,,prophetical1 ,,educational ,,and ,,playing ,,cards ,illustration3 ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots #a ,il ,bagattel #b ,la ,papessa #c ,l',imperatrice #d ,l',imperatore #e ,il ,papa #f ,gli ,amanti ,prophetical1 ,educational and ,playing ,cards ,by ,,mrs4 ,,john ,,king ,,van ,,rensselaer ,author of ,the ,devil's ,picture ,books1 ,etc4 ,,london ,,hurst ,,blackett1 ,ltd4 ,,paternoster ,,house #aiab ,,printed ,,by ,,the ,,george ,h ,,buchanan ,,company ,,philadelphia1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,the ,,oracle ,,of ,,ishtar ,,and ,,nebo ,,uttered ,,by ,a ,,woman ,,baya 7,,or ,,witch7 ,a ,,native ,,of ,,arabela ,i proclaim it aloud--,what ,has ,been ,will ,be--,i am ,nebo--,the ,lord of the ,writing ,tablet--,glorify ,me4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,i--,,prophetical ,,and ,,other ,,cards #bg-eg ,divining cards--,tablets of fate--,tarots--,gambling cards-- ,their difference--,persian cards--,oldest emblems--,standard packs of ,tarots--,german designs--,french designs--,rouge et ,noir--,persia and ,sweden--,writers on cards--,the three gods--,derivation of name--,mercury and his predecessors-- ,writer of ,e-,sigalia--,fortune-telling--,the priest of ,thoth--,speech--,italian ,tarots--,l',ombre--,from leaves to cards--,attributes of ,mercury--,atouts--de ,gebelin--,from arrows to cards--,gambling sticks of ,king ,qa--,rods-- ,devices--,argiphontes--,cyllenius or ,agoneus--,caduceator-- ,chthonius--,the study of cards--,rods--,many authorities-- ,papus--,temple at ,bai--,book of ,thoth--,addha-,nari-- ,heraldry--,tradesmen's signs--,lady ,mary ,wortley ,montagu-- ,terminus--,cestus--,pigs and tongues--,gazelle--,number ,thirteen--,joker4 ,,chapter ,,ii--,,the ,,book ,,of ,,thoth1 ,,hermes1 ,,and ,,nebo #eh-ga ,its leaves--,mercury's attributes--,il ,matto--,nebo--,tablets of fate--,the ,atouts--,their significance--de ,gebelin-- ,egyptian deities--,parchment records--,thoth the framer of laws--,bible of the gypsies--,attributes of ,mercury-- ,interpretation--,balaam--,the baru--,tte--,tte mysteries--,the pack--,l',ombre--,skus--,pagat--,austria n ,taroks--,the romance of a pack of ,tarots--,austrian games-- ,austrian game books--,a clergyman on cards4 ,,chapter ,,iii--,,mercurius #gb-ic ,the rank of ,mercury--,his occupations--,his statues-- ,cadueceus--,the purse bearer--,the sword--,the cup of ,hermes--,the four symbols--,nebo's temple--,e-,sigalia-- ,pozzuoli--,its merchants--,the ,serapeon--,serapis--,roman villas--,the temple of ,mercury at ,bai--,mercurius--,his work--,his parentage--,his ,infancy--,gifts from the gods-- ,golden-leaved rod--,wings--,the planet--,different cognomens--,representations--,thoth--,in ventions--,priests-- ,sirius--,hermes introduced by the ,pelasgi--,books of ,thoth--,inventor of games--,great teacher--,titles of books--,connection with cards--,their scientific arrangement4 ,,chapter ,,iv--,,thoth #id-ajh ,m4 ,maspero's description of temple--,mr4 ,rawlinson's account--,psammetchas--,nebo and ,thoth--,symbols--,the month--,its device--,tablet of ,khufu or ,cheops-- ,hieroglyphically described--,names of gods--,qualities and titles of ,thoth--,at judgment seat--,sacrifices--,books-- ,colleges--,priestess of ,thoth--,khufu--,thotmes--,cleopatra's needles--,generations of priests--,gypsies--,hermetic books--,the ghosts--,book of knowledge--,its boxes--,magical texts--,amulets--,ritual of the dead--,hall of two truths--,osiris--,confession--,three ,writings--,king of ,sais--,the dumb children--,some of the books of ,thoth--,the temple--,wall pictures--,origin of ,atouts4 ,,chapter ,v--,,nebo ,,or ,,nabu #aji-abc ,chaldean god--,different names--,parent--,wife--,presides at birth and death--,sword as symbol--,assyrian gods--,king's temples--,protector--,hymn to ,nebo--,borsippa--,e-,zida--,great library--,invocations--,titles--,emblems --,stylus--,god of ,revelations--,nabi1 ,naypes or prophet--,mr4 ,chatto's derivation--,early cards in ,italy--,planet--,assyrian gods identical with ,roman gods--,the ,moon--,the month--,dog star--,sacrifices--,card emblems--,boar--,temples--,cult-- ,nebuchadnezzar--,all wise--,asshurbanipal--,assyrian invasion--,mingling of cults--,highway of ,egypt--,cuneiform inscriptions--,tablets--,texts--,hymn to ,nabu--,origin of letters4 ,,chapter ,,vi--,,the ,,atouts ,,of ,,the ,,tarots #abd-agd ,consultation of the divinities--,wave offerings--,prayers-- ,priests and ,priestess--,hermetic books--,ishtar--,rods-- ,jackstraws--,rites--,graven images--,divining arrows-- ,l',ombre--,egyptian gods on the cards--,number ,one--,the ,pagat--,quotation--,baton de ,jacob--,meaning of ,rod--,choice of the boy--,lottery ,chart--,aleph--,meaning--,bohas and ,jakin--,initiation of youth--,tablets of fate--,korean superstitions--,fringes of temple--,numbers or letters-- ,number ,two--,la ,papesse--,isis--,emblems--,qualities--, eve-- ,derivation of name--de ,gebelin--,juno--,emerald ,tablet--,mr4 ,willshire--,juno's worshippers--,ritual of dead--,beth-- ,number ,three--,the ,empress--,maut--,attributes-- ,significances--,figure--,gimel--,dress- -,girdle--,titles-- ,number ,four--,emperor--,ammon--,daleth--,persi an cards-- ,titles--,invocation--,number ,five--,le ,papa--,phthah-- ,attributes--,hands--,fatima--,number ,five's ,meaning--,number ,six--,lovers--,cupid--,significance--,v au--,symbolism--,number ,seven--,chariot--,mystic meanings--,zain--,arrows--,marked ,yes and ,no--,chinese sticks--,mercury--,pythagoras--,the occult seven--,three ages of the world--,seven evil spirits--,hymn to them in ,assyric--,seven in the ,bible--,other references to that number--,number ,eight--,justice--,ma or ,truth--,the ,judge--,attributes--,tiemei--,heth--,ce res--,cups--,number ,nine--,the ,hermit--,aspect--,diogenes--,significan ce--,rod-- ,texts--,typical of shelter--,teth--,number ,eight--,rota1 ,wheel of ,fortune--,osiris--,anubis--,typhon--,th e ,circle-- ,wheels of ,ezekiel and ,pythagoras--,yod--,termius--,use of ,yod--,anubis called the ,lord of ,burying ,ground--,as jackal-- ,number ,eleven--,strength--,mystic hat--,una--,amazons--,kaph-- ,goddess ,neith--,emblems--,inscription on her shrine-- ,brides--,number ,twelve--,il ,pendu--,hanged man--,freemason's signals--,pagat--,lamed--,its meanings--,vulcan--,number ,thirteen--,death--,skeleton--,proverb-- ,horse of ,aurora--,bad luck--,its reasons--,mem and its meanings--,number ,fourteen-- ,temperance--,nut or ,nepte--,titles and description--,nun-- ,oil--,oblations--,number ,fifteen--,devil--,set or ,sutech-- ,parents--,title of ,hyksos kings--,ears--,zam--,significances-- ,number ,sixteen--,tower--,lighting god--,castle of ,plutus-- ,rameses ,,ii and the thieves--,bael--,enlil--,second ,dynasty of ,ur--,dr4 ,radau's translations--,goddess ,nin-,mar's hymn-- ,ayin--,number ,seventeen--,the stars--,dog star--,nebo's mountain--,hebe--,oblations--,gazelle--, typification--,number ,eighteen--,la ,lune--,attributes--,tzaddi--,diana--,nu mber ,nineteen--,the sun--,zoph--,ra and ,rameses--,number ,twenty-- ,day of ,judgment--,resh--,significance--,pluto- -,ishtar-- ,epitaph of ,lord de ,ros--,number ,twenty-one--,le ,monde-- ,verity--,four ,apostolic emblems--,their manifold meanings-- ,tau--,le ,fou or the ,joker--,mat--,emblems--,shin--,gypsies- - ,early ,tarots--,intention of ,atouts--,bible of ,gypsies4 ,,chapter ,,vii--,,pips ,,of ,,the ,,tarot ,,pack #age-aie ,suits--,court cards--,german1 ,spanish1 ,italian and ,french cards--,emblems of ,mercury--,four castes--,lucky devices-- ,addha--,nari--,phallus--,cteis--,vau--, jod-,he-,vau-,he--,divining arrows--,golden rod--,numbers #ag--,symbols of the ,israelites--,indian--,typical of families--,chinese fortune-telling--,zeichiku--,meisir games of ,arabia--,naib or prophet--,trfle--,coppas--,assyrian cup--,cup-bearers-- ,saki-bearer--,jamshid--,omar ,kayyam--,golden cup--,texts-- ,hall of ,two ,truths--,osiris--,ma--,thoth--,espadas or ,piques-- ,argiphontes--,meaning of sword in ,hebrew--,pitch-pot--,money suit--,collars--,zones--,meaning of suits--,numerical value-- ,court cards--,their meaning--,seventy-eight ,tarots--,rods of ,aaron4 ,,chapter ,,viii--,,some ,,old ,,italian ,,tarots #aif-bjg ,mysteries--,st4 ,paul--,osiris--,bewildered historians-- ,portrayed on the walls--,nebo the ,writer--,gypsies--,the crossed palm--,spanish cards--,the ,egyptian fleet--,essay of ,count ,emiliano di ,parravicino--,professional teachers of early days--,cards belonging to the ,duke di ,visconti--,the ,royal pack--,the artist da ,tortona--,a wedding gift--,old ,tarots--,the artist ,cicognara--,historic cards--,the proverb--,fibbias ,tarocci--,museum at ,bergamo--,victoria and ,albert ,museum--,beautiful ,tarots4 ,,chapter ,,ix--,,hearts ,,and ,,diamonds4 ,,spades ,,and ,,clubs #bjh-bba ,oldest ,french pack--,the costumes--,charles ,,vi--,the marriage fte--,the fire--,original ,french ,piquet pack-- ,invention of ,french pips--,vignoles and ,chevalier--,jacques ,coeur--,the ,palace at ,bourges--,money or ,carreaux--,swords or piques--,sticks or ,trfles--,the pun--,red and black--,the startling inquiry--,tarots1 ,playing ,cards or the ,book of ,thoth--,ignorance of writers--,french cards born three hundred years ago--,vignolles--,chevalier and ,jacques ,coeur--,piquet--,agnes ,sorel--,black and red--de ,gebelin's history--,confusion--,discussion--,preju dice4 ,,chapter ,x--,,court ,,cards ,,with ,,french ,,pips #bbb-bdd ,paio--,stock--,widow--,bunch--,pips--,c ourt cards--,their historic derivation--,the number of pip and court cards-- ,the ,joker--,his origin in ,america--,cunning ,mercury-- ,fantastic designs--,conservative court dresses-- ,double-headed and index cards--,costume of the ,kings-- ,their attributes and headgear--,charles of ,france--,old ,tarots in ,paris--,french cards--,the names on the ,french cards--,la ,hire--,the dress of the knaves--,their attributes--,patch the court fool--,nicknames--,the ,bowers-- ,skat--,le ,valet--,le ,fante--,il ,soto--,der ,ober--,der ,unter-- ,the ,queens--,elizabeth of ,york--,her husband's picture--,the history of ,elizabeth our ,queen of ,cards--,her birth1 education1 betrothal and costume--,the jilting ,dauphin-- ,louis ,,xi--,marriage--,the poem--,the credulous queen--,the elegy of ,sir ,thomas ,more--,elizabeth's effigy in ,westminster ,abbey--,card backs--,messages and invitations4 ,,chapter ,,xi--,,point ,,cards ,,with ,,french ,,pips #bde-beb ,the ,pique--,its names--,dr4 ,stukley's cards--,a ,picke-- ,clubs1 the emblem of ,agnes ,sorel--,hearts--,the ,ace--,the ,earl of ,cork--,le ,borgne--,spanish nicknames--,the ,deuce-- ,the curse of ,scotland--,duke of ,cumberland--,chinese card and counter boxes--,pope ,joan--,trey--,nicknames for the four and five spots--,grace's card--,lady ,dorothy ,nevill-- ,the origin of visiting cards--,the backs--,derivation of the name of ,tarot--,the reverse designs--,dolls and their furniture from cards--,thackeray's invitation--,sir ,jeffry ,amhurst's bid to a ball--,luck at ,piquet4 ,,chapter ,,xii--,,according ,,to ,,hoyle #bec-bgf ,the original game played with cards--,l',ombre and its successors--,manilla--,the ,matadores--,spadille--,nine of ,money--,the game described in ,cranford--,punto-- ,primero--,philip of ,spain--,piquet in ,england--,earl of ,northumberland's letters--,sidney papers--,sir ,walter ,raleigh--,the terms used in ,primero--,its ,italian rules--,rabelais--,shakespeare's and other plays--,terms used in ,primero--,the games that succeeded it--,mawe-- ,noddy--,gleek--,terms and nicknames used--,ruff1 ,whisk or ,whist--,piquet--,its inventors1 ,rules1 ,hands--,ballet-- ,references--,piquet or ,cent--,political satire--,hamlet's speech--,the age is grown so picked--,euchre--,heathen ,chinee--,american ,hoyle--,history of ,euchre--,dialect-- ,bower or youngster--,euchre derived from ,juch--,the ,german words--,an unreliable derivation--,poker--,jack-pot--,widow and ,kitty--,poker1 ,patience--,rules of game--,according to ,hoyle--,his birth and history--,the story of ,whist--,hoyle's rules--,cavendish4 ,,chapter ,,xiii--,,engraved ,,cards #bgg-bia ,print