"A conjuror is not a juggler; he is an actor playing the part of a magician; he is an artist whose fingers have more need to move with deftness than with speed. I may even add that where sleight-of-hand is involved, the quieter the movement of the performer, the more readily will the spectators be deceived."
Robert Houdin
"...That an open show of skill, however brief, is deadly during a magic act, because it gives the audience a reason not to believe. Even if they don't figure out the method, they'll attribute the effect to manual dexterity and not to magic... You're giving them the secret to everything you do. Magic is not about selling your prowess, it's about the effect you create - a profound violation of the natural laws of the universe. I don't want them to think I'm skillful, I'm a magician not a juggler. A juggler is selling skill. I want to get credit for my magic, not the skill.... This is not to say that the technique isn't important in magic - it's crucial - but must remain invisible at all times. There can be no man behind the curtain. There can't even be a curtain."
Wesley James
Robert Houdin
"...That an open show of skill, however brief, is deadly during a magic act, because it gives the audience a reason not to believe. Even if they don't figure out the method, they'll attribute the effect to manual dexterity and not to magic... You're giving them the secret to everything you do. Magic is not about selling your prowess, it's about the effect you create - a profound violation of the natural laws of the universe. I don't want them to think I'm skillful, I'm a magician not a juggler. A juggler is selling skill. I want to get credit for my magic, not the skill.... This is not to say that the technique isn't important in magic - it's crucial - but must remain invisible at all times. There can be no man behind the curtain. There can't even be a curtain."
Wesley James
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