the evening
of the 24lh that the capital was in flames and that
water pumps were demanded between Paris and
Orleans. The rebels were said to have burned the
main monuments of Paris. Robert-Houdin
seemed very absorbed by his work on The
Writing and Drawing Automaton. He wrote notes
on this subject every day, unfortunately punctu-
ated by bad news from the capital. The Tuileries,
Hotel de Ville, a quantity of monuments, and pri-
vate properties were prey to flames, and the fire-
men of Blois were obliged to head to Paris. While
everyone was saying prayers in churches on May
28Ih for the salvation of France, Robert-Houdin
was working on his Writing and Drawing
Automaton with a happiness finally regained. In
his Tablettes journalieres, the author no longer
alluded to health problems and had been getting
up at 6 o'clock in the morning again for several
weeks. On May 31, with Emile and Roucault, he
made plans for the automaton's cams and, the
next day worked on the "design of the Cherub.'"
The day of the 2nd of June was again dedicated to
The Writing and Drawing Automaton and he in-
terrupted his work only to take his carriage to be
repaired in Blois. The day of the 3rd was dedi-
cated to the automaton and the pursuit of the de-
sign of the little Cherub.
On Sunday, June 4, Robert-Houdin wrote
these sole sentences in his Tablettes journal-
ieres:
Up at 6 o'clock. I worked on new arrangements
to fit the cams of my writer.
Those were the last words that the artist
wrote in his diary. Below them, his wife
Olympe wrote this sentence:
Fell ill on June 5 and died on June 13, 1871.
ROBFRI -HOUDIN

Illustration 483 - The final two pages of Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journalieres dated June 3rd and 4th, 1871.

352

Robert-Houdin passed away at 10 o'clock in
the evening, succumbing to pneumonia, [27] in
the room of the second floor of his dear Priory
from which he had admired the magnificent
panorama of his hometown every day with the
same pleasure.
Eglantine Robert-Houdin was present during
her father's last moments, which she recounted
during a conference dedicated to his memory:
To the great sadness of this moment is added a
painful memory that you will allow me to recall. At
The Priory were many clocks and bells; a large bell
placed on the front of the house gave the time to
353
ACT V
the entire village. At the precise moment when my
father, surrounded by his family, breathed his last
breath, the bells, clocks, the large bell, every-
thing...everything...in impressive unison all rang
out the ten chimes of the hour. There are times
when one feels the souls of objects; this was their
last goodbye to the man who had given them life
and whom they were to follow in death. The Priory
could not live without its creator. The property
was sold following conflicting family interests and
today time has done its deed. Fifty years have
gone by and of the entire mechanical systems of
the house, of all the attractions of the garden,
nothing is left...only the memory.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

r,
Last Farewell Performance

If the importance and popularity of a per- haps even evils, and by sacrificing his own tran-
son is judged by the space that the press de- quility he managed to ensure that of others... [29]
\ otes to his death announcement, the verita-
ble avalanche set off in the press by the news Yesterday M. Robert-Houdin died at his pro-
of Robert-Houdin's death says much more perty of Saint-Gervais. Leaving to others the privi-
than the present work about his national and lege of discussing his scientific works, we are
international aura. From the most humble lit- happy to be the interpreter of all those who knew
him to pay tribute to the qualities that made a
tle regional newspaper in the remotest re-
gentleman and a good citizen.
gion to the large daily papers of the
During the occupation, through his courage and
provinces and the capital, the) all published
cautiousness, he knew more than once how to
this sad information in kind and warm terms. foresee great misfortune, and during the battle
Paragraphs, articles, and complete biogra- that took place in the suburb of Vienne and the
phies were published immediately after his commune of Saint-Gervais, he took all goodhearted
death, and several newspapers paid tribute to
the artist by relating the greatest moments of
his career in the form of episodes that went
on for several days. |>s] Daily newspapers in
foreign capitals also wanted to herald the
memory of Robert-Houdin and the watch-
maker, mechanician, conjurer, and scientist
Madame veuve ROBERT-HOUDIN; Nlomiem el Mudarna KJIIIE ROBERT-
was again honored. In contrast to these prac-
HOUDIN et leur enfant*; Monsieur OEOIIOBS ROliEHT-HOUMN; Mademoiselle
tically official homages, the very first articles EOLAKTIBE ROBERT-HOI) DIN; Madame veuve PROSPER-ROHERT; Mumium
published in the press of the region were BRACONMEB, colonel an 1" regiment de elmsseurs beiges; Madame BRA-
CONNIER et loure enfanls; Monsieur et Madame CHOCAT-HAM1LT0N et leui
among the most touching in their sobriety
ills; Monsieur ROBERT-RENOU; Madame veuve DE LA MARLIER; Monnieur et
because they spoke of the man and the com- Madame TOUTTAIN-AMIOT,
patriot, whose memory they saluted with
Ont Thoniieur de vous faire part de la nerte doulouieuse qu'ils viennent de faire en
modesty, tact, and also sincere sadness:
ia personne de

Although Robert-Houdin's death must sadden monsieur JEMH-FI'GGKK nOBEHT linilM*,

those who regret the disappearance of an im- leur epoux, pere, beau-pere, grand-pere, beau-fils, beau-freve et cousin, decede en sa
mense genius, the commune of Saint-Gervais will propriety du Prieure Sainl-Gervais, pres Blois, dans sa 66" annee, muni des
especially feel hard hit, because M. Robert- SacrementsriePEglise.

Houdin, through the kindness of his character

and the multitude of his good deeds, had won not
only the admiration but also the gratefulness of ftiw Situ (raw lui
all.
The community will remember that, during the
Prussian occupation, M. Robert-Houdin's courage
and presence of mind spared it many woes, per- Illustration 18 t Death notice for Robert-Houdin.

354
 ACTV

Illustration 485 Robert-Houdin by Mieusement.

ROBFRi-HOUDIN

people with him to help the wounded and retrieve mass, assisted by the former vicar of Saint-
the dead. Gervais, the family's friend Father Ranc.
lie was so universally admired that at the last Robert-Houdin's coffin was temporarily
municipal elections, he won all the votes of his fel- buried in the Saint-Gervais cemetery, as
low citizens... [30] Olympe had bought a plot in the cemetery
of Blois and had a mausoleum built,
Robert-Houdin's funeral took place on Friday,
adorned with a white marble medallion with
June 16 at 10:30 in the church of Saint-Gervais.
the master's profile, a work by their friend
Parents, friends, neighbors, and municipal, Dantan. It is in these shady, peaceful sur-
political, religious, and artistic figures gathered roundings that Robert-Houdin rests for eter-
in the church of Saint-Gervais, which was too nity.
small to contain the crowd during the cere-
mony, and some were thus forced to observe Here ends the narrative of Robert-Houdin's
from the square. Father Victor Colin said the life, and this biography. His departure for a

OL'S ctes pries d'nssislor aux Convoi. Service el liiiterremenl de

Monsieur JEAN-EUGENE ROBERT-HOUDIN,

Deeede au Prieure de Sainl-(k'nais, le K! juin 1871, dans sa 00" annee, muni des Saeremenls do 1'Eiilise, qui am'onf lieu lo
\endredi 10 eourant.a 10 heures 1|2 du malm, on I'E^lise de Sainl-Oerwus, sa paroisse;

De la port dc Madame voino ftOBERT-HOTOK ; de Monsieur el Madame Ii>m-t BOBER'i'-HOUOIN el de lews enliiiils ; de
Moiisiem- GBOHBIB Il()I!KHT-IIOi;i)l> ; <le Mademoiselle IWNTJNE ROBERT-HODDIN; de Madame, veuve PBOSPER-ROBBRT ;
dc Monsieur el Madame BRACOKfffKR el de leurs cnfauls; de Honaieur el Madame CII0CAT-HAM1LTON el de ieur lils; de
Monsieur HOBERT-RliiSOO ; de Madame veuve DE LA MAItUI-K;

Ses EponsOj Pils, Fille, Belle-fille, I'elits-linfnnls, Belle-Mere, BeaiiN-Freres, Belles-SoniFS, Cousin el Cousine.

I'riez Dieu pour le repos de son Ami1.

\-e Teuil sc rtimiHi & ia SJaisoii motiuaire, au Prieu* lie SainKiervais

Illustration 486 - Announcement of Robert-Houdin's funeral service.

This large-format document was posted in churches, city halls, administrations, etc.

356
 ACT V

Illustration 487 - Robert-Houdin's tomb in the cemetery of Blois.

357
ROBERT-HOUDIN

world said to be better marked his entry into play La Czarine at the Theatre Montparnasse
posterity. He occupies a unique place in the in December 1878, then at Grenelle and Les
pantheon of magicians, that of a founding fa- Gobelins. In 1887, following a proposal by
ther of a regenerated art which, thanks to Henri Lemaitre, his son-in-law, and in the
him, gained respectability. The artistic, me- name of the family, the municipal council of
chanical, and scientific heritage of Robert- Blois [27] decided to rename the Rue
Houdin is enormous and merits respect. Madeleine as Rue Robert-Houdin on May 26.
During his entire career, he was honored by
prestigious awards and adored by the public. The hundredth anniversary of his birth,
For fifty years after his death, his name con- celebrated by the elite of French and inter-
tinued to shine every evening on the marquee national magicians on December 6, 1905 at
of his theater, and his effects and mechanical an extraordinary gala in the Theatre des
pieces enchanted new generations. His Soirees Fantastiques with David Devant as
posthumous work Magie et Physique amu- guest of honor, and in the presence of the
sante was published in 1877 and his literary Parisian press and conjuring enthusiasts,
work was from then on regularly reprinted. set forth a new flood of journalists who
The Chess Player automaton was seen again saluted the artist's memory. The impact of
in Paris, where it ensured the success of the this event proved Robert-Houdin correct

(KUYRE PUSTHUME

MAGIE
A toi Robert-Houdin, dont la main si savante,
PHYSIQUE AMUSANTE Au temps jadis a su provoquer notre emoi,
Nous venons exprimer, l'&me reconnaissante,
La veneration que nous avons pour toi.
ROBERT H0UD1N
OltKfi I ) ' U S PORTRAIT DE L'AUTEUH En celebrant ici ta valeur triomphante.
KT D E V1GHI
Avec la vive ardeur que nous donne la foi,
Nous venons evoquer ta memoire puissante,
Comme un cher souvenir que chacun garde en soi.

Ta gloire te survit, et, toujours d'age en Age,

Tu resteras lc seul et plus mervcilleux Mage.
Parmi tant de genies, le tien reste immortel;

PARIS Et nous te saluons en ce jour solennel,

CALMANN LfiYY, DITEUK Oil nous sommcs si flers de rendre a ton image
ANCIENNE MAISON MICHEL LEVY FRERES
Le plus respectueux et plus ardent hommage.
HUE AUDE LEVAtlO DES 1 T A U K B 8 , IS
E. RAYNALY.
A LA LIBRAIRIE NOUVELLE

1877
Broils dc reproduetuw d <ie Induction rcurvM

Illustration 488 - Title page of the posthumus work by Illustration 489 - Poem by Raynaly, for the one hundred
Robert-Houdin, Magie et physique amusante. year celebration of Robert-Houdin's birth.

358
 ACT V

when he wrote this premonitory text in The

Secrets of Conjuring and Magic:
Ii has often struck me what an interesting ex-
s CENTENAIRE*Vi'
hibition it would make, to get together for a sin-
gle performance a dozen conjurors, each giving
for a quater of an hour a sample of his special
ROBERT HOUDIN PBOGRAMME DE LA

talent. Such a performance would, I am certain,

be worthy of a prince.
REPRESENTATION DE GALA
DU 6 DECEMBRE 19O5
In 1935, a commemorative plaque, adorned Allocution tfc Itt. HA-VlfaA.I-.tr. \ lcc-prtsident
M. F E R R A R I S , dans son Repertoire
with a medallion sculpted by Dr. Dhotel, was US. L E G R I S , dn Theatre RoberlHoudin
"BS.. G I A K O L Y ' Illusionniste humoristique
placed on the site of the first Theatre des M. T A L A Z A C le Lecleur de Pensee
Soirees Fantastiques on Rue de Valois, and M M I C H A E L A la Voyaiilc

in 1938 Paris again honored the master by t. B A Y N A I . . Y , Prestidigitation classique & fantaisiste
IH Z I R K A , la Heine des Cigarieres
re-naming the Passage Bouchardy as Rue LHOMME M A S Q U E (le Marquis iO...
Robert-Houdin. The headlines said: "Robert- AS. H E L I E S , presentation des Automates de Robert-Houdin
MC. L E G R I S , la Prestidigitation modern
Houdin conjures Passage Bouchardy for him-
self." The cities of Caen and Bourges, follow- ] i dC B d
]eremonie du Couronnement du Busle de Roberl-Houdin
BALLET - DIVERTISSEMENT - APOTHEOSE
ing the example of the capital, also renamed LES PDESTIDIGITATEURS LOUIS XV ET LES BOUOUETIERES
Les Automates AN1MES de Robert-Houdiu
MEKUET GE
SONNET HI II mi ill mini ill -nut mv

Illustration 490 The bill for the "Centenaire de Robert-

Houdin" celebrated in his theater on December 6, 1905.

Illustration 491 - Medallion of Robert-Houdin by Dr. Dhotel. Illustration 492 - Medallion of Robert-Houdin, created by Marie-
Madeleine Querolle, struck by the Monnaie de Paris.

359
ROBERT-HOLDIN
two of their streets with the artist's name. In
1949, a plaque was placed to mark the house
where he was born, and in 1966, Paul Robert-
Houdin created a museum in Blois devoted
to his illustrious grandfather. The next year,
the Paris mint struck a Robert-Houdin medal,
and in 1971 a commemorative plaque was
placed on The Priory. The postal ministry
printed a Robert-Houdin stamp for the hun-
dredth anniversary of his death.
Over the years The Priory at Saint-Gervais
and the Blois cemetery have become places
of pilgrimage for those impassioned by the
Illustration 493 - Advertising postcard for the first Robert-Houdin museum in Blois, accompanied by a Robert-Houdin
stamp with a "first day" mark.
360
magic art, from Harry Houdini in 1902 to
David Copperfield in 1994, traveling from all
horizons to honor his memory. For more than
a century, dozens of works and hundreds of
newspaper articles, cartoons, television shows,
films, and exhibitions have been devoted to
Robert-Houdin. whose statue stands today on
the esplanade of the chateau of his hometown,
while throughout the world, amateur and pro-
fessional magicians perpetuate the teachings
of the "father of modern magic," who be-
queathed to each of them the most precious
of legacies: his work and his example.
B
L
O
I
s
 ACT V

Illustration 494 - The facade of the Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin in Blois.

Robert-Houdin's statue, inspired by the lithograph of the artist by Leon Noel, is a creation of Patrick Bourdeu (Plastic Studio).
The automaton dragon with six heads is the work of Michell and Jean-Pierre Hartmann.
ROBBRT-HOUDIN
Epilogue
Even before the family could truly begin to
mourn, several administrative tasks had to be
completed, and "Cousin Robert" proved him-
self to be, as usual, efficient and of wise
counsel. At Robert-Houdin's death, two of his
children were still minors; his old friend be-
came their surrogate tutor and represented
them throughout the entire procedure.
On June 21, 1871 at The Priory, under the
direction of Maitre Postole, the artist's notary
from Blois, and in the presence of Olympe
Robert-Houdin, Emile Robert-Houdin, and
Jean Martin Robert, representing Georges
and Eglantine, began the "inventory after
death of the assets belonging to M. Robert-
Houdin and his spouse." The first part of this
tedious task consisted in cataloguing and
evaluating on site every single object in
every room. The first session began at noon
and ended between 7 and 8 o'clock in the
evening; it continued with the same schedule
on the 22nd, 23ld, and 24th of June.
After all belongings came the evaluation of
the real estate, houses, farms, land, shares,
and deeds which represented the largest part
of the inheritance. Emile had financial wor-
ries as usual and did not share his family's
wish to continue to manage the assets as his
father had done. The two sides present were
indeed facing a delicate problem because, al-
though the artist had left a sizable fortune for
the time (the current equivalent of four mil-
lion U.S. dollars), if we follow the inventory,
there was very little cash. This relative ab-
sence of cash, which appeared in the ac-
counts of Robert-Houdin's succession, is to
be considered carefully. Like the majority of
362
wealthy individuals of the time, Robert-
Houdin kept large amounts of gold at home,
probably napoleons. These sometimes very
large sums were never part of notarial inven-
tories out of discretion as well as for tax rea-
sons.
It would seem that dissensions broke out
between the heirs because the advisor could
not mediate a unanimous agreement.
The civil court of Blois, charged with this
litigation, decided on "the sale by licitation
(auction) of buildings according to law,"
and the income was then transferred to the
account of the "liquidation-sharing of the
assets." Maitre Postole was named "amiable
liquidator."
Respecting the court's decision, the notary
offered a group of buildings for sale, the pro-
ceeds of which paid for various fees, taxes,
and notably the portion of the inheritance be-
longing to Emile, the only heir who immedi-
ately needed money. These three buildings
were: The Priory; a little house that bordered
the property; and an ensemble of houses sit-
uated in Blois on Rue Saint-Martin. The Priory
was sold to Maitre Pelau for the amount of
45,100 francs, as well as the neighboring
house for 2,600 francs. Maitre Pelau was act-
ing on behalf of the Marquis de Flers, who
became the new owner of The Priory, and
M. Bergevin took possession of the second
building. The houses in Blois were purchased
- repurchased - by Olympe Robert-Houdin
for 43,800 francs.
Contrary to what the two biographers -
Father Chesneau and Jean Chavigny - have writ-
ten, in the same terms, it was not "Cousin Robert
 ACT V

ROBERT HOUDIN

Illustration 495 - Engraving and frontispiece of Robert-Houdin's posthumous work, Magie et Physique amusante.
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 496 - Jean Martin Robert Renou, "Cousin Robert."


Illustrations 49 7 and 498 - Olympe Robert-Houdin.
[who] hurried with an unexplainable rush to
sell the family assets."
The choice of sacrificing The Priory - that
neither the Marquis de Flers, nor anyone in
the region would have tried to acquire with-
out Olympe Robert-Houdin's withdrawal -
was sentimentally painful, and could have
undoubtedly been avoided in more peaceful
circumstances, but the assent of the master's
widow was perfectly justified especially in
light of the proper management of her chil-
dren's fortune. Without Robert-Houdin to
animate it, the property would never have
been the same; its upkeep was expensive
and required a large staff. Olympe knew that
Eglantine was thinking about marriage and
Georges was about to become an adult.
Despite all these factors, even if it had
365
ACT V
greatly upset her, she preferred to give up
her lovely but costly residence in order to
keep and preserve the rest of the assets for
her children, whose interest they would ben-
efit from their entire life. The future proved
the wisdom of Olympe Robert-Houdin and
her faithful advisor Jean-Martin Robert,
'Cousin Robert."
A meeting took place on October 17, 1871
at Maitre Postole's office in the presence of
all the heirs, where the portion of the estate
due to each and the details of the assets
they would receive were determined.
According to her wedding contract, Olympe
Robert-Houdin had the right to almost two
thirds of the inheritance, the rest to be
evenly divided between Robert-Houdin's
ROBfrRl-HOUDIN

Illustration 499 - Georges Robert-Houdin.

366
 ACT V

three children. Emile's part would be cash

and immediately sellable deeds and shares.
Le Cabinet de Physique, whose value was
not agreed upon by the heirs, remained in
joint ownership and the civil court ordered its
sale by auction at the Hotel Drouot in Paris
during the month of November.
Neither Olympe Robert-Houdin nor Emile
could accept such an outrage to the artist's
memory, whose secrets would be revealed to
anyone and the mechanical pieces dispersed,
to the highest bidder perhaps, but who would
that be? (The ultra-scarce catalogue of this
sale, which was canceled, still exists and its
contents still makes collectors dream.) [32]
She obtained the cancellation of this decision
and carried out a series of transactions and
exchanges with Emile for a small part of this
collection, which she considered to be non-
transferable family memntos.

In an act established on stamped paper dated

September 23, 1871, Olympe Robert-Houdin kept Illustration 500 - Miniature card desk by Robert-Houdin.
(Chateau de la Ville de Blois)
for herself:

A magic wand used by Robert-IIoudin

in his performances;
A desk for cards;
A burnishing tool belonging to Louis
XVI given by General Morin, director of Arts
et Metiers for the courtesy repair of the au-
tomaton depicting Marie-Antoinette playing
the harpsichord; two medallions represent-
ing Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.
A set of devices for eyes;
A box with ophthalmology devices;
A group of booklets containing jour-
nals and preparations of works by M. Robert- Illustration 501 - Medallions depicting Louis XVI and Marie-
Houdin and the right to have them printed Antoinette, accompanied by a burnishing tool belong-
and to sell all works prepared by M. Robert- ing to Louis XVI.
Houdin These objects \\ ere gi\ en to Robert-Houdin by General
Morin. director of Arts et Metiers, in thanks for his generous
and various mechanical or domestic ob- repair of The Harpsichord Player.
jects. [33] (Chateau de la Mile de Blois)

367
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 502 - Eglantine Robert-Houdin.

368

Illustration 503 Olympe Robert-Houdin and her sister Amelie
Chocat "Hamilton" during the last years of their lives.
Emile Robert-Houdin kept for himself:
A Writing Automaton in progress;
A Singing Lesson, mechanical bird;
A bronze drinker;
and various tools for watchmaking and me-
chanics.
The most important part of Robert-Houdin's
Cabinet de Physique - including his stage
equipment, his various experiments, and the
ensemble of his automata - remained in joint
ownership for a few more months. By virtue of
an act signed in the office of Maitre Marie
Ernest Duplan, notary in Paris on January 5,
1872, this ensemble was sold in its entirety for
10,000 francs to a mysterious buyer who stated
he was acting on his own behalf, which is
369
ACT V
Illustration 504 - Olympe Robert-Houdin and her grand-
daughter Marguerite.
what everyone diplomatically pretended to be-
lieve... [34]
Thanks to their share of the inheritance and
later to that of their mother, "[who] piously
passed away [on January 2, 1901} at the end
of a life devoted to the happiness of her fam-
ily and charity towards the less fortunate,"
Georges and Eglantine had an existence free of
all financial worries and devoted themselves to
their artistic passions: the first to painting, the
second to sculpture.
The fact of having money again, and even
feeling wealthy for the first time in his inde-
pendent life without having his father's gaze
upon him, seemed to have deeply transformed
Emile. He only used a small part of his cash to
RODHRT-HOUDIN

calm down his creditors and made agreements

with them to pay off the rest in installments.
Thanks to this wise attitude, he sold his stock of
merchandise and his business well, without dis-
turbing his capital. His important deal with the
Compagnie des Petites Voitures was not signed.
He was eliminated by a manufacturer who
knew more skillfully than he how to get a mar-
ket that was sure to be profitable. A rocky de-
bate during a municipal council meeting of the
city of Paris in which the opposition supported
jrjo D< Salon dc 1908 hier Rapport, Cliirn Brc</ne rapportant un Faiiati, par M" Eglantine Lemaitre
the qualities of his odometer - that of Robert-
Houdin and criticized that of "his" competitor,
testifies to this. The liquidation of his assets
lasted almost eighteen months, but after years
of ups and downs, Emile Robert-Houdin was
again a free man, or more precisely, a new man
whose destiny would finally be able to be
achieved.

In order to be as exhaustive as possible re-

garding the final years of the management of
Cleverman, of whom we have not spoken since
his dispute with Robert-Houdin, let us mention
the passage of M. Kelly (one of the Stacey
"brothers") and M. Warton in December 1868,
performing "The experiments of the Davenport
Brothers" in the third part of the show. In 1869.
Cleverman's repertoire did not seem to have
been enriched with novelties, and after the
month of February 1870, Brunnet again per-
formed alternately with him. The program was
varied by the return of feats from "the old
repertoire" such as The Love Nest, The
Traveling Birds, The Sympathetic Turtledoves,
and even The Attracted Atoms. As in all the
other theaters in Paris, and because of the war
with Prussia, Cleverman closed his theater after
September 10 following the police decree.
Cleverman reopened the theater on June 22,
1871, and on July 13 Lemercier de Neuville and
Illustrations 505 and 506 - Two animal sculptures by his famous Puppazis made their debut on the
Eglantine Robert-Houdin. stage of Soirees Fantastiques, where they per-

3^0

Illustration 50"" Emile Robert-Houdin, manager of the
Theatre Robert-Houdin from 1873 to 1883.
formed during the second part of the evening.
After August 8, Cleverman ended his show by
projections of instant tableaus of the ''Double
Siege of Paris" obtained with the help of oxide
gas, and if we are to believe his announce-
ment, this new attraction aroused great interest:
"At the Theatre Robert-Houdin, huge success!
The most amusing evenings! The tableaus of
the siege of Paris, the Insurrection, and the
fires make it a full house every evening. Bravo
M. Cleverman."
In the winter of 1871, a ten-year-old school-
boy became an assiduous spectator at the little
theater and discovered his vocation for the art of
illusion. He would one day be in charge of this
theater's destiny. His name was Georges Melies.
Having been able to acquire Le Cabinet de
371
ACT Y
Illustration 508 - Pierre Edouard Brunnet, co-manager of
the Theatre Robert-Houdin from 1873 to 1879.
Physique of Robert-Houdin thanks to M. Plantet's
generosity, Cleverman announced the trapeze
artist Antonio Diavolo in 1872 as well as The
Garland of Flowers, while Emile Robert-Houdin
restored his father's other mechanical pieces
with his apprentice Eugene Calmels, who, al-
though he did not know it yet, would remain at-
tached to them for almost forty years.
After nearly ten years spent at the head of
Soirees Fantastiques, Cleverman, who suffered
from heart disease and whose hair and side-
burns had gone grey from the workload, began
to think of retirement.
In December 1873, Emile Robert-Houdin ac-
complished his most precious dream, but also
his most secret one, and succeeded Cleverman
on the stage of the theater, where, as Brunnet's
ROBLRT-HOLDIN

Illustration 509 - The facade of the Theatre Robert-Houdin during the time of its management by Emile, then by Leonie
Robert-Houdin, from 1873 to 1888.

372
 ACTV

Illustration 510 Leonie and Emile Robert-Houdin.

3"3
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 511 - Leonie Robert-Houdin, manager of the
Theatre Robert-Houdin from 1883 to 1888.
associate, he proved to be a good artist who
particularly excelled in the presentation of his
father's automata. Emile Robert-Houdin and
Edouard Brunnet created new stage illusions
which also had all of Paris running to the little
theater of Soirees Fantastiques. The Indian
Trunk (The Substitution Trunk), The Rose Nest,
The Tour of Japan, and even The Triple Indian
Trunk all contributed to the vogue for the the-
ater.
Instead of bringing them together, success
separated the two men, and in 1879, Robert-
Houdin's son, whom everyone called Emile,
purchased the theater assets and all its precious
automata from M. Plantet. Emile Robert-Houdin
proved to be a skillful and wise director and
began, in the image of his predecessors, to ex-
pand his fortune. He put several talented artists
374
Illustration 512 - Dicksonn, co-manager of the Theatre
Robert-Houdin from 1883 to 1886.
on the bill of the Theatre Robert-Houdin, some of
whom would become celebrities of their time,
such as the young prodigious calculator Jacques
Inaudi, or Dicksonn, who had not yet taken the
name Professor. That decade witnessed the death
of Robin in 1874, of Cleverman in 1875, of
Hamilton in 1877, and the beginning of the next
saw that of Edouard Brunnet and Emile Robert-
Houdin.
Upon Emile's death on March 17, 1883, Leonie
Robert-Houdin, his widow, courageously took
over the reins of the little theater and, after having
entrusted it for nearly four seasons to Dicksonn,
put the magicians Jacobs and Raynaly on the bill,
then Lemercier de Neuville in his revue Tout Paris
in November 1886. During her last year of man-
agement she became an associate with Emile
Voisin, the grandson of the magic manufacturer

Illustration 513 - Emile Voisin, co-manager of the Theatre
Robert-Houdin from 1887 to 1888.
Andre Voisin, whose shop he had taken over;
during this period, Duperrey, Henry's, and
Jehanne d'Alcy. made their debut on the stage
of the Theatre Robert-Houdin.
During the month of June 1888, Leonie
Robert-Houdin sold the lease of Soirees
Fantastiques de Robert-Houdin, its furnishings,
and legendary automata to a 26-year-old man
who was brilliant, talented, and wealthy: Georges
Melies, who would manage the theater for thirty-
two years. Thanks to this great multi-talented
artist, a pioneer of cinema and creator of the cin-
ematographic show, the greatest talents of
French magic performed on Robert-Houdin's
stage, in the company of the Merveilleuses Vues
animees de G. Melies (Marvelous Animated
Images by G. Melies). This inspired manager
invented a quantity of new, spectacular tricks
375
ACT V
Illustration 514 - Georges Melies, manager of the Theatre
Robert-Houdin from 1888 to 1920.
with evocative titles, among them The Persian
Stroubaika, Mesmer's Castle, The Yellow Dwarf,
The Recalcitrant Headless Man, The Moon's
Tricks, and many others which are today among
the classics of illusion and which Jacobs, Raynaly,
Duperrey, Harmington, Carmelli, Arnould, and
Legris performed with style, to name only a few
of the theater's famous associates. Georges
Melies always reserved a place of honor in his
program for Robert-Houdin's most famous effects
and automata, and the most talented magicians of
the end of the nineteenth centuiy periodically per-
formed in his theater.
The last performance of Soirees Fantastiques
de Robert-Houdin was performed with great
emotion by Georges Melies, assisted by Henri
Maurier, on July 13, 1920, exactly one month after
the date of the anniversary of the master's death.