lovers--,invention of ,xylographic arts--,earliest wood cuts--,double purposes--,rare prints--,gregineur--,dr4 ,stuckley's pack--,cologne engraved cards--,spanish pips-- ,german emblems--,martin ,schoengaur--,le ,matre--,his designs--,e4 ,s4--,augsburg--,its guild of cardmakers--,the cards of ,nuremburg--,jost ,ammon--,his productions--,italian and ,netherland cards4 ,,chapter ,,xiv--,,playing ,,cards ,,for ,,educational ,,and ,,other ,,purposes #bib-cjg ,invectives from ,state and ,church--,destruction in ,nuremburg--,its ,museum--,the ,devil's ,picture ,books-- ,bishop ,latimer--,the ,text--,german instructive cards--,those of ,china and ,japan--,the ,friend's cards--,dr4 ,muruer's cards--,louis ,,xiv's cards--,history of ,france--,heraldic cards--,political and other packs--,cards with ,mercury's emblems--,harlequin cards--,musical packs--,japanese cards-- ,cards as ,christian and ,jewish ,prayer ,books--,grammatical cards--,plato's advice--,a tract--,astronomical and religious packs--,historical cards of the ,united ,states--,proverbs4 ,,chapter ,,xv--,,european ,,playing ,,cards #cjh-cba ,cards--,charles ,v--,proclamation in ,paris--,red ,book of ,ulm-- ,palamedes and the siege of ,troy--,egyptian gambling rods-- ,cards as postals--,evolution--,m4 ,angelo--,prince of ,pisa-- ,maffei ,ringhierri ,feliceano and ,menesturier--,singer-- ,chatto1 #acib--,st4 ,cyprian--,nearsighted writers--,the points of view--,concealed practices--,the game of gold-- ,chinese legend--,connection with divination--,count de ,gebelin--,the great dreamer--,connection with magic-- ,first ,french cards--,rouge et noir--,rapid spread through ,europe--,the sailors with ,columbus--,introduction of cards into ,america--,italian verses--,pictures--,literature4 ,,chapter ,,xvi--,,asiatic ,,playing ,,cards #cbb-cdj ,discoveries of ,messrs4 ,cushing and ,culin--,arrows of ,divination--,the ,magi before ,pharaoh--,the ,rod of ,moses at ,horeb--,the connection between arrows and cards--,korean cards--,alaskan rods--,the game--,hida ,island ,indian rods-- ,the next step--,htou-,tjyen or ,fighting arrows--,chinese lotteries and cards--,derivation of pips--,actor's cards-- ,jokers called ,blessings--,educational cards--,japanese cards--,historical1 gambling and divining arrows--,poetic cards--,cashmere cards--,persian cards--,their emblems4 ,,chapter ,,xvii--,,chess ,,and ,,other ,,games #cda-cfd ,chess a battlefield--,the ,emperor ,akbar and his queen-- ,lady ,dufferin's description of the ,palace of ,glass-- ,living ,chess--,two ,jokers--,derivation of ,chess--,troy-- ,crete--,nig--,egyptian caricature--,korean ,chess--,set in ,british ,museum--,chess from ,brahmins--,ravan1 king of ,ceylon--,seffa's trick--,persian words--,jussef's escape--,mora--,draughts--,the ,pharaoh--,greek and ,roman names--,french games--,checkers--,korean horses--,dice-- ,german dice cards--,korean dice--,dominoes--,jackstones-- ,materials--,ball--,pieces--,kong-,keui- -,chinese and ,korean games--,the sets--,muggins--,milking the cow--,grab--,peas in the pot--,horses in and out of the stable--,sweeping the floor--,spreading the table--,laying eggs--,setting eggs-- ,hatching eggs--,jackstraws--,a set described--,their values4 ,,chapter ,,xviii--,,fortune-,,telling ,,through ,,the ,,cards #cfe-chc ,methods--,etteila--,le ,normand--,fortune-telling cards-- ,rules--,meanings of cards with ,french pips--,a fortune told--,the hairdresser of ,paris--,the ,first ,napoleon--,les hautes sciences--,deductions of the fortune-teller-- ,papus--,definition of suits--,key to the pip cards of the ,tarots--,staves1 ,cups1 ,swords and ,money--,rules for reading the cards4 ,,chapter ,,xix--,,reading ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,thoth #chd-cib ,rules--,the first diagram--,directions for divination--,the young man's career--,a second game with its rules--,to establish fluidic sympathy--,the fourth deal--,etteila's method4 ,,illustrations ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots1 #a ,,to #f ,frontispiece ,facing ,page ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots1 #g ,,to #ab #cj ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots1 #ac ,,to #ah #ed ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots1 #ai ,,to #bb1 ,,with ,,two ,,court ,,cards #gd ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,court ,,cards #ih ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,cup ,,suit #aaf ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,and ,,court ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,cup ,,suit #adj ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,rod ,,suit #aff ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,and ,,court ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,rod ,,suit #aij ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,sword ,,suit #baf ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,and ,,court ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,sword ,,suit #bch ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,money ,,suit #bfd ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots1 ,,pip ,,and ,,court ,,cards ,,of ,,the ,,money ,,suit #bhh ,,swedish1 ,,korean ,,and ,,japanese ,,gambling ,,and ,,educational ,,cards #cab ,,english1 ,,german ,,and ,,chinese ,,gambling ,,cards #cbf ,,spanish1 ,,english1 ,,dutch ,,and ,,american ,,gambling1 ,,historical ,,and ,,educational ,,cards #ced ,,foreword ,if an apology is needed for writing again on the subject of playing cards1 the excuse may be offered that new lights have been turned on the subject1 so that there is fresh information to lay before the public1 derived from a close and exhaustive study of the ,european libraries and museums1 as well as of the pictures on the ,playing ,cards themselves or prints found in those repositories1 and also in the collection owned by the writer2 for these speak their histories to those who regard their symbols with appreciative knowledge1 since they had an immense significance when originally adopted4 ,it is twenty years since ,the ,devil's ,picture ,book was published and it is now out of print4 ,the writer has been frequently called upon to furnish papers on the subject1 so that it has been kept fresh in mind4 ,at the time that the first book was issued it was the only one that had been printed in the ,united ,states devoted entirely to the history of cards not necessarily connected with games4 ,since then little has been published on the subject1 and the information given in the present volume has been largely derived from the writer's own observations and studies4 ,a collection of ,playing ,cards1 begun at that time with a solitary pack brought as a curiosity by a traveler from ,algiers1 that bore the ancient pips of ,swords1 ,staves1 ,money and ,cups1 has now grown to hundreds of specimens culled from many different countries4 ,comparing these with each other1 and studying all obtainable histories on the subject1 leads to the conclusion that the writers of the seventeenth1 eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were correct when they stated that no historical record existed before the middle of the fourteenth century of games played with cards4 ,but each and all of the writers on ,playing ,cards agree that there were cards and that they seem to have been used for fortune-telling before #acej1 and also that there was a baffling resemblance between the traditions of the cards and what was recorded of the ,egyptian mysteries connected with the worship of ,thoth ,hermes4 ,it therefore followed that the history and traditions peculiar to the ceremonies connected with that personage should be studied in order to trace ,playing ,cards to their birthplace and find for them an origin1 without weakly stopping at the fourteenth century1 and declaring that cards came out of space1 as many authors have done4 ,the heraldic devices of ,mercury1 which are the emblems of what has always been called1 by historians1 ,the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 are in themselves mute proof of the connection of the ,tarots 7as they are now called7 with the cult of ,mercury4 ,these cards are the oldest ones known1 and the symbols are retained in ,italian ,tarots of to-day1 so it may be allowed that when ,playing ,cards are studied as the leaves of the book of a cult1 not as a game1 their own pictures relate the story that has lain dormant for many hundreds of years4 ,they only required to have a key in order to be intelligible to any one interested in the subject1 and this has been furnished by recognizing the four attributes of ,mercury in the card pips1 which had escaped the notice of students until the present time1 as well as the attributes of the picture part of the pack called the ,atouts1 which are those of ,egyptian gods4 ,the popular notion that cards were invented for the amusement of a crazy ,french king is quite disproved by the historical records of the ,tarots of the fourteenth century and the packs that survive4 ,there are some beautiful specimens in ,mr4 ,pierpont ,morgan's collection1 the emblems and devices of which are identical with records of the ancient ,tarots1 and these cards are very much older than the ,french packs4 ,although the gap between the old cards and the worship of ,mercury in ,etruria is still to be bridged through accurate historical data1 the inferential connection is too strong to be ignored and the rules of the games played with the cards intended for prophesying or fortune-telling1 as well as the tradition connected with the ,tarots themselves offer connecting links with the cult of ,mercury that cannot afford to be disregarded1 as has been done hitherto4 ,mr4 ,stuart ,culin1 in his introduction to ,korean ,games1 says3 ,investigation has been hitherto comparatively unproductive of results from the fact that most students have failed to perceive the true significance of games in primitive culture1 regarding them primarily as pastimes4 ,but he traces many of the games which are common to all children all over the world to a sacred and divinatory origin1 a theory that finds confirmation in their traditional associations1 such as the use of cards in fortune-telling4 ,that ,playing ,cards are derived from the mysteries of ancient days will prove to be such a novel idea to many persons that the well-worn expression3 ,it can't be true1 ,i never heard it before1 will be hurled at the author4 ,but such critics are begged to pause1 to consider the subject carefully1 and to marshal convincing proofs to the contrary before dipping caustic-tipped pens into the inkwells of ignorance1 doubt and disbelief4 ,court de ,gebelin1 over a hundred years ago1 was scoffed at and called a dreamer by the writers who followed him and wrote on the subject of ,playing ,cards2 yet these same gentlemen with strange accord1 while failing to advance any proofs of de ,gebelin's inconsistencies or ignorant deductions1 contradicted themselves by agreeing with his bold statement that the ,tarots were the survival of the cult of ,mercury or ,thoth ,hermes4 ,the nineteen-hundred-year-old crusade against cards1 as wicked tools of wicked persons1 dates from the struggle of the early ,christians against idolatry1 and this has been transmitted for generations1 although there are few persons who can trace their prejudices to the true origin4 ,nor do they realize how often ,divine commands to consult the occult were laid upon the ,israelites without carefully perusing the books of ,moses4 ,it may be as well to sum up in a few words the various proofs that the ,playing ,cards we now use are descended from the ancient mysteries4 ,first1 ,arrows1 and their successors1 ,straws1 ,sceptres or ,rods4 ,cups1 ,swords and ,money have always been used in connection with prophesying4 ,second1 the emblems of ,swords1 ,sceptres 7or ,stylus71 ,cups and ,money have always represented ,mercury1 ,thoth and ,nebo as their emblems or attributes4 ,third1 the worship of ,thoth was introduced into ,italy by the priests of that cult1 as is proved historically by the remains of their ,temple at ,puozzoli1 as well as the ,temple there to ,mercury1 near which place the ,tarots are still found in common use in their original form1 displaying pictures of the ,egyptian deities4 ,fourth1 the ,egyptians or ,gypsies are the fortune-tellers of ,europe and always use cards for the purpose4 ,fifth1 the name given originally to the ,tarots or prophetical cards that bear the ancient emblems was ,nabi1 ,naypes or ,prophets1 which name is retained for playing cards in many parts of the world4 ,thanks are due to the custodians of various museums who have displayed their collection of cards1 and in particular to the artist1 ,mr4 ,burton ,donnel ,hughes1 who kindly and skillfully designed the beautifully symbolic cover for this book4 ,m4 ,k4 ,,van ,,rensselaer4 ,new ,york1 #aiab4 ,,chapter ,i ,,prophetical ,,and ,,other ,,cards ,playing cards may be classified under three distinct heads4 ,first1 are those intended for divining purposes2 these have descended from an ancient religious cult that would be entirely forgotten were it not for the traditional ceremonies connected with consulting this oracle1 or ,the ,tablets of ,fate1 that are known as ,tarots1 and which are still used for fortune-telling in southern ,europe1 ,asia and ,africa4 ,the second division embraces cards used for gambling as well as for educational purposes1 which have a short and easily studied history covering the time of their invention and the amusements for which they were intended4 ,these date no further back than the end of the fourteenth century in northern ,europe4 ,the third division includes the cards used for amusement or gambling1 commonly known as playing cards1 which are found in common use all over the world1 although the designs on them vary with the location1 and those familiar in ,france1 ,england and the ,united ,states are unknown in ,spain1 ,italy1 ,germany1 ,sweden1 ,persia1 ,china or ,japan1 since each of these countries has playing cards peculiar to the nation and quite unknown to the others4 ,the ,french and ,german packs were invented solely for amusement or gambling purposes1 while the ,tarots1 with their typical and heraldic designs1 transmitted from early days1 are now only to be found entire in ,italy1 other countries having adopted one portion or the other of the original set as more convenient for games4 ,this separation renders the decks useless for divining purposes2 whereas1 when intact they are distinctly prophetical or fortune-telling cards1 that are derived from ancient mysteries1 not only bearing the emblems of the three prophetical gods1 but also those of the chief divinities of ancient days4 ,in some countries1 such as ,persia1 only the emblematic or picture part of the pack1 called by the ,italians ,atouts1 is used2 but the greater part of the world ignores these entirely and is ignorant that such cards exist1 recognising only the pip or suit part of the pack1 but in almost every quarter of the globe four suits composing a pack are known1 although the symbols on them vary widely4 ,the oldest emblems are those of the ,tarots that are still those most commonly known4 ,these are ,swords1 ,rods1 ,money and ,cups1 which are the pips familiar in ,italy as well as ,spain1 ,algiers1 ,south ,america1 ,cuba1 ,mexico1 ,porto ,rico1 the ,philippine ,islands and wherever the ,spanish language is used1 for the ,spaniards1 when conquering the world1 carried their favorite toys with them1 introducing them to the natives who accepted the novelty with avidity and used them for games1 just as the ,spaniards had adopted them from the ,italians4 ,the standard pack has ten pip and four court cards1 or fifty-six in all1 which are headed by a ,king1 a ,queen1 a ,cavalier and a ,knave1 and these cards all have names given to them according to the country where they are used4 ,cards for all parts of the world are made in ,paris and local preferences are closely followed1 although most countries manufacture their own cards1 and a considerable revenue is gained by taxing the product as well as the import of cards4 ,but while the ancient emblems are now commonly used in the countries mentioned1 the important part of the ancient pack has been discarded4 ,this comprised twenty-one picture cards1 which were a most necessary adjunct to the pip cards1 for when the fortunes of the players were to be revealed by reading the prophecies of the gods it was imperative that the two sets should be used in connection with each other1 but the complete pack that is still known as ,tarots can only be found in ,italy4 ,the ,german cards were never intended for fortune-telling1 but entirely for gambling1 and they have devices peculiarly their own4 ,hitherto no one has explained why or for what purpose these symbols were invented1 since they had no particular significance when used in connection with the cards4 ,they are ,acorns1 ,bells1 ,hearts and ,leaves1 and are partly heraldic emblems connected with the game of ,lansquenet4 ,there are but three male court cards called ,king1 ,over ,knave and ,under ,knave4 ,illustration3 ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots #g ,il ,carro #h ,la ,giustizia #i ,l',eremita #aj ,ruota della ,fortuna #aa ,la ,forza #ab ,l',appeso ,france uses the gambling pack invented for ,charles ,,vi about the year #acie4 ,this contains three court cards--namely1 ,king1 ,queen and ,knave1 and the cards display ,carreaux1 ,piques1 ,coeurs and ,trifles1 or as we know them ,diamonds1 ,spades1 ,hearts and ,clubs4 ,this ,french pack is the only one confining itself to two simple dominant colours1 while all other cards are extravagantly blazoned in variegated tints that are by no means as harmonious as the distinctive ,french ,rouge et ,noir1 which commends itself so well to players for gambling purposes1 that the packs of this nation are being now rapidly introduced and adopted all over the world to the exclusion of native designs1 even although these symbols have been inherited from the prophetical cards of prehistoric times4 ,this is due to the fact that the cards used for fortune-telling are not as convenient as those that were invented particularly for gambling4 ,in ,persia1 where only the ,atout or figure part of the pack is used1 while the pip part is omitted1 the figures are painted in harmonious colours and it is left for the tints of the background to indicate the suits4 ,in the ,kile ,kort or ,cucu pack of ,sweden 7which also has figures7 there are no colours whatever1 but the designs are printed in black ink on white cardboard4 ,this is also the case with old cards from the ,netherlands1 but none of these packs were ever intended for fortune-telling4 ,there have been many persons who have interested themselves in the history of playing cards1 and some of them have pierced the veil surrounding their cradle2 but1 generally1 since these students have only been interested in the cards as toys or gambling instruments or as rare specimens of painting1 engraving or stencilling1 the studies have not extended beyond the time when playing cards became common in ,europe1 or about the beginning of the fourteenth century4 ,none of these students followed the clues that would have proved the original purport of the tablets of fate4 ,in ,les ,etudes ,historique sur les ,cartes ,jouer1 by ,m4 ,c4 ,leber 7#ahdb71 the question is asked3 ,where do cards come from1 what are they and what do they say8 ,these queries the writer proceeds to answer only in part1 for he fails to see the connection of the cards familiar to him1 that have ,french or ,german pips1 with the more ancient ,tarots1 which1 in all probability1 he had never seen4 ,but ,leber states positively that cards are of ancient origin and ,eastern invention1 and primarily they constitute a symbolic and moral game4 ,he professes to be guided by the emblems on the cards themselves1 but he fails to decipher or to understand the evidences shown by the heraldic devices peculiar to one of the ancient ,greek gods1 which would have answered his questions4 ,according to the ,rev4 ,edward ,taylor and other authorities1 the emblematic and mystic cards called ,tarots were born long since in the ,east1 from whence they were brought by the gypsies for thaumaturgic purposes4 ,although it is declared that the gypsies always carried and consulted packs of cards ever since the wanderers were known in ,europe1 these people themselves have no history of their mystic book that they will disclose1 so the positive historical record of playing cards as used for gambling games or fortune-telling does not commence before the second half of the fourteenth century4 ,these cards are the ones we call ,tarots1 which are still common in ,italy1 and the emblems on the cards themselves reveal their original connection with the worship of ,mercury in ,etruria1 of ,thoth in ,egypt1 and of ,nebo in ,babylonia4 ,these three gods have the same attributes1 and were worshipped for many generations in the then civilised portions of the world2 yet the forms of their worship1 that have been so strangely transmitted to us through the greatest of their books1 the cards are now little understood and seldom consulted4 ,indeed1 the very name ,tarot has been deemed by some authors as positive proof that the cards are the unbound leaves of one of the great books of the ,temple of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 since they derive the word ,tarot from ,thoth or else from ,thror ,tahar1 which1 says ,wilkinson 7,volume ,,ii1 page #ij71 were the parchment records kept in the ,temple1 which are mentioned in the time of the eighteenth dynasty that were written on skins4 ,the same author states 7page #bjg7 that ,thoth framed the laws4 ,in fact1 his temple was the seat of all learning1 where doctors1 lawyers and scientists were able to study and to devote their knowledge to the god they worshipped4 ,it seems1 therefore1 that the name is in truth one of the links in the chain of evidence proving that what we use as playthings were once part of the great cult of ,mercury and his ,african or ,asian confrres1 in whose time the pictures and the emblems were thoroughly understood and were regarded with awe or reverently consulted1 since by their means alone could the wishes of the gods be made known to mortals1 through the medium of the priests of ,mercury1 ,thoth1 or ,nebo4 ,the intimate connection of the triple god is no fanciful suggestion1 but is acknowledged by all students4 ,nebo1 of the ,babylonians 7mentioned in the ,bible71 ,thoth1 of the ,egyptians1 and ,hermes1 of the ,greeks1 were all worshipped as gods of speech and inventors of transmitted ideas4 ,it is not credible that in ,asia or ,africa1 even as early as the twelfth dynasty1 that voice language or speech was a gift newly granted to mankind1 so there must have been some reason for the belief that these gods gave speech to mankind4 ,this is one of the superstitions puzzling many modern students who have tried to investigate the mysteries of the ,temple of ,thoth4 ,it is now believed that one of the priests who was connected with the cult conceived the bright idea of communicating the wishes of the planets1 of the vegetable and the animal kingdoms1 as well as those of the patron gods1 to mankind through a well-arranged system that had the ,temple of ,thoth for a centre and its priests as interpreters4 ,the power that this system would give to the learned men congregated in the vast ,temple of learning would be great1 and would increase their prestige to a wonderful extent4 ,before that time the primitive people were content with simple means of consulting the wishes of the gods1 or with the decrees written at the birth of each child on the tablet of fate by the writer of ,esigalia1 who was called ,neb4 ,the means generally resorted to were those still common in ,korea1 ,japan and ,china1 where the oracle is consulted by throwing a handful of sticks before a shrine4 ,among the ,arabs a sheaf of arrows is used4 ,gordon ,cummings describes his negro servants using sticks which were marked and then thrown on the ground1 when the natives desired to be told by their gods where the game lay and what direction to take when hunting4 ,the