Fifty Years in the Magic Circle by Signor Blitz

An account of the author's professional life; his wonderful tricks and feats; with laughable incidents, and adventures as a magician, necromancer, and ventriloquist.

Excerpt from the Preface:

In presenting my Autobiography, I am fully aware of the grave responsibility I assume, and equally so of the presumption of a person describing, in a measure, his own character;—yet it is essentially better to relate one’s adventures himself, than to entrust them to the dictation of others. The reminiscences of my life may not be entitled to any special merit, beyond the amusement they may afford for the moment; yet, to pass away as others have done whose record would have been useful and interesting, we should be derelict in duty to ourselves and the public. Not that my life presents any particular traits above a busy career; yet, if of no special benefit to mankind, it will not be detrimental to the morals and impulses of those who may be pleased to peruse it.

My whole object has been to present facts,—to draw from truth, not fiction,—to present events as they occurred, rather than appeared,—to demonstrate the variety and peculiar phases of mankind; not only to smile at the follies and foibles that surround us, but to sympathize with the aggravations and misfortunes of poor humanity,—to create a laugh rather than a tear. Life is like a vast ocean: to many, it is calm and placid, with picturesque harbors; to others, a boisterous voyage, of great perils, and ofttimes shipwreck. My own pilgrimage has been a felicitous one, for I have always yielded to those convictions on which our individual prosperity is based; yet, favored or afflicted, who can or should but feel happy?

Their pleasantries and anecdotes, with brief sketches of their eccentricities, I have given, to the best of my recollection. During this long period I have never made a memorandum, therefore have written entirely from memory; consequently, there may be some slight inaccuracies in regard to dates and circumstances; if so, they will in no way invalidate the facts.

• PREFACE

• To Signor Blitz

• CHAPTER I. EARLY LIFE

• My Birth

• School Days

• CHAPTER II. APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC

• First Performance

• The Conceited Doctor

• Return Home

• CHAPTER III. EXPERIENCES AND INCIDENTS IN ENGLAND

• First Appearance In England

• Clerical Opposition

• Before the Council

• An Experiment

• A Superstitious Magistrate

• First Visit To London

• A Nervous Landlady

• CHAPTER IV. AN ADVENTURE WITH GAMBLERS

• Lost, but Saved

• CHAPTER V. INQUISITIVE LADIES

• The Broken-hearted Maiden

• Disgusted with Managers

• Jack Ketch, the Hangman

• CHAPTER VI. IRELAND

• An Aristocratic Cabbage

• The Frightened Doctor

• CHAPTER VII. IRISH CHARACTER

• Daniel O'Connell

• Irish Wit

• The Talking Codfish

• The Dishonest Servant

• The Frightened Tax-Collector

• CHAPTER VIII. THE WITCHES UNDER THE BRIDGE

• CHAPTER IX. VISIT TO SCOTLAND

• The Spirit of the Mill

• The Babe in the Violin Case

• Marriage

• CHAPTER X. EDINBURG

• The Bottled Janitor

• The Talking Horse

• Manchester

• A Clergyman in Trouble

• How a Poll-Parrot Paid the Rent

• An Aerial Voyage

• I Meet a Friend

• Personal Jokes

• CHAPTER XI. VERY PECULIAR PEOPLE

• The Opposite Picture

• Individual Oddities

• A Wig Regiment

• Picture of a Rich Man

• CHAPTER XII. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

• Portrait of a Mississippi Major

• Arrival in New York

• "Young America"

• A Man in Search of Business

• An Aspiring Waiter

• The Ambitious Office Seeker

• CHAPTER XIII. ENGAGEMENT AT NIBLO'S GARDEN

• A Disturbed Dinner

• Ex-President Van Buren

• The Marketman Outwitted

• Wonderful Money-Bag

• The Advantages of being a Ventriloquist

• The Astonished Medical Examiner

• An Insane Woman

• CHAPTER XIV. THE ECCENTRIC DOCTOR VALENTINE

• A Wise Phrenologist

• The Gun Trick

• Caught in the Act

• CHAPTER XV. PASSAGE TO BOSTON

• In a Hurry to Reach Boston

• A Temperance Governor with a Bottle of Whiskey

• A Boston Merchant

• Faneuil Hall Market

• Cambridge

• Judge Story

• An American General

• CHAPTER XVI. SALEM – WITCHCRAFT AND SPIRITUALISM

• Rev. Dr. John Prince

• Producing Fire From Glass

• Codfish Aristocracy of Marblehead

• A Lodging at the Expense of the Town

• A Minister in Trouble

• CHAPTER XVII. INCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES IN PHILADELPHIA