1.
Here is Jacques Voignier's inves-
tigation in full, published in no. 89
of the magazine Magicus in
February 1997:
The first reference relative to
this question is provided by Jean
Ghavigny in his book Robert-
Houdin: Renovateur cle la Magie
Blanche. He writes on page 64: "In
June 1863, for his daughter
Eglantine's first communion,
Robert-Houdin set up a system of
incandescent lights with a vegetal
filament powered by Daniel bat-
teries in the arbor of The Priory
where the evening banquet was to
take place. The experiment, which
was an innovation, and one of the
first attempts of modern electric
lighting, was never repeated be-
cause it had been quite expensive.
But was this not one of the first
manifestations of genius that pre-
ceded Edison's discovery of the in-
candescent lamp? Of course there
were several precursors to
Edison's lamp such as the car-
bonized bamboo filament manu-
factured in 1878, which only ap-
peared in Europe in 1889, but
everyone else had thought of bulbs
with metallic filaments. As early
as 1845, William Starr of
Cincinnati had used a very thin
377
NOTES TO ACT V
A-
carbonized filament in a hermetic
bulb. In 1855, the engineer
Francois de Ghauvigny, working
for a Belgian mine, first made car-
bon filament bulbs in a retort with
graphite, forming a paste to be
stretched, the filament then
"nourished" in a sugar solution
and cooked again. Another model
(1856) had a platinum filament
that was lightly carbonized. The
bulb conceived by Robert-Houdin
had a vegetal filament.''
Jean Ghavigny does not cite his
sources, but he sends the reader
to no. 52 of the journal Philippine
of November-December 1966.
Michel Seldow, in his book Vie et
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Secrets de Robert-Houdin, in-
cludes an excerpt of an interview
with Jean Chavigny in Philippine
(Did the illusionist Robert-Houdin
invent the electric lamp fifteen
years before Edison?): "How. sir.
did you come across this story?"
"From the son of an eyewitness,
gardener of Robert-Houdin, pre-
sent at this party." (Bonjour
Philippine, no. 52 - journal pub-
lished by the manufacturer of
Philips electric bulbs). Personal
note: could it be Mme. Jean
Chavigny's own grandfather, who
had been a gardener's assistant at
The Priory during his youth?)
Andre Keime Robert-Houdin in
Robert-Houdin, le magician de la
science, writes: "...the reality of
this use of electricity during a
country dinner and the use of in-
candescent lamps are supported
by family tradition. Georges
Robert-IIoudin. who was twelve
years old in 1863 at this party,
often told it in the same terms as
Jean Ghavigny. Unfortunately, no
written document, drawing, or ac-
count exists regarding this inven-
tion by the owner of The Priory, if
not the actual incandescent lamp,
or at least a similar model, which
for the first time found practical
use during an entire evening in
1863."
These are the only testimonies
(unfortunately only verbal and
second-hand, as Andre Keime ad-
mits) that have led to the idea that
Robert-IIoudin invented the in-
candescent light in 1863 for his
daughter Eglantine's communion.
What should we think? Here is
my opinion: first, let us take a
look at physics.
First condition: a body or an el-
ement, to emit light visibly, must
be brought to a very high temper-
ature, at least 2,000 degrees. This
is the temperature of the tungsten
filaments in our current electric
bulbs. During Robert-Houdin s time,
carbon was practically the only el-
ement that was suitable for this
temperature. Tungsten could not
be mass-produced and platinum,
which melts at less than 2.000 de-
grees, would have produced too
weak a light. The bulb with a veg-
etal filament that Robert-Houdin
supposedly used was more or less
pure carbon. Whether made with
bamboo or carbonized thread like
Edison used or any sort of vegetal
carbonization, it could be per-
fectly suitable if the mechanism
were appropriate.
Second condition: the com-
bustion of the element must be
brought to 2.000 degrees, or else
the element would be destroyed
(in this case vegetal filament).
This is why the filament must be
sealed in an oxygen-deprived en-
vironment (a glass bulb in a vac-
uum or filled with gas that does
not chemically combine with
oxygen). All researchers of that
time ran into this difficulty, as
summarized by Andre Keime in
his book Robert-Houdin, le magi-
cien de la science.
The problem is a technical
one. In 1863 it was not possible to
create enough of a vacuum to pre-
vent combustion. It was only after
the invention of the mercury
steam pump (1865) that it was
possible to significantly create a
vacuum. This was done progres-
sively, and it was not until 1879,
as noted by Andre Keime, that
Edison could make an incandes-
cent electric bulb work for thir-
teen hours, using carbonized
thread as the filament.
To summarize. Robert-Houdin
could not have made an electric
incandescent lamp work in 1863
for even one minute because he
did not have a pump that could
create a sufficient vacuum.
So what must one think about
the testimony of Robert-IIoudin's
assistant gardener regarding Eglan-
tine's communion party? It was
most certainly a variant of electric
arc lamps, which work in the open
air and whose principle is very dif-
ferent. They were frequently used
during Robert-Houdin's time and
he had done research on them in
using his electric distributor to
automatically bring together car-
bon electrodes. Arc lamps were
3"8
tried out for the first time by
Robert-Houdin during his son
Georges's baptism in 1851 (see on
this subject the works by Jean
Ghavigny and Andre Keime).
Volume 5 of Applications de
I'electricite by the Count du
Moncel (3 "* edition, 1878) is de-
voted to several variations of arc
lamps, which have also been used
in cinema projectors. He was not
talking about incandescent lamps.
Count du Moncel was in contact
with Robert-IIoudin and he de-
scribes the numerous applications
he conceived (submerged battery,
electric clocks, current distribu-
tor, electro-chronometric coun-
ters, electric distributor for arc
lamp, etc.).
In conclusion, when Paul
Robert-Houdin depicted his grand-
father holding an incandescent
lamp, it was more of a symbol
than a reality. This detracts noth-
ing from Robert-IIoudin's merits
as a researcher and scientist. I will
even say that during his lifetime,
Robert-Houdin was primarily a
scientist and then a magician. He
would today be head of research at
the CNRS and he would probably
be taking care of the mega-joule
laser set up in Bordeaux.
Paul Robert-Houdin and Andre
Keime Robert-Houdin wanted
Robert-IIoudin's inventions to be
recorded for posterity. In reading
the works of the Count du Moncel.
we realize that during the same
era. several dozen researchers
were working on the same sub-
jects as Robert-IIoudin. and they
all brought something to the de-
velopment of these techniques.
History has decided that the ma-
gician should go down in history
and not the scientist. I think that
History was correct and that
Robert-IIoudin's contribution to
magic is far superior to what he
brought to science.
Monsieur Andre Keime Robert-
Houdin. with whom I have spo-
ken on several occasions, and
who has always shown great ob-
jectivity about his illustrious
 NOTES TO ACT V

great-grandfather's career, has a
very different opinion on this
subject. Although Jean Chavigny
was the first to reveal the possi-
bility of the invention of the in-
candescent lamp, this informa-
tion had always been known by
Robert-Houdin's family; and Georges
Robert-Houdin. the master's son
and Andre Keime's grandfather,
always spoke of his father as
Edison's precursor. Monsieur
Andre Keime Robert-Houdin be-
lies es that his great-grandfather
had been inspired by the works
of Changy. who partially made
an incandescent lamp, and he
believes this idea is confirmed
by the fact that, among the mem-
bers of the commission of the
Academie des Sciences in charge
of examining Changy's invention
were Bequerel and Babinet. two
of Robert-Houdin s scientist friends.
One of the rooms in The Priory
was completely filled with elec-
tric batteries and their amount
and presence could only be justi-
fied by this type of experiment.
M. Andre Keime Robert-Houdin
thinks that the bulb with a vege-
tal filament invented in 1863 bv
his great-grandfather, instead of
lighting Eglantine's communion
dinner for the entire evening,
only shone for a short time and
must have disappointed the in-
ventor, as it was a very costly ex-
periment. One must also recall
that the first bulb commercialized
by Edison had only a thirteen-
hour life span.
M. Andre Keime Robert-Houdin
also believes that the absence of
any reference to this invention in
Eglantine Lemaitre Robert-Houdin's
lecture is due to the context in
which her presentation was made.
The audience w as mainly made
up of officers from the American
military base in Blois. to whom
the light bulb was Thomas
Edison's invention. Eglantine
Lemaitre Robert-Houdin may there-
fore have refrained from discussing
this experiment out of courtesy to
the illustrious compatriot of this
brilliant audience.
2,
Doctor Dufay from Blois w as
Robert-Houdin's friend and he
assiduously followed his work in
the field of ophthalmology. In
volume 30 of L Union Medicale.
journal des interets scientifiques
et pratiques moraux et profes-
sionnels du corps medical in
1866. Dr. Dufay wrote a humor-
ous scientific column on his fa-
mous compatriot's inventions,
which is included here.

COLUMN But the executor of whom I speak has also written

ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF M. ROBERT-HOUDIN.
Blois. March 29, 1866.
Dear colleague.
La Prcsse of March 27"' includes a scientific review-
by M.L. Figuier, who writes about a little device pre-
sented recently at the Academie des Sciences, among
other inventions, under the name iridiscope.
Our learned colleague begins in the following man-
ner: "The wisdom of nations says that we cannot see the
beam in our eye.'' But the wisdom of nations adds that
we see the straw in the neighbor's eyes. It is this straw
that I wish to extract from M. Figuier's eye, of whom I re-
gret not being the neighbor on a certain day at our
friend Lescarbault's desk.
M. Figuier qualifies the inventor of the iridoscope as a
surgeon: there lies the strata. I will, however, give in to ex-
tenuating circumstances; it is only part of the straw be-
cause the inventor in question has performed an operation
hundreds of times which can be classified as complicated
surgery. In France, England, and Algeria, we saw him op-
erate. In public, and without shedding a drop of blood, he
cut your head off. and it was painless: Tuto cito etjucunde.
Have you read Memoires dc Samson? - Neither
have I.
his memoirs, which are very curious. My praise of them
may appear biased, because the author is my friend.
Yes, my friend, and I am honored. I flatter myself to
have been there at the beginning of his discovery.
Together, we observed optical effects, real and illusory;
we sought a name. We eliminated that of autophtalmo-
scope, already taken by the little reflecting mirror in-
strument by Goecius, and declared to be barbaric by
our friend Maximin Legrand.
That of iridoscope seemed to be much softer to this
formidable performer of complicated surgery, and I ad-
vised him to show it to my friend Gusco, who would
know how to understand all its useful applications.
A few days later. I saw the iridoscope enter the
Academie des Sciences under the patronage of our illustri-
ous master J. Gloquet. All accounts of this session (March
12) have given the name of the inventor as M. Oudin or
Houdin, with or without an II. Why cut a famous name in
half? Are art and science incompatible?
The savant company does not let itself be duped by
tricks; but one could not believe that it would poorly
welcome a scientific discovery, given that the inventor
was an illustrious mechanician-conjurer.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Yes, of course, it is M. Robert-Houdin, who, in his
retreat in Saint-Gervais near Blois, devotes his ex-
ceptional observational skills to research. This wise
and curious mind has already found a few improve-
ments and made some useful applications in a
branch of science that has long been familiar to him:
electricity.
I will give two examples:
Everyone knows the Gallaud battery, which pro-
vides electricity for quite a while as long as it does
not run non-stop; little by little, however, the con-
tinuous decomposition of brass sulfate weakens the
solution and it must be replaced.
Now, through a very curious process, M. Robert-
Houdin has reached this point: his battery recharges
itself as it decomposes. This is an almost lifelike ac-
tion that occurs in a jar, a veritable circulation of a
liquid, which regenerates itself with the contact of a
nourishing entity.
You will see.
M. Robert-Houdin fills a long-necked matrass
with brass sulfate crystals; then he finishes filling it
with the same solution as that of the jar. (I am re-
ferring to the container, which in the Gallaud bat-
tery contains the brass sulfate solution, covered
with a layer of water, which floats due to its spe-
cific lightness).
The cork of the container, through which two
conducting brass stems are run, is pierced with a
third opening for the matrass neck, whose end
goes into the brass solution at the bottom. Then,
as the solution grows weaker, its density de-
creases; it rises into the neck of the matrass, be-
comes saturated again with the contact of brass
sulfate crystals, and is replaced, as it rises, by a
current going down into a denser solution; with
the neck of the matrass holding a double continu-
ous current, one rising and the other descending,
saturation of the saline solution is maintained for
an extended time, and also therefore the contin-
ued functioning of the battery.
The battery of the clock on the Hotel de Ville of
Blois is only recharged three times a year.
Something else now: we have all learned that
various bodies expand in an unequal manner even
if the temperature increases by the same amount.
It is on this diversity of dilatation coefficients that
is the basis of the theory of diverse compensating
clocks.
380
M. Robert-Houdin took advantage of this law of
physics to build a device of the thermoscope family:
pyrometers, pyroscopes which I had proposed (encour-
aged by M. Piorry's example) to name pyrangelie, of
xup, fire, c.' ayyex, as a warning because of its extreme
sensitivity to the slightest change in temperature.
Let us suppose that a metallic blade, made from
a strip of brass and steel welded together, is at-
tached to a small board at one end, with its end
perpendicular to the surface of the board and its
direction parallel to the surface without contact,
to avoid any rubbing. (The blade of a knife, which
one is about to scrape along a tabletop, gives a
rough idea of what I am trying to geometrically de-
scribe.)
When the temperature increases, the brass face
of the metallic blade, expanding more than the steel
side, will force the other side to bend, and the free
end of the blade will move from its first position to
follow the concave curve made by the steel.
This free end will meet on its journey a metallic
button embedded in the small board and will remain
in contact with it until the temperature forces the
brass to similarly expand. This button is in contact
with one end of an electric battery, the other end of
which contacts the screw attaching the fixed end of
the metal blade.
The contact of this free end with the button
therefore creates a circuit on which there is a bell,
known by the name of a trembler, and which we
hear ring in telegraphic offices to warn employees
that a message is going to be sent.
And do not believe that great heat is necessary to
produce the expansion of brass and the curving of
the bi-metallic blade; a burning cigar, match, or
even breath at a proximity of 10 centimeters is
enough to make the bell ring.
Moreover, one can give varying degrees of sensi-
tivity to the device by varying the distance between
the free end and the button.
One can see how useful this system would be to
warn of fire in places with very inflammable objects
and in a host of other circumstances whose enumer-
ation would take too much time here.
I have already overused the hospitality granted to
me; I hope I have shown that M. Robert-Houdin is
not fair to himself and others when he performs the
amputation of half his name, which is not at all un-
worthy of honorably taking its place in the world of
science.
Dr. Dufay.
 NOTES TO ACT V

3. March 1" I received a letter

Doereur Guy HENRY
The reader will find precious from M. Leclaire
information about Robert-Houdin's concerning informa-
work in the field of ophthalmology tion on a phantas-
in Dr. Guy Henry's book Robert- magoria.
Houdln ophtalmologiste, Impri- March 2nd I answered M. Leclaire
merie Foulon, Paris, 1943, and in
M. Andre Keime Robert-Houdin's
ROBERT HOUDIN and gave him a copy
of my memoirs.
book Robert-Houdin, le magicien O P H T A L M O L O G I S T E
de la science, Champion-Slatkine, May 6Ih [Paris] I went to
Geneva, 1986. Preface du Docteur L. CHAUVOIS Cleverman's - Basket
trick [Indian].
4. May 19 th [The Priory] I re-
This letter from Robert-Houdin to ceived a letter from
Saint-Georges was reprinted in the Cleverman about a
last American edition of Memoirs letter from Robin in
of Robert-Houdin, King of the Le Monde Illustre.
Conjurers, Translated from French by
Lascelles Wraxall. With a new intro- May 22nd I wrote to Cleverman
duction and notes by Milbourne Chez l'auteur, 18, rue La Chalotais to tell him that I will
RENNES
Christopher, Dover Publications, Inc. not answer Robin.
New York, pp. 2-3.
July 2nd I answered M. Reynaud,
Illustration 515 - Title page of the work of conjuring amateur in
5. Dr. Guy Henry, Robert-Houdin oph- Avignon.
Professor Hoffmann, Modern thalmologiste.
Magic, 1876. August 26th We went to Blois to
the fair - This year
6. there are a lot of
Sidney W. Clarke, The Annals of traveling conjurers
Conjuring, op. cit. but nothing worth-
while except an Ame-
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin
rican circus. There
7. are two very weak
Notes related to conjuring and conjurers.
Tratislattd ffoni the French
undeveloped in this chapter, from by LASCELLES WRAXALL
Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journal- September 2nd In the evening Bmile
ieres for 1866: With a New Introduction and Notes and I went to the fair
by MILBOURNE CHRISTOPHER
and visited two so-
January 15* I wrote a series for
called mechanical
Lecesne on Barnum's
shows and a conjurer
fictional revelations.
named Toutin doing
[See chapter: "A
peaceful year"] the cabinet trick. All
of this is very bad -
January 18th I received a letter from there is nothing ac-
Bmile telling me that ceptable at the fair
the Stacey Brothers except for an English
Newly Illustrated with Rare Prints, Playbills
had finished at and Documents from ike Christopher Collection
Cleverman's and that
Stacey was in an ex-
treme state. 8.
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC., NEW YORK The Adventures of The Strange
February 18"' I received a letter from
M. Engel in Berlin on Man with a Supplement showing
the Stacey Brothers "How it's Done!", Dr. Lynn, Leicester,
Illustration 516 - Title page of the Dover
and Wolghemuth - I reprint of Memoirs of Robert- Edward Lamb, General and
answered him on this Houdin with a new introduction and Commercial printer, Granby place,
subject. notes by Milbourne Christopher. 1878 pp. 32-33.

381
ROBERT-HOUDIN
THE ADVENTTJKES
THE STEANGE MAN
DR. H. S. LYNN.
WITH A SUPPLEMENT
HOW IT'S DONE!"
D Lure, GBNESW, mo OOXMBEOIM PEISIBE,
13V8.
Illustration 51" - Title page of the work
by Dr. Lynn.
9.
Hamilton apparently was able to
be as convincing to M. Plantet as he
w as to M. Belluot at the beginning
of his career as a director.
10.
These anticipated damages
vv ere a bit of an illusion for future
managers of the Theatre Robert-
Houdin. The only one who could
have legitimately benefited from
them was Georges Melies. Per-
sonal and national circumstances
beyond his control prevented him
from keeping the theater open
during the war and after 1920. The
court subsequently ruled that the
sub-letting of the theater for acti-
vities other than those stipulated
in his lease deprived him of al-
most all the damages to which he
was entitled. This iniquitous ruling
was very difficult for the great
artist. \\ ho had brilliantly main-
tained the renow n of the famous
little establishment to the detri-
ment of his own interests.
11.
Robert-Houdin's death inter-
rupted his collaboration with Pierre
Larousse. The author wrote a num-
ber of articles for the Dictionnaire
(Dictionary)\ all related to his art,
from letter A to letter D, except for
the article on Ledru. which he sent
to Pierre Larousse within the article
It V.ittj
on Comus. All these articles are re-
produced in Appendix II. We must --ay-.
note that several of these texts, par-
ticularly those of the letter D, w ere
published in the Dictionnaire after
the artist's death; on this topic see
Act IV, note 64.
flu
12.
Robert-Houdin had in his collec-
tion documents on the famous au-
* 9^
tomaton, including the book by
Charles Gottlieb de Windish. Lettres
sur le Joueur d'ecbecs de M de
1'z.zm
Kempelen. Basle and Paris 1783. >j /.A.o* -1.1
13.
Robert-Houdin's collaborator,
Gastineau, did some research on
the origins of the art of conjuring
at his request, a subject that the
master wanted to expand upon in 7
Les Secrets de la prestidigitation
(The Secrets of Conjuring and
z;j
Magic). Here is Robert-Houdin's
answer to Gastineau, who had
provided some information:
St. Gervais near Blois December Illustrations 518 and 519 - Letter from
3, 1867 Robert-Houdin to his friend and col-
Dear collaborator and friend, league, the playwright Gastineau.
I begin by thanking you for the (Taken from Max Dif. op at j
information that you sent me on
conjuring at the time of the Greeks
and Romans. These details are most
interesting and make one want to
14.
learn more. There must certainly be Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, op.
in some dusty corner a book which cit., pp. 342-348.
gives more detailed explanations
and which edifies us on the talent of 15.
our predecessors in simulated Notes relating to conjuring, and
undeveloped in this chapter, from
magic. When I go to Paris, I will
enjoy searching through one of the Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journal-
old corners of some old library... ieres for 1867:
382
 NOTES TO ACT V

Jan. 16"' Sent the article on the Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journal-

Inexhaustible Bottle ieres for 1868:
for the dictionary.
Feb. 10'1' [Paris] I went to my April 10"' I wrote an article
theater where Paul fThe Nail in the Eye)
(Warner) was appear- for Pierre Larousse.
ing June 11"' [Paris] At Billoret's
Aug. 29lh [The Priory] I worked where I saw the
on the electric clock English conjurer
of the theater, which Bland.
was a bit damaged in June 27"' I wrote the article
the journey when it Claque for Pierre
was lent to Emile. Larousse.
Sept. 20* I received a letter July 9" [Paris] I wrote to
from a conjurer in Chapman and Hall
America asking me about the conditions
for some information. for my book and sent
Sept. 22'"1 I received a letter a copy (eight hun-
from a conjurer in dred francs for trans-
New York [letter sent lation rights and pic-
the 24th] tures).
Oct. 9th I wrote...the articles Julv 10th Visit from Tufferau
on Chalon and Hat who showed me his
for the dictionary. ropes.
Nov. 26"' I wrote...the article Julv 15th To Pierre Larousse's
on Charlatan for the to deliver an article
dictionary. [Claque. Harpsichord.
Illustration 520 The New York conjurer
Robert Nickle, who corresponded Nail in Eye],
with Robert-Houdin. 16. July 25th [The Priory] I re-
Notes relating to conjuring, and ceived a letter from
unexplored in this chapter, from Chapman and Hall

Illustrations 521 and 522 - Photograph and visiting card of the conjurer Tufferau.

383
ROBERT-HOUDIN

only poor acrobats.

Learned dogs - Wax
figures - A bad con-
jurer, Tourtin; dwarfs;
fat lady.
Sept. 5th I worked on my clock
for the dining room
and on mysterious
music.
Oct. 5th I wrote to Manning
and Pepper about the
ghosts.
Oct. 14th I wrote to Manning
about a publisher for
my book.
Oct. 22nd I went to a perfor-
IN mance of the Bonheur

PRESTIDI&ITATEUR &REAT MYSTERY. brothers in the

evening (very good
second sight).
Oct. 27" I answered an ama-
Illustrations 523. 524, and 525 - Bills for "artists" who stole the name "Soirees" as well teur [Magician] from
as his last name! (Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas. Austin) Colmar about my
books.
who had not received Dec. II"1 I worked on an article
my letter or my book. for Pierre Larousse in
I sent them another the evening for the
book. word confederate.
TREMONT TEMPLE July 31" I received a letter I worked on...Pierre
MNDAI mm la. 88, ai (raj h u g toil? Dec. 17"'
from New Jersey Larousse's article on
6BANB MATINIE WEDNESDAY AND SATBRDAY,
AT 2 O'OLGOK, BXPKESSLT FOft FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
(America) about an Comte.. .At the Library
individual who had for biographical re-
Soiree - Fantastique I taken my name. search on Comte and
SOBBBT August 2nd I wrote to M. Van' Ledru.
Dervigen of New Dec. 19th I wrote to M. Comte's
Jersey about the in- son to ask for infor-
Frestidigitateur, Meoianioien, Vetriloquiat, Ambassador, dividual who had mation.
and Traveller,
taken my name. Dec. 20* A certain M. Massu
CAROLINE HOUDIN! In Milbourne Christopher's work came by and talked
for 3 hours. We dis-
.!. for ule in tlia tcfBite
. fiptuuiotj of bi
ldks nod O H I I I m fill p t a t t frio The Illustrated History of Magic,
clnok A M to 1 P.H. cussed theater.
Robert Hale & Company, 1973, page I wrote to Ledru
Programme of Feats To-Right.
153, is a reproduction of a poster of Dec. 21"
DREAM FIRST.
Rollin in London
" H O U D I R ' S " BANNER F E A T . an artist couple - three other copies about information
LESSON Iff GAKDS ....
EGQ~CHTNG-CHING
BIRDS OP T H E PALACE
...
.,
of which we have reproduced here on his grandfather
HINDOSTAN CHAINS
ISCOMPBEHENSIBLE WATCHES
- using the name Robert Houdin [Ledru, known as
CARQI1HJ3 HOUDIN I N HER SECOND SIGHT
SPIRIT DRUM and Caroline Houdin, and who per- Gomus].
formed in Boston in 1866. Perhaps it Dec. 27"' I am working on the
BENGAL MfSEK
DREAM S E C O N D .
is the same "namesake" that M. Van Comus and Conus ar-
WEIRD AUTOMATONS
MAHOMET'S CHEST. Dervigen informed Robert-Houdin ticles for Larousse. I
SYMPATHETIC TURTLE DOVES
EL CHAPEO D S TA TRVULO
CONYERSIYE SPECTATOR
about.) received a letter from
SLEEPING ARAB OF THE DBSEKT, or Suspension in Mid-AI
"f tbe ArabBoj-
an American con-
KitrtitMew a n d Startling Peats.
Aug. 27"' Upon my return from jurer, Robert Nickle.
i Tiintti, 118 Wuhington filreil {Journal BsUdlig), Beaton, Grouets, we went to Dec. 30th I worked on the ar-
the fair, which is not ticle on Cut for
very good. There are Larousse.

384

Illustration 526 - Ferdinand Bonheur.
Illustration 52~ - Robert Nickle.
17.
These two Blois and Parisian edi-
tions in one volume are much
sought after by collectors because
they are decorated with an original
photograph of Robert-Houdin. These
photographs were taken by the pho-
tographer Mieusement of Blois, and
we know of four different types of
them, confirming that the editions
were often reprinted. Compared
with the 1859 edition, two chapters
were deleted: one describing the
portrait of the Itinerant Conjurer,
and the other telling of Robert-
Houdin's first tour in Belgium. The
text of one of the master's booklets
was added to the Blois edition as an
introduction: Le Prieure: Organisa-
tions Mysterieuses pour le Confort et
VAgrement d'une demeure (The
Priory: Mysterious Arrangements for
the Comfort and Pleasure of a
Home), which is reproduced here in
Appendix I.
18.
Magie et Physique amusante,
Robert-Houdin, Calmann Levy,
Publisher, Paris, 1877, p p . 97-102.
New application of the ghost
effect.
In the year 1868, at the Theatre
de L'Ambigu a play [La Czarine]
was performed, based on an
episode of my Confidences and in
which an automaton Chess Player
that I had built for it had a part to
play. My collaborators, Adenis and
Gastineau, had asked for a super-
natural apparition for the last act. I
resorted to the ghost trick and I
presented it in a new fashion. One
will judge by the following. The
drama takes place in Russia, under
the reign of Catherine II. In the last
act, a certain Pougatcheff, who,
thanks to his resemblance to Peter
III, wants to pass himself off as the
deceased monarch and cause the
people to rise up to dethrone
Catherine II. A scientist, M. De
Kempelen, devoted to the czarina,
manages to foil the criminal plans
of the impostor thanks to science.
385
NOTES 10 ACT V
We are in the middle of wild na-
ture with dark hills in the back-
ground. Pougatcheff is surrounded by
a clamoring crowd. M. De Kempelen
moves up to him, unmasks him,
and, to finish him off, announces
that he will conjure up Peter Ill's
spirit. On his orders, a sarcophagus
comes out of the middle of a rock,
stands up, opens, and reveals a
ghost covered in a shroud. The cof-
fin falls; the spectre remains stand-
ing. The fake tsar, although terri-
fied, seems to want to brave this
apparition which, he says, is an il-
lusion. But the top of the shroud
falls and one sees the livid, decom-
posed features of the ex-sovereign.
Pougatcheff, believing himself to
be stronger than the cadaver, un-
sheaths his sword and with a
single blow cuts off his head,
which rolls noisily to the ground.
Immediately, another head of
Peter III appears on the body.
Pougatcheff, more and more irri-
tated by the fantastic apparitions,
runs to the spectre, takes him by
his clothing, and violently pushes
him into the sarcophagus. But the
head does not leave its place.
Separated from the body, it remains
suspended in mid-air, rolls threat-
ening eyes, and seems to defy its
persecutor. Pougatcheff's furor is at
its height; taking his sword in two
hands, he thinks he can slice the
head of his mysterious adversary
with a single blow; he only trans-
pierces an impalpable matter,
which laughs at his impotent rage.
His weapon is again raised; but at
this moment Peter Ill's body, in
grand costume and decorated with
his badges, materializes above his
head. The resuscitated tsar pushes
him back and tells him in a vibrat-
ing voice: "Stop, sacrilegious one!"
Pougatcheff, horrified, confused,
confesses his imposture...The phan-
tom disappears.
This is how the scene is staged.
An actor dressed in the brilliant
costume of Peter III is lying down
on the structure, in the position we
have indicated. His body is covered
with a piece of black velvet that
will prevent all reflection in a mir-
ROBERT-HOUDIN

ror for a certain time. The head and Sunday, November 15. Cognac: all the curiosities and
alone is uncovered and can be seen Monday, November 16. Saintes: inventions. They dined
in the mirror when the electric Tuesday. November 17. Nantes: with us and the priest
light is turned on. Wednesday, November 25; Friday, and left on the 11
The phantom coming out of the November 27; Sunday, November 29; o'clock train.
sarcophagus is a mannequin whose and Tuesday, December 1. Angers: March 19th I worked on the re-
head was modeled on the head of Saturday, December 5 and Sunday, pair of the vase of the
the actor portraying the tsar. This December 6. Poitiers: Thursday, Large Dancer [The
head can easily be detached from December 10 and Sunday, December Genie of The .Roses]
the body. 13. Saumur: Monday, December 14. April 13th, 14th - [Photographs of The
Everything was set up in such a Bordeaux: Monday, December 21; Priory taken by
way that the virtual image of the Tuesday, December 22; Wednesday, Mieusement]
tsar Peter III coincides with that of
December 23; Thursday, December April 18th To Mieusement's for
the actor-phantom.
24; Friday. December 25; Sunday, four photographs taken
At the moment when the head December 27; Tuesday, December 29;
falls to the ground, the electric light of the house and the
Wednesday, December 30; Friday, automaton [The Chess
subtly lights up the head of the
actor playing Peter III, which, re- January 1; Sunday, January 3; and Player].
flected in the mirror, seems to have Saturday, January 9. Agen, Villeneuve: April 30th Visit of Paul Varner. I
grown on the phantom's head. Once Monday, January 11. Auch: Saturday, received a letter from
this one is reversed, the cover over January 16 and Sunday, January 17. Manning sending me
the tsar's body is immediately Lectoure: Monday, January 18. Fleu- an English announce-
yanked away and the electric light, rance: Tuesday, January 19. Carcas- ment about me.
flooding it, projects its image at the sonne: Thursday, January 21. Montpel- May 6th Paul Varner performed
place where the head is. lier: Saturday, January 23. Sete: at the mayor's office.
Monday, January 25. Narbonne: Tues-
19. day, January 26. Nice: Friday, January May 15th I received a letter
from Kuschnick from
The tour of this play, with so 29; Saturday, January 30; and Sunday,
Hazebruck that gives
many characters and difficult set January 31. details on Donkelle,
decorations, and complicated to [sic] known as Robin.
The nickname given to the au-
transport, cost a great deal of money
tomaton Chess Player during this June 19"1 I wrote to Mr. Warner
and brought little profit to the drama
tour was Baptiste, in London about
agent Kuschnick. It was a profitable Secrets..,
operation for Robert-Houdin. who
received set royalties for each of the
20. Sept. 20'" [Paris] In the evening
See Robelly, Le Litre d'or de ceux we went to Seraphin's,
performances of his automaton
qui ont eu un nom dans la magie, where I met Wolghe-
Chess Player, as well as author's
Tours, 1949. muth and Tobin.
rights taken directly from the gross.
Here is the list of cities of the first Oct. 23rd [The Priory] I received
tour of the play in the provinces for
21. a letter from Tobin in
"New system of transmission ap- London about a book
the years 1868 and 1869:
plicable to cars for their odome- on second sight.
Dieppe: Thursday, September 24 ters," patent No. 87238 filed on
Oct. 25th I wrote a letter to
and Sunday, September 27. Caen: September 21, 1869. Tobin answering his.
Thursday, October 8 and Sunday, I talked to him about
October 18. Rouen: Friday, October 22. the automaton.
16; Saturday, October 17; Sunday, Notes relating to conjuring and
October 18; Monday, October 19; unexplored in this chapter, from Nov. 9th I received a letter
from Pierre Larousse
Tuesday, October 20, and Wednesday, Robert-Houdin's Tablettes journa-
about the articles that
October 21. Orleans: Sunday, October lieres for 1869. I promised him. I sent
25 and Monday, October 26. Blois: him
March 8th [The Priory] An one... In the
Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, evening I worked on
American conjurer
October 28. Tours: Thursday, October came to see me. [?] the Davenport article.
29 and Sunday, November 1,
Rochefort: Friday, November 6. March 141" Visit of M. Eads with Nov. 30th I received a telegram
La one of his friends, from Pierre Larousse
Rochelle: Saturday, November 7.
Dr. Pope, and Emile. about the word decap-
Rochefort: Sunday, November 8. They arrived at 3 itated which he asked
Angouleme: Thursday, November 12 o'clock. I showed them me to do.

386
 NOTES TO ACT V

long illness he had during his child-

hood. He had a great artistic and lit-
FETE DE NEUILLY erary culture, was a student at the
Da 20 Jain aa 6 Julllet 1869.
AYEC LA PERMISSION DBS AUIOHIT&
Beaux-Arts, and worked as the
painter Bonnat"s student. Georges
THtATREDES SOIRfcES FANTASTIQUES Robert-Houdin had little interest in
or aptitude for mathematics, physics,
JPHYSICIEN V A t \ JNl E \ or anything scientific, which his fa-
ml THEATRE ROBEHT-HOOmK.
X. Tamer a rnoimeur d'informer la SGclite qu'H doimora, pendant la dnrte de la Fete, des
ther considered essential.
Representations de Physique amusante, Prestige, Illusion, Xagie, Escamotage, Metamorphose, Pieces
mecaniqnes et Experiences vraiment digues d'admiratios, et onfin {era tout oe qui dapendra de lui
pour satisfaire la Socioto. 25.
Xoua lea S o i n a 8 h e u r o s 1/2 See in Act IV an earlier quote
GRANDE STANCE ft FETE FANTASTIQUE EN DEUX PARTIES about Mr. Dreyfus in the chapter
DONxfxS FAS

M. VARNER "1863-1864 - cieverman."

PROGRAMME GENERAL DES EXPERIENCES '. 26.
Le Petit Magicien. Le Chapeau d'un Artilleur. The Tagebuch-Skizzen. or sketch-
Une Naissance merveilleuse. La Botte de Pandore.
La Puissance de la Terre. Les Cartes obfissantes. book-journal of Meissuer confirms
Un Bazar de Fleurs. Un Tableau de 1869. this visit to the German prefect
Le nouveau Gnillaume Tell. Le Secret de la magie.
Le Passe-partout. Les Anneauxindiens. Shoen and his secretary Edouard
La petite Colombo. Le Sac aax (Eufs Langhams:
Un Sonper manque. experience toute nouTelle.
L'Oiseau voyageur.
Le Bouet fantastique. Metamorphoses d'un GEuf. I cannot refrain from citing the
Le Coffre myst&rieux. Le Boiler euchantd. old well-known magic professor
La Bolte aux Bijoux. LA COIINE VABONDAirCE Robert-Houdin when I think about
L'Orauger mervcilloux, donnant des produisant une ayalanche de Bonbons, the inhabitants of Blois. He was
fleurs et des fruits a la volonte du Physicien. Fleurs, Jouets, fiventails pour les grands e
La danse des Pantins. petits Enfants, very well provided for in means
La Fusion des Boules. TOOT I E MOSDI EN AHKA 11! for happiness and had chosen a
CBTTE SOIRfiE SERA TKRM1NEE PAR
chateau with grounds very close to
Blois for his place of rest in his
De MM. VABSER et DAGCEHRE.
later years. After many invita-
tions, we went to see him one day
Fill DEI PUCM ! FRIX DE LA SOIR& .'
mix DU JOUR :
... SO centimes j Places rfiserv^es 75 centimes and visited the enchanted grounds
Premieres
Secondes
30
20
Premieres
I Secondes
50
30
of the old gentleman, where, pass-
AVIS. M. Varner a l'hommnr de prfvonir la Sadili qua SOD Theatre est eMgne de tout le bruit de la Fete :
Theatre est sitae a Tangle de la rue Jacques Dalud.
9STS faa.~ lap. Mnrrii p*t< H i h , tattowlot,84

Illustration 528 - Bill for the associate of the Theatre Robert-Houdin, the conjurer
Varner.

23. velope, she found the owner and

gave him back his wallet at the mo-
Mme. Ballet (or Bailee), who still ment he was about to make his dec-
worked in the theater, then man- laration at the police headquarters,
aged by Emile Robert-Houdin, was very upset about his loss.
honored by the press for a great
lesson in honesty that she gave one The same article was published in
day. Here is what Le Petit Journal the newspaper Le Siecle of Tuesday,
of Monday, May 5, 1879 wrote: May 6. This most faithful lady, who
assisted all the successive managers L'ESCAMOTEUI\.

