Addressed to his friend Sir Walter Scott, Brewster’s letters explain how ancient priests and conjurors used optics, acoustics, hydrostatics, mechanics and drugs to fake the supernatural. He goes on to the eye as a fertile source of illusion, spectral apparitions, speaking statues, automata and acoustic marvels such as Wheatstone’s kaleidophone.
A delightful popular-science classic by the inventor of the kaleidoscope, for anyone fascinated by illusion and stage magic. Download the free EPUB.