scientific arrangement devised by the priest of ,thoth that earned for his god the reputation of giving speech to mankind was done through placing on the walls of the temple a series of pictures representative of the chief gods1 such as ,thoth1 ,isis1 ,maut1 ,phthah and ,ammon1 as well as various virtues1 vices1 etc41 either pictorially or through heraldic and emblematic devices4 ,these mural pictures could be consulted by the priests by casting on a central altar a handful of arrows1 straws or rods1 that were always connected with the magic of the ,egyptians1 as is mentioned in ,exodus4 ,as these rods fell they naturally pointed toward the pictures on the walls1 and since these represented nearly every event in human life the speech or commands of the gods were readily interpreted by the priests1 who thus proved that ,thoth was the ,god of speech with themselves for his mouthpieces4 ,this superstition was carried out even to the sacrifice of tongues1 which was customary as late as the days of the ,roman emperors1 when tongues were used as one of the sacrifices to ,mercury4 ,it can easily be seen that the primitive arrows were incomplete without the interpretation of the pictures on the walls used in their connection1 just as the pip part of the ,tarot pack is useless for fortune-telling without the ,atouts1 which are supposed to be crude ,europeanized copies of the pictures on the walls of the ,egyptian temples representing their deities4 ,it will also be seen that the cards bearing the comparatively modern pips of ,hearts1 ,diamonds1 ,clubs and ,spades1 or of ,acorns1 ,bells1 ,hearts and ,leaves have no power whatever of translating the wishes of the gods1 since they were invented for another and widely different purpose4 ,some old and beautifully painted ,tarots have been found in ,italy1 so it is assumed that their use was common among the upper classes in that country1 who could afford to buy the beautiful unbound leaves of the great book of ,thoth1 long before there is any historical record of cards either for gambling or for fortune-telling1 and that these cards were probably used for the latter purpose whenever any wandering priest of the cult could be induced to interpret their meaning4 ,we find that these medival ,italian ,tarots are usually painted on cardboard by a skillful hand1 and that when they were used for amusement the game was called l',ombre 7or ,the ,man74 ,the rules for playing it show plainly that it was not originally intended for amusement1 but for a serious consultation of the wishes of the divine powers4 ,in short1 the game was identical with fortune-telling1 since the most important rule determines that only two persons took part1 the one to inquire the future1 and the other to interpret the meaning of the cards that were dealt4 ,both the rules for laying out the pack and the value or significance of the cards point to the occult meaning of the game1 which is still played with somewhat the same laws1 although alterations and modifications have crept in that obscure the original intention1 of consulting an oracle which is probably not even conjectured by modern players of ,tarocci1 as the game is now called4 ,the arrangement of the unbound leaves of the book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 that is regarded to-day as a mere pack of playing cards1 enabled the priests 7or initiates1 as we may call them7 of ancient days to carry a pack on their persons1 so that the wishes of the gods might be consulted at any place4 ,this rendered it needless to enter the ,temple of ,mercury for the purpose1 which had been the custom before the ,christian era4 ,after this time secrecy was probably necessary1 since the priests of the ,roman ,catholic ,church naturally discouraged any consultation with the gods of ancient mythology1 although the people might cling privately to the cult that they had enjoyed and had believed in since prehistoric ages4 ,through appealing to the prophets 7or fortune-tellers1 as the priests of ,mercury would be deemed at present7 the superstitious people believed that they were actually receiving divine guidance1 and this belief is secretly held by many1 even in the twentieth century2 although few of those who consult diviners through playing cards realise that they are worshippers at the shrine of ,nebo1 of the ,babylonians2 the great god ,thoth1 of the ,egyptians1 or their successor1 ,mercury1 of the ,romans4 ,many links in the chain connecting playing cards with the ancient mysteries can be separately taken up and studied4 ,in the first place1 the histories of ,mercury show him as being worshipped under several distinct attributes1 combined with that of being the ,interpreter or ,messenger of the gods1 and the students who were of his cult learned twenty or more of the arts and sciences which ,thoth or ,mercury was supposed to have invented1 such as speech1 music1 painting1 agriculture and astronomy1 all of which were under his protection4 ,virtue1 vice1 death1 temperance1 health1 joy and sorrow each had an emblematic figure peculiar to and connected with it1 such as a hanged man or a skeleton4 ,each of these figures1 if displayed on the walls of a temple could be recognised even by an unlettered congregation1 so the people would have been accustomed to these representations1 even after they were removed from the walls to the flat surface of the cards and no longer displayed in their exalted positions4 ,the emblematic figures found on the ,tarots and called the ,atouts are still known by the names given to them when the ,egyptians introduced them to ,europe1 and are as familiar in ,italy to-day as when worshipped under the protection of ,mercury4 ,after a little study the attributes displayed on the modern ,tarots show most plainly their ,egyptian origin1 and mutely declare their pedigree--the image1 value and position of each card1 unchanged for ages1 all silently pointing to this4 ,yet1 while strangely conforming to all the attributes1 decorations and posture of the gods as represented in the ,egyptian temples1 the designs have been so modernised as to be at first difficult to recognise4 ,it is supposed by several authors1 notably by ,court de ,gebelin1 as early as #aggc1 when he published ,the ,primitive ,world1 that originally the twenty-two figures of the ,atout or emblem part of the ,tarots were painted on the walls of the temples1 a fashion inherited from ,biblical times1 to enable the worshippers to recognise gods1 sciences1 arts or conditions represented by the figures and their attributes when it was wished to consult them4 ,discoveries in ,babylonia and ,egypt since ,de ,gebelin's time have confirmed his suppositions4 ,these figures in themselves were insufficient for communicating with the gods1 for they were speechless1 so for the purpose of transacting business with them the second volume of the book of ,thoth was adopted by taking from the peasants their ancient fashion of consulting the gods through the throw of arrows or rods4 ,these were marked with figures representing a father1 a mother1 a child and a servant1 and four tokens or heraldic devices were also scratched on the rods1 dividing them into the suits that have been so universally retained4 ,these symbols were always connected with the worship of the gods1 and ivory rods bearing these devices have been found in the tomb of ,king ,qa1 who is supposed to have lived about #djjj ,b4 ,c4 ,thus1 the ancient divining arrows became the pip cards now in general use1 while the pictures on the walls1 or the ,atout part of the pack1 is unknown except in ,italy1 where the complete book of two volumes with twenty-two ,atouts and fifty-six pip leaves is still found4 ,originally what we call the suits or pip cards were probably simply rods inherited from ,moses and ,aaron1 or perhaps only a quiver full of arrows1 or a bundle of straws1 which we know were used at the ,delphic oracle2 and out of these primitive articles the cards were evolved4 ,on them were placed the four heraldic emblems of ,mercury by which any statue or painting of him may be readily recognised4 ,these emblems are convincing proof that cards were part of the worship of ,mercury1 since the four suits of the ,tarots represented the four chief attributes of the god1 those symbols by which he is universally recognised1 which are ,espadas 7,swords71 ,denari 7,money71 ,bastoni 7,rods71 and ,coppas 7,cups74 ,any one familiar with the many beautiful statues of ,mercury that are scattered through the great museums of ,europe1 or the funeral urns or sarcophagi on which ,mercury is represented1 is aware of this4 ,first1 he appears as ,argiphontes1 with the harp or sword at his side1 given him by his father1 ,jupiter4 ,second1 he is shown as ,cyllenius1 or ,agoneus1 holding a purse1 through the meshes of which round coins can be seen1 signifying the protector and representative of merchants4 ,third1 he appears as ,caduceator1 or the messenger of the gods1 bearing aloft the caduceus1 or magician's rod4 ,fourth1 he is represented as ,chthonius1 presiding at birth or leading the soul to the unknown regions1 when his emblem is the ,cup of ,fortune4 ,this emblem inspired the shape of the beautiful ,etruscan funeral vase1 which is in itself symbolical and derived from the worship of the ,assyrians4 ,he is frequently represented by a cup or chalice1 since ,mercury was also the cup bearer of the gods1 like the butler of the ,pharaoh 7,genesis xl71 who protected his master from poison4 ,when he was the messenger he held to the lips of mortals the seven-ringed cup of sorrow or joy1 and the many significances of this cup1 although now nearly forgotten1 were realised by the ancient worshippers as an important emblem of the functions of the god4 ,if the ,tarots are the direct descendants of the occult images in the ,temple of ,thoth1 as is conceded1 it must also be acknowledged that then these cards each has a meaning or intention worth studying1 if only to discover their secret2 and that if they are connected with the ancient mysteries they represent human life in all its phases4 ,to wrest their secret from them has been the endeavor of many writers1 some of whom have learned their portent traditionally1 others through careful historical investigation1 while some confess to inspiration without authority or support1 but not one of these authors discovered the important connection between the emblems on the cards and those representing ,mercury heraldically under his chief guises1 although such a discovery would have been conclusive proof that their surmises were correct and that cards were the survival of the cult of ,mercury and his predecessors4 ,nevertheless1 a thorough examination of all these writers shows that through different channels they all come to the same conclusions1 and by comparing their writings with that of the original rules for the game of l',ombre 7or ,the ,man7 quite a definite idea of the value and meaning attached to each card by the initiates or priests of ,mercury may be reached4 ,raymond ,lulle 7#abce-acae7 gives an historical account of ,tarots in his ,ars ,magna4 ,jerome ,cardeau 7#aeja-aegf7 writes of the historic pack in his work ,subtility4 ,an ,english writer named ,mathers has written exhaustively about the great book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 chiefly with the view of explaining fortune-telling through a correct reading of the mysterious leaves4 ,court de ,gebelin1 although sneered at by the authors who followed him1 who found his learning too deep for their understanding1 has given a lucid account of ,tarots and their connection with divination1 while ,boiteau1 in his ,les ,cartes ,jouer et la ,cartomancie2 ,merlin1 in his ,origin des ,cartes2 ,chatto1 in his ,facts and ,speculations ,about ,cards1 and ,taylor1 in his ,history of ,playing ,cards1 agree that cards appeared suddenly in ,europe early in the fourteenth century1 that the cards of that day were the ,tarots1 or the fortune-telling cards1 that they were altered to suit ,dutch1 ,swedish or ,german tastes1 or the fancies of a ,french king1 following also the desires of each