CHRONICLE OF GOOD DEEDS of the little theater, ended her career

as Georges Melies's secretary.
Madame Bailee, employee at the Illustration 529 - Satirical engraving pub-
Theatre Robert-Houdin, found under lished during the war of 1870.
a seat yesterday a wallet containing 24. "The conjurer: Come on. gentlemen, a bit
important papers and several thou- Georges Robert-Houdin was be- of courage; dig into your pockets; we only
sand francs. With the help of an en- hind in his studies because of the need 5 million more and it's all done."

38"
ROBERf-HOUDIN
ing through numerous fir trees, we
were entertained by continuous
surprises like invisible voices, lev-
itating benches, and apparitions of
spectres turning darkness into
light. The old gentleman did this
only for his own pleasure; he had
already long ceased doing magic as
a business.
Jean Chavigny, op. cit., page 145.
27.
Pneumonia was at that time an
often fatal illness with no efficient
treatment. It was most often fatal to
young children and old people.
Robert-Houdin's repeated colds,
which seemed like flu, left him vul-
nerable to this dangerous illness.
Quinine sulfate was one of the few
medications known that one could
try to relieve this sickness and
lower the fever. We recall that it is
this same medicine that Dr. Arnoult
had prescribed to Robert-Houdin in
April 1871. It is therefore not im-
possible that, a few months before
his death, Robert-Houdin had al-
ready had a first encounter with the
illness that would eventually sweep
him away.
28.
I must emphasize here that the
number and prominence of death
announcements published upon
Robert-Houdin's death are truly
amazing. His family had kept in his
archives two notebooks of press
clippings on this subject and during
our research at the Bibliotheque
Nationale, we discovered dozens
more which were unknown to us.
29.
L'Independant de Loir-et-Cher,
June 16, 1871.
30.
Le Journal du Loiret of Orleans,
June 17, 1871.
31.
Following this deliberation of
CATALOGUE
DES OBJETS
COMPOSANX IK CABINET
DE M. ROBERT-HOUDIN
Qui seront vendua la Novenibre 1871
PAR LE M1NISTJSRE DE M'
HOTEL DHOVOT, S A l l i :
A PARIS
BLOIS
IlSPRfltEBlE LBCESXE, RUE DENIS-PAPI\
Illustration 530 - Title page from the
Catalogue of objects of M. Robert-
Houdin's Cabinet de Physique for
his Heirs.
the municipal council of Blois,
Georges and Eglantine Robert-
Houdin donated to the city the
white marble bust of their father, a
work of his friend the sculptor
Dantan.
32.
The complete title of this catalogue
is: Catalogue of objects / Making up
the Cabinet / relating to the estate /
of M. Robert-Houdin I which will be
sold on November 1871 / By the
Minister of Me- / Auctioneer / Hotel
/ Drouot, room n- / In Paris / Blois
/ Imprimerie Tecesne, Rue Denis-
Papin / 1871.
One finds in this sixteen-page
catalogue the list of feats and me-
chanical pieces that the master kept
at The Priory. Each of them is ac-
companied by the detail of its ac-
cessories. Here are the titles of all
the apparatus: The Cabalistic Clock;
large gilded center table: Vase of
the trapeze artist (The Genie of The
Roses); Ethereal Suspension; The
Hunter (The French Guard); Auriol
388
and his Trapeze (Antonio Diavolo);
Auriol (Auriol and Debureau); The
Inexhaustible Bottle; The Crystal
Chest; The Jewelry; side tables; The
Cabalistic Drying; The Ball of Wool;
The Horn of Plenty; the Garland
(of Flowers); The Sympathetic
Turtledoves; The Fish (The Miraculous
Fishing); Pierrot in the Egg; Punch
Bowl (Inexhaustible); The Portfolio
(Fantastic); The Golden Coins (The
Shower of Gold); The Crystal Ball;
The Surprising Handkerchief; The
Ink Vase; Chess Players (2).
Various tricks and accessories,
among which we can note: A me-
chanical devil's head, a pile of the-
ater brochures and newspapers, a
large mechanical trapeze under
construction, a large mechanical ac-
robat, a Chinese automaton under
construction, a burnishing tool that
belonged to Louis XVI with
pedestal, etc.; Phantasmagoria and
Polyorama with the list of tableaus
for the Polyorama, Comicorama,
and the chroma trope. Finally,
"Electricity and mechanics" along
with its list of objects. The sale was
to end with the dispersal of the
"Large collection of bills of all the
conjurers from the distant past."
33.
These mementos of Robert-
Houdin are now part of the collec-
tions of the Chateau de Blois.
34.
Charles Joseph Madelena re-
placed Cleverman, who, because of
his fight with Robert-Houdin, could
not do business with his widow in
person. Emile Robert-Houdin, who
probably participated in these trans-
actions, "inherited" one of The Chess
Players constructed by his father;
Charles Joseph Madelena received
scientific objects, among them one
of the first examples of the master's
electric clock; all the effects and me-
chanical creations made by Robert-
Houdin would again find their place
in Soirees Fantastiques.
 No ITS TO ACT V

Illustration 531 - The white marble bust of Robert-Houdin by Dantan.

389
ROBLRT-HOI DIN

Illustration 532 - General overview of The Priory around 1900.

lustration 533 - The entrance to The Priory by .1. Rivet. (Castle ofBlois)

390
 APPENDIX I i

Followed by notes from

by Eglantine Lemaitre Ro
and complementary notes by the author

I own and live in a property in
Saint-Gen ais near Blois in which I
created arrangements, I would al-
most say tricks, which, although less
prestigious than those of my perfor-
mances, nonetheless gave me the
dangerous reputation in the region,
at that time, of a man with supernat-
ural powers.
These mysterious arrangements
are nothing more than useful appli-
cations of science for domestic pur-
poses.
I thought that it would perhaps be
INTRODUCTION
IN THE AUTHOR'S
RESIDENCE
pleasant for the public to know these
little secrets which have been much
discussed, and I thought I could do
no better for their publicity than to
put them at the beginning of a book
full of revelations and confidences.
If the reader will follow me, I w ill
take him to Saint-Gervais, bring him
into my home, and be a guide to
him, and, to spare him fatigue, I will
take him on a tour without his mov-
ing, thanks to my position as a for-
mer sorcerer.
At two kilometers from Blois, on
the left bank of the Loire, there is a
small \ illage whose name recalls sa-
vor\ memories to gourmets. This is
where the famous cream of Saint-
Gervais is made.
It is definitely not the cult of
this white delicacy that led me to

391
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
ovi
-ioc
Illustration 534 - The entrance to The Priory by Silvin in 1924.
The electric door of The Priory was situated to the left of the gate, and not the right, as shown in Silvin's drawing.
choose this place for my residence.
It was solely for the sacred love of
my homeland that I wanted to have
Blois facing me, for having honored
me with birth.
A promenade, straight as a capi-
tal /, links Saint-Gervais to m^ na-
ti\ e town. On the far end of this / is
a path forming a right angle to it,
going from our village and leading
to The Priory.
The Priory is my humble domain,
at J foi
ole, * rH'Lr<
w hich my friend Dantan the younger
called L'Abbaye de I'Attrape (The
Abbey of Tricks). When we arrive at
The Priory, one has before oneself:
1. An iron gate for the entrance of
carriages;
2. A door on the left for visitors to
enter;
3. A box on the right with a
hinged opening for letters and
newspapers.
The house is located 400 meters
392
away from here; a broad and wind-
ing alley leads through a little yard
shaded with aged trees.
This short topographical de-
scription will allow the reader to
understand the necessity of the
electric contrhances that I installed
in my doors to automatically play
the role of a concierge:
The visitor's door is painted
white. At eye level on this immacu-
late door is a gold brass plate bear-
ing the name "Robert-Houdin";

this sign is extremely useful, be-
cause there are no neighbors to in-
form the visitor.
Below this plate is a little gold
knocker whose shape sufficiently
indicates its function; but, to leave
no doubt, a little grotesque head
and two similar hands coming out of
the door, as in a pillory, seem to
draw attention to the word "Knock"
(frappez), which is placed below.
The visitor lifts the knocker
however he pleases, but no matter
how weak the blow, 400 meters
away an energetic ring can be heard
in all parts of the house though
without hurting the most delicate
ear.
If the bell stopped with the rap-
ping of the knocker, as in ordinary-
bells, there would be no way to con-
firm the opening of the door, and
the visitor might end up standing
guard in front of The Priory.
This is not the case here - the
bell does not stop ringing until the
lock works.
To open this lock, one simply
presses a button placed in the hall.
It is just like the concierge's cord.
When the bell stops ringing, the
servant knows he has succeeded in
his task.
But that is not enough. The visi-
tor must also know that he can
enter.
Here is what happens: When the
gate is unlocked, the name "Robert-
Houdin" suddenly disappears and
is replaced by an enamelled plate
on which the word "ENTREZ!"
["Enter!"] is painted in large let-
ters.
In answer to this unmistakable
invitation, the visitor turns an ivory-
knob and enters by pushing the
door, which he does not even have
to close, because there is a spring
for this purpose.
Once the door is closed, one can-
not get out without certain formali-
ties. Everything has returned to its
original state and the name has
again replaced the invitation.
This closing is also a security for
the masters of the house; if by mis-
take, in fun, or through awkward-
ness a servant pulls the cord, the
door does not open; the knocker
has to be raised and the bell must
ring.
The visitor, in entering, has no
idea that his future hosts have been
warned of his visit. The door, in
opening and closing, has caused a
particular type of ringing in the dif-
ferent angles of its opening and
closing.
This short, bizarre music can in-
dicate, through observation, whether
one or several guests are to be re-
ceived, whether it is a frequent vis-
itor or a new one, and also whether
it is an intruder who, unaware of the
service entrance, has come through
this opening.
I need to give some explanations
here, because these effects, which
seem to go beyond the ordinary
laws of mechanics, could create a
few non-believers among my read-
ers if I could not prove all this:
My processes for recognition at a
distance are extremely simple and
based on certain infallible acoustic
principles.
We have just said that the door,
in opening, sends two different
rings corresponding to the two dif-
ferent angles of its opening. These
rings repeated themselves when the
door closed. These four little chimes,
393
APPENDIX Ii
although produced by different
movements, arrive at The Priory
separated by pauses that are equal
in length.
With such a simple system, one
can obtain very different alerts
without the visitor knowing, as we
will see:
If one visitor comes, he rings,
the door opens, and he enters by
pushing the door, which closes im-
mediately. This is what I call the
normal opening; the pauses be-
tween the rings are all the same
length: ring, ring, ring, ring. At The
Priory, we know that only one per-
son has come in.
*
Now let us suppose that several
visitors have come; the door has
opened according to the aforemen-
tioned procedures. The first visitor
enters by pushing the door and, fol-
lowing the most basic rules of eti-
quette, holds the door until every-
one has gone through; then the
door closes. So, the interval be-
tween the first two and the last two
rings has been proportionate to the
number of people who have en-
tered; the ring therefore sounded
like this - ring, ring...ring, ring -
and for a trained ear the determina-
tion of the number is as easy as can
be.
*
The person used to coming is fa-
miliar with things; he knocks and
immediately walks in, knowing the
maneuvers about to take place. He
does not pause at the workings of
the door; as soon as it is open, four
equidistant rings are heard and an-
nounce his entrance.
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Illustration 535 - The Priory bv Mieusement.
It is not the same for a new \ isi-
tor; he knocks and when the word
"ENTREZ!" appears, his surprise
stops him; it is only after a few in-
stants that he decides to open the
door. In this action, he observes
everything; his steps are slow and
the four rings are like his steps
ring...ring...ring...ring. We prepare
ourselves to receive this new visi-
tor.
The beggar traveler who presents
himself at this door because he does
not know of the service entrance,
timidly raises the knocker and in-
stead of seeing someone come to
open the door as usual, he witnesses
an unexpected procedure; he fears
something is amiss; he hesitates to
enter, and if he does, it is only after
a few minutes of hesitation and un-
certainty. One may well imagine that
he does not brusquely open the door.
In hearing the bell - r..i..n..g...
r..i..n..g...r..i..n..g...r..i..n..g - it is al-
most as if we can see this poor devil
coming into the house. We go to
meet him with certainty. We have
never been mistaken.
# scription; all that is left to do is open
Now suppose that someone
comes by carriage to visit; the en-
trance gates are usually closed, but
the coachmen of the region all know
391
by experience or by hearsay how to
open them. The coachman gets
down from his seat; first he opens
the little door and enters. Ah! For
example, his is a very distinctive
ring: ring-ring-ring-ring. We under-
stand at The Priory that the coach-
man who enters with such haste
wants to prove his zeal and intelli-
gence for his masters or his fare.
Our man finds a key hanging in-
side the gate designated by an in-
the double doors. This double
movement can be seen and heard,
even in the house. In the hall, on a
panel, the following words are there-

fore painted for this purpose: "THE
DOORS OF THE GATE ARE..."
Following this incomplete in-
scription, the word "OPEN" or
"CLOSED" appears, depending on
the gates' status; and this alternation
materially proves the correctness of
the axiom: a door must be open or
closed.
With these arrangements, I can
verify without having to go out
whether the doors are closed or not
every evening.
# times play with the electric con-
Now let us mo\c on to the let-
ter-box. Nothing is simpler; I
stated earlier that the letter-box
was closed with a little swinging
door. This door is arranged in such
a way that when it opens, it sets
off an electric bell in the house.
The postman has been asked to
first place all the newspapers in
the box with the circulars in order
not to cause false alarms; after
which he puts the letters in, one
after the other. One is therefore
warned in the house of the deliv-
ery of each of these objects, in
such a way that, if one is not an
early riser, one can count the mail
from bed.
To avoid sending someone to
take letters to the village post
office, we write letters in the
evening; then, by turning a button
called a "swritch," we reverse the
signals, which means that the next
morning, when the postman places
his message in the box, instead of
sending a ring to the house, he
hears a ring which tells him to come
and get the letters; he therefore
rings for himself.
These very pleasant and useful
arrangements do have a drawback
that I will now mention, which will
lead me to relate a pleasant little
anecdote on this subject:
The inhabitants of Saint-Gervais
ha\ e a quality that I enjoy; they are
very discreet. None of them has
ever had the idea of using the
knocker on the door except by ne-
cessity.
But certain strollers from the
town are less reserved and some-
trivances to see their effects.
Although \ ery rare, these indis-
cretions are extremely unpleasant.
This is the disadvantage to which I
have referred, and here is the rele-
vant anecdote:
One day, Jean, the gardener, was
working near the entrance door; he
heard some noise nearby and saw a
stroller from Blois who, after having
toyed with the knocker, was having
fun opening and closing the door,
without worrying about the bother
he was causing in the house.
After a reprimand by the man on
duty, the intruder simply said to
justify himself:
Oh! Yes, I know; it rings over
there. Excuse me! I just wanted to
see how it worked.
If this is the case, sir, that is
different, said the gardener in a
falsely jovial tone, I understand
your desire to learn and I beg your
pardon to have disturbed you in
your observations.
Thereupon, without seeming to
notice his interlocutor's embarrass-
ment, Jean returned to his work,
pretending to be completely indif-
ferent. But Jean is clever in both
395
-APPENDIX Ii
senses of the word; he was not sat-
isfied, and if he buried his displea-
sure deep in his heart, it was to
ha\ e a greater freedom in his plan
for retaliation that he had just de-
veloped and that he planned to
carry out that same day.
Around midnight, he went to
this person's home; he rang the bell
with all the strength in his wrists.
A window opened on the second
floor through which a head wearing
a night-cap and purple with rage ap-
peared.
Jean had taken a lantern with
him; he directed the rays toward his
victim:
Good evening, sir, he said in
an ironically polite tone, how are
you?
What in the devil are you
doing ringing here at this hour? an-
swered the head in a wrathful
voice.
Oh! Excuse me, sir, said Jean
in paraphrasing the answer of his in-
terlocutor. Yes, I know, it is ringing
up there; but I wanted to see if your
bell worked as well as the knocker
of The Priory. Goodnight, sir!
It was time for Jean to move
away; the gentleman had gone to
get a nocturnal revenge to throw-
on his head.
*
To conjure away this petty an-
noyance, I placed a warning on
my door asking people not to
touch the knocker unnecessarily.
Useless! There was always a need
to knock, to satisfy one or more cu-
riosities.
Unable to escape these persis-
tent indiscretions, I decided not to
worry about them any longer and to
ROBERT-HOL DIN
consider them as the success of my
electrical systems.
I could only congratulate myself
on this conciliatory decision later on
because either local curiosity had
expended itself or from some other
cause, but the troubles ended by
themselves and now it is very rare
that the knocker is raised for any
other purpose than to enter my
property.
My electric concierge therefore
leaves nothing else to desire. Its
sen ice is perfectly precise; its de-
pendability is unwavering; its dis-
cretion is unequaled; as for its
salary, I doubt it possible to give
less to such a perfect employee.
Now here are a few details about
a procedure that helps me ensure
the promptness of meals and the in-
tegrity of portions for my horse.
I should note that this horse is a
mare, a lovely, good girl almost at
adulthood, who would answer to the
name of Fanchette if she could
speak.
Fanchette is affectionate and
e\ en tender; we consider her al-
most a friend of the family, and
this is why she gets all the care
compatible with her equine char-
acter.
This little preamble will help
explain my concern about our dear
animal's meals.
Fanchette has a person as-
signed to feeding her; he is a very
good young man who, because of
his clarity, is not at all astonished
about my electrical arrangements.
But before this servant, I had
another. He was an intelligent and
active man who had a great inter-
est in the art once cultivated by his
employer. He only knew a single
trick, but he carried it out with
rare skill. This trick consisted of
changing my oats into five-franc
coins.
Fanchette did not really enjoy
this type of performance, and un-
able to complain, she protested with
tell-tale spells of fatigue.
This conjuring trick well estab-
lished, I sent away my artist, and
decided to distribute her comfort-
ing oats myself.
I say myself; that is saying a lot
because I must confess, if the ani-
mal had been obliged to depend on
me for meals at set hours, she
would have been greatly disap-
pointed.
But do I not have reliable, intel-
ligent helpers in electricity and
mechanics that I can rely on?
The stable is about forty meters
away from the house. In spite of
this distance, the food supply is
controlled from my study. A clock
takes care of this through electrical
connections. These functions take
place three times a day and at set
hours. The distributor is extremely
simple: a square box in the shape
of a funnel, which pours the oats in
regulated amounts.
Wait! Couldn't someone re-
move the horse's oats as soon as
they are released? one may protest.
This circumstance has been
foreseen; the horse has nothing to
fear in this regard, because the
electric button that pours the oats
can only function if the stable is
locked.
But couldn't the thief lock
himself in with the horse?
396
This is not possible, as the
lock only works from the outside.
So then one could wait for it
to have poured out and then re-
mo\ e it.
Yes, but there is a bell that
rings and is heard in the house to
warn if the door is opened before
the horse has eaten all the oats.
The clock that I have just men-
tioned is also set to regulate the time
of two large clocks placed in the
front of the house and in the gar-
dener's lodgings.
Why the luxury of two large
clocks, you will say, when a single
one suffices for the outside?
On this subject, I owe you,
reader, a justification and explana-
tion. When I put my first electric
clock on the front of The Priory, it
was to give the time to the entire
valley and to give all the members of
my household a single, regulatory
standard of time.
But once my work was finished, I
realized that my clock face was more
useful to passersby than to myself. I
was obliged to go outside to see what
time it was.
I vainly thought about it for a
while, in order to overcome this dis-
advantage. I saw no other solution
than to build a house across from
mine to look at my clock. Then, a
simpler idea finally freed me from
this dilemma. The gable of the gar-
dener's lodge could be seen from all
our windows; I put a second clock
there and regulated it by way of the
same electric wires as the other.
The time is relayed by the same
process to various clocks placed
throughout the house.

There had to be a single ring for
all these clocks, a ring that could
be heard by all the inhabitants of
The Priory, as well as the entire
village.
Here is what I devised for this.
On the rooftop of the house is a
sort of bell-tower sheltering a bell
with a moderate volume, which is
used to indicate meal times.
Beneath this bell I placed a
sufficiently powerful clockwork sys-
tem to raise the hammer at the ap-
propriate time. But since it would
have been necessary to wind this
clockwork every day, I instead used
a wasted force, or unused force, to
automatically perform this function.
Between the swinging kitchen door
on the ground floor and the winding
mechanism of the bell placed in the
attic, I built a connection so that by
going back and forth for their du-
Illustration 536 - General map of The Priory.
From lean Chavigny's work (op. tit.).
ties, the unsuspecting sen ants in-
cessantly wound the striking mech-
anism of the clock. It is almost a
perpetual movement that requires
no attention.
An electrical current distributed
by my regulator raises the hammer
of the bell and sounds the number
of hours indicated by the dial.
This distribution of time also al-
lows me to use a little trick that is
very useful to me in certain cases,
and I am going to confide it to you,
reader, as long as you do not talk
about it, because if revealed, my
trick would lose its effect. When,
for one reason or another, I secretly
press an electric button placed in
my study, I can mo^ e the clocks
and the bell of the house forward
or back at will. The cook some-
times finds that time is passing
quite quickly and I have gained fif-
-APPENDIX Ii
teen minutes that I would not ha\e
otherwise obtained.
This same regulator also wakes
up three different people every
morning with the help of electrical
transmissions. The gardener is first.
There is nothing particularly
marvelous about this arrangement,
and I would not discuss it if I did
not have to mention a very simple
procedure to ensure that my staff
arise when awakened. Here is the
procedure: The alarm makes such a
noise that it awakens the soundest
of sleepers, and it continues to ring
until a little button placed on the
other side of the room is pressed. In
order to do so, one must get up. The
trick is done.
That poor gardener; I really tor-
ment him with my electricity. Would
you belie\ e that he cannot heat my
greenhouse beyond 10 degrees or let
I ROBEKT-HOUDIN

Fig. 66. Plans de la maison d'habitation.

1. Vestibule. A droite, au-dcssus dp la portc du salon, tableau indi- 12. Cellier et entree de la cave.
cateur a commntide elcctrique concorntnit l'ouverturc et la ferme- 13. Petit four.
ture de la portc d'entree du pare.
A droite egaiement, ct au depart de rescalier, petite vitrine conte- 14. Hangar.
nant une minuterie avec commande par eleetro-aimant (ensemble 15. Basse-cour.
conserve par M. Auge) (fig. 6*). 16. M&rier, gros arbre centenaire ombrageant la surface entiere de la
A gauche de Pescalier, dans le passage vers la cuisine, sonneric cour.
61ectrique avec gros timbre vibreur,
17. Vienx figuier.
2. Escalier desservant les pieces aux etages. 18. Tonnelle et treilles.
3. Salon, tres belle piece avec vues sur la ville et sur le pare. 19. Antlchtunbn. Cette plfcce etait tapissiSe d'afflches provenant de
tournees de ROBERT-HOUDIN.
4. Settle A manger du forme octugomile, comportant dlvrrs agencements
electro-mecaniques. Au trumeau de la cheminee, medaillon. en bas- 20. Cabinet de travail de ROBEBT-HOUDIN.
relief de ROBEHT-HOUDIN par DANTAN (fi||. 80). 21. Petite chambre avec vue sur la eour d'entree et sur le pare,
5. Cuisine. Minuterie d'horloge avec commande par clectro-airntmt. 22. Grande chambre a alcdve; balcon avec vue sur la ville.
Cadran au-dessus du passage entre la cuisine et la salle a man- 23. Cabinet de toilette-penderle.
ger (6).
7 et 8. Anciennes salle a manger et cuisine de ^'habitation principale. 24. Grande piece ayant vue sur le pare et la cour des communs. C'est
dans cette piece qu'etait place un regulateur mecanique (mouviv
9. Passage, ment de 140) avec balancier de cuivre a tige en tuya,
10. Fruitier. 25. Chambre de Hserve a i'avoine.
11. Petite piece ou etait place l'appareil distributeur automutifiun 26. 27, 28, 29, 30 et 31. Chnmbres du deujtieme etage.
d'avoine.

Illustrations 537 and 538 - Map of the main house of The Priory.
Plates from Jean Chavigm's work (op nt.).

the temperature go below 3 below
zero w ithout my knowing it?
The next morning, I tell him,
"Jean, you heated it too much last
night; you are roasting my gerani-
ums" or "Jean, you almost froze m\
orange trees; the thermometer went
down to 3 below zero last night."
Jean scratches his ear, does not
answer, but I am sure that he thinks
I am something of a sorcerer.
This thermo-electric arrange- dows of my house all ha\e electrical
ment is also placed in my woodshed connections that link them to a bell
to w arn me of the slightest fire. and are organized in such a way
# that, w hen one of them is opened,
The Priory is not at all a sub- the bell rings as long as it remains
sidiary of the Banque de France; open.
still, no matter how humble my The reader immediately sees the
precious objects, I want to keep disadvantage of such a system if the
them, and for this purpose I bell rang each time we opened a
thought I should take precautions window or left the house. It does
against thieves: the doors and win- not work this way; the connection is

398

turned off all day and is reestab-
lished at midnight (the hour of
crime), and it is the same oat-regu-
lating clock that takes care of this.
When we leave the house, the
electricity is always on, and if the
house is opened, the large bell of
the clock, whose hammer is acti-
vated by electricity, rings nonstop
and makes the sound of a warning
bell. The gardener and the neigh-
bors having been notified of this
situation, the thief would easily be
caught in the act.
# ROBF.RT-HOUDIN.
We often enjoy pistol shooting.
For this we have a very well-orga-
nized space. But instead of success
being indicated in the usual man-
ner, the marksman who hits the
bullseye suddenly sees a crown of
foliage appear over his head. The
bullet and electricity are fighting
for speed in this double trajectory;
in this w ay, although one is twenty
meters from the target, the crown-
ing is instantaneous.
Allow me, reader, to tell \ou
about an imention to which elec-
tricity is completely foreign, but
which I think will interest you
nonetheless; in my yard is a sunken
path that must sometimes be
crossed. There is neither bridge nor
passagew ay. But on the bank of this
ravine, there is a little bench; the
stroller sits on it, and is immedi-
ately transported to the other side.
The traveler steps down and the lit-
tle bench immediately turns around
by itself to get another passenger.
This locomotive arrangement is
double-acting, there being a similar
flying seat to bring the traveler back
again.
I end my descriptions here; to
continue them, I would fear being
as ridiculous as a country home-
owner who, as soon as he has a visi-
tor, spares him neither the budding
of one of his trees nor the egg from
his chicken coop.
Moreover, should I not save
some unforeseen details for the vis-
itor who would come and raise the
mysterious knocker above which, as
will be recalled, is engra\ ed the
name of
In order to complete this "visit" to
The Priory, I thought it interesting
to add a few notes to the text of
Robert-Houdin's booklet. Here is
his daughter's testimony about the
house that was the cradle of her
childhood. This text is an excerpt
from the lecture that Eglantine
Robert-Houdin gave in Blois
around 1920 to render homage to
the memory of her illustrious fa-
ther:
The Priory
Before discussing m> father's
work in Saint-Gen ais, I would like to
take you. gentlemen, on a short visit
to his propelt\, The Priory, where he
worked during the last twentv years
of his life, and which he enjoyed or-
namenting with all sorts of attrac-
tions. He relaxed there after his often
dr^ research b^ working outdoors,
work into which he put so much ef-
fort that he was sometimes more
tired in the evening than when he
had left his workshop to do some
healthy exercise.
We will therefore, if you will fol-
low me. take a walk through The
Priory together, the same stroll that a
399
APPENDIX Ii
visitor would have taken at the be-
ginning of the \ear 1870.
Upon arm al, a little white door
next to a gate attracted one's eve. A
gold brass disc placed on the upper
part had the name ''Robert-Houdin"
engraved on it. A bit lower, a light
hammer had the following inscrip-
tion: "Do not knock unless neces-
sary.'' The door being closed, we will
knock and after a short moment, the
name "Robert-Houdin" disappears
and is replaced by the word
"Entrez." Then the door opens, we
go through, it closes, and the next
visitor will have to knock again to get
in. The mechanism of this door was a
little masterpiece, and in spite of its
precision, it was strong enough to re-
sist the shock of a sometimes brutal
closing.
Let us now head toward the
house situated 400 meters away We
follow a broad path bordered with
fruit trees and flowers, then we enter
by a \ ery well-defined path under
the vault of ancient oak trees, which
we follow until we near the house,
preceded by two pavilions, a pond,
and baskets of flowers.
After a short visit, we go down to
a terrace. At the entrance, two old
shaped yew trees, an old-style garden
a real priest's garden bordered on
one side by an orange gro\e and dec-
orated in the middle with a lovely
sundial made from a large piece^ of
round slate, a sort of table placed on
a rock base, and topped with a tall
blade whose shadow indicated the
time on sunny days.
Looking down over the plain, a
high wall ended the terrace, and it
was a pleasure. leaning on this wall,
to admire the beautiful panorama of
the cit\ of Blois. My father had
placed a spyglass there, a very origi-
nal one, because one could put one's
hand, hat, or any object in front of it
ROBERT-HOUDIN

Illustration 539 - Eglantine Robcrt-IIoudin and her husband Henri Leinaitre during a class for "comedie de societe.'

400

without disturbing the view of the
person who was using it. It was an
application of the periscope un-
known at that time. Continuing our
stroll, we walk past the stables
where the distribution of oats was
controlled by an electrical system
described in a booklet by my father,
The Priory.
We descend amongst a pile of
very picturesque stones and in these
stones a large excavation stops us; it
is a lovely cave in which an artistic
whim had placed a hermit a clas-
sic, legendary hermit: long frock,
cowl, long white beard. We could
see him in the shadows sitting on
the rock, reading a large book. In a
corner, straw to sleep on; a bit fur-
ther away, an old kettle and ashes
from a hearth. After a few minutes
of looking at him, when the visitors
had seen everything in detail, the
hermit slowly raised his head and
gazed at them. All this artistically
arranged decoration made a huge
impression, and during the invasion
of 1870, the German soldiers, who
had damaged almost everything,
never dared to touch the hermit, ei-
ther by respect or fear, I do not
know.
Illustration 540 - Map of the view from the terrace of The Priory.
From Jean Chavigny's work (op. n't.).
Let us go back up to the garden.
We follow a loveh straight path in
the middle of the woods, and we ar-
rive at a little thatched house which
had originally been used as a dairy,
as indicated by a gigantic I placed
on one of the sides. An easy play on
words - (wordplay was quite fash-
ionable during this happy time). [La
lettre I ("the letter l")=la laiterie
("the dairy")] This dairy had ne\er
housed an animal; my father was not
interested in agriculture. He gave
this cottage another purpose. In
1868, ha\ing had to organize spec-
tral apparitions for the Thearre de
L'Ambigu for the play La Czarine,
which I will later discuss, he won-
dered whether these apparitions
produced onstage by a powerful
electric light could not be obtained
with simple daylight, and he per-
formed a little spectacle here in
which a few objects - a statue, an
enormous bouquet, etc., appeared
then disappeared into one another
with a spectral appearance. Once, a
lady who was a friend of the family,
having come with her little boy, who
was 5 or 6 years old, a very spoiled
child, my father had the idea of sub-
stituting him for one of the objects
401
-APPENDIX Ii
ordinarily present. The phantom-
like apparition of the child produced
such an impression that the mother
almost fainted.
Leaving this little theater, we
head toward a higher part of the
property where there was what we
called the aerial railroad. It was a
method of transportation but also a
game that enjoyed great success. It
was used to cross a deep, hollow-
ravine leading to the entrance of the
main house and separated this part of
the property. A wooden bench
awaited, suspended bv an iron bar
and a double pulley that rolled on a
steel cable attached to a large tree on
each side. A counterweight main-
tained this light bench at the highest
part of the cable; but if a person sat
on it, his weight pulled it to the other
side, and he would cross the ravine.
The person then descended and the
counterweight pulled the bench back
up to the other side. During the war,
especially in Italy, similar transporta-
tion methods were used to supply
fortifications in the mountains that
were difficult to reach.
Leaving this amusing attraction,
we climb to the highest point of the
property; there was a very expansive
ROBTRT-IIOUDIN

LE DR1EURE

1. Maisoo dhabitation. Lea groltea.

2. Ceilier. Cfedro.
5. Hangar et ba::ne <:OL;I- Poiile ddcon ittf LOUIB XV on i ilenco bltindw. J.f MK!B BII .;!!!! ll.'ll'S. 5-i in cm[i)ftCi;jticnt
4- Muriel- TfS-3 vieij erbi-e <jm subsists encore. La charnbra noii-o.
5 Tonneile. La iiatue dii Jongleur (Fig, 6S)
6. Itemise h vnii.rw. ffn liBtTiiont [mrUit Ji wni fronton mi Thdatre das spectres.
7. Habitation de dornoitiguo ft pignon porton* line horloge. Stniua de * Domeiiso en turru cuito attri!mi*n ri DANTAN.
8. Orsngerie.
9. Boune en partio dilmolie. '. 3tatuett es terre cuit de Doniieuse Ritribti^e & DAHTAK,
10. Caclrnn solairc ar In tcrrnsso dispo8<So an jai-din lVn$ai. Entrdo ptinoiyale du Prieur4, riouveiiu cjtemin <io Chaillca
U. Periscope sur la teirasse. . Porte du jacdin baa. sur Jft route de Chnillen, r^serv^o ay service.
12. Basaw orae d'vtn vats d^corafc*. . Porte Bur la cour d'entrne (lu Pneure efc 1'aucien diemm de Chailies.
IB. he puits de la cour. . Port do aorvicp roaerviie au jftrdinier dont 1^ maieon ao tronvf.it a proximity
14-15-3.6. Puits de judin. ;. Meieon du jardmier. Cett maisoii, situde eu dcKors dti yftro cloa du Prjcure, ee oompoMJt de
17. Tir k carabine ohembres at etait couverte d u n do.ible appentis lie pigiion. du cote de is Title, portait une
IB. Trono d6 ohtns oreux QVQC bant, OGUIU$$ ON Varfca du t.oul ioge avec uu cttdras viaible du chemia du vel (Pig. 83).

