ABSTRACT
John Nevil Maskelyne's opening at the Egyptian Hall almost coincided with that of a rival. Dr Lynn, in fact, anticipated Maskelyne by just a week. Maskelyne, as honest and straightforward as any man on the stage, duly carried out his promise and The History of a Mystery! An Explanation of the Great Box Trick was published from Brighton in the same year. It probably relieved Maskelyne's feelings, and it may have provided a little publicity for both magicians, but it is doubtful whether there were any other significant results. Dr Lynn continued to perform the 'Box Trick', and the public continued to be impressed by it. Mysterious productions of eggs, handkerchiefs, sweets, and other such objects played a smaller part in Lynn's show than they did in the performances of most mid-Victorian magicians. Of all his tricks, the one which became the most notable was an effect to which he gave the unusual name 'Palingenesia'.
