DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0316
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FOR KIRBY’s WONDERFUL MUSEUM.
VENTRILOQUISM,
The Writer of this Note, was on the 3d of Jan. 1789,
in a company, where a Ventriloquist, an Irishman, of the
name of Burns, made his appearance, for the purpose of
displaying his talent.—He had with him a little figure
dressed upas his son, from the mouth of which figure he
piade his voice apparently to issue both in speaking and
singing—he transferred- his voice from one part of the room
and house to another—he made a complete and perfect imi-
tation of the bagpipe going through a whole tune, the
sound all the time issuing as it were from under his arm ;
he sung; a song- and during- the time of his singing- held a
pint of beer to his mouth drinking ; he performed many
other extraordinary things, and all of them with his mouth
closed; insomuch that the relator held the flame of a hghted
candle close to his mouth, without being able to perceive
the smallest degree of breath : he did not during the whole
of his performance, appear himself to speak, or open his
mouth, and had no distortion of countenance, or change
of any feature.
July "I, 1803. Veritas.
In addition to the above instance of this surprising faculty,
xve have selected the following :—One Gille, says the abbe
Chapelle, who has written on the subject, desired me once
to enter into his bdek shop, where, as we were sitting by a
corner of the fire-side, and were face to face to each other,
he amused me for the space of half an hour, by telling me
many droll stories of his skill in ventriloquism. In a
moment of silence on his part, and of absence on mine, I
heard myself called by name in a very distinct tone of
voice, which seemed to be so distant, and at the same time
co very strange, that I was quite alarmed at it.
' A$
FOR KIRBY’s WONDERFUL MUSEUM.
VENTRILOQUISM,
The Writer of this Note, was on the 3d of Jan. 1789,
in a company, where a Ventriloquist, an Irishman, of the
name of Burns, made his appearance, for the purpose of
displaying his talent.—He had with him a little figure
dressed upas his son, from the mouth of which figure he
piade his voice apparently to issue both in speaking and
singing—he transferred- his voice from one part of the room
and house to another—he made a complete and perfect imi-
tation of the bagpipe going through a whole tune, the
sound all the time issuing as it were from under his arm ;
he sung; a song- and during- the time of his singing- held a
pint of beer to his mouth drinking ; he performed many
other extraordinary things, and all of them with his mouth
closed; insomuch that the relator held the flame of a hghted
candle close to his mouth, without being able to perceive
the smallest degree of breath : he did not during the whole
of his performance, appear himself to speak, or open his
mouth, and had no distortion of countenance, or change
of any feature.
July "I, 1803. Veritas.
In addition to the above instance of this surprising faculty,
xve have selected the following :—One Gille, says the abbe
Chapelle, who has written on the subject, desired me once
to enter into his bdek shop, where, as we were sitting by a
corner of the fire-side, and were face to face to each other,
he amused me for the space of half an hour, by telling me
many droll stories of his skill in ventriloquism. In a
moment of silence on his part, and of absence on mine, I
heard myself called by name in a very distinct tone of
voice, which seemed to be so distant, and at the same time
co very strange, that I was quite alarmed at it.
' A$