Illustration 541 - Map of the grounds of The Priory.

From Jean Chavign\'b work (op. at.).

view. A camera obscura was set up deal of work. But as I have told you, Latitude of Saint-Gervais 47 34' -
there, an octagonal cabin about four this work relaxed him after his more ROBERT-HOUDIN.
meters high. When one entered and dry work, which I will now tell you
Near this location was a small
the door closed, one was in total dark- about.
pavilion decorated with shutters in
ness. With a few quick maneuvers,
trompe I'oeil, which in fact contained
the countryside was projected onto a
To conclude this description of a darkroom, a sort of perfected cam-
large white table with perfect clarity
The Priory, here are a few comple- era obscura, in which there was a
in all respects: a charming tableau,
sometimes animated when people or
mentary notes on the old master's periscope that allowed one to see the
animals passed in front of the lens. enchanted retreat: comings and goings of visitors as
well as the panorama from the
Without being able to specify, I
The domain of The Priory was heights of The Priory.
remember that several difficult
problems had to be resolved for the decorated with terracotta statues by A bit further away was a veritable
construction of this camera obscura Dantan, among them Le Jongleur, labyrinth of fantastic automata, among
of a completely uncommon size. which depicted the master's son life- them a mechanical gardener, a
This was the case for the majority sized. In front of the terrace overlook- bearded hermit clothed in a frock w ith
of attractions that I ha\e just de- ing the Gosson valley, set on an octag- a ceramic chicken at his side and a real
scribed and behind these apparently- onal stand, was a sundial engraved on skull whose eyes launched flames!
easy amusements was often a great a slab of slate with the follow ing text: Next to these caves was a chapel

402

decorated with a "Diorama" illumi-
nated by a fireplace.
After ha\ ing "magically" crossed
the little ravine with the help of a
mechanized bench, one could see a
hollow tree at the end of the path in
which the stroller could sit; a gri-
macing imp then appeared in front
of the unwise stroller's face.
Near the pistol-shooting stand,
which crowned the winners with
palms, was a chalet dedicated to
"Optical Wonders." The spectators
stood in the dark before a sort of lit-
tle stage where a tombstone ap-
peared with an owl on it, who visi-
bly and gradually transformed itself
Illustrations 542 and 543 - The sundial of The Priory, signed Robert-Houdin.
into the image of the Virgin Mary
(this plaster virgin was 80 centime-
ters high), which mysteriously
turned into a little girl dressed in
white and crowned with flowers,
then a huge bouquet, beneath which
a rose gradually blossomed and re-
placed the image of the young girl.
The secrets of this little "Ghost
theater" were revealed by Robert-
Houdin in his posthumous work
Magie et Physique Amusante.
Oral - local - tradition credits
Robert-Houdin with many other
wonders that must have made our
savant smile. Some swore to ha\e
seen him driving a carriage whose
403
-APPENDIX Ii
"...horse was galloping backward with
its head against the apron of the car-
riage and the backside in the front"!
These legends related by "trustwor-
thy" witnesses long contributed to
passionate debates during winter
evenings in the countryside of Blois.
Finally, to be as complete as possi-
ble about The Priory, we must add
that one of the first descriptions of
this property was published in the
form of two long letters from the mas-
ter in La Petite Rescue of Saturday,
January 20 and Saturday, February 17
of the year 1866, under the heading:
"Interiors of a Few Artists and Men
of Letters."
I ROBERT-HOUDIN

GRAND

DICTIONNAIRE
UNIVERSEL
1
DU XIX SIECLE
FRANQAIS, HISTORIQUE, GEOGRAPHIQUE, BIOGRAPHIQUE, MYTHOLOGIQUE
BIBLIOGRAPHIQUE, LITTERAIRE, ARTISTIQUE, SCIENTIFIQUE, ETC.

eomprenant

LA. LANGUK FRANCAISE; LA PRONUNCIATION; LES ETYMOLOGIES; LA CONJUGAISON DE TOUS LSS VER8ES IRREGULIERS;
LES REGLES DE GRAMMAIRK; LES INNOMBRABLES ACCEPTIONS ET LES LOCUTIONS l^AMILlfeRES ET PROVERBIALES; L'HISTOIRE,
LA GEQGRAPHIK; LA SOLUTION DES PROBLEMES HISTORSQUES; LA BIOGRAPHIE DE TOUS LES HOMMES REMARQUABLES, MORTS OU VIYANTS;
LA MYTHOLOGIS; LES SCIENCES PHYSIQUES, MATHEMATIQUES ET NATURBLLESj LES SCIENCES MORALES ET POL1TIQUES;
LES PSEUDO-SCIENCES; LES INVENTIONS ET DECOOVERTES; ETC., ETC., ETC.

P A R T I E S ItEOVKS :

LES TVPES ET LES PERSONS AGES LITTERAIRES; LES HEROS D'EPOPfeES ET DE ROMANS; LES CARICATURES
POLITIQUES ET SOCIALES; LA BIBLIOGRA.PHEE G^NfiRALE; UNE ANTHOLOGIK DES ALLUSIONS FRA.NCAISES, ETRANGERES, LATINES
ET MYTHOLOGIQUES; LES BEAUX-ARTS ET L'ANALYSE BE TOUTES LES <EUVRES D'ART,

PAR PIERRE LAROUSSE

Le dictionnaire est a, la JitteratuMj d'uno tmtioa co qua is fondomeat,
avec ses fortes assises, est b. 1'ediflce. DUPANLOUP.
F d s ce que dois, advionne quo pourra. DKVISB FRAKSAISE.
< La veriW, toute la v6rite, rion quo la v6rite, > DEOIT CRIMINAL.
Ccey est un Hvre de bonne toy. MOSTAIQKB.
< Voilk l'os de mcs os ct la cbair de roa chair. ADAM.

TOME PREMIER

PARIS
ADMINISTRATION DU GRAND DICTIONNAIRE UNIVERSEL
19, RUE HONTPARNASSE, 49

Tou9 droits r^se

Illustration 544 - Title page of the Grand Dictionnaire universel du XIXs siecle (Grand Universal Dictionary of the 19th Century)
bv Pierre Larousse.

404
 APPENDIX II i

Bouteille p. 406 [The Inexhaustible Compere p. 412 [The conjurer's Cheating]

Bottle] confederate] Ledru p. 435 [Biography]
Chalon p. 407 [Biography] * Comte p. 413 [Biography]
Chapeau p. 407 [The hat trick] * Comte p. 415 [Theatre The entries for words or names
Charlatan p. 407 [The conjurer Comte] marked with an asterisk were par-
Carlosbach] Comus p. 417 [Biography] tially or wholly published in
"Claque" p. 410 ["The claque" Conus p. 418 [Biography] Confidences d'un prestidigitateur, Les
at the theater] * Coupe p. 418 [To perform Trickeries des Grecs devoilees, Les
Clavecin [The Harpsichord the pass] Secrets de la prestidigitation, or in
Player-This text * Davenport p. 421 [Biography and Magie et Physique amusante.
is reproduced in account of In Pierre Larousse's monumental
Act V in the chap- their seances] work are other excerpts from Robert-
ter devoted to this * Decapite p. 431 [The Talking Houdin's works when a reference is
automaton] Head - see Act made to conjuring, in articles such as
Clou p. 411 [The Nail in the IV, note 64] "Cup" or "Grecs" ("Card sharps"),
Eye] Domino p. 433 [Tricks and etc.

405
I ROBERT-HOLDIN
Bouteille [The inex- conjurer himself encouraged this
haustible bottle] tyrannical demand by his feigned
Physique amusante. Inexhaustible flight? He was expecting this; it
Bottle. A conjuring trick created by was somewhat of a theatrical reply
M. Robert-Houdin and performed that was very well acted; he even
in his theater in 1847. Here is the counts on it for the final blow; he
staging of this curious trick: The stops for a moment as if undecided.
conjurer has a bottle of bordeaux "Gentlemen," he finally says, "be-
wine in his hand, whose contents cause I cannot satisfy you with
he pours into a number of glasses small glasses, I will be forced to get
representing the bottle's capacity. bigger ones." Immediately the ser-
Once the bottle has been emptied, vant brings a huge stem glass,
rinsed, and drained, the operator which the conjurer fills to the top.
pours out all requested liquors, at "Here, sir," he says in a slightly
the audience's will. The distribu- mocking tone to one of the most ar-
tion takes a very long time. dent solicitors, "please empty this
Members of the audience, in order glass as quickly as possible so that I
to ensure the reality of the trick, as can fill it again; during this time, I
well as to try to dry out this so- am going to pour out a few more
called inexhaustible source, ask for glasses for these gentlemen." The
the most uncommon and common gentleman does not dare, or most
liquors over and over again: Parfait often cannot drink such a large
amour, Mme. Anjou, Gin, Rosolio, quantity of liquor; all attention is
Creme de Roses, gold-label Eau-de-vie turned to him; the audience laughs
de Dantsig, Grande Chartreuse, etc.; heartily at this scene; there are no
every possible simple or aromatic more doubts; they are satisfied.
liquor is ordered; they are all served The bottle is recognized as inex-
immediately upon request; it is a haustible amidst hearty applause. If
great chaotic commotion. No one the spectators laughed, we must
shows enough common sense or rea- think about how the conjurer must
son to conclude this serious affair. also have laughed up his sleeve
Luckily all balls of wool, no matter about his skillful trickery. The bot-
how big, must eventually come to tle, indeed, could not possibly be
their end; a moment comes when inexhaustible, though it truly
the feat finally seems to be ending. seems to be. It is an excellent trick
Members of the audience who are in which the ruses, artifices, and
too far away from the circle of dis- subtleties of language and science
tribution find it lengthy enough. are united and reinforce each other
The conjurer retreats in a feigned to fool reason and the senses. The
hurry, still filling glasses on his way context and nature of this article do
back. So the audience, believing not allow us to extensively explain
the sorcerer to be out of resources, the numerous details related to the
blocks his way and cries and almost execution of this marvelous trick;
screams for new samples. The poor let it suffice to say, in order to give
spectators, sometimes so intelligent an idea, that the procedure is based
and clever : do they not see that the on the use of reservoirs and skill-
406
fully hidden compartments, and
even more on the finesse, tact, and
skill of the operator.
"Let us see, who is tricking
whom here?" says the disap-
pointed reader. "The Grand
Dictionnaire usually gets to the
bottom of things, which should
especially be the case here be-
cause we are talking about a bot-
t l e . Without a doubt, we are
watching a conjuring performance
in which the bottle is exhibited;
we see the hands raised, the
glasses filled, and the bottle un-
emptied. But the secret of the de-
vice, the spring of the machine,
the key to the enigma... All of
that is closed off to us, we remain
as ignorant as before, and M.
Robert-Houdin continues to be a
sorcerer one hundred times more
burnable and fit to be hanged
than the priest from Loudun."
Now let us speak and say clearly
to M. Robert-Houdin, "What do
you have to say about that?
Because it is you, sir, who, from
your Priory in Saint-Gervais, have
given us the solution; and you
well know that it is not one. We
can see into your bottle as clearly
as the bottom of a well. You tell us
in your article...I fear going on too
much. Boileau will answer you:
I avoid going on too long and be-
coming obscure.
"Because it is your secret, keep
it, sir; but the Grand Dictionnaire
and its readers hope that in the arti-
cle "Magic Revealed" that you are
preparing, you will free the mysteri-
ous goddess from the clouds sur-
rounding her."
All subscribers to the Grand

Dictionnaire will now know that M.
Robert-Houdin collaborates on our
work for this still obscure area of
science, which he proposes to re-
veal. This is part of a collaboration
for which we sincerely thank him,
because he becomes the torch-
bearer of reason, common sense,
and truth against ignorance and
error. Isn't this a role to be envied
by a philosopher?
Concerning the Inexhaustible
Bottle, M. Robert-Houdin, who is
also a poet in his spare time, sent the
following quatrain to the Figaro,
which had published an account of
this charming trick in one of its issues:
What could better resemble
My bottle than your plume?
Both know how to assemble
Much spirit in a small volume.
Chalon
A French conjurer, born in
Poitiers in 1789, died in England in
1825; he often performed in the
provinces and abroad. His name
would have probably remained un-
known to most, except for his stay in
Paris during Lent of 1816; this was a
fatal year for the theater that had
welcomed him, because it was after
one of his performances at Odeon
that the edifice was burned to the
ground. The expensive apparatus
that represented his entire fortune
were destroyed in this accident and
the conjurer, ruined and discour-
aged, with only his skill as baggage,
left the capital and returned to his
nomadic existence. He journeyed
throughout Europe; visited Turkey,
where he had the honor of perform-
ing before the sultan; and died in
England during a trip in 1825. As a
conjurer, Chalon was a truly original
character: serious and phlegmatic, he
performed with the solemnity of a
professor at the Sorbonne. He also
had a very high opinion of his art,
and seriously believed he could im-
pose it on his audience. "My stage
entrance," he used to say, "is what
produces the most effect in my per-
formance." Other times, other en-
trances. Here is how things took
place at the time of the distin-
guished Chalon. The back door of
the stage opened in two parts; a man
appeared clothed in black, with a tie
and wearing white gloves; it was
Chalon. He remained motionless for
a second; then, with very slowly
counted steps, he gravely moved for-
ward to the footlights; there, his eyes
riveted on the same point in the
room, impassible like the statue of
the commander, he pulled his gloves
off with regularity, finger by finger;
once free, he made a marvelously
small bundle, solemnly placed it into
one of his pockets, rubbed his hands
together, cracked his fingers, and fi-
nally decided to speak. His words,
like his gestures, were slow and spar-
ing; he set forth in few words, as was
the custom at the time, his desire to
let his visitors spend a pleasant
evening. Well! It was rare that he
was not applauded after his speech,
an unbelievable thing for a skeptical
and critical generation.
According to connoisseurs, Chalon
had great intelligence in the creation
of sensational tricks. During his
debut at the Odeon theater, he un-
derstood that he needed tricks that
corresponded to the expanse of the
stage on which he was performing.
For his opening, there was this
strange advertisement on large bills:
"MARVEL OF THE 19th CEN-
407
-APPENDIX II|
TURY. Magical invulnerability. M.
Chdlon will soon face a cannonball shot
at him from a distance of twelve feet.
Nota. In order to eradicate all suspicion
of confederates, the weapon will be
loaded and fired by artillerymen belong-
ing to the unit residing in the capital."
This trick took place as an-
nounced and made a huge sensation.
Artillerymen loaded the cannon; the
conjurer positioned himself before it
in a most dramatic position; the fire
blast produced an earth-shattering
sound; a thick smoke covered the
stage, and soon one could see
Professor Chalon holding a projectile
that he said he had warded off with
his hands. Cannonballs are not so eas-
ily conjured away and the cannonball
could not be a conjuring trick. It was
simply an advertising stunt, as the
theater managers said. The cannon
was really loaded by an artilleryman,
powder was clearly put in as with a
real cannonball, but the artilleryman,
in exchange for a sum of money (Who
cannot be corrupted?) had come to an
agreement with Chalon. The swab
with which he stuffed the ball was
hollowed in such a way that it held
the projectile and could be taken out
without the audience seeing. The
ball that Chalon held in his hand was
passed from backstage at the moment
of the explosion. Such was the artifice
of this nineteenth-century marvel.
Chapeau [Hat]
Conjuring. Hat trick. Conjuring
trick that consists of pulling a multi-
tude of various objects out of a hat.
Charlatan
Among pureblooded charlatans,
there is more than one species; our
readers could judge them by sight
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
and sound. Let us nonetheless iden-
tify a fairly uncommon, very original
variety; we mean mystifying charla-
tans. Here is a strange specimen,
whom we take from Mysteres et
Confidences by M. Robert-Houdin, a
master, an infallible arbiter in char-
latanism, as the Davenport Brothers
know:
"One evening after dinner, while
I was strolling along the banks of
the Loire, deep in thoughts sug-
gested to me by the falling of leaves
and their tumbling in the autumn
breeze, I was pulled out of this gen-
tle reverie by the blaring sound of a
very well-played trumpet. I do not
know if I was the last one to ap-
proach this bursting melody. A few
strollers, attracted as was I by the
musician's talent, also came to form
a circle around him. He was a tall
chap with a sharp eye, olive-
skinned with long, very curly hair,
with his hand on his hip and his
head held high. His suit, although a
bit burlesque, was nonetheless
clean and denoted a man who could
have been said to have, as those of
his profession put it, a fair bit tucked
away. He was wearing a brown frock
coat with a little collar of the same
color and decorated with large silver
braids; around his neck, carelessly
hung, was a black silk tie. The two
ends were linked by a ring deco-
rated with a diamond that could
have enriched a millionaire, had it
not been fake. His black pants were
largely filled and he had no vest,
but on the other hand, he was wear-
ing a very white shirt upon which a
large imitation gold chain was
draped, with a collection of
bracelets whose metallic sound
could be heard with his every move-
ment. I had time to make all these
observations because this man, un-
doubtedly not finding the crowd
large enough to deserve a perfor-
mance, made his musical prelude
last almost fifteen minutes; finally,
the circle having grown signifi-
cantly, the trumpet ceased to be
heard. The artist placed his instru-
ment on the ground, gravely walked
around the assembly, asking every-
one to move back a bit; then paus-
ing, he ran his hand through his
long hair and seemed to meditate
with very poetic inspiration. Not at
all used to the charlatanism of this
public presentation, I looked at the
man with trusting admiration, and I
prepared myself not to miss a single
word of what I was about to hear.
"Gentlemen," he cried with a
sonorous and self-assured voice,
"hear me. I am not at all what I
seem to be. Yes, gentlemen, yes,
admit it, you take me for one of
those poor devils coming to call
upon your generosity for money.
Well! Be not mistaken; if you see
me here on this square today,
please know that I have only come
to relieve human suffering in gen-
eral, in particular for your good, and
also for your pleasure."
Here, the orator, whose accent
could easily be recognized as from
the Garonne region, ran his hand
through his hair a second time,
lifted his head, moistened his lips
with an air of majestic dignity, and
continued: "Shortly I will inform
you of who I am, and you will be
able to appreciate me at my true
value; while you wait, please let
me entertain you with a small sam-
ple of my savoirfaire." The artist,
after having adjusted the listeners'
408
circle, set up an X-shaped table be-
fore him, upon which he placed
three tin cups, so polished that
they could have been taken for sil-
ver; then he attached around his
waist a bag in red velvet from
Utrecht, into which he plunged his
hand for a few moments, undoubt-
edly to prepare the wonders he was
about to show, and the perfor-
mance began. In a long series of
tricks, the balls, first invisible, ap-
peared at the tips of the conjurer's
fingers, successively passed from
one cup to another, through the
table, even into a spectator's
pocket, only to come out again - to
the great joy of the audience -
from the nose of a young onlooker.
The boy took this very seriously
and began to frantically blow his
nose to make sure that he had no
more little balls in his head. The
skill with which these tricks were
done, the apparent good nature of
the operator in these ingenious ar-
tifices, produced the most com-
plete illusion. It was the first time
I had attended this sort of show; I
was dazzled, amazed, astonished.
Able to produce such marvels at
will, this man seemed to me to be
superhuman; it was therefore with
vivid regret that I saw him put his
cups aside and fold up his bag. The
assembly also seemed charmed;
the artist noticed and benefited
from these excellent dispositions
by indicating that he had some-
thing else to say. Placing his two
hands on the table as in a court-
room - "Ladies and gentlemen,"
he said with feigned modesty and
in order to create certain oratory ef-
fects, "ladies and gentlemen, I was
lucky enough to see you pay kind

attention to my skillful tricks. I
thank you for that" - the conjurer
bowed toward the ground - "and
since I want to prove to you that I
am not ungrateful, I want to try to
return all the satisfaction you have
given me. Deign to listen to me for
a moment. I promised to tell you
who I was. I must satisfy you." -
change in physiognomy, look of
high self-esteem - "You see in me
the famous Dr. Garlosbach; the
sound of my name indicates that I
am of Franco-Anglo-Germanic ori-
gin, a land where one is born with a
crown of laurels on one's head.
Praising me would only be a reflec-
tion of the renown of one hundred
mouths of gold and azure; it will
suffice to say that I have great tal-
ent and that my immeasurable rep-
utation can only be equaled by my
modesty. Crowned by the most il-
lustrious academic societies the
world over, I bow before their
judgment, which proclaims the su-
periority of my knowledge in the
great art of healing the human
race."
This speech, as bizarre as it was
emphatic, was spoken with an im-
perturbable assurance; however, I
thought I noticed on the famous
doctor's face a few twitches of the
lips that betrayed an irresistible de-
sire to laugh. I did not pay very
much attention to this, and, se-
duced by the orator's manner, I con-
tinued to attentively listen to him.
"But gentlemen," he added,
"enough about myself; it is time that
I talk about my work. Please know
that I am the inventor of the ver-
mifugo-panaceli balm, whose effi-
ciency is undeniable. Yes, gentle-
men, yes, the worm, that enemy of
the human race; the worm, that de-
stroyer of all life; the worm, that de-
termined attacker of the living and
dead, is finally vanquished by my
science; a drop, an atom of this pre-
cious liquor is enough to chase away
this horrible parasite forever. Be
they long worms, flat worms, round
worms, the shape does not matter, I
will cure you. Have you ever had the
macaque worm that places itself be-
tween leather and skin; the rascal
worm, who breeds in the head; the
tenia, commonly known as the soli-
tary worm? Approach me without
fear; I will painlessly remove them.
Gentlemen, such is the virtue of my
marvelous ointment, which not only
frees man from this awful calamity
during his lifetime, but his body has
nothing to fear after its death; take
my balm; it is like embalming one-
self ahead of time; man thereby be-
comes immortal. Ah! Gentlemen, if
you knew all of the virtues of my
sublime discovery, you would rush to
take it from me, in throwing me fist-
fuls of gold; it would no longer be a
distribution, but a pillaging, so I will
stop now..."
The orator indeed stopped for a
moment and wiped his brow with
one hand while with the other he
motioned to the crowd that he had
not finished. Many listeners had al-
ready tried to approach the learned
doctor; Garlosbach seemed not to
notice and, returning to his dra-
matic pose, he continued in the fol-
lowing manner: "But," you will ask
me, "what can the price of such a
treasure be? Would we ever be rich
enough to acquire it?" Well, gentle-
men! This is the moment for you to
see the discovery to which I devoted
my entire life; this ointment, which
409
APPENDIX II,
sovereigns bought at the cost of
their crown; this ointment that has
no price...I give it to you." At these
unexpected words, the crowd, trem-
bling with emotion, remained silent
for a moment; but as if under the
impulse of an electric charge, all
arms were raised at once begging
and imploring the doctor's generos-
ity. But, surprise! Disappointment!
Carlosbach, this famous doctor,
Garlosbach, this great man, sud-
denly left the role of charlatan and
broke into a Homeric laugh. Just
as in a change of perspective, the
scene was transformed and all the
raised arms fell simultaneously;
people looked at one another, won-
dered, murmured, then calmed
down, and soon the contagious
laugh spread to the entire crowd
and broke out in a chorus. The
conjurer stopped first and asked
for silence.
"Gentlemen," he said in a per-
fectly decent tone, "do not be angry
at me for the little scene that I have
just acted; I wanted to warn you
against charlatans who trick you
every day, just as I have done my-
self. I am not at all a doctor, but a
simple conjurer, professor of mysti-
fication, and author of a collection
in which you will find, in addition
to the speech that I have just given
you, the description of a great many
conjuring tricks. Do you want to
know the art of amusing yourselves
in society? For ten sous, you can sat-
isfy yourselves."
The conjurer then removed a
huge packet of booklets from a
box, went around the crowd, and,
thanks to the admiration inspired
by his talent, he sold his merchan-
dise. The performance was over; I
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
went home with my head full of a
world of unknown sensations. As
one might imagine, I had pur-
chased one of these precious vol-
umes; I hastily tried to read it; but
the fake doctor had continued his
system of mystification and in
spite of all my efforts, I could not
understand any of the tricks whose
explanation he supposedly pro-
vided. I did have the pleasant
speech for consolation, however,
which I have just reproduced here.
"Claque"
Our article on "claque" was com-
pleted, when our learned collabora-
tor M. Robert-Houdin brought us
the following little gem. At random,
we place it into its jewel box, with-
out worrying too much whether or
not the case will mar its new gem,
and reciprocally.
- The "claque" and the "claquers"
There is a big difference between
claquers and the claque: the hired
claquers are, it is true, people of
very little merit, but the cause they
support is well above their reputa-
tion.
The "claque" was originally in-
stituted with the single goal of sat-
isfying respectable demands, de-
mands that the audience itself
created by applauding artists. The
noise of two hands clapping to-
gether, the stamping of feet, the
incoherent clamors by which the
audience shows its satisfaction in a
theater is certainly the most discor-
dant sound ever heard; but nothing
is sweeter to the ear and heart of he
who is the object. The artist never
tires of these intoxicating emo-
tions; he becomes accustomed to it,
and he ends up considering these
flattering testimonies as being
owed to him; in his eyes it is the
fitting reward of his talent and de-
sire to do well. But the public is
very capricious in this type of lib-
erality; one day it frantically ap-
plauds and the next, for no reason,
it remains silent. It is not because
the show was less appreciated, but
simply because the public lacked
initiative.
Chance alone does not produce
these diverse dispositions; there
are other influences on the audi-
ence which old actors know, and
on which they make observations
that have a certain physiological
originality. For example, when
ladies are the majority in a group,
the scenery certainly improves,
but the artist loses in terms of ap-
plause. These little white-gloved
hands are not used to noisy out-
bursts. In this case, the artist only
has the success of admiration. In
wintertime, on certain cold and
rainy days, there are almost noth-
ing but unhappy and chagrined
faces in the audience! One was
forced to leave one's umbrella in
the cloakroom; one's feet are wet;
a cold is feared. Of course, the
public will be as cold as the tem-
perature. On the other hand, in
the warm season, when the atmos-
phere is heavy and charged with
electricity, when, as commonly
said, the weather is ill, everyone,
according to certain known laws,
is subject to some debilatating,
soporific, and almost sickly influ-
ence. In this case, one is hardly
disposed to approval, and shows
of satisfaction are often absent.
But if, as soon as they enter the
room, the spectators are gay, tur-
410
bulent, agitated; if they fight
amongst themselves to find a sub-
ject of amusement; if they ask the
curtain to be raised before the
proper time, the public will surely
be demonstrative and applause
will abound.
These different observations,
whose accuracy can be recognized
by all, prove that, for one reason or
another, the public is very unequal
in its impressions, and even more
unequal in its demonstrations.
Without stopping at the preceding
considerations, one generally blames
managers for what is called tyrannical
pressure. But the managers pretend
they have nothing to be blamed for;
to justify themselves, they say that
the "claque" was never supposed to
influence public opinion; unless he is
abusing his position, the leader of
the "claque" never forces applause,
and he is satisfied to support it, to
enhance it, and if he sometimes indi-
cates the important points of a work,
it is purely unofficial.
Instead of using such weak ar-
guments, managers would be bet-
ter off admitting that for one rea-
son or another, the "claque" is so
indispensable to the theaters of
the capital that none of them, ex-
cept those of Boulevard des
Italiens, could do without it.
Managers could still hold this rea-
soning to their contradictors: Who
can flatter himself by saying that
he has never been a claquer? For
friendship; for one's best interests;
on a whim; fake appreciation; has-
n't applause been given one hun-
dred times in opposition to neigh-
boring judgment? The influence
that was then produced, is it not
comparable to the chevaliers of

glory, if the audience was not so
highly indulgent toward them?
All the managers' benefits aside,
the reciprocal concessions of the
spectators obviously prove that one
is less shocked by the claque than by
the claquers, and that if the former
was separated from the latter, it
would be more easily accepted.
The following anecdote, which
we offer as authentication, can
support this proposition. Twenty
years ago, the manager of a troupe
of one of our provincial towns, see-
ing that the best artists of the com-
pany were not supported by any
sign of approval, wanted to orga-
nize applause to stimulate the au-
dience, as was done in the capital.
This innovation was not crowned
with success; on the very first
evening, the claquers - booed and
hissed - were forced to cease their
function. Our impresario did not
insist, but did not consider himself
defeated. He was an extremely
persevering and willful man, and
had an especially ingenious imagi-
nation. He proved it in this situa-
tion because, a short while later,
the public, so calm and cold in ap-
pearance, became expressive and
no longer hesitated in the manifes-
tation of its kindly impressions.
Here is the trick that the smart
manager had used to obtain this re-
sult: In agreement with an equally
discreet and intelligent stage man-
ager, he had organized a mechani-
cal and mysterious "claque" that
we are going to describe in a few
words. Under the planks of the
wood floor that forms the orches-
tra, one must imagine hinged ham-
mers attached in four places so
that one can knock them together
at a distance by pulling a string.
The noise of these hammers simu-
lates that of a cane striking the
floor. A few meters away from the
hammers, toward the center of the
room, two devices were installed
to perfectly imitate hand clapping.
They are two large castanets cov-
ered with skin. A thread brings the
two shells together. The noise of
this mechanical clap enters the
room through openings placed
above them and hidden by the
spectators' seats. The six cords
placed in the theater are invisible
to all and are linked to six strong
wooden keys laid out like those of
a piano.
The device's mechanism is easy
to understand: At certain passages
of a play indicated beforehand by
the manager, the stage manager
pressed a button, and clapping
first to the left, first to the right,
like people eager to applaud do
with their canes. It was rare that
the audience did not respond to
this call. In this case, our stage
manager used what he called the
big hand; all the approval devices
were heard at the same time and
mixed in with the real applause of
the audience.
This innocent artifice remained
unknown to the victims, and
thanks to the manager's ingenious
trickery, the city of X became and
is still one of the favorite stops for
traveling artists.
Clou [Nail]
Conjuring. The trick of the nail
in the eye. Among the artifices
called into play to simulate invul-
nerability, the nail in the eye is one of
the most simple and harmless
411
APPENDIX II ,
tricks; here is how it is usually pre-
sented: the invulnerable person
clearly introduces a little cylindrical
metal nail between the lower lid
and the eyeball of the right eye.
Once this operation is completed,
the performer leans his head to the
left side; he strikes a few little
blows with the tip of his finger on
the tip of his nose, as if to create an
impulse from this side, and immedi-
ately, we see him take the little nail
out of the left eye. The trickster
then puts the piece of metal into
the left eye; then, pressing this
point with his finger through the
skin of his cheek, he makes it drop
into his mouth. He then takes it out
to show it, puts it back, then makes
it go back to the right eye, from
which he takes it out definitively.
In this way the little nail seems to
have gone from the right to the left
eye, from the left eye to the mouth,
and from the mouth to the right
eye, by circulating through the
fleshy parts of the face.
Here is the explanation of this
trick: the nails used (because there
are three for the experiment) are lit-
tle metal rust-free ones, of 0.01
meter by 0.003 in diameter. The
ends of these little bars are rounded
so as not to be the least sharp. This
little nail, once introduced into the
eye, cannot be felt at all; to remove
it, all one has to do is press the
lower eyelid with the end of the
pinkie, directing it toward the inter-
nal angle of the eye. The circulation
of the nail through the skin is simu-
lated; it is a real conjuring trick.
When one wants to present this
feat, it is necessary to put a nail into
the left eye and the mouth without
the audience knowing.
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
One easily understands the fi-
nesse of the trick. The third nail is
introduced into the right eye and
one pretends to pass it into the
left, simply removing the one put
there in the first place, and it is by
this same trickery that one again
seems to make it go from the
mouth to the right eye. This exper-
iment can be done without the
slightest pain, and without any
danger. The little nail, when intro-
duced into the eye, is placed in a
sort of pocket formed by the con-
junctive membrane, which unites
the eyeball to the eyelid. This cir-
cular veil is an ingenious barrier
that protects the orbit of the eye
against any foreign bodies. Although
the conjunctive membrane is ex-
tremely sensitive, it cannot be hurt
through contact with the nail. This
harmless little cylinder remains at
the bottom of the membrane, with-
out hindering the movements
made by the eye and eyelids.
Compere [Confederate]
A confederate is anyone who, in
collaboration with a conjurer, helps
him in carrying out his tricks.
Conjurers use two types of con-
federates: (1), the invisible con-
federate who cannot be seen by
the public and whom they call a
servant; (2), the confederate who
is in the audience and who was
once known as a courtois.
The servant is the conjurer's in-
visible assistant; hidden backstage
with his ear to the curtain, he fol-
lows the performance with contin-
uous attention because he must
carry out his function at precise
moments marked by certain lines.
The success of some of the tricks
performed depends, most often, on
the exactitude and skill of the ser-
vant. Many substitutions and trans-
formations attributed to the con-
jurer are the work of this
mysterious agent. The confeder-
ate, as we have said, mixes with the
audience; he is to hand the con-
jurer a scarf, handkerchief, snuff-
box, watch, etc. when the conjurer
asks the assembly for one of these
objects. The magician has a copy of
all these; he can therefore with lit-
tle difficulty and with an appear-
ance of magic, destroy the object
handed to him and find it again
completely restored in a small loaf
of bread, a box, an orange, etc. This
mystification, somewhat twofold,
has fallen into disuse; very few
conjurers today would decide to
use such a blatant artifice, and they
can proudly say, like Syonorelle,
that it was rococo, but "we've
changed all that."
In order to justify the simplest
and most ancient of simulated
magic artifices - confederates - it
is necessary to say that conjurers
from the last century and those
from the beginning of this one had
powerful assistance in fulfilling the
role of wizard that ignorant people
attributed to them. How, indeed,
can one explain, except through
magic, facts of the sort we are
about to relate? A conjurer meets a
person on the bridge of a provincial
town; he asks him to please tell
him what time it is, according to
his watch. The gentleman, satis-
fied, obliges him. "Your watch
must certainly be wrong," says the
conjurer. "It must be at least an
hour behind." A discussion takes
places from all sides, unkind words
412
are said. Naturally, passersby stop;
the two men are surrounded and
the cause of the dispute is sought.
"Look, gentlemen, be my wit-
nesses," says the conjurer's adver-
sary in showing his watch to the
gathering, "this gentleman claims
that my watch is one hour fast. See
for yourselves." The conjurer
quickly grabs the watch and throws
it in the river. "Well," he says with
bold air, "since you persist in say-
ing your watch is precise; take a
look; you will certainly be pleased
to see it go forward. Follow it if you
can." The public is indignant; peo-
ple are getting angry; the unknown
man is about to get roughed up
when suddenly he announces who
he is, and that he is the famous
wizard X...who wanted to prove his
talent upon arriving in the city.
"The watch I have just thrown into
the river," he adds, "is now sus-
pended from the fireplace in this
gentleman's bedroom, where it
tells the time I said it did; come
with me, gentlemen, and we will
verify this fact." One quickly goes
to the plaintiff's home and finds
the watch at the designated place.
The watch that had just been
thrown into the river is now hung
above the fireplace; it is one hour
behind with respect to all the
clocks of the city.
Two similar watches in fake
gold, a confederate; what more
does one need to explain this won-
der of magic? But the public, who
knows nothing of these details, be-
lieves in wizardry. Can we not say
this to be true in satirizing some of
the poet's words: The conjurer is
not what he seems.
By extension, we also call a con-

