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JUGGLERS.

term xXeh-teiv, which implies a rapid movement, and withimperceptible swiftness. It consists in conveying speedily,and with great dexterity, whilst the performer endeavoursto divert the attention of the spectators from the observanceof his motions by various gesticulations and cant phrases,which none can understand, several light balls, accord-ing to the pleasure of any one of the company, underone or more cups; removing them sometimes from thewhole ; and conveying them back again in an imperceptiblemanner. In general they are thin leaden cups, and as manyballs of cork ; and to prevent disappointment to the juggler,by their slipping from his thumbs, or making a noise, hemust lay hold of them with great dexterity and quickness,and his table must be covered with green cloth.

These small balls the ancients called calculi; and the cupsacetabula, or paropsides. Casaubon hath already quotedmany of those passages in ancient authors which relate tothis subject; and Bulenger has repeated them : but neitherhave given the fullest and clearest description.

From the art of oratory deceiving the auditors, it hasincurred the same appellation among the ancients, as that ofthe juggler: from the Latin word gabata, mentioned byMartial, with paropsides, the French from these have madegobelets, and say, when speaking of jugglers, joueur desgobelets.

Feals of extraordinary Strength. —In all ages there haveexisted men who have attracted great attention by surprisinginstances of strength. It is susceptible of proof that above1500 years ago, there were people who by applying the prin-ciples of mechanical powers to their bodies, or placingthemselves in such a position as to answer well recognisedprinciples of mechanism, w r ere capable of performing feats,which have even astonished the world; although it is un-questionably true that any man of ordinary corporeal powers,could have performed the same by using similar means.

In the commencement of the last century, or about theend of the century preceding, a man of the name of Top-ham performed wonders in London ; he usually exhibitedon Tower-hill: he was called the strong man. About thesame period, or since, a man, who called himself Sampson,excited the attention of Germany by the same means;when he fixed himself between a couple of posts upon any levelplace, two or more horses could not move him; he couldbreak ropes asunder; lift a man up on his knee whilst heremained stretched upon the ground; and could suffer stones tobe broken upon his breast. The Roman Emperor Maxi-