A transparent case to contain a light. Lanterns are of various kinds adapted to their peculiar uses; most of them are, however, too well known to need a description here. The dark lantern is so called from the circumstance of the light being entirely screened from observation at pleasure, by means of a door or sliding shutter, that covers its only aperture for the transmission of light. See Lamp.

Lantern, Magic, is an amusing optical machine, whereby painted objects upon glass placed between lenses, become considerably magnified in their shadows, which are projected against a whitened wall or screen. The lantern is inclosed so that no light can pass out of it, except through a double convex or plano-convex lens; around the circumference of this lens is fixed one end of a tube that projects from the lantern; the fine end of this tube receives another smaller tube which slides in it, and carries at its remote extremity a double convex lens. On the fixed tube between the two lenses, lateral apertures, or vertical slits are made, through which the objects painted on slips of glass are slided. The objects are thus illuminated, and their form and colours, on a magnified scale, transmitted with the light upon the screen.

The optical delusion termed Phantasmagoria, is produced by a similar machine to the magic-lantern; but instead of the figures being painted on transparent glass, all the glass is rendered opaque except the figure, which is painted in transparent colours, the light therefore shines only through the figure, which is thrown upon a very thin screen of silk placed between the spectators and the lantern; and it is by moving the instrument backwards or forwards, that the figures appear to recede or approach.