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actually happened to him at Shrewsbury.
The next name with which the records of conjuring present us is that of Pinetti, an Italian who
came to London in 1784, with the reputation of having, performed before several crowned heads
on the continent, and received certificates of merit in their royal hand-writing. He engaged the
Haymarket theatre for the winter season, and announced, in a larger advertisement than the
conjurors of that day were wont to issue, that he would, "with his consort, exhibit most
wonderful, stupendous, and absolutely inimitable, mechanical, physical, and philosophical pieces,
which his recent deep scrutiny in those sciences, and assiduous exertions, have enabled him to
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Lives of Conjurors--Chapter VII
invent and construct: among which Signora Pinetti will have the special honour and satisfaction
of exhibiting various experiments of new discovery, no less curious than seemingly incredible,
particularly that of her being seated in one of the front boxes, with a handkerchief over her eyes,
and guessing at everything imagined and proposed to her by any person in the company.
This is the first instance which I have been able to discover of what has since received the name
of clairvoyance being introduced in a conjuring entertainment, for which purpose it was so much
used by Anderson and Robert-Houdin more than half a century afterwards. Considering the
slowness with which conjurors seem to have availed of Kircher's invention, perhaps from
apprehensions of being regarded as sorcerers, the quickness of Pinetti to turn to account the
system to which Mesmer's name has been applied evinces boldness in the adoption of new ideas
which few of his professional brethren displayed in their art.
Pinetti, who seems to have been a well-educated man, and was a member of the Royal Academy
of Sciences at Bordeaux, as well as a Knight of the German Order of St. Philip, published, just
before Christmas, "at the special request of several amateurs and connoisseurs of distinction," a
book explaining thirty-three of his tricks and experiments, those being selected from his
programme which, as he states, "not being prejudicial to him, will afford them the greatest
amusement and satisfaction." Two editions, English and French, were published, each selling at
five shillings, and obtainable only from the author, who resided at No. 10, Haymarket, the house
in which Breslaw lodged two years previously. The "elegant copper-plate engravings" with which
it was advertised as illustrated are a frontispiece and a vignette on the title-page, both of an
allegorical character, and designed for the glorification of the author.
Pinetti performed several times before George III. and the royal family, and received his
Majesty's autograph in a letter of commendation. Early in 1785 he emulated the feat with which
Cornelius Agrippa is credited, and anticipated the ingenious artist who constructed the
automaton flying trapezist which puzzled visitors to the Polytechnic a few years ago, by
producing a life-sized automatic figure, which, in acrobatic costume, performed all the feats of
the best rope-dancers of the age.
The season closed on the 4th of February, when the programme was announced as follows:--
"Act I.-- All the most favourite, surprising, and pleasing Philosophical, Physical, and Mechanical
Pieces, as well exhibited, as others not yet seen, and which will not fail to affect the minds of the
spectators with wonder and admiration. Act II.--The repetition of the prodigious performance of
the Rope-dancing Automaton Figure, of the size of a Man! The particulars of which performance,
without inspecting it, (as is confessed by all who have seen it,) being received almost with
incredulity, he thinks most proper to leave in silence. Act III.-- The new, truly most superb,
majestic, amazing, and also seemingly incredible grand spectacle of the Venetian Beautiful Fair,
which Mechanical Figure, being attired in character, and holding the balance in hands, dances
and exhibits upon the Tight Rope, with unparalleled dexterity and agility, and in a manner far
superior to any exhibited by the most capital professors, all most difficult and prodigious Feats of
Activity, Leaps, Attitudes, Equilibriums, Antics, etc. etc., absolutely beyond imagination and
proper description. Signor Pinetti being certain of having never exaggerated in his
advertisement, the candid public will, he hopes, as constantly believe him, that he never departs [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]