federate a person who helps another
in a subterfuge, whatever its nature.
He who participates in an innocent
lie is just as much of a confederate
as he who facilitates the crime, or
the seller of stolen goods who
shares the profit. If we consider
things this way, imagine how many
confederates there are in the world!
People placed at strategic points
to lure the crowd into a country
fair, and to whom traveling per-
formers give the title of "crowd
gatherers," are confederates; asso-
ciates of the traveling wine mer-
chant who pretend to be buyers -
confederates; the biased party in a
company when he exaggeratedly
brags about it - a confederate; the
entrepreneurs of success better
known as claquers; people who
promote political candidates or sci-
entists - confederates. Even some-
one who arranges a marriage is a
double-faced confederate. Finally,
how many confederates are to be
found in today's society of reci-
procity which we call comraderie
and of which the motto is: "Help
me, I'll help you!" Pierre Larousse
continues:
"Now, who is the confederate
who has come to reveal all these
things in the Grand Dictionnaire
which no one knows, yes, no one,
because the wizard who is the unit
is in front of the crowd, or legion?
This confederate, you have
guessed, is a humble savant who has
acquired an honest fortune, and
who lives in retreat, surrounded by
books, in a charming villa on the
outskirts of Blois, on whose walls he
could write the following:
The theater built this country
shelter,
I thank all of you passersby, to
whom I perhaps owe it.
This is M. Robert-Houdin.
Comte
(Louis-Christian-Emmanuel-
Apollinaire), French ventriloquist
and conjurer, born in Geneva to a
French father on June 22, 1788,
died in Rueil (Seine-et-Oise) on
November 25, 1859. At eight years
of age, he was already amusing his
friends with ventriloquism perfor-
mances. His family wanted him to
go into business, and had placed
him at an attorney's in the hope
that he would follow this career.
But correctly judging that he would
be better at practicing his instinc-
tive ventriloquism than studying
law books, he actively began to
perfect this talent and the success
that he obtained at a few intimate
gatherings encouraged him to con-
tinue his plan.
Giving in to the caprices of his
adventurous spirit, he forever gave
up the monotonous work of law and
resolutely entered into the artistic,
nomadic life. With nothing but the
carefree attitude of a fifteen-year
old and his gift for ventriloquism, he
journeyed through the cities and
towns of Switzerland, where he often
had trouble with the subjects of his
mystifications, but where he was also
admired for the perfection with
which he imitated distant voices. He
had composed short scenes that
formed very attractive shows. There
was, for example, the scene of the
servant locked in a cellar, with whom
he began a most pleasant conversa-
tion. One heard the voice of the ser-
vant coming from underground, beg-
ging his master to open the trapdoor
413
APPENDIX II i
so that he could come out. Gomte
seemed to agree to this request; the
servant thanked him and came out,
but once freed, he went to the upper
floor and made fun of his liberator.
Finally, this voice was heard from all
over the room, even under the seats,
to the great fright of the spectators.
This scene, as well as many other
similar ones, was seasoned with
wordplay, wit, and harmless mystifi-
cations that brought the audience's
joy to ultimate heights.
Gomte added a few conjuring
tricks to his ventriloquism, but
his repertoire in this area was
very limited. Having never had a
mentor, he could perform only
the magic tricks he had found in
basic works on the subject.
Nonetheless, he decided to go to
Paris, passing through the south
of France. At that time in
Bordeaux was a certain M. David,
a rich cloth merchant and a great
enthusiast of conjuring, who
owned all the instruments of this
art and found genuine pleasure in
helping and instructing the fol-
lowers of white magic. Upon his
arrival, Gomte met David, who
taught him many interesting
tricks. While traveling, the artist
from Geneva maintained an ac-
tive correspondence with his
teacher, who kept him abreast of
developments in the art of magic.
An original handwritten letter by
Gomte (collection of autographs
of Monsieur the Marquis of Flers),
addressed to M. David, gives an
idea of their relationship. This
letter begins as follows:
Orleans, May 13, 1809
APOLLINAIRE GOMTE, ven-
triloquist and professor of sci-
entific amusements, who, two
ROBtRl-HOUDIN
years ago, was almost a victim
of several Swiss peasants who,
believing him to be a sorcerer,
beat him and wanted to burn
him by throwing him into an
oven, etc
Monsieur David, Bordeaux,
When I had the honor of
meeting you in Blois, I told
you that I planned to go to
Valencay to see the princes of
Spain The prefect of Blois
gave me a letter for the gover-
nor, and I gave two perfor-
mances before the three
princes I taught them a few
tricks, they presented me with
a magnificent certificate and
fifty louis All the gold I earn, I
owe to you, because your
tricks are the most beautiful in
my show
And later
My intention is now to have
four trunks of magic effects I
will present only magic at the
two first shows For the third, I
will present the larger effects
and lure my audience with
ventriloquism The next day, I
will perform tricks in the town
and boldly announce three
performances of ventrilo-
quism In total, that makes six
performances for towns with
10,000, 15,000, and 20,000 in-
dividuals What do you think^
He ends by saying that his ven-
triloquism tires him greatly.
In 1812, Gomte came to Pans
[Actually, June 22, 1809] and moved
into 24, Rue Thionville (Rue
Dauphine), a children's theater, al-
ready named Theatre des Jeunes-
Eleves. His performances suffered
from the competition of the magician
Olivier, who was very fashionable at
the time, and also two ventriloquists,
Borel and Fitz-James, who shared
with him the favors of the Parisian
public. After having given some un-
profitable performances at the the-
ater in the Rue Thionville, Gomte
left the capital and traveled through
the provinces, where he obtained
real success for a few years. Back in
Pans in 1814 he moved into the
Hotel des Fermes, Rue Grenelle
Saint-Honore, in the space that his
predecessors Bienvenu and Olivier
had occupied, and became a theatri-
cal entrepreneur (see the following
article). It is at that time that he was
called to the court of Louis XVIII
and performed before sovereigns,
after which he received the title of
King's Conjurer.
This show was long in vogue.
However, in the last years, the con-
jurer only rarely performed, and his
young actors did not inspire the same
interest. He was forced to invent sev-
eral methods to maintain his income
during all seasons. He invented: (1),
Pink tickets: special tickets sent in
profusion all over Pans, for half-price
tickets; (2), Medals, brass tokens that
gave one a ticket for 10 centimes; (3),
Free seats to prizewinners of ju-
nior-high schools, which we will
discuss in the following article.
As a conjurer, Gomte had a very
pleasant talent. He performed his
tricks with great skill and dexterity.
We can judge by the following trick,
which was called The Birth of
Flowers. After having spread seeds
on a bit of dirt in a little bowl, he
said a few magic words, poured a
flaming liquid on the dirt, and cov-
ered it with a bell, which he claimed
was to concentrate the heat and
stimulate the vegetation. Indeed, a
414
few seconds later, a bouquet of var-
ied flowers appeared in the vase.
Gomte gave them to ladies in the
audience and during the distribu-
tion he found the way to says things
with double entendre (this was the
time of gallantries in language)
Miss, here is a rose that you made blush
with jealousy Gentlemen, may you never
have worries, etc. However, the little
bouquet was disappearing; there
were only a few flowers left
Suddenly, the conjurer's hands were
literally filled with roses. Then,
with a triumphant air, he cried out
"I had promised to conjure and
transform all these ladies, could I
have chosen a more graceful and
amiable manner? In changing you all
into roses, isn't it like offering a
copy of the model? Isn't it also con-
juring you away to return you to
your original state? Tell me, gentle-
men, did I not succeed?" For these
amiable, slightly precieux words, the
conjurer always received a triple
dose of bravos\
This performer, albeit so grace-
ful and gallant toward ladies, was
merciless to men. Let us mention a
few jokes of which his masculine
audience was the victim. There
were certain stools which made un-
pleasant sounds when someone sat
down, or the trick of the Ace of
Hearts, which ended with dozens of
aces coming out of all possible
pockets of the spectator's clothing,
who was searched, prodded,
probed, and did not know which
way to turn to escape this avalanche
of cards. There was also the hat
lent by a bald spectator and out of
which Gomte removed a wig in ac-
companying this illusion with puns

and cruel jokes. I had scarcely concealed the
Ventriloquism, we have said, handkerchief and box, when I
added much charm to Gomte's per- heard a strange voice on the sec-
formances; it furnished pleasant in- ond floor landing. "Monsieur
terludes, which were very funny Robert-Houdin, will you be kind
and effective. This talent also in- enough to step up to the box-of-
spired curious mystifications, but fice. I wish to speak to you." -
the best (if a mystification can ever Not right now," I answered, still
be good) were reserved for his trav- preoccupied with my theft. "I
els, he used them for advertising his will come later." - "Go ahead,"
performances and they contributed said Comte jovially, "the gentle-
to attracting the crowd. One finds man will take only a moment of
the description in a volume in-12 your time; go on, I will wait
with the title Voyages et seances anec- here, because I still have to
dotiques de M Comte (de Geneve) speak with you." - "So be it," I
[Pans, 1816]. Only one of these answered, and without thinking
pleasantries will show to what de- I went up to the second floor.
gree Gomte knew how to imitate a My readers will guess that the
distant voice. This anecdote could ventriloquist had played a trick
be entitled "The mystified mystifiers", on me; indeed, on reaching the
we can guarantee its authenticity. office, I only found the clerk, who
"After a visit paid to me by could not understand what I was
the celebrated ventriloquist at talking about. I perceived, too
Palais-Royal," said Robert- late, that I had been victimized,
Houdin, who is the author of this and I heard Gomte celebrating his
article, "I accompanied him to victory with shouts of laughter.
the foot of the stairs on his depar- For a moment, I confess I felt
ture. Gomte walked down before vexed at having been taken in,
me, still talking, so that the pock- but I soon regained my serenity at
ets of his coat were at my mercy the thought of a little vengeance
The opportunity was too good to I might have from the very situa-
neglect the chance of playing a tion I was in. So I went down-
trick on my talented colleague, so stairs very calmly. - "What did
I stole his handkerchief and a that person want?" Gomte asked,
handsome gold snuffbox; and I with ill-repressed delight. -
took care to turn the pocket in- "Can't you guess?" - "Me? No."
side out, as proof that my perfor- "It was a penitent thief, who
mance had been properly exe- begged me to return to you the
cuted. I was laughing at the comic articles he had stolen from you.
result my trick must have caused, Here they are, my master'" - "I
when I returned Gomte his prop- prefer it to end so!" Gomte said,
erty, but it was "diamond cuts di- returning his pocket to its place.
amond," for while I was thus vio- "We are now even and I hope we
lating the laws of hospitality, shall always be good friends."
Gomte was scheming against me In 1854, Comte, tired by more
415
APPENDIX II i
than fifty years of incessant work,
retired to a property he owned in
Nanterre. His kindness, benevo-
lence, and generosity won him the
esteem and affection of all the in-
habitants, who nicknamed him
Good Papa Gomte. In this modest
locality, he gave several perfor-
mances for the poor The last one
took place in January 1854, when
he was almost seventy years old.
Comte left Nanterre for Rueil,
where he ended his days. Louis-
Philippe named him Chevalier of
the Legion of Honor
Comte (THEATRE GHOISEUL,
called JEUNES-ELEVES and more
ordinarily, THEATRE) established
on January 23, 1825 in Paris,
Passage Choiseul and Rue Mon-
signy, replaced in 1855 by the the-
ater Les Bouffes-Pansiens. The
Genevan Gomte, its founder, after
having acquired a reputation
throughout Europe as conjurer,
prestidigitator, and ventriloquist,
came to perform shows of amusing
magic and phantasmagoria in dif-
ferent theaters in Pans. From the
former Theatre des Jeunes-Eleves
of the Rue de Thionville, he
moved into a space in the Hotel
des Fermes, Rue du Bouloi. In this
underground space where Jacques
de Falaise, the Polyphage, dazzled
Parisians with the ease with which
he swallowed roses, watches,
birds, mice, etc , Comte presented
a few scenes of buffoonery that
added to the audience's amuse-
ment, with the participation of
children In 1817, Comte moved to
the Mont Thabor theater or former
Cirque Olympique, which the
Francoms had just left. However,
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
the demands of the administration,
which only allowed him to perform
his children's plays behind a gauze
curtain, forced him back to the
Hotel des Fermes After much ef-
fort and solicitation, he won the
privilege of setting up a moral the-
ater, where the troupe, like the au-
dience, was made up of children
With only three young actors, he
began to perform amusing and edu-
cational plays, then in 1820 he
moved his staff to the Passage des
Panoramas To Berquin's repertoire
he added special plays, among
which one must especially mention
those of Emile Vanderburch, they
were mixed with conjuring and
ventriloquism scenes The
Panoramas space being too small,
Comte moved into Passage
Choiseul, where his repertoire ex-
tended itself to spectacular scenes,
comic-operas, and other plays
which ended up digressing from
the theater's original purpose
They were nonetheless moral and
instructive One could read on the
bills
Through morality, good taste
modestly shmes
And without fear every mother
may bring her daughter
The authorities did not let
themselves be won over by these
tempting lines, they looked behind
the scenes and suddenly changed
the rules for this tiny theater, forc-
ing the director to hire older actors
In the last years of its existence,
they were no longer barely weaned
babies, or noble fathers escaped
from their nurses, but big young
people who acted in children's
plays, many before the age of rea-
son (on the male side, of course)
Comte's theater, in spite of the size
and age of its actors, remained pop-
ular with its little audience when
in 1855, its name and specialty dis-
appeared from the world of theater
Since then it has become Les
Bouffes-Pansiens Lament, school-
children - you who had a theater
for yourselves and performances -
about the good old days
The Theatre Gomte, before
taking this name, had been succes-
sively called Theatre de Physique
amusante, ventnloquie, magie, Theatre
des Nouveautes (1819), Spectacle de
magie et des enfants de M Comte
(1824) It left more than one mem-
ory in the minds of young genera-
tions who paraded through it wide-
eyed and open-mouthed before
Sleeping Beauty, The Pink Devil, The
White Mouse, Gargantua, The Magic
Lantern in the Moon, Puss in Boots,
etc Every evening for the entire
year, management gave a stall free
of charge to the student who won
first prize during the annual
awards in junior-high schools and
boarding schools of both genders
in Pans and the suburbs Many
families brought their children
there for their birthdays, and on
Thursdays, teachers brought their
best pupils
Today, there is nothing left for
sixth-grade students whose suc-
cess one wishes to reward, other
than to go and see shows at
Chatelet or the cavalcades at the
Hippodrome
The Theatre Gomte only trained
a small number of famous artists,
416
although complaisant chroniclers
often attributed him with a handful
of excellent actors, yes, a handful if
you will, but one must consider the
quality as well Alas' How many
little stars shone one night before
the theater, unfolded themselves
before the fake sun of the foot-
lights, only to fall back into the pa-
ternal room afterwards (porter's of-
fice, of course) - pale, broken,
dirty from hard labor, dreaming of
all sorts of imagined glory - only
imagined
"A few of these young artists,"
said M Albenc Second, "died in
squalor, many resigned themselves
to manual labor One of them, a
hunchback called Little Alfred 'en-
tered into the administration', he
currently presides over the cleaning
of his homeland he is an inspector of
Parisian street-cleaning' This digni-
fied civil servant must be seen when
he goes through the inspection of a
squad of street-cleaners' At these
times, he is truly magnificent to con-
template He fulfills his mission as a
man who often had the honor of play-
ing Napoleon I or the great
Frederick Watch him he takes his
snuff in the left pocket of his vest,
folds his arms behind his back, wears
a grey frock coat, and says to his men
in dispersing them with a grandiose
gesture, 'Soldiers' I am pleased with
you '" Among M Gomte's students
who continued to act, most of them,
we must say, did not and will not go
beyond the level of decent medioc-
rity But what does this matter, after
all, if the renown of just one of them
is enough to ensure the glory of the
professor? This one is Hyacinthe,

the sublime gracioso of the theater
of Palais-Royal Hyacinthe was
barely six years old when he made
his debut at the Theatre Ghoiseul
In considering his precocious talent
and resounding success, M Gomte
ensured him an exceptional salary
10 francs per month with nothing
taken out, which he had never done
before' And when he parted ways
with his manager seven years later
to be an extra at the Vanetes, he
had already been earning 20 sous
per day, which was the highest
salary possible In the very com-
mendable goal of not creating terri-
ble jealousy between his authors
and actors, M Gomte arranged it so
that the royalties of the authors
were not much higher than the
salary of the actors, which did not
prevent him from counting on a
great quantity of brief, witty plays
The first verses of MM Gogniard,
Dumanoir, and Siraudin were per-
formed on this hospitable stage
M Emile Vanderbuch, was long the
official supplier to the theater, and
under the name Alexandre Boucher
and Gie , a famous banker of our
time had twenty variety plays per-
formed there, although Vanderburch
was neither famous nor a banker
Among Gomte's boarders, we will
name, in addition to Hyacinthe,
Francisque the younger, Emile
Taigny, Charles Perey, Paul Laba,
Pastelot, Golbrun, and the ladies
Clansse Miroy, Mane Dupuis, Atala
Beauchene, and Aline Duval Until
the end of the theater, Poulet and
Rubel remained the two comic ac-
tors who were loved and applauded
Comus
Gomus, famous conjurer from the
beginning of the nmeenth century In
spite of the vogue and popularity that
his skill and savoir-faire earned him,
this artist, who called himself the
leading conjurer of France, never had
the honor of a biography Michaud,
on the one hand, in discussing
Gomte's competitors, mentions a cer-
tain Gomus, a very skillful conjurer,
whose real name, he adds, was never
known This is understandable, the
conjurer in question, in borrowing,
for his greater glory, the pseudonym
under which one of the most learned
men of his time had become famous
[Nicolas-Philippe Ledru known as
Comus, knowledgeable conjurer of the
eighteenth century] was better off hid-
ing his personality in order to estab-
lish a confusion favorable to his inter-
est Gomus's success begins right
around the time of the death of his
knowledgeable namesake (1807)
Although Gomus was not schol-
arly, he was, on the other hand, very
skillful in his art Here is the program
of the tricks he performed according
to one of his bills We are copying
verbatim, which allows the evaluation
of the conjurer based on his tricks
and the man based on his style
Today, Monday, 13 Brumaire, year XIV,
Bordeaux, Allees de Tourny
T H E MASTER GOMUS
F I R S T CONJURER OF FRANCE
Will give two performances of his
experiments
1 He will make it thunder and
hail through conjuring,
2 A person from the audience
will shoot a gun loaded with bullets
at Mme Comus, who will ward it off
it with a foil,
417
APPENDIX I I - !
3 The automaton, which will tell
the age and thoughts of a person,
4 The magic lemon trick, carried
out by VOLTAIRE What will be
thought-of will be found inside,
5 The siren trick,
6 He will play cards blindfolded
and will do repic et capot to his oppo-
nent,
7 Eight watches will be thrown
into the air, they will be suspended
from the ceiling by a gun shot,
8 The trick of the glass of wine
changed into flowers that he per-
formed before his Imperial Majesty
And many other tricks of his in-
vention
Price of seats
First 30 sous, Seconds 15 sous
T h e experiments of the "first
conjurer of France" were, as can be
seen, affordable to everyone
The coup de piquet was Gomus's
best trick He performed it with
rare skill Here is the summary of
how he went about it He asked a
member of the audience to unseal
a deck of cards and shuffle them
well When the deck was returned,
he asked for a blindfold for him-
self A useless precaution, if we
may say so, because no matter
what is done to deprive someone
of sight in this way, the bridge of
the nose always leaves enough
space on the sides for one to see
During the preparation of this op-
eration, he was able, without the
spectator's knowledge, to quickly
study a pack of cards, choose a six-
teenth in spades, as well as three
aces and three kings of another
suit, which he subtly placed under
the pack Once his eyes were cov-
ered and he was supposedly blind,
Comus mixed the cards awkwardly,
as if it were difficult for him, but
ROBFRT HOUDIN
in reality, he was shuffling the
cards in his own way This is, with
the help of a conjuring, and more
specifically, a cheating manipula-
tion called cull shuffling by the
Greeks, with which he stacked the
cards in such a way that those he
had chosen ended up in his hand
when he dealt the cards He then
presented the deck to be cut, but
he reestablished the order he had
set by performing the pass
After the cards were dealt, the
magician had in his hand a six-
teenth major, a fourteen of ace, and
a fourteen king with which he did
repic et capot his opponent by win-
ning one hundred and sixty-three
points in a single round
The glass of wine that Gomus
mentions on his bills is a trick that
he invented It was very well done,
but we must be surprised that,
given the lack of formality with
which it was performed, it could be
presented before the Emperor
Napoleon I You will judge accord-
ing to the following description
Gomus arrived on stage pouring
wine from a bottle into a glass
Once the glass was full, he brought
it to his lips as if to drink, but
changing his mind, he suddenly
threw its contents at the neighbor-
ing spectators The wine, in its tra-
jectory, turned into rose petals No
matter how surprising this trick may
seem, and no matter how graciously
it ends, it remains a very risky joke,
especially in the presence of an au-
dience that allows no familiarity of
any kind
In the middle of this success,
Gomus had the bad luck to get a
taste of his own medicine about the
pseudonym that he had chosen
One of his colleagues named Cote,
jealous of his name, but not having
the right to use it, found a way
around this by using the name
Gonus He so mercilessly com-
peted with the old conjurer that
Gomus gradually lost his identity
to the newcomer The two names
became confused about who was
really the leading conjurer
The brilliant conjurer of the
past, Gomus, first conjurer of
France, died in 1820, poor and for-
gotten Sic transit
Conus
Skillful conjurer from the be-
ginning of the century, whose real
name was Cote He took the name
of Gonus to create confusion with
and take advantage of the name
Comus, who was one of his very
popular competitors He was very
skillful with his hands Contrary to
the manner of conjurers of that
time, he used neither devices nor
apparatus for the execution of his
tricks Cards, coins, cups, and a few
objects borrowed from the audi-
ence were the only elements of his
program To give an idea of
Conus's dexterity with cups and
balls, it will suffice to say that, in-
stead of using cork balls, whose
lightness was useful for stealing
them away and placing them under
cups, he instead used massive brass
balls much bigger than the other
kind, which did not prevent him
from performing the most surpris-
ing sleights without the slightest
vibration being heard One of his
favorite tricks was the following
After having borrowed four coins,
he first showed how his conjurer
colleagues ordinarily held the coins
in the palm of their hand "In this
418
way," he said in a good-natured,
comical tone, "they trick you, gen-
tlemen, and it is wrong, but I, who
am honest, cannot use such meth-
ods " This did not stop him from
using exactly the same procedures,
and he managed to invisibly pass
up to four coins from one hand to
the other using skill and cunning
It is true to state that Gonus had
the skill of hiding several coins in
the palm of his hand, which he
held open but facing downwards
This skill is acquired through prac-
tice, conjurers call it palming The
trick ended this way taking an
empty cup in one hand, he placed
it under the table and taking the
other four coins, which he showed
to the audience, he appeared to
pass them through the table, and
after hearing their clinking sound,
he proved that they had really
fallen into the cup Comte took the
multiplying aces trick from Gonus,
which consisted in making a multi-
tude of aces come out of all parts of
a spectator's clothing Another one
of his tricks, which was greatly ap-
preciated by amateurs and which
his colleagues considered to be a
marvel of conjuring, is as follows
He had a deck of cards in his left
hand At his request, the audience
named any card at will Conus then
picked a card at random from the
deck, showed it to the audience,
and it so happened to be the card
that had been named This was re-
peated as many times as desired
Gonus died in 1835, leaving a son
who was also a conjurer, but who
has not performed in several years
Coupe [Cut]
Conjuring Cutting the cards This
is where conjurers have shown a

good hand, with or without word-
play, according to the reader's wish
We intend to talk about cutting the
cards, which holds such an impor-
tant place in the outcome of the
game, especially when one skill-
fully knows how to maneuver them
to one's own best interest Even if
we have to make the scarce hair on
the bald head of Lady Morality
stand up, we are going to expose
here the principles ('") upon which
this art is based, and which allow
one to control the outcome of the
game, which is euphemistically
called correcting the mistakes of
fortune But let timid minds not be
frightened disproportionately, let
not ordinary people put their hands
in their pockets and put safety
chains there, next to the illness, we
place the remedy, and after having
read this article, a bad jester who
wants to fool players risks being put
at the bottom of the wall, as is com-
monly said, and moreover, he would
probably stay there "Maiprend aux
volereaux de faire les voleurs," said La
Fontaine, misfortune sometimes
also befalls novice conjurers who try
to imitate Bosco and Robert-
Houdin And because this last name
comes so easily to our pen, let us
say right now that we owe the fol-
lowing information to this doctor in
witchcraft, who so well saw through
the Davenports' cabinet This reve-
lation is easy to understand, but dif-
ficult to put into practice One be-
comes a conjuror, but one is born a
magician Bnllat-Savarin said this
more or less, and M Robert-Houdin
clearly proves it These preliminar-
ies well established, let us attack
the issue of cutting the deck, an op-
eration so crucial to this kind of
APPENDIX II ,
game, because a pack of cards cut
one millimeter higher or lower
could completely change the out-
come of a game One knows that in
all card games, no matter how var-
ied, the person in charge of dealing
the cards first presents the deck to
his opponent to cut It is a sort of
guarantee, or custom, which is prac-
ticed in the best circles Here is
how this cut is usually performed
the dealer, after having shuffled the Illus 1
cards, places the deck within arm's 2 Cover the deck with the right
hand and hold the edges of the lower
reach of his opponent He in turn
packet together between the middle
divides the cards as he wishes into
finger and the thumb as in illustra-
two more-or-less equal parts and
tion 2
forms two packets on the table The
dealer takes the two packets and
puts the one that was underneath
on top The two packets then be-
come one, and all natural or artifi-
cial dealing of cards that could have
occured in the game is prevented
One presents the cut, or in other
words, one gives the deck to be cut
to the right, left, or across from one-
self, according to the number of
players In the last case, one always Illus 2
presents the cut on the side oppo- The pass With the help of the lit-
site to where the dealing began tle finger, which is in the middle of
As the success of the game de- the deck, and the three other fin-
pends uniquely on the cut, as it gers which are on top, pull out the
were, there are people who, ab- upper packet to make it go quickly
solutely wanting to win, have de- and noiselessly under the lower
vised skillful manipulations so that packet To do this smoothly, one
the cut would not make them lose should press on the edge of the
the chances that they have created lower packet with the tip of the
for themselves in shuffling the thumb and, with the help of the
cards in a certain fashion To two fingers holding it, one uses a
achieve this fine result, they have movement so that the other packet
found nothing better than to make can go under it In order to be more
the pass easily understood, remove the right
Preparation 1 Hold the deck of hand, which serves to hide the op-
cards in the left hand and divide it eration, and we easily see the posi-
with the little finger in two nearly tion that the packets should occupy
equal parts, as in illustration 1 during the transposition (illus 3)
419
 ROBFRT HOLDIN
Illus 3
Once the pass has been made, the
right hand leaves the left and ap-
pears as in illustration 1
These diverse movements, de-
scribed in steps to facilitate the ex-
planation, must be carried out with a
promptness so that they flow into
one and the same action The skill-
ful conjurer makes the pass invisibly
in less than a second The reader
who will take a deck of cards in order
to try this manipulation for the first
time will perhaps consider it as im-
practicable Would it not be the
same if one wanted to first play an
instrument according to the instruc-
tions of a book?
To show an application of the pass
in card tricks, let us suppose that after
having asked someone to take a card
from a deck and put it back, one
wants to quickly find it Here is the
process to be followed once the card
has been removed from the pack, sep-
arate the cards into two packets held
close to each other (illustration 4)
Illus 4
Place the card on the packet of
the left hand and cover it immedi-
ately with the packet of the right
hand, but at the same time you
have furtively placed the little fin-
ger between both packets, slightly
dividing the deck in two, giving it
the appearance of illustration 1 To
the spectator, the card is lost in the
deck If you make the pass now, in
following the previous instructions,
the chosen card will be on top of
the pack
The One-handed pass This
exercise is rarely used in card
tricks, it has no other purpose
then to show the dexterity of the
fingers There are several proce-
dures to eliminate the cut with
one hand, we can see the descrip-
tion in several modern treatises
on conjuring
The blind cut In greekery (we
are creating the word following
Robert-Houdin), a skillful manip-
ulation of cards whose goal is to
avoid the disorganization caused
by the cut in card decks This
card-sharping technique is based
on the following procedures (1),
The pass, (2), the pass cut, (3), The
cut avoided, (4) The wide card,
(5) the bridge
The Greek pass, although pro-
ducing the same result as in con-
juring, is not done the same way,
after his opponent has cut the
deck in two parts, the Greek, as
usual, puts the bottom half on top
But, in so doing, instead of squar-
ing the two packets to make just
one, he puts the upper packet a
little behind the lower one so that
they overlap by one centimeter
Thanks to this ridge in the cards,
the Greek, once he has the cards
420
in his hands, slides the little fin-
ger of the left hand between the
two packets and prepares to make
the pass at the appropriate mo-
ment We say at the appropriate
moment because only beginners in
trickery hurry to carry out this op-
eration The experienced Greek
takes his time, and with the help
of a few gestures of good company
and a very captivating conversa-
tion, he manages to hide the ma-
nipulation of the pass In this way,
for example, he will say, in moving
his hand to the right spot "Have
the bets been made ? " Or even,
with the same intent, he will ask
how many points his opponent
has, in this way feigning distrac-
tion or indifference
The pass cut This cheating
technique fulfills the same goal as
the preceding Here is the de-
scription When the deck has
been cut, the Greek, instead of
placing the lower packet on the
upper one, subtly slides it under-
neath, which completely changes
the cut
The cut avoided is a false cut
whose artifice is extremely simple
And it is perhaps for this reason
that one is easily caught The
Greek, in lifting the lower packet
to put it on top of the other, in-
stead of stopping, goes over and
past it and simply puts the packet
in the left hand, after which he
places the other packet on this one
The deck is in this way returned to
its original condition
The wide card This is a card
which is wider than that of the
usual decks Introduced into a
deck, the wide card, thanks to its
protruding portions, forces the cut

