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Artificial Illuminations


A very pleasing exhibition may be made with very little trouble or

expense, in the following manner: Provide a box, which you fit up with

architectural designs cut out on pasteboard; prick small holes in

those parts of the building where you wish the illuminations to

appear, observing, that in proportion to the perspective, the holes

are to be made smaller; and on the near objects the holes are to be

made larger. Behin
these designs thus perforated, you fix a lamp or

candle, but in such a manner that the reflection of the light shall

only shine through the holes; then placing a light of just sufficient

brilliance to show the design of the buildings before it, and making a

hole for the sight at the front end of the box, you will have a very

tolerable representation of illuminated buildings.



The best way of throwing the light in front, is to place an oiled

paper before it, which will cast a mellow gleam over the scenery, and

not diminish the effect of the illumination. This can be very easily

planned, both not to obstruct the sight, nor be seen to disadvantage.

The lights behind the picture should be very strong; and if a

magnifying glass were placed in the sight hole, it would tend greatly

to increase the effect. The box must be covered in, leaving an

aperture for the smoke of the lights to pass through.



The above exhibition can only be shown at candle-light; but there is

another way, by fixing small pieces of gold on the building, instead

of drilling the holes; which gives something like the appearance of

illumination, but by no means equal to the foregoing experiment.



N.B. It would be an improvement, if paper of various colours, rendered

transparent by oil, were placed between the lights behind and the

aperture in the buildings, as they would then resemble lamps of

different colours.



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