nation that adopted them for gambling purposes1 with no thought of the ancient cult to which they had belonged4 ,not one of them1 however1 pointed out the connecting link with the emblems of ,mercury1 or explained the reason for this sudden appearance in civilised nations of these fortune-telling packs1 except ,de ,gebelin1 while even he failed to connect the attributes of ,mercury with the pips on the cards or the emblematic figures on the ,atouts that still show the attributes of the chief gods of ,egyptian mythology1 that would have been such convincing proofs of their origin4 ,we are indebted to ,papus1 in his ,tarots of the ,bohemians1 for clearly pointing out that the cards are derived from the book of ,thoth and for explaining the meaning of each leaf4 ,but even ,papus1 shrewd and far-seeing as he is1 does not bridge the chasm lying between the temples of the ,egyptian deities and the introduction of cards into ,europe1 although he recognises the paramount importance of the emblem of ,rods1 which he wisely calls ,sceptres1 since he sees the value that such a symbol of power was to the ancients1 and he never condescends to call the pip by its vulgar name of ,club4 ,it is the more strange that the surviving signs connecting the ancient worship of ,mercury with the emblems on the pip cards remained unnoticed1 for the old ,temple of ,mercury at ,bai remains with its vaulted roof in a fairly good state of preservation2 and on the ceiling of this temple can still be seen traces of pictures resembling those on the ,atouts4 ,almost obliterated and difficult to see1 since the place is dark and there is no means of lighting1 they can yet be discerned1 even though it would be impossible to reproduce the emblems4 ,they are in the shape of the old ,atouts1 that is to say1 the figures are enclosed in a well-defined line the shape of a card1 and the same size if considered in reference to that of the emblematic pictures4 ,two of them are distinct enough to show a figure1 although which one of the ,atouts is intended it is now impossible to say4 ,traces of other ,atouts may be discerned all along the roof of the building1 although they are being rapidly destroyed by the weather4 ,enough evidence exists now to show that1 in this house erected to ,mercury by the rich merchants of ,rome1 the emblematic figures were displayed as ornaments on the ceiling and were not concealed in alcoves or curtained niches1 which some writers have supposed was done in the more ancient temples of ,egypt where pictures have been discovered that have puzzled the savants who have not connected them with the worship of ,thoth or ,serapis4 ,why the emblems of ,mercury did not receive recognition from the authorities on playing cards of the past three centuries1 or from others1 remains a mystery1 since it seems to be quite evident that1 while the ,atouts show the various virtues1 vices1 arts and crafts1 which were under his protection1 the pip cards display his four chief attributes1 and that these were evidently placed in the book to represent the god when it was necessary to call on his good offices to protect or guide merchants1 to direct love affairs1 to encourage warriors or to inspire scientists4 ,no other derivation for these devices has even been suggested1 and these self-evident links in the chain of evidence connecting playing cards with the worship of ,mercury have been totally ignored4 ,many students have1 however1 pointed out that the ,tarots are the survivors of his cult and were originally the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus4 ,in the ,catalogue of ,playing and ,other ,cards in the ,british ,museum1 by ,william ,hughes ,willshire1 ,m4 ,d4 7#ahgf1 page #eb71 he shows a picture of ,addha-,nari1 saying1 she is the ,isis of the ,hindus1 a pantheistic emblem typifying ,nature1 ,truth and ,religion4 ,in this ,hindu emblematic figure the four symbols of the ancient ,tarots 7now the suit marks of the numeral playing cards of the ,tarots and of ,italy and ,spain7 are placed in the four hands of the figure that has the crescent or emblem of prophetic power on her head--namely1 the ,cup1 the ,circle 7or ,money71 the ,sword and the ,magician's ,rod4 ,these are recognised1 says ,mr4 ,willshire 7page #fb71 as being the symbols of the four chief castes into which men were divided on the banks of the ,ganges and of the ,nile4 ,accordingly1 the ,cup denotes the sacerdotal rank or priesthood2 the ,sword implies the king1 a soldier or military type2 the ,circle or ring of eternity 7that in the hands of the protector of commerce became ,money7 typifies the world or commercial community1 and the ,staff is emblematic of agriculture or the tiller of the soil4 ,this connection between these symbols with those on the ,tarots has been copied slavishly by many authors as the only explanation for the adoption of these devices4 ,that there were in early days these principal caste divisions is unquestionable1 and men of the different professions selected their heraldic emblems when consulting the oracle to worship or consult ,mercury as ,chthoneus1 ,argiphontes1 ,cyllenius or ,caduceator4 ,the bridge connecting the great goddess of ,india with ,mercury has not yet been built1 although the foundations have been laid and will soon be given to the world4 ,it is sufficient to say at present that the mythologies of ,babylonia and ,egypt have mingled mysteriously1 and that the mother of ,thoth is connected with the ,indian deity so that symbols and rites common to one country are often found in the sister continent4 ,before the era of printing men crystalised their ideas by making pictures to portray the thing or person that it was desired to represent4 ,thus the heraldry of to-day is simply this crude idea scientifically treated and classified1 and a coat-of-arms is the name of a family pictorially represented4 ,the totem of the ,north ,american ,indian displays his family cognomen in this way1 as do the various symbols of uneducated people all over the world who are unable to express their ideas in written characters4 ,signs over the doors of tradesmen carry out the same plan1 as the barber's basin or pole 7the latter being really the caduceus of ,mercury1 that was inherited from the doctors who studied at the ,temple of ,thoth74 ,the bunch of grapes or bush of a wine dealer shows an inn1 and a well-known saying of ,lady ,mary ,wortley ,montagu recalls this1 for she remarked1 ,how should we know where the wine was sold if we did not see the bush8 ,thus1 also1 at a cross-road where directions from the god ,terminus 7,mercury7 were required1 his pointing finger ,illustration3 pointing finger 7which was also the ,yod found on the ,tarots7 was a pictured sign that all could comprehend4 ,it is the same with all the other emblems connected with this ubiquitous deity1 and the ancients understood these devices far more easily than we of to-day1 as the lapse of time has caused the intention of many of them to be forgotten1 and none more so than those of ,mercury on the pip cards of the ,tarots4 ,that their meaning is forgotten is not the fault of those who credited transmitted knowledge through pictures instead of written words1 as the devices remain as a simple key to the origin of cards that originally were intended only as a means of communicating with occult powers4 7,see ,numbers xvii47 ,in order to come closely to the meanings attributed to the devices as well as to the figures on the ,atout part of the ,tarots1 each one must be studied separately1 and close attention must be given to the other connections with the cult of ,mercury that have not been dropped from the cards in the course of ages1 but which remain to enlighten us4 ,thus1 the girdle or cestus that ,mercury stole from ,venus encircles the deuce of ,money1 and all the oldest cards retain this symbol as well as those manufactured now4 ,this card plays an important part in the soothsayer's pack4 ,under some conditions it signifies thieving1 which probably refers to the theft of the girdle4 ,a pig is always displayed on the two of bells of the ,german pack that was evidently derived from the ,tarots1 since it was sacred to ,nebo4 ,pigs and tongues 7representing speech7 were always part of the sacrifice to ,hermes at his annual festival1 and both were sacred to ,proserpene1 whose descent to hell was celebrated on the day she was dragged from her mother1 ,ceres1 and conducted by ,mercury ,chthoneus1 to the arms of ,pluto4 ,a gazelle under a palm tree is placed on the knave of ,money1 which recalls the worship of ,osiris1 in which ,thoth plays such an important part4 ,according to a legend1 the gazelle gives notice of the rising of the waters of the river ,nile by fleeing from its wonted feeding grounds on the banks to the recesses of the desert1 long before the first signs of the coming flood are noticed by mankind4 ,the gazelle acts in this way as a lieutenant to ,hermes1 or as a messenger from the gods to humans1 and it is sacred to ,thoth1 who was afterwards1 by the ,romans1 merged into ,mercury4 ,thoth is also represented on the ,fool or ,joker4 ,illustration3 ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots #ac ,la ,morte #ad ,la ,temperan #ae ,il ,diavolo #af ,la ,torre #ag ,le ,stelle #ah ,la ,luna ,the number thirteen has always received mystic reverence1 and the reason for this has been sought by many4 ,among the ,atouts that number is on the card representing ,death4 ,mercury's festival falls on the thirteenth of the fifth month1 so the thirteenth card has more than one significance to the believers in the old pictured symbols1 particularly when connected with the ,tarots4 ,the card known to us as the ,joker combines in itself all the versatile qualities attributed to the god ,hermes himself1 and it is small wonder that it was so regarded1 as he was supposed to represent in his own person so many and such different things4 ,among the ,atouts it is called ,le ,fou 7the ,fool74 ,it has no number in the pack and was not one of the pictures that were placed on the walls1 but was probably a statue occupying the centre of the temple1 where it might be separately approached4 ,among the cards it outranks all others1 and is as volatile and as little to be depended upon as the god of ,quicksilver himself4 ,it controls and dominates every card in both the pip and ,atout parts of the pack4 ,it represents the unforeseen1 the unexpected1 uncertainty or uncontrollable fate1 and the destiny that presides over every walk in life4 ,it stands for ,destiny1 whether it be called ,kismet1 ,luck1 ,chance1 ,fate or ,mercury1 who alone could tell to mortals what he had foretold at their birth1 when as the ,writer he inscribed on his tablets all the events of life4 ,through studying the ,joker and the value bestowed on him in the old as well as in the modern packs the similarity of the powers that he wields with those that were attributed to the ,hermes of the ,greeks may be recognised1 and this representation of irresponsibility1 of chance or of luck1 is found in every part of the world where divining cards are used4 ,it marks the difference between the ,tarots and the ,french1 ,german and ,swiss packs that were invented for gambling only1 and were never intended for fortune-telling4 ,that packs in the ,united ,states1 with ,french pips1 have a ,joker1 does not prove that in ,france the gentleman is known1 for he made his appearance here after #ahej1 as will be related later4 ,the way that the ,joker is represented varies most strangely4 ,sometimes the card shows a group of huddled imps4 ,sometimes it is a blank like that of ,korea and ,japan1 or it may show the figure of a clown or a jester like that of ,austria4 ,it would be interesting to follow the history of jesters through the troubadours from ,mercury himself4 ,but each and all representations have the same value when luck rules1 and the ,joker takes every card in the pack4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,tarot ,,pack ,,of ,,cards ,the complete pack of ,tarots 7sometimes called the book of ,thoth7 contains seventy-eight leaves1 and1 of these1 fifty-six bear pips1 