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Pinchbeck had at this time a shop in Fleet Street, known by the sign of the Musical Clock, where
he displayed and sold his mechanical curiosities; and he also speculated, in conjunction with
Fawkes, in exhibitions and entertainments of various descriptions, including marionettes and
wax-work. The latest advertisement which I have been able to discover in which Pinchbeck's
name appears relates to the Bartholomew fair of 1742. He Probably retired from the profession
shortly afterwards, for in 1746 the name of Fawkes appears in conjunction with that of Warner,
as proprietors of a theatrical booth. This connection was of very brief duration, however, for in
the following year we find Warner in partnership with the elder Yeates.
The younger Yeates attended the fairs with his father, in whose show we first find him exhibiting
his "incomparable dexterity of hand 1733, on Southwark Green. An advertisement of 1735
informs us that they "continue to entertain the public every evening at the Royal Exchange, with
their inimitable performances," commencing with Yeates junior's dexterity of hand, in which he's
in general allow'd to surpass all who now appear in Great Britain." In 1737 we find them in
Smithfield during Bartholomew fair, but the younger Yeates left his father's show soon
afterwards to seek the favours of fortune on his own account, with what success my researches
have not enabled me to state.
There was a long interval between the last performance of Pinchbeck and the appearance of
Comus, a French conjuror, who commenced his "physical, mechanical, and mathematical
recreations" in a large room in Panton Street at Christmas, 1765. There were probably humble
professors of the art frequenting the fairs, or "pitching" in market-places and on village greens,
but their names and performances have not been recorded. Comus announced that his stay in
London would be limited to fifteen days, but he prolonged it to three months, giving two
performances daily, at twelve and six, and charging five shillings for admission. It may be
inferred, therefore, that he found his visit profitable.
Comus did not announce to the public the wonders which he would perform until the last weeks
of his stay in London. In his first advertisement he merely observes that "his operations are so
surprisingly astonishing that they would appear supernatural in an age and a nation less
instructed." A month later he informed the public that they were "performed in so singular a
manner that, notwithstanding the surprising relations given thereof by the nobility and gentry, to
whom the Sieur Comus returns his sincere thanks for their kind reception, he would be afraid to
pass for an impostor, if he gave a full detail of his operations to the public." He had recourse to
French, however, for a short paragraph in which he ventured to state that he had a machine
which enabled two persons to communicate their thoughts to each other by an instantaneous
and invisible operation.
It was not until the last week of February, 1766, that he repeated this announcement in English,
adding that he also showed, at each performance, "his learned mermaid, the enchanted clock,
the metals, an operation of caperomancy, the box with figures, the incomprehensible picket, a
perpetual magnetic motion, and many others too tedious to mention." In March, he announced
http://thelearnedpig.com.pa/magos/books/frost/chap06.html (3 of 5) [4/23/2002 3:44:39 PM]
Lives of Conjurors--Chapter VI
that "out of a real sense of gratitude for the kind reception he had met with from the public," he
would show "several new operations, never before exhibited by him;" but he did not specify
them.
He returned to Paris at the close of his London engagement, the success of which induced him to
repeat it the following spring, when he performed in a large room in Great Suffolk Street. There
is no information as to his movements between this date and 1770, when he again visited
London, performing first at a room in Cockspur Street, and afterwards near Exeter Change,
reducing his charge for admission to half-a-crown. He had now, however, a formidable rival in
Jonas, who, though he had appeared almost simultaneously with Comus had not then obtained
so much repute.
The first public performances of Jonas of which I have been able to discover any record were
given "at Art's Museum, five doors from Mr. Pinchbeck's, the bottom of the Haymarket." But, as
he announced himself as well known to the nobility and gentry, they had probably been given [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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Pinchbeck had at this time a shop in Fleet Street, known by the sign of the Musical Clock, where
he displayed and sold his mechanical curiosities; and he also speculated, in conjunction with
Fawkes, in exhibitions and entertainments of various descriptions, including marionettes and
wax-work. The latest advertisement which I have been able to discover in which Pinchbeck's
name appears relates to the Bartholomew fair of 1742. He Probably retired from the profession
shortly afterwards, for in 1746 the name of Fawkes appears in conjunction with that of Warner,
as proprietors of a theatrical booth. This connection was of very brief duration, however, for in
the following year we find Warner in partnership with the elder Yeates.
The younger Yeates attended the fairs with his father, in whose show we first find him exhibiting
his "incomparable dexterity of hand 1733, on Southwark Green. An advertisement of 1735
informs us that they "continue to entertain the public every evening at the Royal Exchange, with
their inimitable performances," commencing with Yeates junior's dexterity of hand, in which he's
in general allow'd to surpass all who now appear in Great Britain." In 1737 we find them in
Smithfield during Bartholomew fair, but the younger Yeates left his father's show soon
afterwards to seek the favours of fortune on his own account, with what success my researches
have not enabled me to state.
There was a long interval between the last performance of Pinchbeck and the appearance of
Comus, a French conjuror, who commenced his "physical, mechanical, and mathematical
recreations" in a large room in Panton Street at Christmas, 1765. There were probably humble
professors of the art frequenting the fairs, or "pitching" in market-places and on village greens,
but their names and performances have not been recorded. Comus announced that his stay in
London would be limited to fifteen days, but he prolonged it to three months, giving two
performances daily, at twelve and six, and charging five shillings for admission. It may be
inferred, therefore, that he found his visit profitable.
Comus did not announce to the public the wonders which he would perform until the last weeks
of his stay in London. In his first advertisement he merely observes that "his operations are so
surprisingly astonishing that they would appear supernatural in an age and a nation less
instructed." A month later he informed the public that they were "performed in so singular a
manner that, notwithstanding the surprising relations given thereof by the nobility and gentry, to
whom the Sieur Comus returns his sincere thanks for their kind reception, he would be afraid to
pass for an impostor, if he gave a full detail of his operations to the public." He had recourse to
French, however, for a short paragraph in which he ventured to state that he had a machine
which enabled two persons to communicate their thoughts to each other by an instantaneous
and invisible operation.
It was not until the last week of February, 1766, that he repeated this announcement in English,
adding that he also showed, at each performance, "his learned mermaid, the enchanted clock,
the metals, an operation of caperomancy, the box with figures, the incomprehensible picket, a
perpetual magnetic motion, and many others too tedious to mention." In March, he announced
http://thelearnedpig.com.pa/magos/books/frost/chap06.html (3 of 5) [4/23/2002 3:44:39 PM]
Lives of Conjurors--Chapter VI
that "out of a real sense of gratitude for the kind reception he had met with from the public," he
would show "several new operations, never before exhibited by him;" but he did not specify
them.
He returned to Paris at the close of his London engagement, the success of which induced him to
repeat it the following spring, when he performed in a large room in Great Suffolk Street. There
is no information as to his movements between this date and 1770, when he again visited
London, performing first at a room in Cockspur Street, and afterwards near Exeter Change,
reducing his charge for admission to half-a-crown. He had now, however, a formidable rival in
Jonas, who, though he had appeared almost simultaneously with Comus had not then obtained
so much repute.
The first public performances of Jonas of which I have been able to discover any record were
given "at Art's Museum, five doors from Mr. Pinchbeck's, the bottom of the Haymarket." But, as
he announced himself as well known to the nobility and gentry, they had probably been given [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]