Page:Hocus pocus, or, The whole art of legerdemain in perfection (1).pdf/15

 an earthen pot, in the fashion of a chamber pot, but something narrow upon the top, then set fire to it, and the room will seem to them that are in to be all on fire: nay, themselves will flap their hair and cloaths, thinking they are all on fire, when there is nobody hurt unless it be with fright. Have a care of shewing it to women with child in the room, for yourself would be frighted if you did not know the trick.

How to eat Fire and to blow it up in your Mouth with a pair of Bellows.

Anoint your tongue with liquid storax, and you may put a pair of tongs into your mouth red hot without hurting yourself and lick them till they are cold, by the help of this ointment. and by preparing your mouth thus, you may take wood-coal out of the firfire [sic] and eat them as you would bread, nip them into brimston powder, and the fire will seem more strange, but the sulphur puts out the coal, and shutting your mouth close puts out the sulphur, and so they chump the coals and swallow them which they may do without offending t ethe [sic] body; but if they were bound to eat nothing else, it would be a very sickly trade; and if you put a piece of lighted charcoal into your mouth, you may suffer a pair of bellows to be a blowing in your mouth continually and recieve no hurt, but your mouth must be quickly cleaned, otherwise it will cause a salivation: it is a very dangerous thing to be done and altho' those that practise it, use all the means they can to prevent danger, yet I never saw any one of those fire-eaters that had a good complexion the reason I will give, but it is known to the