with four court cards to each suit1 which show the attributes of ,mercury1 namely3 ,swords1 ,staves1 ,money1 and ,cups4 ,besides these1 there are twenty-two cards with emblematic figures1 that were also connected with the worship of ,mercury or some of the ancient mysteries2 and they1 as a whole1 represent the chief moral or spiritual characteristics of mankind1 the cardinal virtues1 marriage1 death1 creation1 and resurrection1 closely following the attributes of the ,egyptian deities4 ,they are presided over and controlled by ,mercury himself1 the card being named in ,italy il ,matto1 or le ,fou2 and we know it as the ,joker4 ,this figure was also originally intended for ,thoth or ,nebo and is often presented as a vagabond or tramp1 who typifies irresponsibility1 the elements of uncertainty1 chance1 or luck1 that pervade all the concerns of life1 and which must be acknowledged and provided for under all circumstances1 and in all social conditions from the emperor to the beggar4 ,the close resemblance of this ,matto1 in all the attributes bestowed upon him in the card world1 to the ,greek god ,hermes should not be overlooked1 for he was so rapid in his movements as to have quicksilver named after him1 the mineral that has so many qualifications and is so uncertain4 ,the name was probably given to the metal by the scientists who belonged to the ,egyptian temple of learning4 ,then1 too1 its healing qualities were recognised by the medical world of ancient days1 and1 as these wise men were under the protection of the god ,hermes1 that also may have contributed to its having been named after him4 ,mercury also was the unexpected and versatile god who attended the dying1 although he did not cause the death4 ,he was the inventor and patron of games1 although he was no gamester himself1 but he personified luck and chance2 so1 with these and many other characteristics1 ,mercury was1 indeed1 the ,joker of the pack1 the ,trump that captures all other cards4 ,the twenty-two ,atout cards1 as they are called1 present allegorical figures in which the attitude1 the costume1 the accessories1 and the attributes each have a significance that may be traced back to their origin1 and although some of these symbols are still unidentified1 the greater part are recognised1 so the value of the figure itself is understood4 ,some of them were connected with one or the other of the arts1 crafts1 or sciences that were taught by the priests of ,thoth1 and by them transmitted to their successors in ,italy2 twelve of them represent the gods of ,olympus2 the others are connected with ,egyptian gods or can be traced to even earlier ceremonies connected with divination4 ,before describing each one of the ,atouts and their meanings1 it must be mentioned that1 while many authors have written of different packs of cards1 there are but two authors who have made a study of the ,tarots1 and that neither of these regards the packs as toys or gamblers' instruments1 but as the outcome of a great mystery or religious cult4 ,court de ,gebelin1 as early as #aggc1 declared3 ,the complete pack of ,tarots1 with pip and emblem cards together1 were part of the ,egyptian mysteries1 and particularly of the worship of ,thoth1 and he traces the resemblance of the figures and the quality or value attributed to them to ,isis1 ,maut1 ,anubis1 or other personages in the ,egyptian cosmogony1 which theory is confirmed by ,papus in his ,tarots of the ,bohemians4 ,a careful study of ,sir ,gardiner ,wilkinson's ,ancient ,egyptians1 and ,mr4 ,rawlinson's ,ancient ,egypt1 shows how accurate these surmises were1 for the origin of many of the figures on the ,tarots can be traced in these works1 although in the days of de ,gebelin1 ,egypt was a sealed book to students4 ,sir ,g4 ,wilkinson stated in ,ancient ,egyptians 7,vol4 ,,ii1 page #bjg73 ,parchment was used for the records kept in the temples and is mentioned in the time of the eighteenth dynasty1 when there were histories written on skins called ,thr1 or ,tahar1 and ,thoth 7,hermes7 framed the laws4 ,this proves that the rules governing mankind emanated from the temple of ,thoth 7as the name is indifferently spelled71 and that1 if it were necessary to give publicity to the mandates1 it could be done outside of the temple with written characters1 or ideographically4 ,probably letters were not used at the time1 although ,thoth was the god of letters and the inventor of the alphabet2 but symbols and emblems were adopted1 since they could be more easily understood by illiterate people4 ,this1 then1 might well have accounted for the figures of the ,atouts1 even if there were no other reasons for them4 ,we are indebted to ,m4 de ,gebelin for connecting the ,tarots with this cult1 as well as to ,papus1 for the latter1 in his ,tarots of the ,bohemians1 not only accepts the statements made by the other writer1 but tries to prove that the ,tarot pack was the ,bible of the ,gypsies and states that it was also the book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus of ancient civilization4 ,other writers who have studied the cards believe that they are the key to forgotten mysteries2 but none of them have pointed out the significant facts connecting the emblems of the suit cards with the heraldic attributes of ,mercury1 and none have noted the value and connection between the different figures of the ,atouts with those of the gods of ,babylonia mentioned in the ,bible1 yet they are so remarkable that it seems incredible that they should have been so long overlooked by those who were searching for the origin of ,playing ,cards4 ,it is quite evident in the first place that the ,staff1 or magic wand1 must have been inspired by the caduceus1 or1 perhaps1 by the stylus1 which is also emblematical of ,thoth and was used by the ,babylonian god ,nebo to write on his tablets of fate4 ,the ,sword was derived from the ,harp presented by ,jupiter to his son1 ,mercury1 and was also used by ,nebo4 ,the purse of ,money1 and the ,chalice1 have from the earliest times been connected with spiritual uses and the mysteries of the three prophetical gods4 ,any one of the four denoted ,mercury1 while not one of the other gods of ,olympus1 ,babylonia1 or ,egypt was ever so marked1 and none of them combined all the sciences and arts that were practised by his priests and dedicated to the honour of the god who was worshipped as the prophet and messenger from gods to men4 ,the connection of the ,tarot cards with astronomy and astrology is a study by itself1 but1 since these sciences were part of the course of studies pursued by the priests of ,thoth1 many emblems connected with them are found on the ,atouts4 ,these had meaning for those learned enough to read the signs4 ,but each ,atout1 be it connected with kabbalism1 demonology1 ,babylonian1 ,egyptian1 ,greek or ,roman mythology1 is written in a language now partly forgotten1 but once widely known and revered4 ,at first the book of ,thoth1 or prophetic cards1 was only in the hands of the priests2 but as the meaning of these detached leaves was from time to time revealed to the educated classes1 these persons learned to consult the ,tarots for themselves when desiring to know the wishes of the gods4 ,a systematic arrangement of the cards could be made by a couple of players1 and this tte-a-tte method of asking for divine guidance is a very ancient custom1 and must receive due recognition when studying the cult of ,mercury1 for it must be particularly noted that all the earliest known games with cards are invariably for two persons and two only1 so that when more players were added to the game its name was altered4 ,it will be recalled how many times magical performances are mentioned in the ,bible1 one of the most notable being in ,numbers xxii1 when ,balak consulted ,balaam4 ,the whole ceremony is there graphically described1 but these two men were the only ones who took active part in the ceremony1 although ,balak sent the elders of ,moab and the elders of ,midian to ,balaam with the rewards of divination in their hands4 ,by some people it might be supposed that ,balak intended to bribe ,balaam for a favorable report from his god1 but ,when ,balaam saw that it pleased the ,lord to bless ,israel1 he went not1 as at other times1 to seek for enchantments 7,numbers xxiv3#a74 ,the whole history of the occult transaction shows that these two men alone took part1 although others stood aloof and watched from afar4 ,prof4 ,samuel ,daiches1 in his essay1 ,balaam a ,baru1 declares that ,balaam was a sorcerer pure and simple1 quoting from certain ,babylonian tablets written in cuneiform characters1 to prove his resemblance to the baru of the ancient ritual who would be deemed a magician in these days4 ,professor ,daiches also states that1 in the ,babylonian ,ritual ,tablets lately deciphered1 is found the statement that the diviner and the inquirer in the ceremony have both to be engaged and present when the wishes of the gods are to be consulted1 and that this was followed in religious ceremonies in many other countries4 ,this custom is adhered to at present in the ,roman ,catholic ,church when the penitent confesses to the priest1 the two people being alone and shielded from observation4 ,all the early games for the ,tarots were arranged for two persons4 ,the modifications that crept in after #adjj allowed other players to join1 when different names were given to the newly invented games4 ,the main rules were but little altered and the play was only changed in order that others might take part1 which is one of the clearly defined marks indicating the period when the ,tarots were discarded by initiated persons and adopted by people in general1 who accepted the cards for amusement1 leaving the prophetic mysteries to the superstitious4 ,the complete pack of ,tarots1 as it came from the ancients1 consists of two parts1 twenty-two ,atouts and fifty-six suit cards1 or seventy-eight in all2 but these are used only in ,italy4 ,a pack called ,tarok or ,taroc is a favorite in ,austria and ,hungary1 though unknown elsewhere1 a fact of which the ,viennese are inordinately proud1 for they declare1 and with truth1 that their game is scientific and requires keen intellects to play it successfully4 ,but their handbooks on the game do not recognise the fact that their cards are copied from the ancient ,book of ,thoth1 and that their game is almost identical with the original one of divination called ,l',ombre4 ,the ,austrian ,taroks have the same numbers as the originals1 and retain twenty-two ,atouts1 but only le ,fou or ,mercury has an emblem resembling those on the old leaves4 ,the designs have within fifty years changed from the ,german or ,italian pips to the ,french devices of ,coeurs1 ,carreaux1 ,trifle and ,piques4 ,le ,fou1 or the ,joker1 is called ,skus1 ,skis1 ,skys1 or ,sts4 ,the ,juggler of the old pack is named ,pagat1 and although the lowest in number it has peculiar values that recall the fact that when used for fortune-telling it represented the inquirer into the wishes of the gods4 ,the card of highest value in the ,austrian ,taroks is the ,world1 and is called after its predecessor1 retaining the name1 as well as its position in the pack1 with the value of its namesake1 but the picture on the card does not resemble the original1 and it requires the inspection of an expert to connect these two packs1 since the ,austrians have strayed so far from the old designs as to make the emblems hardly recognisable4 ,the pictures on the rest of the ,atouts are not even copies of those that formerly were used in ,vienna4 ,one of these packs is now in the writer's collection1 bearing the date #aghj2 and showing some faint resemblance to the ,italian ,tarots1 proves its descent1 for in it the figures of ,death and other characters are retained1 while the card makers of the twentieth century adorn the ,austrian ,taroks with pastoral views1 which mislead students who have not older packs with which to compare them1 so the book describing the ,wiener ,tarok games claims that these cards and games originated in that city and are peculiar to that locality4 ,the ,austrian ,taroks1 given to the writer in #ahij by an old lady in ,new ,york1 were wrapped with a faded green ribbon and accompanied with a note describing how they had come into her possession4 ,it seems that her father left ,vienna when a young man1 having got into some scrape through playing cards4 ,before leaving he bade farewell to his betrothed and begged for her garter and her miniature4 ,these he placed with the fatal pack of cards and kept in his desk4 ,after several years the young man1 having made a fortune in ,america1 wrote to his ladylove1 begging her to cross the ocean to marry him4 ,the answer was that1 not having heard from him since he had left1 she had married4 ,her lover consoled himself with an ,american wife1 and had many children1 the descendants of whom are now well-known people in ,new ,york4 ,there are several complicated and interesting games played with the ,austrian ,taroks derived from l',ombre1 or the man1 and originally intended for two players only4 ,one is called the ,great ,tarok1 another retains the old name ,tarok l',ombre1 while a third game 7a modification of the last and arranged for more players71 is called ,tarok for ,four4 ,the game called ,tapp ,tarok requires but fifty-four cards2 it is only a variant of the others and is most popular4 ,styrean ,tarok1 like the ,tapp game1 requires three players1 the fourth one being a silent partner or dummy4 ,these games are so intricate1 and have so many rules1 that none but ,austrians play with these adapted cards4 ,in the ,illustrirtes ,wiener ,tarokbuch1 by ,ulman1 we find this statement3 ,two centuries had not passed after cards were introduced into ,europe1 when ,francis ,fibbia1 ,prince of ,pisa1 ,italy1 arranged from the oldest of all games1 called ,tappola1 a new one called ,tarok1 which is found in ,bologna as a favorite game during the fifteenth century4 ,this was played with ,trappola or ,trappelin cards1 when the original suits were retained1 which were ,cups1 ,money1 ,swords1 and ,staves1 but after wood engraving was invented1 the ,french pips were adopted and are now the only ones used in the ,austrian ,tarok pack4 ,it is noteworthy that the ,rev4 ,edward ,taylor1 in his ,history of ,playing ,cards 7pages #bji and #deg71 mentions an interesting pack of cards1 the imprint of which states them to be sold by ,john ,lenthall1 stationer at the ,talbot over against ,st4 ,dunstan's ,church1 ,london1 who carried on business there from #affe to #afhe1 so the cards were probably issued immediately after the ,restoration4 ,they were prophetical or fortune-telling cards1 and their use was described in directions published with them4 ,the pips were ,french2 the emblematical figures were imitations of the ,atouts and evidently had been copied from part of a pack of ,tarots1 but the figures had names applied to them that were not exactly like the originals4 ,the ,ace of ,hearts had a figure that was named ,hermes ,trismagus1 which leads to the supposition that the original connection of ,mercury with the ,tarots was not entirely forgotten in the seventeenth century1 but was known in connection with fortune-telling4 ,as a prophet he was still an important personage4 ,the other figures on the cards represented ,roman ,catholic saints or modern heroes1 so that of ,mercury was entirely out of place1 unless in connection with his cult4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,mercury ,although treated by modern writers as one of the minor of the twelve gods of ,olympus1 ,mercury was by no means so looked upon by the ancients1 who revered1 feared1 consulted and obeyed him as they did no other deity1 so he wielded more influence over the lives of mankind than did all the other gods put together4 ,jove was dreaded because a bolt from the blue might destroy the unwary at any moment2 even though ,mercury was the lightning conductor1 the latter was not blamed for the catastrophe4 ,juno commanded admiration by her beauty1 but her cold self-esteem drew few followers2 still1 as presiding over maternity1 she delivered1 through ,mercury1 the newly born to its parents4 ,diana had1 perhaps1 the largest number of worshippers1 since she had a plurality of attractions1 and had under her protection many and various walks of life1 when ,mercury acted as her lieutenant4 ,it was ,mercury who lured ,proserpine from the side of ,ceres1 to reconduct the former to earth when spring followed winter1 and it is under this form1 as ,chthonius1 that ,mercury is allegorically represented as the messenger conducting the soul at death to the future state4 ,mercury was the peacemaker1 or adjuster of difficulties1 as well as the councillor and intercessor1 for he could be appealed to with the certainty that his orders could be received by mankind1 and by them could be comprehended through a sign language interpreted by his priests4 ,he was in reality more powerful than any of the other gods taken separately1 for1 although they might be lavishly propitiated1 they could not reply to invocations except through their messenger1 ,mercury4 ,he was also the inventor of emblems1 pictorial art1 and language1 through which he could be directly approached and his wishes communicated in response to invocations by means of the ,atouts and the pip cards4 ,any profanation of his mysteries was rapidly revenged by his worshippers1 so it is little wonder that they were not placed in town records or in early histories4 ,nor1 if they were1 would these mysteries have been mentioned as ,playing ,cards1 for the ancient ,book of ,thoth was not classified as a game1 and until the ,temple of ,toth1 as well as the ,serapeon1 near ,naples1 were destroyed1 compelling the exiled priests to carry on their person the emblems taken from the walls1 there was absolutely nothing like a card to mention in the official records4 ,students1 therefore1 must search for descriptions of wanderers1 of soothsayers1 of astrologers1 of fortune-tellers1 of prophets or of gypsies1 if they wish to discover traces of the cult of ,mercury1 since it was gradually and imperceptibly merged into the ,playing ,cards as we understand them4 ,there were few of the homes of the rich ,romans that were not adorned with a statue of this god under one of his four great attributes4 ,the best known is1 perhaps1 one by ,john of ,bologna1 showing him as ,caduceator1 or the messenger1 under which guise ,mercury carries the caduceus and points with his right hand to heaven4 ,when represented in this way1 he is the bearer of news1 of life1 and of health4 ,it was his wand1 or caduceus1 that1 up to the middle of the eighteenth century1 was the emblem of the medical man1 who always carried his stick or staff into the sick chamber4 ,it is still used by barbers1 who display his staff1 apparently wound with bloody rags1 before their shops1 a survival of a custom dating from the time when barbers were the dentist surgeons and blood-letters4 ,his wand was also representative of the stylus which was used to write on the ,tablet of ,fate1 for ,mercury was also the god ,nebo of the ,babylonians1 who is mentioned under this name in the ,bible4 ,he is credited with being the writer in the ,book of ,fate and1 says a ,cuneiform inscription1 had foretold the destiny of mankind since eternity4 ,the stylus was also the emblem of ,thoth1 who wrote in the ,book of ,good ,works after death4 ,illustration3 ,,atouts ,,of ,,an ,,early ,,italian ,,pack ,,of ,,tarots ,,with ,,two ,,court ,,cards #ai ,il ,sole #bj ,il ,giudizio #ba ,il ,mondo #bb ,il ,matto #bc ,queen of ,cups #bd ,king of ,cups ,as the protector and foreteller of events1 ,mercury was represented as benign or benevolent1 but the second attribute as reproduced in his statues was purely mercantile4 ,these statues are frequently found holding a purse in the right hand1 the coins inside being seen through its meshes1 emblematic of the ,money pip on the cards4 ,when represented in this way the face is no longer joyous or serene as it is when depicted as the messenger2 it is stern1 cold and calculating1 perhaps rather shrewd1 yet still self-reliant1 and with an air of concentration1 but always youthful4 ,as the god could foresee and foretell business probabilities1 since they were already written in his ,book of ,fate1 or could give counsel in mercantile transactions1 ,mercury was always consulted and obeyed4 ,it was due to this that his image bearing aloft the money bag was a favorite decoration in the homes of successful merchants1 who credited the counsels of ,mercury with having caused the riches of ,plutus to fall into their coffers4 ,the beautiful statue of ,mercury seated idly with a sword girded at his side1 but trailing on the ground1 is well known4 ,here another and most powerful attribute of the god was silently displayed for worship in all that concerned enterprises other than commerce1 since the sword denoted warlike expeditions1 explorations1 and voyages1 and was the symbol of rulers1 of soldiers1 and of men of a class superior to rich merchants4 ,besides1 under the attribute of the sword1 ,mercury was the patron of books1 and of arts and crafts1 as well as the encourager of learning4 ,girded with the ever-ready sword1 presented to him for his wit and understanding by his father1 ,jupiter1 ,mercury was alert to point out in the ,book of ,fate the initiative that should be taken1 if success was desired1 and also to adjust quarrels1 smooth away strife1 or heal differences4 ,under the emblem of the sword1 ,mercury was an often-consulted oracle4 ,the sword 7or lightning7 was also emblematic of ,nebo4 ,the fourth guise of ,mercury was usually kept for serious or sacred periods of life1 and was seldom seen in the home1 as it was reserved for more grave positions4 ,after ,mercury gave up being the cupbearer of ,olympus to the beautiful ,hebe he retained the badge of office1 and the cup of ,hermes remained as one of his attributes as a reminder of this position4 ,to-day it is used at ,christmas in ,italy1 when presents are placed in ,mercury's cup for distribution instead of being hung on a tree1 as is the more northern custom4 ,the seven-ringed cup was sacred to ,nebo as well as to ,toth1 and this votive cup entwined with two serpents--now in the ,louvre--proved that the ,chalice and the ,caduceus were always typical of ,nebo4 ,as ,chthonius1 ,mercury was always the useful helper of mankind4 ,he presided at birth1 when he recorded the future events of a child's life on the tablet of fate1 as had been done by his predecessor1 the god of the ,babylonians1 ,nebo4 ,he also attended the dead1 when the tablet was broken1 7which was ,thoth's perogative71 so he is allegorically represented on funeral urns1 where he is seen leading ,proserpine to ,hell4 ,the vase has been converted into one of ,mercury's emblems on the cards1 as the ,cup or ,chalice4 ,many of the beautiful ,etruscan vases in the ,vatican show ,mercury with ,pluto's reluctant wife4 ,perhaps the most graceful of stone pictures on this subject is in the ,british ,museum1 where a female figure reclines on a couch1 surrounded by a group of mourners1 and behind the dying woman stands ,mercury1 patient and alert1 ready to show the soul to its bourn4 ,the cup of sacrifice is overturned1 the tablet is broken1 and ,mercury's task is to guide her spirit carefully and gently to another sphere4 ,here1 then1 are the four attributes of ,mercury through whose aid he speaks to men3 the ,caduceus1 stylus or magic wand2 the ,coin or ring1 emblem of eternity2 the ,sword1 and the ,cup or chalice4 ,always depicted as a youthful or1 perhaps1 irresponsible man1 sometimes described as inconsequent1 volatile and light-hearted1 still ,mercury was the most affording and helpful of all the gods of ,olympus1 and it was he who interceded for men1 who presided over births and deaths1 as well as over love affairs1 business1 and the arts4 ,he was1 therefore1 consulted at every turn of life--small wonder that his image was a prized ornament of their homes1 under one of his three attributes1 or else near their tombs under the fourth4 ,temples to ,mercury1 to ,thoth1 and ,nebo1 were the principal and most ornate