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Imitative Fire-works


Take a paper that is blacked on both sides, or instead of black, the

paper may be coloured on each side with a deep blue, which will be

still better for such as are to be seen through transparent papers. It

must be of a proper size for the figure you intend to exhibit. In this

paper cut out with a penknife several spaces, and with a piercer make

a number of holes, rather long than round, and at no regular distance

from
each other.



To represent revolving pyramids and globes, the paper must be cut

through with a penknife, and the space cut out between each spiral

should be three or four times as wide as the spirals themselves. You

must observe to cut them so that the pyramid or globe may appear to

turn on its axis. The columns that are represented in pieces of

architecture, or in jets of fire, must be cut in the same manner, if

they are to be represented as turning on their axis.



In like manner may be exhibited a great variety of ornaments, ciphers,

and medallions, which, when properly coloured, cannot fail of

producing the most pleasing effect. There should not be a very great

diversity of colours, as they would not produce the most agreeable

appearance.



When these pieces are drawn on a large scale, the architecture or

ornaments may be shaded; and, to represent different shades, pieces of

coloured paper must be pasted over each other, which will produce an

effect that would not be expected from transparent paintings. Five or

six pieces of paper pasted over each other will be sufficient to

represent the strongest shades.



To give these pieces the different motions they require, you must

first consider the nature of each piece; if, for example, you have cut

out the figure of the sun, or of a star, you must construct a wire

wheel of the same diameter with these pieces; over this wheel you

paste a very thin paper, on which is drawn, with black ink, the spiral

figure. The wheel thus prepared, is to be placed behind the sun or

star, in such a manner that its axis may be exactly opposite the

centre of either of these figures. This wheel may be turned by any

method you think proper.



Now, the wheel being placed directly behind the sun, for example, and

very near to it, is to be turned regularly round, and strongly

illuminated by candles placed behind it. The lines that form the

spiral will then appear, through the spaces cut out from the sun, to

proceed from its centre to its circumference, and will resemble sparks

of fire that incessantly succeed each other. The same effect will be

produced by the star or by any other figure where the fire is not to

appear as proceeding from the circumference of the centre.



These two pieces, as well as those that follow, may be of any size,

provided you observe the proportion between the parts of the figure

and the spiral, which must be wider in larger figures than in small.

If the sun, for example, have from six to twelve inches diameter, the

width of the strokes that form the spiral need not be more than

one-twentieth part of an inch, and the spaces between them, that form

transparent parts, about two-tenths of an inch. If the sun be two feet

diameter, the strokes should be one-eighth of an inch, and the space

between, one quarter of an inch; and if the figure be six feet

diameter, the strokes should be one quarter of an inch and the spaces

five-twelfths of an inch. These pieces have a pleasing effect, when

represented of a small size, but the deception is more striking when

they are of large dimensions.



It will be proper to place those pieces, when of a small size, in a

box quite closed on every side, that none of the light may be diffused

in the chamber: for which purpose it will be convenient to have a tin

door behind the box, to which the candlesticks may be soldered, and

the candles more easily lighted.



The several figures cut out should be placed in frames, that they may

be put, alternately, in a groove in the forepart of the box; or there

may be two grooves, that the second piece may be put in before the

first is taken out.



The wheel must be carefully concealed from the eye of the spectator.



Where there is an opportunity of representing these artificial fires

by a hole in the partition, they will doubtless have a much more

striking effect, as the spectator cannot then conjecture by what means

they are produced.



It is easy to conceive that by extending this method, wheels may be

constructed with three or four spirals, to which may be given

different directions. It is manifest also that, on the same principle,

a great variety of transparent figures may be contrived, and which may

be all placed before the spiral lines.



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