to be made at that precise place If
the Greek has already prearranged
the deck to make the outcome of
the game favorable to him, this
type of cut changes none of his
preparation because it takes place
at the spot where the dealing be-
gins
The bridge When Greeks want
to have the cut occur at a certain
part of the deck, they use the
bridge Here is how they cheat
The pack is held by the left hand
and grasped by the right at its
edges, first they bend it by folding
it on the index finger of the left
hand, then, dividing the deck in
two parts, they make a rounded
shape on the top in the opposite di-
rection This done, they slide the
upper packet under the other as if
they were mixing the deck The
curved parts then meet and create
a slightly gaping opening which
naturally sets the fingers for the
cut
The aforementioned swindles
are generally executed invisibly by
those who use them in dives and
ill-reputed places for which, more-
over, they are exclusively re-
served They could not be prac-
ticed easily in good society There,
the dealer must be serious in all
his movements, all gestures beside
what is strictly necessary to shuffle
and deal the cards would soon
arouse suspicion
Still, honest people do not re-
ally trust and are wisely wary, the
passion for playing goes hand in
hand with the love of gain One
wants to win, either for self-es-
teem or for profit Wherever cards
and a green baize are found, one
takes the risk of finding players
who manipulate the laws of
chance, there are Greeks in all so-
cial classes The higher the class,
the more skillful the cheaters, and
therefore the more dangerous they
are We know that the nobility who
attended the courts of Louis XIV
and Louis XV did not consider
cheating in games to be at all rele-
vant to morality Even in our day
and age, scandalous stories of this
type are often mentioned in the
newspapers Luckily there is a
very simple way to not only elimi-
nate the effects of the blind cut,
but better still to foresee it and
banish it It is by having the cutter
complete the cut, which means
that after having cut, he puts the
two packets on top of each other in
the state they are supposed to be
in for the dealing It is obvious
that, in this way, the dealer, no
matter how skilled he may be, can-
not make the pass
But you may say that acting this
way is showing an insulting mis-
trust, the consequences of which
may sometimes be even more dis-
astrous than the loss one wanted to
avoid Yes, we will answer, this is a
fatal alternative which is very diffi-
cult to avoid In this case, the best
thing to do is simply not to play,
especially with people one does
not know or one knows too well
But you will object again in saying,
I love playing, it is my only plea-
sure, my only distraction Well'
Resign yourself in advance to
being cheated, and blame only
yourself if you can't detect the
Greek's artful dodges
We will have a chance to return
to this subject with the word
GREEK
421
APPENDIX II i
Davenport
(Brothers), skillful American
conjurers and so-called mediums,
who first appeared in Paris in 1865,
one was born around 1840 and the
other around 1842
We know of all the commotion
surrounding the name of the head-
ing of this article, and everyone
still remembers the Davenport
Brothers' miraculous cabinet In
this case, the definitive triumph of
spiritism greatly impressed two so-
cial classes, of which one is quite
numerous and the other very pow-
erful All weak-minded people
whom the fantastic attracts, whom
the thought of the devil scares, but
who would be saddened not to be
able to believe any longer in the
devil or in spirits of the other
world, precisely because that
would deprive them forever of the
pleasure they get feeling scared,
promised themselves to plunge
with delight into the terrors of the
marvelous show which was an-
nounced to them, and for other
people, less easy to surprise, and
who have an easier time calculating
the distant consequences of things,
if Satan or the spirits came to make
a new eruption on Earth, rational-
ism, their bete noire, would also be
struck in the heart, and soon they
could chant the De profundis on the
reign of pure reason and common
sense Let success crown the
Davenport Brothers' enterprise
and all the arguments against the
supernatural are thrown to the
ground, the reality of miracles has
been proven by facts, and free
thinkers can but bow down But, to
one magician, a magician and a
half, we did not count on the man
ROB^RT-HOLDIIN
for whom all these tricks are but
the ABGs of the trade, and who
proved that these supposedly su-
pernatural gimmicks were, on the
contrary, the most natural in the
world. "Dear colleagues, you are
certainly very skillful people; but,
as Proudhon said very irreverently
to Victor Considerant and consorts,
you are just a joke."
The three engravings below are
the property of our learned collabo-
rator. They faithfully reproduce the
physiognomy of two operators per-
forming; in other words, they are
photographs.
In September 1865, two Ame-
ricans, Ira and William Davenport,
arrived in France to give marvelous
seances, under the name spirit man-
ifestations. They had come directly
from England, where for two years
they had benefited from a great
vogue. The press from the three
kingdoms had energetically related
their mysterious exercises and the
commotion from the polemics raised
had reached us.
The arrival of these thaumaturges
took the importance of a political
event, the Moniteur du soir, an official
newspaper, announced them in its
issues of 6d and 8th September and
all the press repeated this interest-
ing news over and over again.
Before going to Pans, the Davenport
Brothers had stopped at the chateau
of Gennevilhers whose owner, a fer-
vent disciple of spiritism, considered
the illustrious visitors' stay as good
luck. It was in this welcoming resi-
dence that the first trial performance
of spirit manifestations took place. A
small number of writers and journal-
ists were also invited, who all agreed
upon the fact that the feats they had
witnessed were marvelous and unex-
plainable
The American mediums did not
speak a word of our language; so
they were obliged to have an inter-
preter who was also their agent, or
as it is still said, their Barnum. They
had been put into contact with
M. Derosme, a man of letters living
in Passy and to whom we owe ex-
cellent translations of a few English
works. The latter accepted the mis-
sion offered to him and to make his
proteges known; he had them per-
form a few seances in his living
room before an elite audience,
whose support could have great in-
fluence on the future success of
their possible performances in the
capital. Huge American-style bills
were put up all over Pans; the first
seance of the Davenports was an-
nounced in huge print and would
take place in the Salle Hertz on
September 12th. The show, divided
into two parts, was composed as fol-
lows: (1), Cabinet effects; (2), The
seance in the dark. The price of
seats was 25 francs per person for
the entire show and only 10 francs
for the first part.
With such high prices, what a
prospective great income! Alas! The
illusion of the two brothers about
their future success in the capital
had to end here; the kindly support
they had collected in their prepara-
tory seances were the only real joys
they were allowed to experience in
the most intelligent and skeptical
country in the civilized world.
An unforeseen storm was rolling
over spiritism in general and on their
exercises in particular; this storm be-
came more and more threatening as
the day for the first performance ap-
422
proached. Well-intentioned newspa-
per articles were followed by a large
number of virulent protestations
against an exhibition that was con-
sidered, and with just cause, to be
dangerous to public thought and par-
ticularly for certain weak minds that
always tend to take seriously the
tricks of adepts of simulated witch-
craft. The following lines, taken
from a newspaper article in
L?Opinion natwnale (September 10,
1865) will give an idea of the state of
excitement of the Parisian press
about the American mediums. This
article preceded the Davenports'
first performance by two days:
"...These admirable Americans
arrive preceded by a thundering
reputation. Their Gospel arrived
before them. It is a 300-page vol-
ume in which M. Nichols, the au-
thor of this work, guarantees that
the Davenport Brothers have pos-
sessed the skill of being lighter
than air since their most tender
youth; that several times they have
flown up to the ceiling and hovered
over the audiences. If I dare con-
test M. Nichol's testimony on this
point, it is not only because the
thing is absurd in and of itself, it is
also especially because it is insult-
ing to the Davenport Brothers.
What! Gentlemen, you let it be
said that you flew without wings in
a theater, when it is shown that you
can longer do it! You therefore
have a power that has run out, a
virtue that has left you? Must one
conclude that you no longer merit
your spirit servants? That you no
longer have the same authority
over your aerial porters as before?
That you are already declining at
twenty-five or twenty-three years

of age? That you are going from
being the strongest to the weakest,
and in Nicolet's land? You have
come to show us minor miracles
after having given performances in
America of which a god would be
jealous? Do you therefore take
Pans for one of those small minor
cities where used, misunderstood,
and old artists go to regain success?
Is it not strange that in 1865,
when all humanity is taking great
steps towards progress, when the
positive spirit is taking over every-
thing, when all the sciences, freed
of the burden of antique nonsense,
is resolutely heading toward the
truth, that one tries to come and re-
suscitate supernatural forces?
If the moment is ill chosen, the
choice of instruments is hardly less
ridiculous. What! Here are two big
men who have mastered invisible
powers; they are served by spirits;
they have at their orders an army of
unknown beings, but definitely su-
perior to man; and thanks to the al-
liance of this supernatural power,
they manage to do what? Play the
violin in a closet. Really, demi-gods
are quite modest these days'
These gentlemen seem to have
taken the journey from America to
France to show us phenomena. This
is the word that they use, and they
took care to add that "these phe-
nomena were noted by the most
renowned savants in England and
America." Their Gospel is entitled*
Phenomena of the Davenport Brothers.
So much for phenomena; it is a
word used in scientific language
and also on the fairground. The
Saverne fair opens next Sunday and
is already encumbered with phe-
nomena. There are live ones, all
noted by the Emperor of China and
the Sultan of Morocco; that does not
make them any more worthy.
But let me come back to your
phenomena; because finally you
have your own phenomena and you
seem to want to find a place for
them. You do not know that phe-
nomena are nothing by themselves;
it is a question of taking them to a
known or unknown, ancient or new
law; they only interest serious men
on the condition that they prove
something. What do you want to
prove? What conclusions do you
draw from your little nocturnal dis-
turbance? What new elements do
you bring to science? Gome on, ex-
pose yourselves frankly; new ideas
do not scare us. They scare us so lit-
tle that it is very useless today to rec-
ommend them via miracles. A good
truth makes its way in the world
without being accompanied by lumi-
nous guitars and phosphoric violins."
(Edmond About).
These wise reflections and logical
reasonings of the eminent writer
must have struck a terrible blow to
the American mediums' credibility
and shaken up the faith of the most
firm believers in occult sciences. The
medium-like faculties of the two
brothers, their evocations, and their
spirit manifestations were now
judged. For every man capable of
reason, the Davenport Brothers were
only tricksters Still, public curiosity
had been so excited lately that every-
one wanted to see these men who
had been so talked about, as well as
these true or false miracles which
had been the object of such vivid
controversy. One therefore waited
with impatience for the day of the
first performance and rushed to it.
423
APPENDIX IIi
Because of my distance from the
capital, I could not attend this mem-
orable seance, I am therefore obliged
to borrow M. H. de Pene's account of
it. I will then give my description of
when I saw them perform before a
calm and well-intentioned audience.
Here is how the spiritual chroni-
cler of the Gazette des Strangers relates
the seance, under the title of-
CHOKING OF THE DAVEN-
PORT BROTHERS AT THE
SALLE HERTZ,
The tragi-comic saga of the
evening of September 14th:
"The first performance of the two
brothers before a paying audience,"
he says, "took place on Tuesday
evening, as had been announced.
The theater had turned on its lights,
all the seats were full. But the spec-
tator found himself drowned in a tu-
mult worthy of an assembly of furi-
ous shareholders. There was a lot of
noise and mean grumbling. The
night performance, the most inter-
esting of the two, that which had
been poetically entitled "One hour in
the dark," and which was only to have
for witness a small number of specta-
tors at a high price, did not take
place at all.
"The first part only of the public
seance, accessible for a low rate, suf-
ficed to bring such a turmoil that
after about fifteen minutes of com-
motion the public had to leave with
police sergeants prodding them.
Moreover, one loyally gave back the
money at the door; it was even said
that more came out of the cash regis-
ter than went in.
"These poor Davenports! I saw
them close up, I spoke to them; I
touched their cabinet, their famous
ROBPRT HOIDIM
ropes, their tambourine, the bells,
guitars, in a word, all the elements of
the miraculous symphony in which
they are said to excel I was called by
universal suffrage of spectators to
the perilous honor of climbing onto
the stage to inspect the operations,
to tie, untie, and do everything that
my job as controller intended
"Can I say that there was bad will
toward them before the beginning
of the performance? Yes, I can, but I
could not say for certain The worst
enemies of the Davenports in this
seance were themselves Let us be
clear I think they are very skillful
because in front of trustworthy peo-
ple and myself, they did really mar-
velous things with assistance from
this world or the next in various sit-
uations Their reputation and their
merit as conjurers, mediums, or sor-
cerers, however you would like to
say, still remain intact in my view
However, they do not know the
Parisian public at all, and given the
way in which the staging of their
miracles was organized, one would
say that they had never come out of
their cabinet Obviously we were
dealing with a defiant and wary pub-
lic that had to be energetically ac-
costed with a high and light hand,
just like a skillful horseman makes
his horse jump over the obstacle be-
fore which it hesitates If the horse-
man also hesitates, he is lost
"The evening opened with the
speech of an interpreter whose in-
tention was excellent and who had a
conciliatory wit, but whose emotion
was also very visible This was about
the jist of what was said
"Gentlemen, the Davenport Brothers,
who have had an immense reputa-
tion in America and England for the
past ten years, do not have the good
fortune of speaking your language,
they therefore entrust me with the
task of assuring you that they in no
way pretend to impose upon the
public the belief in their commerce
with spirits, they do not proclaim to
be sorcerers or conjurers before you,
they only propose to let you witness
phenomena whose causes they
themselves know nothing about, in
letting you be the sole judges of the
effects produced
"Such a speech was reasonable
and fairly well-received Unfortu-
nately, the interpreter, too confi-
dent in the marks of sympathy
granted him, continued speaking
and launched into long and diverse
explanations which finally tired the
public The Davenports were
asked for with large cries They ap-
peared and the tumult ended
"Finally the show would go on'
Not yet' The actors were on stage,
their closet was open with three
doors to receive them but their ig-
norance of our language, their af-
fected or sincere desire to seriously
check things, the speed with which
they accept all trials without bar-
gaining, the stubbornness they use
to force public incredulity (Alas' it
was always us) in sticking their nose
everywhere, added more and more
length Better to hoodwink people
and do it quickly People grumbled,
sang, whistled, burst out laughing,
screamed, and got angry
"During this difficult time, we
fulfilled the functions delegated to
us, we checked and tested every-
thing Then, after examining the
ropes to be used, we attached the
two brothers as best we could to the
benches in their cabinet The audi-
424
ence, interrogated by the inter-
preter, answered in chorus that they
were satisfied with our work But a
blond-haired gentleman, whom I
was told later was an engineer,
arose 'These gentlemen,' he said,
'are truly tied, but poorly tied up, I
will do it myself in such a fashion
that they will not be able to get
loose ' He did what he says and re-
turned to his seat with a triumphant
air The doors of the cabinet closed
on the two Brothers who, a few min-
utes later, seemed untied There
was applause The Davenports
therefore succeeded in what I will
temporarily call the rope trick when
the blond gentleman, who wanted
to avenge himself, impetuously
jumped onto the stage and cried
out 'We are being tricked, this is an
undignified mystification the
bench on which the gentlemen are
seated rocks so as to allow them to
get untied ' Saying this, he struck
the plank with his fist, and it broke
noisily into bits Naturally one of
the Davenport Brothers fell to the
ground as is the case when a chair is
pulled out from under one who is
seated The entire theater arose,
the storm was everywhere, people
left their seats and became their
own delegates, everyone was on-
stage One spoke with strangers, ex-
actly like during a not M Hertz
began to tremble for his theater
"Brusque entrance of the city
police and on the formal order of
the police commissioner, the seance
was adjourned
"At the nightly hour when I
write these lines, on Tuesday at
midnight, the Davenports are the
main subject of conversation on the
turbulent boulevard They will

drop on the stock market tomor-
row The impression which seems
to dominate is that they were exe-
cuted with a certain ferocity and
bad taste without being judged
Indeed, the worst of despicable
things, in my opinion, is violence
It dirties the best causes, and
would take us away from law itself
when one begins to follow its call I
admit that the Davenport Brothers
are impostors, and even impostors
with no skill, still, in their Waterloo
of the Salle Hertz, the public
showed itself to be brutal, so, in
my view, the public was wrong
even when they were right "
Judging by the reception given
them, the Davenport Brothers
must have had a strange opinion of
French hospitality Many others in
their place would have been dis-
couraged after such a welcome and
would have bravely given up But
they wanted to get revenge on
their raging contradictor, whom
they justifiably considered to be
the main instigator of the disas-
trous adventure T h e next day,
they had some important press fig-
ures come and visit their cabinet,
while the damage was being fixed
They easily proved that the hinged
planks, as signaled by their contra-
dictor, only existed in his imagina-
tion and that the hinges and mov-
ing parts of the furniture had no
other purpose than to fold to facili-
tate packing
The triumph of the raging engi-
neer was therefore short lived, he
could read the same day, in several
newspapers (LJEpoque, he Temps,
and La Patne) the following para-
graph "M D , who thought he had
discovered the trick and made us
share his belief until last night, ob-
viously made a mistake The mo-
bile wood plank is in no way the
deus ex machina of this apparatus
Indeed, this plank is now attached
to the uprights of the cabinet by
very strong screws The furniture
is made of very thin planks inside
which it is absolutely impossible to
introduce the slightest mechanism
Above, below, on the side, we see
absolutely nothing suspicious and
we can spend our time looking,
knocking on the walls, and looking
under rugs and moving chairs, we
are forced to admit that if there are
tricks, they are absolutely, but ab-
solutely, invisible "
Fncouraged by this declaration,
the Davenport Brothers had a letter
inserted in all newspapers in which,
while protesting against the vio-
lence of which they had been the
victims, they announced their in-
tention to continue their perfor-
mances Here is an extract "M D ,
engineer who, after having made a
scene, cried out 'We have been vic-
tims of a terrible mystification'' vio-
lently broke an innocent plank sup-
porting the seat on which one of
us was sitting on tied up This
plank is in heavy oak and hides no
spring or device, it came out of its
place because it was smashed to
smithereens We personally invite
M D himself to come and verify
this fact and to gallantly recognize
his mistake
"Our cabinet can be examined
by everyone, it contains no dispo-
sition to favor the phenomena
which take place Moreover, who-
ever would like to provide us with
a piece of furniture with the same
shape and dimension as ours, and
425
APPENDIX II ,
build it without our intervention,
could convince himself that the
seance of September 12 h was
nothing other than a series of hos-
tile and malevolent demonstra-
tions We would have bowed down
before a judgment rendered with
calm and fairness, we protest with
all our strength and legitimate in-
dignation against the insults and
brutalities that we have been
faced with for some time now, and
loyally call upon the judgment of
an impartial public, partisan of se-
rious and honest investigations by
objective persons, even fore-
warned against us It is in this goal
that we will continue to give our
performances in the Salle Hertz,
not doubting the definitive result
of our public appearance a single
instant "
The Davenport Brothers did in-
deed give a series of seances, which
they had the good idea to present in
a smaller room than that of the con-
cert hall, and therefore more ac-
ceptable for this type of show
These soirees took place with rela-
tive calm There were from time to
time a few little attacks or jeers, but
these scenes never degenerated
into disorder They were most often
comical and caused laughter on
both sides
I attended these seances several
times, and was so amused, just as I
would have been before well-per-
formed conjuring tricks, because
I knew what to expect from the
two brothers' manifestations and I
often laughed about the ease with
which they behaved as passive in-
termediaries for spirits from an-
other world Let us declare it out
loud The Davenports were noth-
I ROBPRI-HOUDJN
ing more than skillful conjurers,
who, to give more dazzle to their
seances, had judged it important to
attribute supernatural forces to
purely manual exercises. From a
sheer financial point of view, they
had collected great income. At that
time, it was not rope tricks or gui-
tar dances that one went to see;
one went to spirit manifestations to
be witness of supernatural and in-
explicable facts, and this is why
one agreed to pay 25 francs per
ticket. In the end, the American
brothers' experiments were very
interesting; the staging was well
done to produce the illusion of su-
pernatural forces, and no matter
what the opinion of this sort of
show, one was always very im-
pressed. In order to give the reader
an idea of this seance, I will render
the exact narrative of it here, also
relating the impression I saw it
produce on the audience. Once
these marvelous facts are known, I
propose to follow them with expla-
nations on the way in which they
were produced.
DAVENPORT BROTHERS'
SEANCE.
First part. THE CABINET
We are in a salon of the Salle Hertz,
Rue de la Victoire, which can hold
sixty people. The room is divided
into two equal parts by a balustrade
one meter high. On one side are
seats reserved for the audience,
and on the other the cabinet which
must serve for the seance. This
piece of furniture, as fragilely con-
structed as possible, is mounted on
trestles; it can only hold three peo-
ple seated or standing. The interior
walls of the cabinet are hung with
various instruments, such as violin,
guitar, trumpet, tambourine, and
whistle. Three doors can be closed
to conceal the mediums from the
audience.
Before beginning the perfor-
mance, several members of the au-
dience are asked to go onto the
dais and to stand in a circle around
the piece of furniture, in order to
form a block to all exterior commu-
nication.
First the two Americans are tied
up. The audiences agrees to desig-
nate a former naval officer, expert
in all sorts of knots, and in whom
everyone seems to have great con-
fidence, to carry out this delicate
operation.
First the ropes to be used are
examined, and the two young men
are searched as a policeman would
do, as precautions against any
trickery or surprises.
The Americans go into the cabi-
net and sit on the planks, to which
they are to be tied. The delegated
marine takes a rope, he marks it to
make sure that it will not be ex-
changed; he notes its length; then,
with the help of knots called ma-
rine knots, reputed until now to be
inextricable, he successively ties
up the two brothers; he attaches
their arms to their bodies, solidly
ties up their legs; he finishes tying
them up in such a way on the
planks and benches that everyone
believes the Americans' defeat to
be ensured; they will definitely be
forced to surrender.
We have said that the closet has
three doors; there is a diamond-
shaped opening at the level of a
man's height in the third. First the
two side doors are closed, then the
middle one. Incredibly, however,
426
as soon as this last door is closed,
one sees a right arm appear through
the opening, still red from the
tightness of the famous marine
knot. The surprise, astonishment,
and stupefaction of the public can-
not be depicted; one hesitates to
believe what is seen; one looks at
his neighbor to base one's ideas on
his; but everyone is sufficiently in-
trigued and can furnish no explana-
tion. They resign themselves and
pay a fair tribute of applause to the
artists.
Soon the three doors are opened
and one sees the two brothers,
smiling, come out of the cabinet
free of their bonds, which they
hold in their hands. More than ten
minutes were spent tying them up
and one minute was enough for
them to get out.
This first deed accomplished,
the young men go back into the
cabinet; they sit down; one places
the pile of rope at their feet and
closes the doors. Two minutes
later, the doors are opened and the
mediums are tied up again; they
tied themselves up in the dark, and
their hands are solidly tied behind
their backs. The knots are verified
and are declared to be as solid as
the first. It is good to recall that,
during the seance, a few members
of the audience are constantly sur-
rounding the cabinet, which is
raised on trestles, and that the
room is lit enough so that every-
thing can be seen.
Now the most astonishing facts
take place; the doors are closed as
quickly as possible, but the last
one is barely closed when the
strangest concert is heard; the vio-
lin begins to play with a firmly

conducted bow, the guitar sounds,
the tambourine beats the time, the
bell rings, the trumpet is vigor-
ously blown, and all this forms a
horrible cacophony. Sometimes a
succession of sounds, bumps, and
blows joins this infernal music.
Then suddenly, all is silent, and
one sees an arm go through the
opening, frantically shaking the
bell.
At the moment when the con-
cert is the loudest, if one suddenly
opens the doors of the cabinet,
one notices that the instruments
are in their previous places and
that the two brothers are immobile
on their benches and tied up as
before. The doors close, the bac-
chanal starts again, and each time
the doors are opened, the medi-
ums are calm, tranquil, and still
tied up. I forgot to say that, at
each one of these spirit manifes-
tations, the cornet and the bell
are thrown through the opening at
the audience's feet.
To control these mischievous
elves, one of the members of the
audience is designated to get into
the cabinet between the two
brothers. A delegate is sent: he
sits on the middle bench, and to
prevent any action on his part, one
hand is tied to the shoulder of one
of the brothers and the other to
the knee. This guarantees that no
other movement from the medi-
ums could take place without the
delegate noticing. Once the doors
closed, the Sabbath is heard again
in the cabinet and all the instru-
ments make even more noise.
This bacchanal stops after a mo-
ment, and one sees that the unfor-
tunate visitor has his head
wrapped up in his own handker-
chief and is wearing the tam-
bourine on his head, while his tie
is tied around his right neighbor's
neck and his glasses worn by his
left neighbor; his watch has even
been moved from one pocket to
the next. The delegate, once freed
from his bonds and immediately
surrounded, is questioned; he de-
clares that he only felt a little
brush on his nose when his head
was covered with the handker-
chief and his glasses taken away,
and can give no other explanation.
The mediums' wrists are still
solidly bound behind their backs.
Flour is brought with the help of a
spoon and placed in each of the
mediums' hands. The doors are no
sooner closed than the clothing of
one of the recluses is passed
through the opening. The doors
are quickly opened, the bonds are
verified, the door is shut again,
and two minutes have not gone by
when the two brothers come out of
the closet, fully freed of their
bonds; they go toward the audi-
ence and show that their hands are
still full of the flour placed there.
Moreover, the young men are
wearing black and there is not the
slightest trace of flour on their
clothes.
Second part. T H E DARK-
NESS. The staging of the seance
is extremely simple: the cabinet
and its trestles have been removed
and put aside; they are replaced
by a little table on which are
placed two guitars and a tam-
bourine that we have seen in the
first part of the seance.
427
APPENDIX II i
Following the request made to
their interpreter, fifteen people
come to sit near the Americans,
and hold each other's hands,
thereby forming an unbreakable
circle. Two gas burners, placed on
each side of the reserved space, are
the only lights in the room; a per-
son placed near each one is charged
with turning on or off the light.
At a signal given by one of the
brothers, the lights are extin-
guished for two minutes. A great
silence reigns in the room, every-
one being overwhelmed by this un-
usual staging. The privileged spec-
tators, those who form the safety
line, are so close to the mediums
that the slightest movement, the
weakest rubbing of their clothes,
can be felt. One listens attentively
for the slightest revealing noise,
but in the midst of this worrisome
waiting, suddenly there is light,
and one sees the two Americans
solidly tied up; their arms, legs,
and bodies tied up with ropes and
knots to the chairs on which they
are seated; their wrists are tied be-
hind their backs and attached to
the chairs. The table and chairs are
also solidly tied together. One ap-
proaches and looks at the various
knots and notes them to be well
executed.
It becomes dark again, and im-
mediately the instruments placed
on the table are mysteriously
heard. Suddenly the lights are
back on and the concert stops.
The instruments do not seem to
have moved and the mediums are
still tied up. The audience is
starting to feel uneasy. There is
very little applause; this type of
show is not the type to excite en-
ROBERT-HOUDIN
thusiasm. There is more of a ten-
dency to be irritated. Believers
see true spirit manifestations in
these deeds; the skeptical non-
believers cannot prevent them-
selves from admitting that these
pretended supernatural interven-
tions are still well executed.
There are even more surprising
feats of this mysterious seance to
come.
To give the assembly absolute
certainty that the bonds will not be
untied, one asks a few neighboring
spectators to pour wax over the
knots tying the ropes and to stamp
it with a seal. During this time, the
guitars and the tambourine are
coated with a phosphorescent oint-
ment that will allow them to be
seen in the dark.
As soon as darkness falls, the
guitars and the tambourine move
around and leave their places,
producing the most lugubrious
sounds. They are seen to rise up in
the air, trace a luminous contour,
then fly haphazardly through the
room over the audience's heads. A
guitar ruffles someone's hair and
someone else's clothing with
abrupt and jerky movements.
None of the instruments ever
touches the members of the audi-
ence or the ceiling; however, when
they pass close to the face, one
senses a brusque wind, a move-
ment of air that immediately
makes one hunch down for fear of
being hit. This situation is more
painful than pleasant, and a feel-
ing of \ ague terror is felt by all.
In the midst of these bizarre
happenings, the lights are turned
back on and the instruments are
found on the spectators' laps.
Verification of the sealed ropes:
they are intact.
Here is a new precaution taken
to reassure spectators against trick-
ery, if they still have a doubt: A
sheet of paper is placed under the
mediums' feet; the contour of their
shoes is traced. If, by way of an un-
explainable process, they manage
to free themselves of their bonds
and leave their seats, the piece of
paper will re\eal the fact. A few
millimeters of difference and the
trick is ruined. The public seems
satisfied by this measure. A mem-
ber of the audience is also asked to
take off his coat and place it on his
knees.
These dispositions finished,
the gas is extinguished and dur-
ing a few moments of obscurity,
the guitars still play their songs
from beyond the grave and give
in to their fantastic feats. But
while these bright, resounding
instruments swing in the air, a
spectator finds himself suddenly
stripped of his hat, which is
swept a few meters away, another
has his hair ruffled by the pas-
sage of an unknown hand, a third
feels his hand squeezed by an in-
visible hand; finally, the specta-
tor's coat is energetically lifted
off, while another spectator re-
ceives a piece of clothing, which
he cannot distinguish, on his lap.
When the gas is turned back on,
we see the two brothers calm,
tied up, and seeming completely
unaware of what is going on. One
hurries to the seals - they are in-
tact; the piece of paper is verified
- the shoe has not moved a mil-
limeter from its outline. But what
brings astonishment to its high-
428
est level is that one of the broth-
ers, although tied up and sealed,
is wearing the clothing of one of
the members of the audience,
while the other is wearing a hat
and glasses. These three objects
belong to one of the members of
the audience. The medium's coat
is in the theater, worn by another
spectator.
At this moment of astonishment,
we can even say stupefaction, the
public's bewilderment is at its
height. Spirit manifestation, mysti-
fication, or conjuring trick, the show
is complete and without any further
reflection, the public gives a hearty
round of applause to the artists.
EXPLANATIONS OF T H E
TRICKS PERFORMED BY THE
DAVENPORT BROTHERS, AT-
TRIBUTED TO SO-CALLED
SPIRIT MANIFESTATIONS AND
INEXPLICABLE PHENOMENA.
Conjurers usually have special
instruments to facilitate their
tricks. The Davenports, strictly
speaking, only ha\ e their ropes.
The cabinet serves no purpose in
the execution of their tricks. A
simple folding screen and two
chairs could replace it. It only
serves, in reality, to hide the
mediums' manipulations. The mu-
sical instruments can be consid-
ered as simple props.
The ropes are made of a cotton
material similar to that of the cords
used to open and close curtains;
they therefore have a smooth slid-
ing surface. They are approxi-
mately three meters long.
When, at the beginning of the
seance, a certain number of people
are asked to go onstage and encir-

Fig. i.
cle the closet, they are asked to
hold hands, under the pretext of
establishing a magnetic circle
around the spirits. In fact, the
point is to avoid indiscretions. It is
for these same reasons that the
members of the audience closest
to the stage are asked to hold
hands.
Fig. 2.
The two brothers sit on the
benches of the closet; they each
give three ropes to the delegate
who must tie them to their seats.
One would perhaps believe this
task to be easy; not at all. First, how
to do it, where to start? One has
perhaps never had the opportunity
to tie up a prisoner. Sometimes the
429
APPENDIX II ,
delegate is kindly disposed; he is
more concerned with performing
his task well than making things
difficult for the artist; he follows
the movement of the rope. In this
way, the success of the trick will be
much easier. But often, the artists
are confronted with a clever and
nervous delegate taking his role se-
riously and considering his reputa-
tion and skill to be at stake. His
first idea is to place the patient's
wrists behind his back and solidly
tie them up. He then brings the
rope up front, then behind, ties it
under the arms, and finishes with a
knot that he considers to be inextri-
cable. He ties the feet, thighs, and
arms with the two other ropes, and
solidly attaches these parts to the
bench of the cabinet. Useless pre-
cautions! All knots and ties can be
undone.
While he is being tied up, the
medium moves into all the positions
imposed on him. But with his
American eye he promptly sees
whom he is dealing with. If the del-
egate is kindly, he takes no notice
of him; he lets him do what he likes.
But he carefully watches the other
type and tacitly struggles against his
rigors. If he feels too tightly
squeezed, he lets a weak protest es-
cape from him which he seems to
immediately repress. This little act
almost always succeeds; it is rare
that a bit of reserve is not put into
the continuation of the tying. Or,
also, the medium, without one
being able to see, expands certain
parts of his body, either by imper-
ceptibly raising his shoulders, or by
moving his arms away from his
body, or finally, by exerting a resis-
tance where the pressure is felt.
ROBFRT-HOUDIN
Once tied, the medium goes
through certain efforts that we can-
not describe. He moi es the ropes
on his forearms up to his shoulders,
in order to free them somewhat.
Then comes an effort of strength
and dislocation - the wrists vigor-
ously spread apart to form a le\er
on the loops in which they are tied,
and by repeated jostling, they re-
lease certain parts. Even one cen-
timeter is enough to free one hand.
Through an exercise practiced by
our mediums, the thumb goes into
the hand and the whole hand be-
comes cylindrical and the size of
the wrist. The first of the four
hands to be freed goes through the
opening to display7 itself to the au-
dience, while the three others are
working on basic untying. Once the
hands are free, the other tics and
knots are undone; teeth greatly
help in this circumstance. Ira
Davenport, on the right in Illus. 1, is
more skillful and better dislocated
than his brother; he is almost al-
ways the first one freed. In this
case he helps William. Otherwise,
the first to be free helps the other
one.
When the mediums tie them-
selves up in their cabinet, the
method of tying that they use helps
them to untie and tie themselves
up in very little time. Illus. 2 will
give an example of how the ropes
are used.
To obtain this arrangement,
here is what they do: They take
one of the ropes in the middle and
create a double loop here, as shown
in Illus. 3.
We see that it is a sliding double
knot whose loops can be tightened
Fig. 3.
or loosened by pulling on edges A
and B or letting them go.
While leaving these loops open,
they put two ends of the rope
through holes made in the bench;
this rope is long enough to tie up
the feet and be attached to the
plank in front. With the other two
ropes, they tie the thighs to the
plank and sometimes the arms to
the body. This done, they place
their hands in the loops, which
they tighten by stretching their
legs forward. It is on this trick that
all the simulacrum of the inter-
vention of spirits and noise is
based. Indeed, the doors of the
cabinet are barely closed when the
two brothers bring their legs to the
rear a bit, which loosens the knot
and allows them to free their
hands. The violin, guitars, tam-
bourine, and bell are almost simul-
taneously played and form a ca-
cophony reinforced by the jolts
and knocks on the walls of the
cabinet. Then suddenly the in-
struments are put back and the
hands go back into their bonds.
The doors are opened and every-
thing seems to be in order.
A delegate of the audience, we
are told, is sent. He goes into the
cabinet and sits on the middle
430
bench. One of his hands is tied to
Ira's shoulder and the other to
William's knee. But doesn't one
see that this precaution, which
seems to be taken against the two
brothers, is to their advantage?
Indeed, they do not need to move
their shoulders or knees to be able
to perform their mischievous
tricks, and the newcomer cannot
control their actions with his hands
tied. He becomes passive and, in
this state, his glasses are easily
taken off if he is wearing them, as
well as his tie and handkerchief,
and the tambourine is placed on his
head. Putting flour in the two
brothers' hands does not prevent
them from taking them out of the
slip knot. Once the hands freed,
they put the flour into a pocket of
their clothing; wipe their hands;
then successively pass them
through the opening to show they
arc free and resume their noisy
concert, after which one of the
brothers takes a little cone filled
with flour out of a side pocket; he
puts some in his colleague's hand
and in his own, puts the empty-
cone in its hiding place, and puts
the flour in both hands. The doors
are opened, and the two brothers,
free of their ropes, emerge to show
the public that their hands are still
filled with flour. This little flour
trick once had a slightly unpleasant
denouement for the mediums, but
very amusing for the audience.
The delegate chosen to put flour in
their hands had the malice to put
tobacco instead. The spiritists did
not notice and they reappeared
with flour in their hands. The trick
that had been played on them was
admitted and everyone started to

