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CHAPTER XIII.
ilboving %libes anb Effect.
UNDER this title fall a large number of more or less
elaborate devices intended to enhance the beauty or realism,
or both, of projected pictures. Almost all effects require at
the least two lanterns, some needing three and even more.
There are a few, however, which can be exhibited by means
of a single lantern, and these will be considered first.
It is difficult to assign a reason for the decadence of
lantern exhibitions which has undoubtedly taken place in
the last few years. Signs of it are seen even in displays
confined to plain photographic slides, the average of which
is in quality markedly inferior to what it was ten, or even
five years since. But in " effects,"- the falling-off has been
very much more marked, and of displays such as used to be
given at the Polytechnic and elsewhere, there are now none.
It is to this change of fashion, or whatever else it may be
called, that we must look for the origin of a certain amount
of contempt felt by many lanternists for "effects," due
doubtless to the substitution for the old displays, of inferior
slides with bungling and incompetent exhibitors. The
popularity of the photographic slide, which does not lend
itself, or rather which has not been adapted to "effects " as
much as is possible, has something to do with the matter.
Still, as many of these illusions are among the finest things
that can be shown with the lantern, are marvels of
ingenuity and skill, and are still popular with some
audiences, they cannot be altogether ignored.
MOVING SLIDES AND EFFECTS.
The panoramic slide, as its name implies, is one which
depicts a wide expanse of scenery, the shape of the picture
being long and narrow ; the slide is gradually pushed
through the lantern, only a portion of it being seen at any
one time. A modification has been suggested, to get over
the liability to breakage inherent in such
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lengthy slides, in
the shape of a roll of transparent film, bearing the picture,
which is gradually wound off one roller on to another, as in
the photographic roll-holder.
Lever slides are constructed of two separate
glasses, one
fixed in the frame, the other capable of being partially
revolved while in the lantern by means of a lever. A
favourite subject for these is a cow standing in a pool, the
cow, minus its head, and the pool being painted on the fixed
glass. The cow's head being on the movable glass, on
shifting the lever, the cow appears to lower her head to
drink. Other subjects for this class of slide, which is best
adapted for juvenile audiences, are children see-sawing,
cobblers nailing, drummers, etc. In lever slides, as indeed
in all slides where more than one glass is employed, the
picture must be on the two inner surfaces, which are as close
together as practicable, without touching, otherwise it will
not be possible to get the two into focus at the same time.
Slipping slides, which also are more suitable for children's
entertainments, are likewise constructed of more than one
glass. In these, however, one of the glasses slides along in
front of the other, and either covers and uncovers some part
of the scene in so doing, or removes some portion and
substitutes something else.
Tinters consist of coloured glasses which can be slipped over
in front of the objective, so as to give any particular slide a
general colour. They are most effective with slides of
statuary and similar subjects blocked out so as to stand out
against a black background, and in using them care should
be taken that the tint is not too deep, a frequent error.
Of all types of mechanical slide, however, the chromatrope,
as it is called, is the highest. In this, two circular glasses
bearing geometrical designs are rotated in opposite directions
while in the lantern. One design crossing another in
this way can be made most effective, and it will be found