• The Great Automaton Chess-Player

• A Truant Husband

• A Prophecy

• Doing a Judge

• Egyptian Mummy

• CHAPTER XVIII. MY VISIT TO THE SOUTH

• Daniel Webster

• President Fillmore

• Henry Clay

• Richmond

• Charleston

• "De Debil About, Sure"

• A Runaway Slave

• A Southern Snow-Storm

• Affection in Animal Nature

• Indian Raid

• A Wheel Within A Wheel

• An Inventive Genius

• CHAPTER XIX. A DANGEROUS CUSTOMER

• Bad Men and Worthless Money

• A Shot from Behind

• Mobile

• Experience as a Detective

• New Orleans

• An Over-Zealous School-Teacher

• Jealousy and Love

• CHAPTER XX. UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

• Gifted Horses

• A Financial Crisis

• A Nervous Traveller

• A Quick-Witted Irishman

• A Man on a Pleasure Tour

• CHAPTER XXI. IN THE BRITISH PROVINCES

• A Myth – One of the Smiths!

• John Q. Adams

• CHAPTER XXII. A VISIT TO THE PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA

• Golden Oranges

• Quebec

• Before the Bishops and Clergy

• Montreal

• The Governor-General

• Toronto

• CHAPTER XXIII. A FEW LAUGHABLE INCIDENTS

• The Wise Turkeys

• The Astonished Clergyman

• A Family Bedroom

• Smuggling a Passenger

• A Child in a Carpet-Bag

• The Mystified Quaker

• CHAPTER XXIV. AMUSING INCIDENTS

• An Excitement in the Market

• Another Market Scene

• A Conscientious Doctor

• Hours with the Insane

• CHAPTER XXV. DAME FORTUNE

• Barbadoes

• A Royal Bed

• Granada

• An Uninvited Guest

• St. George

• St. Vincent

• Kingstown

• CHAPTER XXVI. THE CHRISTIAN SKIPPER AND HIS CREW

• Trinidad – Port of Spain

• The Masque Ball

• An Expensive Pet

• CHAPTER XXVII. ANTIGUA

• The Educated Horses

• The Kidnapped Negro

• St. John

• Nevis

• Basseterre

• CHAPTER XXVIII. A SEA VOYAGE

• A Dream of Heaven

• An Old Maid on Board

• CHAPTER XXIX. CONTINUATION AND CLOSE OF MY TROPICAL TOUR

• Jamaica

• Kingston

• A Haunted House

• The Singing and Talking Mule

• Demarara

• Georgetown

• The Prolific Eggs

• A Merchant Nonplussed

• A Drunkard Saved

• CHAPTER XXX. INCIDENTS IN CUBA

• The King Pig

• Havana

• CHAPTER XXXI. INCIDENTS AND EXHIBITIONS IN HAVANA

• The Mystic Flower

• The Thieving Soldiers

• The Unjust Fine

• Box of Cigars

• The Liberal Landlady

• CHAPTER XXXII. THE CUBAN LOVERS

• The CAPTAIN-General of Cuba

• He Becomes a Victim

• Matanzas

• Battle with the Bees

• CHAPTER XXXIII. THE SPEAKING PORTRAIT

• CHAPTER XXXIV. INCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES ELSEWHERE

• The Landlord and His Guest

• A Surprise-Party Surprised

• Old Scratch

• A Prison Scene

• A Merry Sleighing-Party

• CHAPTER XXXV. PHILADELPHIA, AND THE GREAT REBELLION

• Soldiers' Reading-Room

• Independence Hall

• CHAPTER XXXVI. CONCLUSION

• A Buzz on 'Change

• Thoughts and Sayings of Children

• The Dead Canary

• A Servant of the Public