laugh except the mystified mysti-
fiers.
The explanations of the second
part in the darkness are easy to un-
derstand, as the tricks are still for
the most part based on the famous
slipknot that we have just dis-
cussed; the two brothers are seated
on each side of a table on which
guitars and tambourines are placed;
they have a bundle of ropes at their
feet; a magnetic circle of spectators
holding hands surrounds them; the
room becomes dark and immedi-
ately the two brothers tie them-
selves up on their chairs in the con-
ditions described above in the
position shown in Illus. 2. The only
difference lies in the shape of their
seats. Just as in the closet, they can
tie or untie themselves at will and
play the instruments that are on
the table. But how will they do it
when the knot is sealed with wax?
The reader will note in Illus. 3.
that wax can be placed on the mid-
dle of the knot and two parts of the
rope held together at this spot
without the movements of ^4 and B,
or that of the loops, being dis-
turbed. When the wrists are passed
through the loops, this part of the
knot is always underneath. The
performer indicates the precise
spot where the seal must be placed
in asking that one avoid dripping
burning wax on his wrist. This re-
mark always helps the success of
the trick. Finally it must be said
that as the rope is thick as a little
finger, the seal cannot take more
space than the union of the two
ends.
There are still several marvelous
facts to be explained: the fantastic
movement of the guitars, the sheet
of paper under the feet, the clothes
taken off and put back on, etc. The
guitars and tambourine are coated
with a phosphorescent liquid whose
weak glow is not strong enough to
light the objects that are around
them; one is therefore in total dark-
ness. Ira frees himself and, thanks
to the skill he has developed of see-
ing in the dark, takes a glowing gui-
tar by the handle, goes as close as
possible to the public, and shakes it
over their heads while making the
ropes vibrate with the last two fin-
gers. The absence of all other ob-
ject of comparison docs not allow
the public to judge at which dis-
tance the blurry light finds itself
and I myself felt that a guitar,
which almost touched my head,
seemed to be a few meters away.
During this time, the other medium
also being sufficiently free, raises
the other guitar and the tam-
bourine, which are both phospho-
rescent, as high as he can and
makes as much noise and move-
ment as possible with these two in-
struments. The trick of the feet
being outlined is very ingenious;
after the tracing, Ira steps awa\
from the paper to approach the au-
dience and when he goes back to
his seat, he turns over the paper be-
fore placing his feet on it; then,
taking a pencil out of his pocket, he
traces an outline which will later be
taken for the one made by the audi-
ence. As for the trick of the coat,
Ira, free from his bonds, removes
his coat, throws it into the middle
of the room, and then, taking the
one he had placed on the lap of a
front-row spectator, puts it on, gets
back into his bonds, and the trick is
done.
431
APPENDIX II i
Decapite parlant [The
Talking Head]
(Trick of) This ingenious illu-
sion did not initially have this
frightening name. It was presented
under the name The Sphinx in
1865 in London, at Egyptian Hall,
by a conjurer named Colonel
Stodare. The inventor of this trick,
M. Tobin, secretary of the
Polytechnic Institution, sold his
method to M. Talrich, a skillful
wax modeler who then ran a show
of wax figures, called Musee
Francais, in Paris on Boulevard de
la Madeleine. This museum dis-
played a number of figures from
Greek mythology, among others. It
also represented Dr. Dupuytren
giving an anatomy lesson before
his numerous students. M. Talrich
was well inspired because this
tableau provided an occasion to
put into practice the anatomical
preparation to which he owed his
reputation.
The Sphinx trick gav e M. Talrich
the idea of creating an exhibition
similar to that of the famous cabinet
of horrors that Mme. Tussaud had
set up in London in her wax mu-
seum. He was obliged to change the
staging of The Sphinx that he felt
to be too harmless for its destina-
tion; below his museum was an un-
occupied, large vault in which one
descended by way of a staircase,
whose door led directly into the es-
tablishment. It was in this space
that the beheaded show would take
place. Far from trying to renovate
and re-plaster the walls, the intelli-
gent artist retained the greenish
fungus and humidity and particu-
larly wanted to create a certain am-
 ROBERT- HOUDIN

biance in keeping with the exhibi- fifteen, or twenty francs according called ball-shooting. These balls,
tion. We will judge by the follow- to the number of people brought. often directed by unskilled hands,
ing description. The staircase was However, the gallant cavalier with fell onto certain parts of the table
only lit by the yellow and faded his ladies, the family father with thought to be empty, thus reveal-
white light of antique lamps sus- his children, the friend with his ing a mirror. The trick was then
pended at the top of the vaulted friends, while paying without ruined and everyone took a mean
ceiling. Once downstairs, one first complaining, were often looking sort of pleasure in going and
saw a scene from the Inquisition. to express their pent-up frustra- telling family and friends about
The torture was portrayed with a tion with some teasing. It is un- the famous secret of the head. M.
striking realism. The execu- doubtedly in these unfortunate Talrich had ended the ball-throw-
tioner's helper, holding a lit torch, circumstances that regrettable ing by putting up a protective grill
was the only light of this sinister
tableau. In leaving the room and
turning right, one passed through
a barely lit hall and arrived in
front of a rail at waist-level form-
ing the entrance to a little vault.
In the middle of this space, with
moist strawr on the ground, one
could see a table on wrhich a little
head was leaning to one side and
seemed to sleep. At the call of the
guide, the head straightened up,
opened its eyes, told its own story
as well as the details of its torture, Fig. 1.
and then answered the questions
asked by the spectators in several
things happened to the beheaded between the head and the crowd,
languages; this was a particularly
one: paper balls were thrown at but this precaution came too late
horrible spectacle. Until then
this supernatural head, in order to and was superfluous; the battle
everything was for the best in this
know whether or not it had lost all ended for lack of soldiers; the
fantastic exhibition, and it is
sensation. At the first projectile, Musee Francais was no longer
likely that the success brought on
the unfortunate patient, whose fashionable. The Talking Head
by curiosity would have continued
head alone could be seen, or the had killed off the gods of Olympus
for a long time; but the manager
head itself, grimaced; at the sec- as well as Dr. Dupuytren's learned
made a huge mistake, which
ond it took on an irritated expres- lecture.
caused the theater's ruin. The
sion; and at the third, goodness The cause of M. Talrich's failure
entrance price for the Musee
gracious, forgetting its passive was the same as that of the
Francais was established at one
role, it insulted the audience; the Davenports. Too much trust in the
franc per person: it was a very low
manager had to push the crowd Parisian public's magnanimity led
price, undoubtedly, but if the visi-
back toward the entrance and call them to present ingenious conjur-
tor wanted to see the talking head,
for help. The rumor spread and a ing tricks as marvelous phenom-
he had to pay five francs more.
few idle thrill-seekers found it ena. Too much ignorance of our
Five francs for five minutes was
quite amusing to go and pay five customs also made them charge too
exorbitant. Still, curiosity almost
francs in order to bombard an much for the exhibition.
always winning, one paid five, ten,
angry decapitated head. It was More intelligent and more

432

knowledgeable in theater issues,
Colonel Stodare did not put as
many pretensions into his Egyptian
Sphinx; he only presented it in his
performances as an intermission
and did not attribute any supernat-
ural powers to it other than the
wonder of an ingenious trick. Still,
the staging called for a fable, and
here is how the trick was presented:
Holding a closed trunk in one hand,
the colonel approached the audi-
ence and told them that, during his
travels to Egypt, he had met a magi-
cian who had died and left him this
box, which enclosed the living head
of a Sphinx able to answer ques-
tions. The conjurer then addressed
the Sphinx, who answered through
the box (Colonel Stodare was a ven-
triloquist). He then put the pre-
cious chest on a table, lowered the
front panel, and the audience could
see a nice Sphinx's head wearing an
Egyptian headdress with golden
wrappings. The underside of the
table on which the box rested
seemed to hide nothing. The
Sphinx, intelligent and clever, an-
swered the questions asked by the
public with infinite wit and pa-
tience; after which the colonel
closed the box, picked it up, had
the prisoner say "Good night" [In-
English m the original text] to the
public and went backstage with his
precious treasure. Presented in this
fashion, the trick was well liked and
success continued until the intelli-
gent conjurer's sudden death.
This experiment is one of the
easiest to explain and should be
easily understood; the head that is
seen on the table belongs to the
body of a poor devil that need has
reduced to playing this painful role
of a man in a box all day. Due to an
arrangement of mirrors adapted to
the feet of the table, this accom-
plice can be under the table without
being seen and puts his head
through the hole. A ruff hides the
borders of the opening.
The table is only supported by-
three feet, C, D, E (lllus. 1 and 2),
although it seems to have four.
Between these three feet, and in
grooves made for this purpose,
there are two silvered mirrors, G, G'
(illus. 2), behind which, as we have
already stated, the accomplice hides
in standing at spot H. These mirrors
are placed at right angles to each
other and approximately 45 degrees
with respect to the draperies (A, B)
[See footnote 64 of Act IV, which explains mhy these Kco illustrations of "The Talking Head" do not respect
Robert-Houdm s very precise text.]
around them. .4 and B, in reflecting
each other, correspond with A' and
B' and apparently replace the part
of the drapery that is hidden by the
two mirrors, in such a way that one
believes that one is seeing the back
of the drapery through the table's
feet.
The Sphinx effects were done in
the same way: the chest was empty
when Colonel Stodare brought it
onstage; his talent as a ventriloquist
433
APPENDIX II i
let a voice be heard from inside.
When the chest was on the table,
the accomplice who was underneath
opened the trapdoor of the hole in
the table, passed his head through
this opening, and, raising the
hinged bottom of the box, easily put
his head inside. The conjurer only
had to lower the front of the box to
show the head that it contained.
Insomuch as one knows the laws
of reflection, it is easy to assure one-
self that, unless placed very close to
the table and on the side, it is im-
possible for the audience to see anv-
thing other than draperies in the
mirrors. Moreover, measures are
taken so that it remains this way. At
Talrich's exhibition, the walls of the
tomb were reflected in the mirrors.
Domino
Conjuring. .4 pleasant ~domino
trick. Twenty-eight dominos are
turned face down and they are all set
on the same line, which makes a
long black band. This done, the con-
jurer announces that he will go into a
neighboring room and someone from
the audience is asked to take any
number of dominos from the right
I ROBFRT-HOUDIN
end of the line and put them at the
opposite end.
No matter how secretly this
transposition is done, the conjurer
can, upon return, not only say how
many dominos were transposed,
but indicate this by the number on
a domino removed at random from
the middle of the line.
Explanation of the trick and
manner of carrying it out. Before
announcing what you are going to
do, secretly look in the set for thir-
teen dominos with which you can
represent the thirteen numbers
from zero to twelve inclusively,
such as: double-blank (0), blank-
ace (1), blank-two (2), blank-three
(3), blank-four (4), blank-five (5),
blank-six (6), blank-seven (7), six-
two (8), six-three (9), six-four (10),
six-five (11), double-six (12). Place
these thirteen dominos in a single
line beginning with the largest
number (12), and ending with the
double-blank (0), which you follow
with the rest without assigning
them any particular order. This
arrangement can be represented in
the following manner: 12, 11, 10, 9,
8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, then the fif-
teen other dominos that follow. It
is well understood that all the
dominos are face down.
Now let us suppose that in your
absence, two dominos from the far
right side of the line were taken
away and put on the opposite side;
here is how you would find this
number, which you do not know for
the moment. Mentally count to
thirteen from the domino begin-
ning the side where one had to add
dominos (the left side), and \ou
will arrive at the domino with the
number two; you will then turn it
over to show that this many domi-
nos were moved. If three were
moved, by counting to thirteen you
will arrive at the blank-three
domino, and the same for the other
numbers by using the same
method. If no dominos were moved
in order to trick you, you would
still get the best of them, because,
in counting as before, you would
arrive at the double-blank (zero)
that would show that no transposi-
tion was made.
- Another domino trick. One
gi\es the assembly a sealed letter,
announcing that inside you have
written down the numbers of the
last two dominos that will be at the
ends of the set when all the domi-
nos are joined together according
to the rules of the game. This is in-
deed what happens, no matter how
the chain of dominos is laid out in
the execution of this task.
This trick is simple and easy.
Secretly take out of the set the
domino whose numbers you wrote
ahead of time. Suppose, for exam-
ple, six and four were written on the
paper; the six-four domino would
have to be taken out, which would
therefore be missing in the set to
join the two ends. It would be nec-
essary to subtly put back the one
taken out with the others so the
subterfuge w ill not be discovered.
A strange game of dominos. Two
people placed across from each
other play dominos in placing them
face dow n so that the opponent can-
not see the points. When the game
is over, the dominos are turned over
and one sees that the numbers
match as in an ordinary game. Here
434
is the secret: the two players have
agreed ahead of time to put the tip
of the right foot on the left of the
opposite one to signal which domi-
nos are played. If the player places
the double-six, for example, he
presses the foot of his opponent six
times. He then puts the six-three,
for example, with the three at the
open end; he presses the other foot
three times. And so on. One sees
that the artifice consists in an-
nouncing the open end of the
domino that one plays. For the
blank, there is no signal. The only
difficulty of this game consists in
remembering which domino was
played and when. By a signal agreed
upon beforehand, one can ask the
opponent who, if he remembers
himself, can communicate using the
aforementioned method.
Cheating at dominos. Although
cheating at dominos is rare, it is no
less treacherous. The following two
examples w ill allow us to judge this.
In disreputable cafes and even in
certain social circles, Greeks play be-
tween themselves and against each
other games whose sole purpose is to
mark all the dominos in order to rec-
ognize them when they are face
down. A barely perceptible point
placed at a key place on the domino,
a slight line in one direction or an-
other, is enough to tell the dominos
apart. These marks, invisible to the
honest man, are very useful for the
cheater whose skilled eyes show a
marvelous acuity of vision. One must
understand all a player can know in a
game when he knows the dominos of
his opponent and those that remain
in the pile. Dominos being replaced
only rarely, Greeks find a wealth of
opportunities to cheat.

If there are no marks, Greeks use
telegraphic methods which are
quite simple to signal their col-
league on which side to put his
dominos and also to tell him which
ones his opponent has. When a
game has begun between these
cheaters and the future victim,
whom they call a mark, an accom-
plice stands behind him and is nat-
urally across from his acolyte.
Knowing the opponent's dominos,
he pro\ides the information to his
associate on where to play; he only
needs to shift his gaze from left to
right in order to do this. In impor-
tant games, one or more blinks warn
the accomplice of the number held
by the opponent. These signals are
imperceptible for all but the initi-
ated, and can in no way compromise
those who use them.
Ledru
(Nicolas-Philippe), conjurer, born
in Paris in 1731, died in the same
city in 1807. His reputation all
throughout Europe was immense
through his experiments in Physique
amusante, which earned him the
name Comus. He developed a new
system of nautical maps whose
copies were given to La Perouse in
the presence of Louis XVI (1785).
He is also responsible for a proce-
dure for converting iron into steel,
the introduction in France of phan-
tasmagoria, and the application of
electricity to therapy for nerve
illnesses, notably epilepsy and
catalepsv. A commission of doctors
having noted in a report the effi-
ciency of this mode of treatment,
(1783) Ledru applied it in an impor-
tant establishment that he formed
in the former Gelestins convent in
APPENDIX II |
Paris. At that time, he was named was said to be able to find magnetic
King's Conjurer and Physician of direction and its angle at any hour
the Faculte de Medecine. Louis b\ a simple, inexpensive procedure
XV, who until his death enjoyed without a compass or magnet.
Ledru's conjuring experiments, had During the Re\olution, he was ar-
previously gi\en him the title of rested, then freed, and went to live
Conjuring Professor of the Children in Fontenay-aux-Roses. Ledru was
of France. During a fairly long stay a very hard worker, sober, lacking
in England, he had perfected and ambition, generous with the poor;
constructed various devices, no- he spoke very easily and he skill-
tably vertical and horizontal com- fully performed marvelous conjur-
passes, and had obtained, upon his ing tricks. He was often confused
return, a patent to establish a work- with another conjurer of the same
shop for the manufacture of all sorts period, whom we wrote about under
of physics instruments. This savant the heading COMUS.
RAPPORT
De MM. COSNIER, MALOBT, DARCET,
PHILIP ,LE PREUX, DESESSARTZ,
& PA ULET, Docleurs-RSgens de la Facuhi
deMe'decine de Paris;
Sur les avantages reconnus de la Nouvelle
M&hode d'adminiftrer Mileftricit^ dans
les Maladies Nerveufes, patticuli&ement
dans 1'Iipilepfie & dans la Catalepfie; par
M.LEDILU, connu fous le nom de COMUS.
IM k VAffemblie de cute Faculte due du Prinra men fe,
tenue cm mots i'Avril dernier.
Ce Rappore eft pticlii <fe l'Apperfu du Syft&ne de f Antcur ia
1'agent qu'u cmploie, & des avaatages qu'U ca a this.
llBPRIMS PAX OKDRE ET AOX IRAiS DOT GotTYEKSSMSNT.
A P A R I S ,
Da LIMWUMBRIE DE PHIIIPPE-DJSNYS PIERH.ES,
Lnprimeur Ordinaire du Roi, de k Police, &c.
rue S,-Jacqnes.
M. D G C . L X X X I I I .
Illustration 545 - This plate is the title page of a very rare 1783 brochure by Nicolas-
Philippe Ledru, known as Comus.
435
 fcv

**

Gene-
alogical table
The photograph of the reconstitution of the scene from Soirees
Fantastiques de Robert-Houdin, which serves as background for the ge-
nealogical chart of the following page, is one of the tableaux of magic art exhibi-
tions organized by the Conservatoire National des Arts de la Magie et de l'lllusion with
the participation of Madeleine Malthete-Melies, Roxane and Jean-Guy Fechner, Christian
Fechner, Volker Huber, Andre Keime Robert-Houdin, Marcel Laureau, Gilles Mageux, Pierre Mayer,
Christine and Didier Moreau "Morax", Georges Proust. Jacques et Francois Voignier and the Castle of the
City of Blois for the inauguration of the Maison de la Magie Robert-Houdin of Blois on June 12, 1998.
 NICOLAS ELISABETH
HOUDIN LEVESQUE

Born about 1700 Royal notary

Died before 1738 in Persac
cloth cleaner in (Vienne).
Chouzy.

JACQUES MARIE GASPAR RENE MARGUERITE MARIE FRANCOISE

HOUDIN BLONDEAU METIVIE GARNAULT BILLON

Born in 1723 in Chouzy, Born in 1722. Born in 1724. Born in 1724 Born in 1746.
Died on April 12, 1781. Died on 3 Messidor, Died on Died on Died on
Farmer, vineyard year XI 4 Pluviose, year VIII 2 Germinal, November 17, 1773
worker. S. in Blois. year XII. in Chambord.
Married on
Feb. 15,1752 in
Chouzy

JACQUES NICOLAS AGNES JOSEPHE ANDRE FRANCOIS MARIE ANNE PIERRE RENE ANGELIQUE JACQUES CLAUDE FRANCOISE
HOUDIN MARTELLIERE BLONDEAU METIVIE METIVIE ROULEUX METIVIE GUILLON

Born on April 11,1752. Born in 1754. Born in 1749. Born in 1757 in Blois. Born in 1747. Born in 1754 Born on
Died on May 10, 1821 Died on Died on June 7, 1811. Died on Died on February 27, in Pontoise. October 10, 1765.
in Blois. Watchmaker October 13, 1836 Watchmaker in Blois, February 10, 1836 1825 in Blois. Died on Died on
in Blois. in Blois. Grande Rue. .. in Blois Goldsmith in Blois. , January 14, 1834. Dec. 6, 1817.
Married on Married on Married on Married on
Nov. 5,1782 in Nov. 27,1780 in May 9,1775 in 21 Nivose, year IV
Blois Blois Blois in Blois

JEAN-BAPTISTE JOSEPHE MADELEINE JACQUES FRANCOIS JEANNE ADELAIDE CECILE MARIE ANNE CHARLES FRANCOIS ANGELIQUE MARGUERITE ADELAIDE MARGUERITE ROSALIE
DEFRAYS HOUDIN HOUDIN BLONDEAU BLONDEAU BLONDEAU METIVIE METIVIE METIVIE
B o r n o n Sept. 18,1781 in Born on May 9,1776 in Blois. Born on July 26,1782 in Blois.
Died o n Born on July 17, Born on September 16, Born on Goldsmith. Married Married Pierre ROY on 29 Messidor, Died on June 19,1858. Born on
September 22, 1852. Blois. Died on April 4,
1786 in Blois. 1784 in Blois. Died on November 22, 1791. Elisabeth BAILLY year V in Blois, bom in Louhan on Married Pierre Jean PINAULT December 28, 1785
1809. M a r r i e d Barthelemj June 2,1773. Supply- keeperfor the
Health Died on November 10, 1860 in Died in Paris. on June 7, 1815 on 1 Vendemiaire, year XIV, Died on
AMIOT on 10 Brumaire, troops of the region of Loire-et architect of the region,
care worker. February 18, 1816. St. Gervais. S in Blois. August 4, 1872.
Married on year VII. Cher, left Blois for Provins. died on Nov. 7,1860.
Fructidor 26,
yearX JEAN EUGENE B
ROBER1
JEANNE JACQUES Louis FRANCOIS JOSEPHE CECILE EGLANTINE MARIE CELINE PROSPER
ARTHUIS MUNIER HOUDIN HOUDIN ROBERT ROBERT
Born on 16
Died on Died on Born on Born on April 1, Born on 1 Fnmaire, Born on 7 Pluviose, XIV (Decei
November 12, 1875 July 4, 1884. October 12, 1816 1811 in Blois. year XI in Blois. year XII in Blois. in Blois. Di(
Died about Died on October 19, Died on Died on
1836 in Paris 1843 in Paris. January 20, 1832. April 17, 1806. 1871 in Si

r Married on July 18,1830 in Paris J

ROSALIE OLGA LEONIE JEAN JACQUES EMILK MARIE ROSALIE JOSEPH PROSPER EUGENE Louis HENRI AUGUSTE ADOLPHE LOUISE MARIE PAULINE EUGENIE VICTORINE
MUNIER ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN CHRISTOPHINI
Born on June 7,1844 in Born on June 19,
Constantinople (Turkey). Born on May 21, 1831 Born on Born on March 6, Born on Born on July 7, Born on June 19,
Died on October 26,1934 in Paris. Died on March February 25, 1836. 1837 in Paris. 1839 in Paris January 1, 1841. 1845 in Paris. 1860 in Versailles.
in Boulogne (Seine). 17, 1883. Watchmaker Died on February 28, Died on August 10, Died before Died before Died on June 15, 1846 Died on Jan. 24,1945
Manager of the Theatre and conjurer. 1844 in Blois. 1870 in Reichshoffen. October 1843. October 1843. in Neuilly/Seine. in Saint-Gervais.
Robert-Houdin Married on Captain.
August 27,1863
n Paris

MARIE EUGENIE ALICE EMILE JACQUES PAUL VALENTINE JOSEPH EUGENE HENRI VICTOIRE EGLANTINK M\RGUERITt
ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN ANDRE K E I M E ROBERT-HOUDIN
ROBERT-HOUDIN
Born on June 25,1864 Born on May 20,1865 Born on Sept. 18, 1876 Born on August 26,1868 in Born on July 5,
in Boulogne (Seine). in Boulogne (Seine). in Paris 7th. Died in Boulogne (Seine). Died on Born on Born on March 21, 1915 1891 in Paris.
Died on Died on Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer, August 10,1925. Married May 21, 1922 in in St. Gervais-la-Foret. Died on September
November 27, 1878. October 25, 1867. near Pornic, Jeanne Marie GIRARD Houdelaincourt Lawyer at the 1975 in
December 2, 1957. on August 18,1923. (Meuse). Court of Appeals. Le Chesnay.
Married
on September 1,
1943

CHANTAL KEIIVIE R O B E R T JEAN-FRANCOIS L E B L O N D PHILIPPE K E I M E R O B E R T - H O U D I N BRIGHT*: D A 1 L I 7 V BERNARD

Born on February 6,1946 in Versailles. Born on July 14,1947 in Pau. Born on June 21 in Versailles. Lawyer at the Court of Appeals
Married Born on October 28,1952 in Paris. Born on (
on July 3,1975

Alexis LEBLOND. Born on June 8,1971 Thomas LEBLOND. Born on Aug. 31.1973 Florence Herber. Born on June 18, en LAVERGNE. Born on June 5.1974 ( m ^42002 y )A m ^ LEBL0ND h a
' ' I I Axelle LEBLOND, Born on April 24,1979 | | Marie-Astride KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN. Born on June 17,1979 | | Nicolas KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN. Born on June 28,1980 | | Olivier KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN. Born on Nov. 15.1982 | | Constance KEIME ROBERT-HOIID
 MARIE FRANgOISE Louis
CHAMPION LOYER ROBERT

'f Married "V

about
V ^ 1700. ^ /

May 20,1723 in MARIE

JACQUES MARIE FRANCOISI MARIE ANNE JEAN JEANNE Louis Blois
GUILLON MAULNY CLEMENT MILLET MARTINET ROBERT LEROY

Born in 1741 in Persac Pastry chef in Born in 1710. Born in 1701.

Died on June 13, 1829 Romorantin. Died on Died on March 25,
in Blois. Entrepreneur/ February 4, 1757 1743. Pastry chef
constructor
in Blois. in Blois.
ed on ^ \ for the King. Married on Married on Married on
L769 i n July 11,1774 in May 13,1732 in April 26,1735 in
bord Blois Blois Blois

MARIE CATHERINE FRANCOISE MADELEINE CATHERINE MARIE ANNE TOUSSAINT

GUILLON MILLET MILLET MILLET ROBERT

Married B o r n i n 1741 in Blois. B o r n in 1736. Born on May 30, 1741

B o r n on
Jean-Baptiste Died on October 5, 1831 Died on in Blois. Died on
November 18, 1780.
Died on DEHARGUE, in Blois. Married Joseph November 22, 1772 March 22, 1814.
M a r c h 27, 1809. b a k e r in Blois. MEZANGE, died on Pastry chef
Married on 2 Frimaire, year IX. f in Blois.
Nivose, year VIII
in Blois PROSPER
ROBERT

Born on November 29, CHARLES ALBERT SAMUEL SlLVINE JEAN TOUSSAINT

MARGI KRITE LOUISE
1767. Died on BRACONNIER ALLONCLE ROBERT
February 28, 1844.
Watchmaker Born on July 20, 1766
in Blois. Born on Born in Born in 1763
Romorantin. in Blanc. in Blois. Died on
March 6, 1775 in October 11, 1845.
Bavay (Belgium). Died in 1857. Died on June 11,
Married on January 19,1811 in Blois 1833 in Blois. Cloth maker
Tax collector. Married on "^ in Blois.
Octobre 27,1789
JGENE ROBERT called n Blois
IERT-HOUD1N
MARGUKRITE FRANCHISE OLVMPE CHARLES MICHEL CH iRLES DOMINIQUE AiMELIE CHARI.OTO PIERRE ETIENNE AUGUSTI- JOSEPHINE THEREZE JUSTINl JEAN MARTIN
BRACONNIER BRACONNIER DEVILLERS BRACONNIER CHOCAT ROBERT RENOU ROBERT
on 16 Frimaire, year
(December 7, 1805) General in the Died on June 12, 1849. Born on March 2,1822 (called H A M I L T O N ) Born on June 5, 1796 Born in 1798 in (called "le cousin Robert")
Born on October 14,
Belgian army. Binder and stage in Mons (Belgium). Born on March 25,1812 in Blois. Married Meung-sur-Loire. Born on 11 Frimaire, year
)is. Died on June 13, 1815 in Orleans.
Died in Tournai, manager of the Theatre Died on January 7, in Neuvy-sur-Loire. Died Hilaire RUELLE on Died on October 8, VII in Blois. Died on
Died on January 2,
1 in Saint-Gervais. Belgium. Robert-Houdin. 1900 in Mons. on February 26, 1877 October 28, 1816 in 1868 in Blois. June 5,1880.
1901 in Blois. Married , ... in Paris. Conjurer. Married Watchmaker in Blois.
Married on the second half x Blois. Music teacher. /
August 22,1844 in October of January 1852 about 1824 in
in Paris 1846 in Paris
Meung.

GEORGES EMILP ROSALIE EGLANTINE HENRI HENRI LOUIS PAUL MICHEL LOUIS
ROBERT-HOUDIN ROBERT-HOUDIN LEMAITRE ROBERT-HOUDIN DEVILLERS

Born on May 29, 1851 Born on October 5, Born in 1842. Born on November 2, Born on Nov. 7,1847 in Paris.
in Saint-Gervais. Died 1852 in Saint-Gervais. Died on September 30 1853 in Saint-Gervais. Married Georgina WALCHE
on October 31, 1925 Died on December 26, 1911 in Blois. Died on in February 1874 in Paris.
in Blois. Painter. 1926 in Blois. Tax collector. November 12, 1853. They had two children,
Animal sculptor. / ' Married on Charles and Maurice.
Sept. 10,1872 in
Blois

PAUL GEORGES AMEDK BERNARD EUGENK PAUL JEANNE MARIE ERNESTINE

KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN MEUNIER

Born on October 8, Born on July 27,1894 in Born on August 9, 1908

n Chateauroux.
1887 in Belley. Versailles. Died on June First married to Leonce
Died on January 28, 3,1978 in Cellettes. KRAFFE de LAUBAREDE.
1958 in Paris. Architect for Historical They had two daughters,
ied on General. Monuments in Blois. Married on Brigitte and Ines.
, 1913 in July 26,1955 in
allies Paris

BERNARD K E I M E R O B E R T - H O U D I N BEATRICE DE F E R A U D Y

Born on Oct. 17,1952 in Versailles. Magistrate. Born on May 2,1955 in St. Mande.
Married
on June 12,1981

3BERI-H0UDIN. Born on June 4,1985 | | Henri KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN, Born on Sept. 12,1982 | Stanislas KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN. Born on June 21,1984 | Dorothee KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN. Born on Jan. 19.1987] | Alban KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN. Born on April 2 9 , 1 9 8 8 |

