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The
TRICK
BRAIN
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I strenuously object to the inclusion of feats of skill, even though faked, in a list of basic magic effects. As far as the spectator is concerned there is no mystery as to how the trick is accomplished. Whether the performer is an outright fraud or not, be he juggler, memory expert or some other type of performer where training and skill would seem to be the sole means of accomplishing the trick, he is an exhibitor of skill and dexterity.
Take the memory feat as an example. To the spectator, what the performer accomplishes is due to a superdeveloped memory. The effect is not magical at all. The fact that the performer is using mnemonic association of ideas still does not alter the case.
A person essays to balance an egg on a straw. This seems to be a trick of balancing. But the fact that the performer uses a little cup-shaped fake does not alter the external impression. Neither does the use of an electric deck change the impression of expert fanning, spreading, shuffling and other juggling exhibitions with cards. Even though the cards are held together by means of a pair of concealed thread lengths, the external effect is still not one of magic, but of skill.
A refreshing interlude was the trick Malini used to perform when he would place a tray upon four tumblers, balance four eggs upon small cardboard cylinders immediately above the glasses, and jerk the tray away suddenly, causing the eggs to fall into the tumblers. But it wasn't a magical effect. No one in the audience assumed it to be.
When a Scarne gives a demonstration of his marvelous control of cards in a demonstration of crooked gamblers' methods, running up hands, changing hole cards, dealing himself the desired cards on the draw, dealing seconds and bottoms, no one mistakes his demonstration as tricks of magic. They know it for what it is, deft and superlative skill in the control and handling of cards. They might not know how he does it. They might not see him do it, as indeed they cannot. But they do know that his manipulations are the result of constant, unceasing and extended practice.
And a similar demonstration with a deck of side strippers, done as I've seen it done by a much publicized magician, as a feat of skill-even before gatherings of magicians-is still a demonstration of skill, even though it is a phony one. And so are other tricks simulating the expert methods of accomplished card experts at the gambling table, even though the skill is nonexistent, even though the entire demonstration is faked.
Magicians may be seen occasionally who toss a box of matches in the air and scratch a match on its side as it descends. No matter how much the actual method may be tricked, to the spectators it seems that the performer has shown a feat of skillful jugglery.
In a magician's demonstration, the fact that there is skill exhibited is implied, if the magician is capable. But the spectator is not aware of the precise direction of the skill. On the other hand, in the demonstrations cited-memory, juggling, skillful card handling in gambling-the precise nature of the performer's training is indicated.
This is true also of the pocket-picking trick. No matter how skillfully a Giovanni may operate. No matter how little of his methods the spectators may actually see. They have a general knowledge of the kind of skill he is using.
Kellar used to perform a cube root demonstration. This was attributed to superlative mathematical ability, even though it may have been based upon a memory system. To mathematical skill also is attributed the performer's ability to perform such demonstrations as the magic square.
Card fans and even expert exhibitions of card juggling are a part of almost every well-grounded magician's repertoire, yet there is no suggestion of mystery as to method when they are performed.
Therefore, because the field of jugglery and other skills is so broad. Because we are dealing here solely with mystery as to method, I must limit this work to effects that come under the general definition of magic.
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