The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (April 1894)

The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. 77 by biunial and triunial lanterns, soon pall upon the spectator, and to the frequent introduction of these and of coloured slides, I think is due the low estimate that many have of lantern exhibitions, as things suitable to amuse children, but not worthy of the serious consideration of their elders. I would have the exhibitor who wishes to make his entertainment attract an educated audience of adults, show nothing but high-class photographic slides, uncoloured, and endeavour, gradually, to educate the public to admire soft rather than brilliant pictures, since the former are more true to nature; and'when lecturing on a serious subject, such as history, whether | ecclesiastical or secular, eschew, all fancy | pictures, all “life model” arrangements, and be satisfied with simple photographs of localities | and relics connected with the subject. But as I have said already the reading often ; spoils an evening's entertainment. The prepara. be got over in a short time and with the little effort that the readerata lantern lecture generally gives to it. The lecturer should thoroughly know his subject, should have it, as the common saying is, at his finger ends, should be able to describe the pictures readily. if possible from personal acquaintance with the places or things represented, and when this is not possible, from careful study and much previous reading. Then, if he has the gift of fluent speech. he will find it an easy matter to render the subject interesting to his hearers. Nothing, I think, can be more tedious than to hear a person reading from the printed pamphlet, often laboriously by the light of the shaded reading-lamp, the guide-book-like description furnished with the slides. The Witticisms lose all their point and spontaneity, the audience have a painful feeling that the reader does not know what is coming next. I have sometimes found it answer well when lecturing on certain subjects, to give the lecture proper first, either from a complete manuscript, or from notes, and then to turn down the gas in the room and show the slides on the screen, as illustrations of what has been already said, with only a few words about each picture, pointing out what is especially noteworthy. Thus the audience gain first a general idea of the subject, and then when they know the outlines will more fully understand the details when they are pointed out. To sum up the points which I have been endeavouring to set before my readers. I believe that, from several causes, the interest in ordinary lantern lectures has somewhat waned ‘tion of a lecture is not an easy task or one that can | | awakened if more attention were paid by exhibitors and lecturers to the quality of the wares that they offer to the public. If the pictures might always be trusted to be worthy of the subject, and if the public could be induced to have confidence that the advertised lecture will be the result of thought and care on the part of him who delivers it, full of life and brightness, and not a mere perfunctory reading of that which has been written by someone else, and may be bought fer sixpence, or which is thrown in gratis for the sum paid for the hire of the slides. ——1:0:——_ Humorous Lantern Slides. GEORGE KILBURN, As a public lanternist, I am many times at a loss as to what to introduce as new, to please the various persons to whom I am frequently called to give a lantern entertainment, especially where there is anumber of the juvenile element. No doubt there are many others—readers of this journal—who are similarly placed, but whose purses have a limit, cannot afford to go to ' a large amount in the purchase of slides, but have to rely on the cheaper kind of slide. Most of the humorous slides usually sold by lantern dealers, such as ‘‘Clown with moving eyes,’ ‘Kicking donkey,” ‘‘ Old Tom,” are as stale and flat as some of the latter, so that the children know all about them before they are scarcely projected on to the screen, owing to the number of times they have been shown by various exhibitors. I have, therefore, hit on the idea of making some fresh subjects from pictures, which can be procured from stationers and others, some of which are to be seen displayed about Christmas time. To give an idea of the kind I mean I will here mention three different kinds of pictures suitable, from which lantern slides can be made ; and if permission is required to produce them for the lantern, I have no doubt but what the proprietors of them would readily grant it if required. The first is a boy with spectacles on, reading a ‘paper and sitting on a box; it is issued by Hignetts, tobacco manufacturers. The second is by Crosfields, of perfection soap fame, and is a picture of a boy creeping. The third is a picture of a boy laid down asleep ; on the reverse side is printed a bird and the pupil of the eye, which shows the boy awake and gazing at the bird on the wing, when viewed by transmitted light. There is no publisher’s name on this one, of late, but that fresh interest would be | but has a mame in one corner, signed Helena