Signor Blitz performed at the King's Head, Cuckfield on Monday and Tuesday last, and if it be true, as the old women say, that this singular little individual performs his wonderful feats by means of infernal agency, we are pretty sure that the devils which assist him are not blue ones.

However, we are tolerably certain that he is more indebted to his own good spirits than to any evil ones. The Signor has, during the last week, nightly exhibited that net plus ultra of the art cabalistic which he calls the gun trick.

Several of the most respectable gentlemen of this town, and, we have no doubt, good shots, have fired at him, with three, four, and five bullets, which were each one dropped into the gun before our eyes, by a different individual.

These little deadly agents, which had been previously marked, the Signor appeared to catch simultaneously with the discharge of the piece, as easily as an ape would catch so many nuts. This is marvellous!

We have puzzled ourselves to account for it, and have come to the conclusion, that his mamma, having some interest in the regions of Pluto, must have dipped him in the Styx, thus rendering him, like a second Achilles, invulnerable. The Signor, we understand, performs at Ditchling this evening and tomorrow.

Sussex Advertiser, 29 April 1833

The book is from 50 years in the Magic Circle: https://www.magiccollectibles.com/product/50-years-in-the-magic-circle-senor-blitz-1871-interesting-1881-note/

The mysterious and humorous Signor Blitz, The Library Company of Philadelphia and stereo photograph https://librarycompany.org/2013/02/07/the-mysterious-and-humorous-signor-blitz/

Contributed by Malcolm Davison.