A nufacturer] p 63, 213
ABD-AL-AZIZ p 217
ABOUT Edmond p 423
ADAM RUELLE [notary] p 299,
304, 306
ADENIS Jules I p / ^ w z g ^ p 258,
272, 274, 277, 278, 279, 281,
285, 290, 293, 385
ADRIEN Victor [conjurer] p 81
ADRION Alexander [magician,
historian] p 216
ALBERTI [conjurer] p 194
ALCY Jehanne d' [second wife
of Georges Mehes] p 375
ALDO [conjurer] p 63, 169
ALEXANDER p 215, 216
ALEXANDRE p 294
ALTER [journalist] p 191
ANDERSON John Henry [conju-
rer] p 156, 256, 257
ANGELIDIS [photographer] p 273
ANGUINET [conjurer] p 107
ANGUINET Benita [conjurer]
p 63, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110,
111, 215
ANTONY [medium] p 102
ARAGO Francois [politician]
p 23, 319
ARDANT Eugene [publisher]
p 33
ARNOULD [conjurer] p 375
ARNOULT doctor [Robert-
Houdm's doctor] p 87, 88, 333,
350, 388
ARTHUIS Jeanne [mother of
Rosalie Olga Leonie Munier, wife
ofEmile Robert-Houdm] p 217
AUBER p 217
AUSTRIA Emperor of p 79
AVARAY Duke d' p 278
B BOILEAU p 406
BABINET [man of science]
p 299, 379
BACHELIER [publisher] p 116
BAILLE [photographer] p 194
BALLE Mme [worker at the
Theatre Robert-Houdin] p 307,
386, 387
BALZAC Honore de [writer]
p 73, 279
BAPTISTE p 320, 323, 324, 327,
328, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337,
340, 343
INDJEX
[ES
BARBIER [optician, magic ma-
BARNUM Phmeas Taylor [show-
man] p 93, 184, 249, 251, 252,
381, 422
BARRIERE Theodore p 217
BASSERIEN p 339
BEAUCHENE Atala [actress]
p 417
BEAULIEU de [relative of Robert-
Houdm] p 129
BEAUMESNIL fairground conju-
rer] p 197
BECQUEREL [man of science]
p 31, 299, 379
BELL Alexander Graham [in
ventor] p 232
BELL Georges [writer] p 130
BELLANGE p 221
BELLUOT [Hamilton s share-
holder] p 18, 19, 382
BERGEVIN [friend and neighbor
of Robert-Houdin] p 94, 328,
333, 334, 337, 340, 341, 344, 362
BERNARD Prudence [sleepwal-
ker] p 104
BERQUIN [playwright] p 416
BERRYER p 23
BERTHOUD Henry [watchma-
ker] p 183, 184, 221
BERZINSKY Valentin [conjurer]
p 63
BESNARD Ulysse (or Bernard?)
[painter] p 10, 244
BIENVENU [conjurer] p 414
BILLORET & MORAS [manu-
facturer of optical and mecha-
nical tools] p 229, 230, 383
BLAND [trick manufacturer]
p 383
BLUM Ernest [journalist] p 173
BOILAY p 211
BOILY F [journalist] p 217, 218
BOLOGNA [conjurer] p 159
BONAPARTE Louis-Napoleon
[emperor] p 39, 40
BONAPARTE Charles Louis
Napoleon - Napoleon III p 307
BONARD Mrs p 308
BONHEUR Ferdinand and Isidore
[mediums] p 197, 384, 385
BONHEUR Rosa [painter] p 23
BONNAT [painter] p 387
BORDEAUX David de [conju-
ring enthusiast] p 414
437
BOREL [ventriloquist] p 414
BOSCO Bartolomeo [conjurer]
p 64, 109, 187, 215, 260
BOU-ALLEM [chief p 54, 55,
57, 58, 308
BOUCHARD [conjuring enthu-
siast] p 189
BOUCHER Alexandre p 417
BOUCHER p 341
BOUIS p 147
BOU-MAZA p 42
BOURBAKY General p 335
BOURDEU Patrick p 361
BOURDILLIAT Achille [editor]
p 73, 74, 119, 120, 121, 122,
124, 125, 126, 127, 130, 131,
133, 214, 217, 224, 225, 279
BOURGEOIS p 334, 336
BOUTIGNY [man of science]
p 277, 278
BOUVILLIERS p 340
BRACONMER Amelie [Hamilton's
wife] p 11, 113, 263, 265, 309,
319, 369
BRACONNIER Carlo [son of
Charles Braconnier, brother of
Olympe Robert-Houdin] p 309
BRACONNIER Charles [brother
of Olympe Robert-Houdin] Q 309,
312
BRACONNIER Olympe [Robert-
Houdm s wife] p 88, 89, 117,
275, 307, 309, 312, 316, 319,
320, 333, 334, 335, 337, 339,
343, 351, 356, 362, 365, 367, 369
BRAGELONNE A de [journa-
list] p 81, 134
BRAUN John [historian] p 214
BREGUET [watchmaker] p 27,
75, 141, 146
BRIZARD [lawyer] p 101, 103
BRUGNOT [man of law] p 147
BRUNNET Pierre Edouard [conju-
rer] p 71, 134, 135, 138, 150,
171, 174, 189, 191, 193, 200,
215, 217, 276, 277, 370, 371, 374
BUSONI Philippe [journalist]
p 209
CIBBERp 76
c CLARETIE Jules [journalist, wri-
CABOT [corporal, weapons pro-
vost] p 223
CAGLIOSTRO Count de p 214
CAJUNp 337
CALLAUDp 380
CALMANN-LEVY [publishers] p 73,
385
CALMELS Eugene [mechanician]
p 371
CALZADO-GARCIA [the trial]
p 131, 225
CANROBERT Marshal p 221
CARLOSBACH [conjurer] p 405,
408, 409
CARMELLI [conjurer] p 375
CARRANDI Mario [antique dea-
ler, collector] p 13
CARVALHOp 206
CASTON vicomte Alfred de
[conjurer, writer] p 79, 80, 81,
201
CATHERINE II [Empress of
Russia] p 278, 282, 287, 289, 385
CAZENEUVE commander Marius
[conjurer] p 210, 211
CELLINI p 76
CHABAUT p 327, 340, 341, 347
CHADWICK and LEROY [clowns]
p 249
CHALON DE MASSEY [conjurer]
p 113, 114, 213, 215, 383, 405,
407
CHAMPFLEURY [writer] p 73
CHANGY [man of science] p 379
CHANZY General p 335
CHAPMAN and HALL [publishers]
p 73, 74, 122, 124, 130, 215, 383
CHARPENTIER [actor] p 293
CHAUDESSAIGUES p 221
CHAUVIGNY Francois de p 377
CHAVIGNY Jean [historian] p 83,
214, 218, 229, 230, 362, 377, 378,
379, 388, 397, 398, 401, 402
CHENU Paul [conjuring enthu-
siast] p 115, 193
CHESNEAU Father [Robert-
Houdm 's biographer] p 214, 230,
362
CHOCAT (see HAMILTON)
CHRISTIAN [character from La
Czanne] p 287, 289, 293
CHRISTOPHER Milbourne [ma-
gician, historian] p 381, 384
ter] p 269
CLARKE John Algernon [conju-
ring enthusiast] p 197, 222
CLARKE Sidney W [historian]
p 10, 220, 280, 381
CLEVERMAN [conjurer] p 170,
ROBERI-HOUDIN
171, 172, 174, 175, 177, 189, 190,
191, 192, 193, 197, 198, 199, 200,
201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 220,
221, 223, 258, 259, 262, 264, 265,
266, 267, 268, 269, 271, 292, 307,
370, 371, 374, 381, 387, 388
CLOQUET Baron [scientist] p 233,
299, 379
COGNIARD [librettist] p 417
COLBRUN [actor] p 417
COLIN Victor [priest] p 356
COMTE [King's conjurer] p 69,
107, 109, 151, 179, 187, 222, 384,
405, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417
COMTE Charles [manager of the
theatre Les Bouffes-Pansiens]
p 294, 384
COMUS [conjurer] p 405, 417, 418
COMUS (see LEDRU)
CONTY [the guide] p 269
CONUS [conjurer] p 384, 405
COPPERFIELD David [illusion-
mst] p 360
COTE called CONUS [conjurer]
p 418
COTELp 103
COURBET [painter] p 23
COUTEAU Emile p 339
CREMIEUXp 319
D Ghosts] p 160, 164, 166, 168,
DANTAN Jean-Pierre [sculptor]
p 23, 32, 34, 70, 83, 88, 90, 91,
117, 118, 143, 146, 175, 203,
206, 221, 222, 253, 275, 301,
305, 356, 388, 389, 392, 402
DANTAN Mrs p 343
DARIDAN [lawyer] p 103
DAUPHIN Miss [conjurer] p 63
DAVENPORT Brothers [me-
diums] p 193, 196, 197, 201,
202, 203, 223, 248, 249, 250,
251, 252, 253, 265, 268, 269,
370, 386, 405, 408, 421 a 432
DAVID Fehcien p 217
DAWES Edwin A [historian]
p 10, 179, 220
DEBRAGE [craftsman] p 242
DECAMPS p 23
DECLE Charles [friend of
Robert-Houdin] p 274
DELACROIX Eugene [painter]
p 23
DELAGRAVE [publisher] p 211
DELAIiAYS [bookseller-publisher]
p 281
DELANGLE [president of the
Imperial court] p 19
DELILLE Adnen [conjurer] p 81
DE LILLE Victor p 79, 81
DEROSME [man of letters] p 422
DERVIGEN VAN [correspondent
of Robert-Houdin] p 384
DESCHAMPS [artist] p 189
DESOUCH [lawyer] p 75
DESTOUCHE [watchmaker]
p 28, 30, 116, 229
DEVANT David [conjurer]
p 358
DEVAU Alfred [journalist, wri-
ter] p 269
DEVAUX [general] p 53, 54, 212
DEVILLERS Paul [son of Amehe
Braconnier] p 11, 319
DEVINA Casimir [or DOVINA]
p 209, 210
DEZAINS [friend of Robert-
Houdin] p 88
DHOTEL Dr [former president
of the A FA P] p 359
DICK and FITZGERALD [publi-
shers] p 75, 201, 215
DICKENS Charles [writer] p 74,
214
DICKSONN [conjurer] p 374
DIETRICH de [industry manu-
facturer] p 314
DIEUDONNE [conjurer] p 267
DIF Max [historian] p 255
DIRCKS Henry [co-creator of
169, 224
DISDERI Andre Adolphe [pho-
tographer] p 10, 11, 16, 22, 23,
24, 25, 26, 27, 66, 87, 92, 112,
134, 140, 176, 196, 209, 258,
262, 263, 265, 304
DONCKELE Henri (see ROBIN)
DONNET Mrs p 333, 336
DORE Gustave [painter] p 115,
217
DOUAY Colonel p 221
DOUSSAINT [administrator]
P 319
DOUTTE E [historian] p 41
DREYFUS [conjuring enthu-
siast] p 174, 321, 387
DUBERGE p 110
DUBOSC p 253
DU CAMP [writer] p 73
DUCHEMIN p 88
DUCLAUS S [publisher] p 33
DUCOUX p 339
DUFAY [mayor of Blots] p 216,
217, 235, 294, 339, 379, 380
DUFAY doctor [friend of Robert-
Houdin] p 235, 294, 339, 379,
380
DULIN p 328
DUMANOIR [librettist] p 417
438
DUMAS Alexandre [writer] p 23,
73, 115
DUPERREY [conjurer] p 375
DUPLAN maitre [notary] p 369
DUPONT Paul [printer] p 415
DUPREZ [lyric artist] p 221
DUPUIS Mane [actress] p 417
DUPUIS p 335
DUPUYTREN doctor p 431, 432
DURAND-BRAGER p 221
DUSSERRE Miss p 337
DUSSERRE [mayor of'Blots] p 351
DUVAL Aline [actress] p 417
EADS p 386
ECHINARD Jacques [historian]
p 213
EDISON [scientist, inventor]
p 377, 378, 379
ENGEL [manager of the Kroll
Theatre in Berlin] p 292, 381
EPSTEIN doctor [conjurer]
p 294, 297, 299
EVANS G [publisher] p 73, 201,
215
FAILLE [manager of the Theatre
de VAmbigu comique] p 272,
274, 281, 285
FAILLY General de p 221
FALAISE Jacques de [polypha-
gist] p 415
FAUREJ p 343
FAURE-NICOLAY [conjurer] p 303,
306, 307
FAY [announcer for the Daven-
port Brothers] p 265
FECHNER Christian p I, II, III,
VI, VII, VIII, XIII, XVIII, 436 bis
FECHNER Jean-Guy p 436 bis
FECHNER Roxane p 436 bis
FERDINAND II p 79
FERRY p 319
FEYRNET X [journalist] p 20
FIGUIER L [scientific journa-
list] p 379
FINDLAYJB [historian, collec-
tor] p 213
FISHER David [writer] p 211
FITREMANN [lawyer] p 266
FITZ HENRY [client of Breguet]
p 141
FITZ-JAMES [ventriloquist] p 414
FLAUBERT Gustave [writer] p 175
FLERS Marquis de [friend and
neighbor of Robert-Houdin]
p 362, 365
FLEURY L p 221
FLEURY Robert [painter] p 23
FOUCAULT Leon [scientist] p 23
FRANCISQUE the younger
[actor] p 417
FRANCK [photographer] p 149,
201
FRANCONI [circus manager]
p 417
FRANKLIN [scientist, inventor]
p 76
FREDERICK CHARLES Prince
P 336
FRIAUT Pascal [magician, collec-
tor] p 33
FRIKELL Wiljalba [conjurer]
p 260
FUSIER [imitator] p 374
G
GABRIEL [associate of Emile
Robert-Houdin] p 147
GABRIEL [conjurer] p 111
GAILLARD [magic art collector]
p 180
GAMBETTA p 319, 340
GARNIER [worker mechani-
cian] p 293
GARNIER-PAGES p 319
GASTINEAU Octave [playwright]
p 258, 261, 272, 274, 277, 285,
382, 385
GAUGHAN John [magician,
historian, collector, and creator
of illusions] p 222, 223
GAULTIER Theophile [writer]
p 115
GAVARRET J [scientist] p 299
GERARD Jules [soldier - 'lion
killer"] p 23, 52, 54
GERAUD Charles [mesmerist]
p 97, 98, 99, 103, 104
GERMAIN p 339
GERVAIS p 335
GEROME [painter] p 23
GIRARD [lieutenant] p 318
GIRARDIN Emile de p 217
GLAIS-BIZOIN p 319
GODEFROYp 330
GOLDONI p 76
GOTLIEB DE WINDISH Charles
[writer] p 382
GOURDON Edouard [writer]
p 129
GRAEFE de [scientist] p 277
GRAMONT colonel p 316
GREG R P p 218
GREVY Jules [politician] p 23
GUIGNARD p 314
GUIROYE de [mayor of Algeria]
p 45

H HUGARD Jean [magician, his-
HALEVY [librettist] p 73
HAMILTON [student, brother-
in-law, and successor ofRobert-
Houdm] p 11, 12, 13, 14, 16,
17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 73,
93, 94, 104, 109, 113, 134, 136,
138, 139, 141, 143, 148, 150,
153, 154, 156, 158, 161, 163,
164, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175,
180, 181, 197, 198, 209, 210,
211, 215, 217, 218, 220, 221,
222, 257, 258, 262, 263, 265,
292, 307, 309, 319, 374, 382
HARMINGTON [conjurer] p 375
HARTMANN Michell and Jean-
Pierre p 361
HATIN Eugene [journalist and
biographer of Robert-Houdm]
p 129
HAUSSMANN Baron p 155
HAVIN p 217
HEIMBURGER Alexander [conju-
rer] p 119, 120, 121, 215, 216
HENRY Dr Guy p 381
HENRY'S [conjurer] p 375
HEROS Eugene [journalist]
p 217
HERRMANN Carl Compars
[conjurer] p 93, 94, 152, 156,
187, 193, 214, 218
HERTZ [theater hall] p 269,
294, 424
HERTZ Henri p 222
HETZEL [publisher] p 171, 224,
225
HOFFMANN Professor Louis
[writer] p 256, 280, 381
HOLLAND Emperor of p 79
HOLLAND Queen of p 79
HOUDIN Jacques Francois
[watchmaker, Robert-Houdm }s
father-in-law] p 36, 88
HOUDIN Josephe Cecile
Eglantine [Robert-Houdm's first
wife] p 36, 183
HOUDIN Julia [Geraud's wife]
p 97, 98, 99
HOUDIN Robert and Caroline
[impostors] p 384
HOUDINI Bessie [Harry
Houdmi's wife] p 215
HOUDINI Harry [escape artist,
historian, and collector] p 97,
119, 121, 215, 216, 360
HUART Louis [journalist]
p 207, 221
HUBER Volker [historian, collec-
tor] p 30, 213, 230, XII, 436 bis
torian] p 280
HUGO Victor [writer] p 23, 73,
214
HYACINTHE [actor] p 417
I LAMAZOU [lyric artist] p 79,
INAUDI [genius m calculation]
p 374
J LA PANOUGE de p 340
JACCOTTET [bookseller-publisher]
P73
JACOBS [French conjurer]
p 156
JACOBS [conjurer] p 374, 375
JADIN [painter] p 23
JENISSIEUXp 301
JOBERT DE LAMBALLE p 221
JOLLOIS [member of the muni-
cipal counsel of Blois] p 36,
294, 321, 328, 330, 334, 335,
339, 340, 345
JOSEPH-RENAUD J [magician,
man of letters] p 53, 54, 212,
223
JOURDAN [writer] p 41
JOURDAIN [comedian] p 111
JUBINAL p 221
JULIE p 324, 335, 338, 343, 344
K p 78, 79
KARR Alphonse [wnteA p 23,
79 221
KARR Todd [magician, histo-
rian] p 10
KEIME ROBERT-HOUDIN Andre
p 31, 32, 210, 214, 230, 231,
378, 379, 381, 436 bis
KELLY [medium - see the Stacey
Brothers] p 203, 265, 266, 267,
370
KEMPELEN Baron von [creator
of The Chess Player] p 287,
289, 294, 382, 385
KINTSING Pierre [watchmaker-
mechanician] p 239
KLOSLOGE A [conjurer] p 79,
81
KOCK Paul de p 217
KREMER Anna [innkeeper]
p 319, 350
KUSCHNICK [drama agent]
p 290, 292, 293, 386
L nalist, puppeteer] p 131, 133,
LABA Paul [actor] p 417
LABEDOLIERE p 292
LABICHE [playwright] p 73
439
LACHAUD [lawyer] p 23
LAFITTE Miss [Paul Chenu's
wife] p 115
LAHIRE Francois Eugene (see
CLEVERMAN)
LALLEMAND [doctor] p 221
221
LANDELLE G de p 290
LANGHAMS Edouard p 387
LA PEROUSE p 435
LAROCHE "Mother" p 221
LAROUSSE Pierre [writer-publi-
sher] p 113, 222, 239, 272, 302,
307, 382, 383, 384, 386, 404, 405
LASCELLES WRAXALL Sir Charles
[translator of Robert-Houdm's
memoirs] p 75, 130, 214, 381
LASSAIGNE Auguste [mesme-
rist] p 96, 97, 99, 100, 101, 102,
103, 104, 203, 267
LAUREAU Marcel p 436 bis
LAURENT Marie [actress] p 282
LAUZUN Francois [conjuring
enthusiast] p 115, 215
LAVAREILLE [the trial] p 129
LE CARPENTIER Adnen [com-
poser] p 143
LE CARPENTIER Anstide
[friend of Robert-Houdm] p 143
LEBEL Francois Desire [asso-
ciate ofDisden] p 24, 209
LECESNE [printer, publisher]
p 69, 70, 110, 130, 214, 235,
236, 249, 277, 281, 294, 312,
324, 327, 328, 334, 336, 338,
339, 340, 343, 346, 381
LECLAIRE p 381
LECOQ [lawyer] p 103
LEDRU Nicolas-Philippe [conju-
rer known as Comus] p 382,
384, 405, 417, 435
LEDRU ROLLIN p 384
LEGENDRE p 336
LEGRAND Maximin p 379
LEGRAND Omer Augustm
[watchmaking worker] p 152,
155, 156, 187, 218
LEGRIS Jules [conjurer] p 375
LEHMANN Miss [lyric artist]
p 221
LEMAITRE Henri [husband of
Eglantine Robert-Houdm] p 358,
400
LEMERCIER de NEUVILLE [jour-
217, 370, 374
LENOIR [lawyer] p 266
LEOTARD [trapeze artist] P 197
INDEX
LEPOITEVIN p 221
LESCURE [journalist] p 124
LESPES Leo [Timothe Tnmm]
p 290
LETTSOM William Garrow [di-
plomat] p 152, 156, 187, 218
LEVIEUX "Le Sorcier du Levant"
[conjurer] p 213
LEVY Michel [doctor] p 221
LEVY Michel [publisher] p 83,
133, 224, 279
LIMARD Eugenie p 307, 331
LIMARD Mathunn p 307, 331
LINSKY [conjurer] p 63
LIONNEL the Brothers [lyric ar-
tists] p 221
LITTSON [conjurer] p 262, 267,
271
LONGFELLOW [writer] p 76
LOUIS XV p 435
LOUIS XVI p 239, 244, 247,
367, 388, 435
LOUIS XVIII p 414
LOUIS-PHILIPPE p 415
LYNN doctor [conjurer] p 258,
259, 260, 262, 268, 381, 382
M
MAC MAHON Marshal p 311,
319
MACALUSO Raphael [conjurer]
MACKENSIE [translator] p 201
MACY Robert de [lawyer] p 103
MADALENA Charles Joseph
p 388
MADDEN John p 214
MAFFE (MASSE) [conjurer]
p 111, 113
MAGEUX Gilles p 436 bis
MAHIER ["Aerial grotesque"]
p 114
MAILHOL [conjurer] p 113, 115
MALTHETE-MELIES Madeleine
p 436 bis
MANICARDI [conjurer] p 104
MANNING William [friend and
student of Robert-Houdm] ^> 130,
163, 164, 165, 220, 224, 228,
257, 316, 318, 384, 386
MARIE ANTOINETTE [Queen of
France] p 239, 244, 246, 247, 367
MARQUET p 326, 330, 331,
344, 345
MARSHALL Jay [magician, col-
lector] p 215
MARTORELL [conjuring enthu-
siast] p 294
MASKELYNE Jasper [magician]
p 211
ROBtRf-HOUDIN
MASKELYNE John Nevil [magi-
cian] p 222
MASSAU [conjurer] p 193
MASSEY [conjurer] p 113
MASSU p 384
MATHIEU Jacques [businessman,
friend of Robert-Houdm] p 71
MATTHEWS Brander [univer-
sity professor] p 76
MATTHEWS James [conjurer]
p 161
MAURICE Clement [photogra-
pher] p 25
MAURIER Henri [conjurer] p 375
MAXIMILIEN Archduke p 175
MAYER Pierre p 436 bis
MFILHAC [librettist] p 73
MELIES Georges [pioneer of ci-
nema, inventor of "The cinemato-
graphic show', draftsman, direc-
tor, magician, and last manager
of the Theatre Robert-Houdm] p
25, 271, 371, 375, 382, 387
MELLINET General p 221
MENE p 221
MENIMO [Manning ?] p 75
METIVIER p 327, 330, 347
MICHAUD p 417
MICHELI L [composer] p 106
MIEUSEMENT [photographer]
p 82, 195, 198, 199, 201, 233,
261, 275, 284, 293, 295, 335,
346, 348, 355, 385, 386, 394
MIROY Clansse [actress] p 417
MITCHELL John [director of the
Samt-fames's Theater] p 193
MOESSARD p 334, 335
MOIGNO Father [scientist, jour-
nalist] p 30, 31, 182, 183, 184,
185
MONCEL Count Theodore du
[scientist] p 31, 116, 279, 280,
378
MONTSELET p 292
MORAIN J [soldierfrom Eugene
Robert-Houdm's corps] p 319
MORAND p 294
MOREAU "MORAX" Chnstine and
Didier [magicians, collectors]
p 20, 78, 79, 248, 249, 436 bis
MOREAU-SAINTI [lyric artist,
conjurer] p 113
MOREAU-SAINTI son p 113
MORIN General [director of the
Conservatoire des arts et me-
tiers] p 193, 239, 244, 247, 367
MULHOLLAND John [historian,
collector] p 215
MUNIER Rosalie Olga Leome
[wife of Emile Robert-Houdin]
p 144, 145, 146, 189, 197, 198,
199, 217, 340, 350, 351, 372,
373, 374, 375
MUNIER Mrs and Mr [tn-laws of
Emile Robert-Houdin] p 190,
199, 217, 309
MUSARD [conductor, director of
the Pre-Catelan] p 107, 108
N 264, 265, 371, 374, 382
NAY Louis p 351
NELLY p 327
NEVEU de [lieutenant colonel]
p 40, 41, 42, 45, 59, 211
NICHOLS [biographer of the
Davenport brothers] p 422
NICKLE Robert [conjurer]
p 383, 384, 385
NICOLET [manager of the
Nicolet theater] p 423
NOEL Leon [lithographer] p 361
NORIAC Jules p 217
o PROUST Georges [magician, his-
OFFENBACH [composer] p 73
OLIVIER [conjurer] p 414
ORFILA [magistrate] p 23
ORTIGUE d' p 221
OURLIAC [writer] p 73
PAGNIERE [editor-in-chief] p 103
PALLU DU PARC [head of the
national navy] p 59
PARTOUNEAUX General p 221
PASTELOT [actress] p 417
PELAU maitre [notary] p 362
PELLETAN p 319
PENE H de [journalist] p 423
PEPPER John Henry [co-creator
of the Ghosts] p 160, l6l, 164,
166, 168, 169, 182, 184, 224,
307, 384
PEREIRE Mrs [client of Robert-
Houdm] p 146, 147
PEREY Charles [actor] p 417
PESTRELLE [expert in musical
instruments] p 239
PETIPA Mane p 217
PETIT Pierre [photographer]
p 132, 133, 188, 217
PHILIPPE [conjurer] p 63, 109,
151, 152, 160, 179, 180, 187,
260, 271
PHILLIPS doctor p 343
PICARD p 319
PIE IX p 217
PIERRE [mechanical theater]
p 63
440
PIERRE III [Tzar of Russia]
p 272, 385, 386
PIETRI [police prefect of Pans]
P 11, 15
PINETTI chevalier [conjurer]
p 159
PIORRYp 380
PLANTET Hippolyte Joseph [bu-
sinessman, financier] p 262,
PLOUVIER p 281
PONSON DU TERRAIL [writer]
p 279
POPE p 386
POSTOLE maitre [notary] p 362,
365
POUGATSCHEFF [character of
La Czanne] p 272, 385
POULET [actor] p 417
POUPARD p 225
FOUSSET [mayor of Blots] p 327
PRICE [clown] p 249
PROUDHON p 422
torian, collector, trick manufac-
turer, and creator of the Museum
of Magic and Curiosities] p 96,
100, 146, 147, 207, XIV, 249, 307,
324, 436 bis
PRUCHE [engraver and litho-
grapher] p 182
Q 320, 346, 347, 349, 350, 351,
QUEROLLE Mane Madeleine
[sculptor] p 359
R Henri [son of Emile and Leonte
RANC Father [vicar of Samt-
Gervais] p 35, 88, 91, 193, 294,
356
RANDON Marshal [governor of
Algeria] p 40, 48, 51, 211
RANSOM Harry Humanities
Research Center [University of
Texas, Austin] p 152, 154, 155,
156, 216, 384
RAYNALY Edouard [conjurer]
p 358, 374, 375
READ Bob [magician, histo-
rian, and collector] p 10
REBER [professor at the junior
high school in Blots] p 69, 109,
214
RENAN Ernest p 23
RENAUD [architect] p 221
REVILLON Tony p 292
REYNAUD [conjuring enthu-
siast] p 381
RHODDES p 182
RIFFAULT [mayor of Blots]
p 36, 101, 339
RIDGELY EVANS Henry [histo-
rian] p 130, 257
RISTORI Mrs p 217
RIVET J [painter] p 390
ROBELLY [historian] p 17, 138,
215, 217, 220, 386
ROBERT Marguerite Rosalie
[Robert-Houdin's stepmother]
p 335, 343
ROBERT RENOU Jean Martin
["Cousin Robert"] p 83, 244,
274, 275, 299, 306, 330, 339,
346, 347, 362, 364, 365
ROBERT-HOUDIN Georges
[painter] p 27, 87, 88, 294, 309,
311, 319, 320, 321, 323, 324,
328, 330, 331, 333, 334, 335,
336, 338, 339, 340, 343, 344,
347, 350, 362, 365, 366, 369,
370, 378, 379, 387, 388,
ROBERT-HOUDIN Jean Jacques
Emile [watchmaker, conjurer]
p 25, 27, 40, 75, 88, 93, 115,
120, 131, 133, 140, 141, 142,
143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 150,
175, 177, 189, 193, 194, 197,
198, 199, 201, 203, 222, 229,
232, 242, 244, 258, 271, 277,
279, 293, 294, 299, 300, 301,
302, 304, 306, 307, 308, 309,
311, 312, 313, 315, 316, 319,
362, 365, 369, 370, 371, 372,
373, 374, 381, 383, 386, 388
ROBERT-HOUDIN Joseph Eugene
Robert-Houdin] p 293, 350
ROBERT-HOUDIN Joseph Prosper
Eugene [captain] p 27, 28, 41,
87, 190, 203, 277, 278, 293, 299,
309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314,
315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 330, 350
ROBERT-HOUDIN Marguerite
[daughter of Georges Robert-
Houdm] p 369
ROBERT-HOUDIN Mane Eugenie
Alice [daughter of Emile and
Leonte Robert-Houdin] p 189,
190, 222, 350
ROBERT-HOUDIN Paul [son of
Georges Robert-Houdin] p 360,
378
ROBERT-HOUDIN Paul [son of
Emile and Leome Robert-
Houdin] p 198, 223, 277
ROBERT-HOUDIN Rosalie Eglan-
tine [animal sculptor] p 27, 87,
88, 193, 229, 230, 294, 309, 321,
323, 334, 335, 336, 338, 339,

343, 347, 353, 362, 365, 368,
369, 370, 377, 378, 379, 388,
391, 399, 400
ROBERT-HOUDIN Valentine
[daughter of Emile and Leonte
Robert-Houdtn] p 350
ROBERTSON Etienne Gaspard
[conjurer] p 167, 168, 169
ROBIN Henri [conjurer] p 63,
150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155,
156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161,
163, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169,
173, 174, 177, 178, 179, 180,
181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186,
187, 197, 202, 203, 218, 219,
220, 222, 265, 267, 269, 270,
271, 277, 374, 381, 386
ROCHEFORT p 319
ROENTGEN David [cabinet
maker] p 239
ROGER maitre [notary] p 278
ROSE p 331
ROSSINI [composer] p 115, 217
ROUCAULT [worker, mechani-
cian] p 349, 350, 351
ROUJOL Alexandre [trick ma-
nufacturer] p 113, 152, 159,
179
ROUSSEAU p 327
ROUSSELET p 327, 328
ROUSSETp 327
ROVERE Jules de [conjurer]
p 61, 180, 213
RUBEL [actor] p 417
RUELLO Albert [telepath] p 102
SAINT GEORGES de [play-
wright] p 206, 221, 252, 253, 381
SAINT VINCENT de [lawyer]
p 100
SAINTE-FOY [lyric artist] p 221,
222
SAINT-LAURENT Philippe [ma-
gician, historian] p 217
SALTARINO Signor [writer]
INDEX
p 162 TALRICH [curator of the Musee p 246, 247, 277
SAMSON p 379 Frangais] p 258, 260, 261, 269, VELPEAU doctor p 221
SAND George [writer] p 23, 73 431, 432, 433 VERNE Jules [writer] p 231
SANESAU [actor] p 345 TASSIN p 339 VERNET Horace [painter] p 23,
SARDINA Maurice [magician, TAUVIN Theophile p 335, 336 44
historian] p 215 TERRAY DE MOREL VINDE vis- VERON Dr [writer] p 73
SARRUT p 339 count p 11 VERRE de [lawyer] p 101
SEBRON [Robert-Houdm sfnend] TEXIER Edmont p 217 VICTOR p 328, 330, 331, 333,
p 143 THAUVIN Charles p 339, 343 341
SECOND Albenc [journalist] THIERS [politician] p 23 VICTOR EMMANUEL II p 79
p 416 THIERS p 339, 340, 343 VICTORIA [Queen of England]
SEGUIER Baron [scientist] p 300 THILL [conjurer] p 261 p 39
SEGUIN Pierre [inventor] THOMSON Alfred [theater ma- VIDAL [principal of the junior
p 166, 167, 169, 223, 224 nager] p 257 high school ofBlois] p 94
SELDOW Michel [magician, TOBIN Thomas William [archi- VILLEMESSANT de [editor-in-
historian] p 377 tect and creator of illusions] chief of Le Figaro] p 130, 312
SELENICK [conductor] p 221 p 256, 260, 386, 431 VIRO Dr Prosper [writer] p 221
SERAPHIN [shadow artist] TOIRAC [doctor] p 221 VOIGNIER Francois [historian,
p 169, 386 TORTONI [ice cream maker] p 73 collector] p 16, 209, 210, 266,
SERS de p 340 TOSCANE Grand Duke of p 79 436 bis
SHARPE Sam H [magician, his- TOURTIN Emile [photographer] VOIGNIER Jacques [historian,
torian] p 215, 218, 220 p 25 collector] p 12, 21, 22, 108, 109,
SHOEN [prefect] p 387 TOUTIN [conjurer] p 381, 384 115, 136, 151, 191, 215, IV, V,
SILVIN [conjurer, illustrator] TOUVIEN p 326 230, 277, 292, 377, 436 bis
p 392 TOUVIN p 328, 330 VOISIN Andre [magician and
SIMON Jules p 217 TROCHU General p 319, 336 trick manufacturer] p 115,173,
SIRAUDIN [librettist] p 417 TUFFERAU [conjurer] p 138, 374
SOLOMAN [lawyer] p 100, 101, 197, 262, 267, 383 VOISIN Emile [trick manufac-
103 TURGOT Marquis de p 221 turer] p 200, 374, 375
STACEY Brothers [mediums] TUSSAUD Mrs [wax museum]
p 197, 202, 203, 205, 206, 207, p 431 w
249, 265, 266, 267, 370, 381 WALDECK de p 184
STARR William p 377 V WARTON [medium] p 370
STEINMEYER Jim [magician, WESTLEYp 75
VAILLANT Marshal [Minister of
historian, and creator of illu- WHEASTONE [scientist] p 31
war] p 42
sions] p 222 WOLGHEMUTH [impresario]
VALLEE Ernest Simon Mane
STODARE [conjurer] p 254, [notary] p 36, 292 p 193, 202, 205, 265, 266, 277,
255, 256, 257, 258, 261, 268, VALLON [lawyer] p 292, 294, 292, 381, 386
269, 431, 433 326, 327, 328, 331, 333, 334,
STODARE Alfred [conjurer] 335, 336, 337, 338, 341 X
p 262, 268, 269 VALOTTE [Les Fantoches] p 374 XAVIER [friend of Robert-
SUE Eugene [writer] p 23 VANDERBURCH Emile [play- Houdin] p 128, 129
SURATEAU p 328, 340 wright] p 416, 417
VARNER Paul [conjurer] p 262,
T 267, 268, 269, 383, 386, 387 ZARA [decorator of the Theatre
TAIGNY Emile [actor] p 417 VAUCANSON [mechanician] de lAmbigu comique] p 282
441
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N ISBN 2-907584-06-5
Christian Fechner is a film producer and magic
enthusiast.
At the worldwide F.I.S.M. convention in 1979 he
was granted first prize in Invention and first
prize in Stage Illusions.
Since then, he has worked on a friendly basis
with the greatest illusionists of our time among
them Siegfried and Roy as well as David
Copperfield - and created new illusions for them.
The author published Soirees Fantastiques in
1988, Bibliography of French Conjuring in
1994 and annotated in 1995 the reprint of
Memoirs of Robert-Houdin by Robert-Houdin
for the publishing company Stock. In 2002, he
contributed to the work Melies, Magic and
Cinema published under the supervision of
Jacques Malthete and Laurent Mannoni.
The two volumes of this biography of Robert-
Houdin will be followed by a technical volume
dedicated to the study of the artist's legendary
inventions in the field of magic of which the
history, routines and explanations have maintained
most of their mystery to this day.

Photograph of the author COPYRIGHT BERNARD

FAU 2002

N ISBN : 2-907584-06-5
 The celebrated ROBERT-HOUDIN will repeat bis
Original and extraordinary

Tuesday Tlmrsday
Saturday Evenings,
B OOItS OpSr AT EIGHT O'CLOCK i
<SD WILt ALSO ClVB 1

DAY
PERFORMANCE
Wednesday
Morning,
l'OMSIE.YCl<\fJ .iT HALF-PAST TWO OXLOCK.