We have seen that Richardson, Powell,
Dufour, and generally the better class of fire-
eaters were able to secure select audiences and
even to attract the attention of scientists in
England and on the Continent. But many of
their effects had been employed by mountebanks
and street fakirs since the earliest days
of the art, and this has continued until
comparatively recent times.

In Naturliche Magie, in 1794, Vol. VI, page
111, I find an account of one Quackensalber,
who gave a new twist to the fire-eating industry
by making a ``High Pitch'' at the fairs and
on street corners and exhibiting feats of fire-
resistance, washing his hands and face in
melted tar, pitch and brimstone, in order to
attract a crowd. He then strove to sell them a
compound--composed of fish glue, alum and
brandy--which he claimed would cure burns in
two or three hours. He demonstrated that this
mixture was used by him in his heat resistance:
and then, doubtless, some ``capper'' started the
ball rolling, and Herr Quackensalber (his
name indicates a seller of salves) reaped a
good harvest.

I have no doubt but that even to-day a clever
performer with this ``High Pitch'' could do a
thriving business in that overgrown country