Marty Jacobs wrote:
"For some years my repertoire consisted of eight tricks, but I knew them thoroughly. I was always ready to show them at any time, at any place, under any conditions. Until a man knows a trick so well that he is always ready to do it when he is called upon for a trick, he does not really know it."
That David Devant quote is taken out of context. He was talking about knowing how a trick is done (the workings of the method) as opposed to knowing how to do it (perform it in an entertaining manner). And while David Devant had eight tricks in his repertoire for "some years", he did eventually expand it to include more.
I can perform about ten tricks without thinking (and with a decent presentation). There are plenty more that I know well, but I'd need to refresh my memory before attempting to perform them.
Marty
I have covered this Devant quote in my most worthy Annotated Royal Road to Card Magic thus:
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The origin of this story is quite interesting. The young man in question was a fellow
named Fred Culpitt who later became a very accomplished performer who delighted in
telling this story against himself.
However, Devant himself describes the incident in his book (Lessons in Conjuring)
published in 1922 thus:
“Some years ago, when I was performing at the old Egyptian Hall twice a day and was in
the habit of receiving more offers of private engagements than I could possibly accept, a
young conjurer called to see me. I asked him how many tricks he knew. He made a rapid
calculation and replied” “About three hundred.” I told him that I knew eight tricks
myself. He seemed to be very puzzled but he is puzzled no longer by that reply, for he
has since learned wisdom and is now a very popular performer; he now appreciates the
difference between knowing how a trick is done and knowing how to do it.
When I told this young conjurer that I knew eight tricks, I meant, of course, that I
performed eight tricks. That was quite true. For some years my repertoire consisted of
eight tricks, but I knew them thoroughly. I was always ready to show them at any time,
at any place, under any conditions. Until a man knows a trick so well that he is always
ready to do it when he is called upon for a trick, he does not really know it.
To the amateur who has a superficial knowledge of many tricks and an unfortunate
habit of bungling even the simplest of them, my method of teaching will seem to be
painfully slow. I must ask that young man to take my word for it that my method is
sound. If he will take some of the tricks in this book and practice them according to my
directions he will certainly know those tricks thoroughly. That knowledge will have
some value, because in any assembly the man who can respond to the request: “Show us
a trick” is usually very popular.”