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StuartNolan Elite user 479 Posts |
Does anyone know who originally said either of these two phrases (or something like them)?
“The best magic happens in their hands.” “All magic occurs in the mind of the audience.” Thanks for any help.
"One should always be a little improbable." - Oscar Wilde
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StuartNolan Elite user 479 Posts |
Of course, it may be that the source of these sayings is unknown and they are simply truisms that are popular among magicians.
By the way, I don't believe they are contradictory.
"One should always be a little improbable." - Oscar Wilde
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Dick Oslund Inner circle 8357 Posts |
For eons, I've been 'saying': "MAGIC HAPPENS IN THE MINDS OF THE AUDIENCE".
But, I certainly lay no claims to be the "first to say it"! Frankly, I think it's a self evident truth! "The best magic happens in their hands, IMHO, would be better stated: The best EFFECT happens in their hands. Far too many magicians only know how to use the props they own! Far too many don't know who TARBELL was! Far too many cannot define the terms: Prop, trick, effect, magic. Once again, it's the old story from my Navy days (1951-55) >>>> The ship is headed out to sea, and an old veteran sailor is standing at the rail next to a new, young man. The young man exclaims: "Man! That's a lot of water out there!" The veteran replies: "What you see is only the top of it!" Far too man magicians have only seen the top of it!!! They may be "into" magic, (in their own minds) but they really don't know what they're "into". "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Drink deep or not at all from the Pyrhean Spring. There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and, drinking largely, sobers us again." --Alexander Pope
SNEAKY, UNDERHANDED, DEVIOUS,& SURREPTITIOUS ITINERANT MOUNTEBANK
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
In the mind of is a trivial consequence of the line in Coleridge's essay. Some lines in Aristotle and Plato suggest that attribution of cause motivates how people interpret their experience.
In the hands dates back at least as far as magic shops selling sponge balls and copies of Himbers scotch and soda coin trick. Might go back to commentary about the ashes on the palm trick. Scot's book takes the trouble to describe an involved gaff to make a coin change in a volunteer's hand... 1500s so it's fair to say working magicians knew that even before.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
To further a point made by DOslund earlier, that APope essay on criticm begins with some sobering considerations.
One might do well to find what proofs are offered to support statements. For example; one could argue that Clarke presumed his readers to fill in the words "in the context of a story" in his tongue in cheek third law. Then again this foolish old student could be mistaken about that.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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motown Inner circle Atlanta by way of Detroit 6127 Posts |
What does all that have to do with who the quotes are from?
Oh wait, nothing.
"If you ever write anything about me after I'm gone, I will come back and haunt you."
– Karl Germain |
Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-05-12 23:02, motown wrote: a parrot can make sounds that some might find quotable. A persuasive argument or proof to put a notion on solid ground is not usually forthcomming from parrots or those who get quoted out of convenience rather than scholarship. what does all that have to do with paraphrases without citations in the OP? Everything. Eugene Burger argues for his view in his essays and works. The "in the hands" line comes out of a larger discussion on conviction and impact on magical effects.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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