ones that were built4 ,the great one at ,babylon to ,nebo was called ,e-,sigalia4 ,he was worshipped as the tablet writer who foretold fate4 ,there is one to ,mercury that is still in a fairly good state of preservation and is first of the group to the other gods of ,olympus1 at ,bai1 a town ten miles north of ,naples in ,italy4 ,this temple was probably erected by the rich merchants of ,rome1 near their own beautiful villas1 that have rendered the place historical4 ,the other temples are little more than charming ruins1 but that of ,mercury survives to remind us that mutilated rites are still held in his honour in all parts of the world1 although by persons who have lost their clue to the original intention of the cult that they follow4 ,it is probable that the adjoining town of ,pozzuoli was the cradle of ,playing ,cards in ,europe1 for it was here that the mysteries of the ,egyptian god ,thoth were taught by the priests of that cult4 ,close to the edge of the water are the ruins of the vast temple of ,osiris1 or ,serapis1 called the ,serapeon4 ,here the strangers worshipped1 who landed there yearly from the ,nile1 from a vast fleet which was sheltered in the bay of ,bai4 ,its arrival was heralded by a number of swift yachts that could be recognized as they passed through the narrow straits between ,capri and the mainland with topsails flying1 a privilege that was accorded to none but the visitors from ,alexandria1 who were too powerful to offend and too desirable not to conciliate4 ,the exports of corn from ,alexandria were of such importance to ,italy that the trade enjoyed the peculiar protection of the ,state1 and the ,alexandrian corn fleet1 says ,merivale 7,roman ,empire1 ,volume ,,iv1 page #cib71 enjoyed the protection of a convoy of war galleys that was met by a deputation of senators4 ,the visitors landed at ,pozzuoli1 at the spot where ,st4 ,paul disembarked from the ,castor and ,pollox1 in a bay that sheltered mariners from ,spain1 ,sardinia1 ,elba1 ,cyprus and all the great trading ports of ,asia ,minor1 the isles of the gean ,sea and1 above all1 ,greece4 ,this great centre received merchandise1 iron and fine tools from the clever workmen of ,elba1 and gorgeous carpets from ,phoenicia1 as well as ,egyptian goods and cults2 so it was natural that what was presented at this port should also be exported from there4 ,thus it was with the learning and the arts of ,egypt that were taught by her priests or initiates in the temple erected by them at this spot1 which points to the probability that their great book was from this centre scattered over ,europe4 ,what is now called the ,serapeon is one of the most remarkable ruins in ,italy1 for through some volcanic action it was buried beneath the sea in the twelfth century during the last eruption of the ,solfatara1 reappearing after another volcanic outburst in #aech4 ,it had been forgotten for centuries1 but when the fresh movement of that ever-swaying shore made the waters recede1 the temple again appeared above the surface4 ,some of its marble columns are still erect1 although they are honeycombed with holes made by a little bivalve that is still found in the bay of ,bai1 and in these perforations countless of their shells can be seen4 ,enough of the temple remains to record the fact that the ,egyptians were numerous and prosperous on the foreign shore1 and it is probable that it was built #baa ,b4 ,c41 although many students think its erection was even earlier4 ,serapis1 or ,osiris1 was worshipped as ,hermes1 or ,mercury1 by the ,romans1 which worship was introduced into the neighbouring city of ,rome by the ,emperor ,antoninus ,pius1 in ,a4 ,d4 #adf1 which may indicate the date of the ,temple of ,serapis 7,mercury74 ,serapis was the god of commerce1 so his shrine was enriched by the merchants who thronged to the ever-busy port4 ,it was probably after this temple 7the original home of ,mercury7 was submerged1 that the smaller one was erected to him at ,bai4 ,the latter was a famous marine watering place of ancient ,italy1 perched on an indentation of the western shore of the ,bay of ,naples4 ,it is celebrated for the softness of its climate1 and the abundance of its hot springs1 so it became fashionable about the era of ,lucullus1 the ruins of whose magnificent villa1 as well as those of ,csar1 ,pompey and ,augustus1 still remain4 ,it was a favourite resort until the invasion of the barbarians under ,theodoric the ,goth4 ,horace alludes to the palaces and temples overhanging the sea1 but most of these have now fallen into the water1 where beautiful columns may be seen beneath the waves4 ,besides these luxurious homes1 and the vast temple of ,serapis that was so near1 there remain ruins of a temple to ,jupiter1 another to ,venus1 and others that are unidentified4 ,but the one that remains in the best condition and state of preservation is ,mercury's1 as the domed roof protected it when the others were destroyed by the ashes from the neighbouring volcano4 ,the faade of the temple has been removed1 but one long vaulted hall remains4 ,it is not pierced with windows1 and was probably intended to be dark1 for the better perpetration of mysteries4 ,on the ceiling may be traced oblong shaped paintings1 men portrayed upon the wall1 that are too much defaced to identify1 but they recall the shape and approximate size of the ,atouts of the ,tarots4 ,these may be seen at stated intervals1 and1 when originally placed there1 would have accommodated the twenty-two ,atout cards ranged in the order in which they are now numbered4 ,it was supposed that the emblematic figures representing ,osiris1 ,maut1 ,isis and other deities with the virtues1 vices1 love1 marriage1 death1 etc41 were placed in recesses or alcoves in the ,egyptian temples1 but if these half-obliterated figures in the temple at ,bai were intended to represent the ,atouts1 a different plan was followed1 more like that mentioned in ,ezekiel xxiii3#ad4 ,it may have been that the priests followed the idea of putting the figures on the ceiling1 so that they might teach their followers the significance of the emblems when it was no longer worth while to make mysteries of them and to conceal them4 ,beside the temple1 and opening from it1 is an inner room that was probably once covered by a roof1 but that has fallen1 and now the space is only an enclosed court4 ,in the centre remains what might have been a platform or altar where the sacrifices of pigs or tongues1 and of other things immolated to ,mercury1 were made yearly at the time of his festival1 on the thirteenth of ,may4 ,prof4 ,charles ,anthon1 in his ,classical ,dictionary1 when describing ,mercury1 says3 ,mercurius was a celebrated god of antiquity1 called ,hermes by the ,greeks4 ,he was the messenger of the gods and of ,jupiter in particular4 ,he was the god of speech1 of eloquence1 the patron of orators1 of merchants1 and of all dishonest persons1 particularly thieves1 of travellers1 and of shepherds4 ,he also presided over highways and crossways1 and conducted the souls of the dead to the world below1 and it would be nearly impossible to discover anything about which this versatile god could not be consulted through his learned priests1 who had been taught the gift of speech from him that they transmitted to their followers4 ,the ,egyptians ascribed to ,hermes the invention of letters1 and the ,greeks accredited him with many other important improvements that made men's lives happier or better1 such as the invention of the lyre1 as well as the regulation of commerce1 and the improvement of gymnastic exercises1 while1 by a strange perversion the ,greeks made ,hermes the protector of thieves1 when1 in ,egypt1 he was the god of merchants1 so that it may be possible that the crafty god favoured the person who first propitiated him or1 perhaps1 the highest bidder4 ,mercury was the son of ,jupiter by the brightest of the ,pleiades1 ,maia1 herself the daughter of ,atlas1 ,king of ,mauritania1 and ,pleione1 one of the ,oceanides1 or ocean nymphs whose mother was ,tethys1 and father1 ,oceanus4 ,such distinguished ancestry may well have placed the ever-youthful ,mercury among the presiding deities of ,olympus1 even if he had not inherited the mantle of the ,egyptian god ,thoth1 and with it the gis of the god of the ,babylonians1 ,nebo1 who was the arbiter of the fate of mankind4 ,his infancy was intrusted to the ,seasons1 who could not prevent his stealing the trident of ,neptune1 the girdle of ,venus1 the sword of ,mars1 and the sceptre of ,jupiter1 all of which are displayed on the old pip cards1 the sword and sceptre being two of the pips1 while the girdle of ,venus encircles the ,deuce of ,money4 ,the ingenious god presented the lyre that he invented to ,apollo1 receiving in exchange the golden three-leaved rod1 called by the poets ,aurea virga4 ,it was represented as a wand of laurel1 or olive1 with two dainty wings on one end1 and entwined with two serpents1 the whole emblematical of many things besides peace1 or a flag of truce1 for which it was generally used4 ,this rod entwined with serpents is one of the most ancient symbols and is found on a vase discovered in ,babylonia that is supposed to have been used #bcej ,b4 ,c4 ,another device showed the staff wound with ropes tied after a peculiar fashion1 and when so depicted the caduceus represented commerce and merchants1 since the rope tied after a certain fashion was the token of the ,phoenician traders4 ,this is retained on the ,ace of ,sticks in the ,tarot pack4 ,when the caduceus was wound with stripes of red and white it represented surgeons1 or the healing arts2 and1 as has been mentioned1 is so displayed on barbers' poles to-day4 ,the stick wound in this way also represented birth1 and1 set before the door1 was a token of ,mercury's recent visit carrying a babe from ,juno to its parents4 ,the caduceus served ,mercury as a herald's staff1 and this name was sometimes applied to the white wand or rod that in time of war was regarded as a signal for peace4 ,the wings of ,mercury typify the planet named for him1 that is so fast that it completes its revolution around the sun in a little less than three months4 ,he is connected with the old ,israelitish legend1 referred to in ,ezekiel ix3#b1 where ,nebo is one of the seven planets4 ,the important place given to the rod in the ,bible must not be overlooked4 ,it is closely connected with the arrow of primitive peoples1 that was used not only for war or the chase1 but serving also to ascertain the wishes of the gods1 for when a bundle of arrows was cast to the ground from a quiver or the hand1 according to certain well-known laws1 they indicated the wishes of the divine power by the direction in which they fell4 ,this is recalled in ,jeremiah1 in the story of ,jonathan and ,david1 besides in many other instances4 ,it was a natural sequence that ,mercury1 who had inherited the tablet of fate from ,nebo of the ,babylonians1 should also have received the wand of the magi that1 when cast before the ,pharaoh by his wise men1 was able to swallow the serpents that sprang from the rod of ,moses4 ,the rod1 when used as a sceptre1 has other and important significances1 and is one of the chief signs of a ruler's position and power4 ,mercury was the most active and useful of all the gods1 owing to his temperament1 and no event or ceremony was undertaken without seeking his advice4 ,he had many names under which his good offices were invoked1 such as ,argiphontes1 or the slayer of ,argus1 when he represented warriors4 ,then he was called ,chthonius1 or he who guides the dead2 when thus represented he is generally seated and is without sword1 caduceus1 or purse4 ,another name for him was ,agoneus1 the patron of gymnastic exercises1 of commerce1 and of executive ability4 ,sometimes ,mercury is represented in his birthday suit1 at others with a chlamys or cloak enveloping him1 the petasus or winged cap on his head1 the talaria1 or winged sandals1 on his heels1 bearing the caduceus aloft4 ,ancient representations of ,mercury were simple wooden posts1 the terminals carved with a rude head wearing a beard1 which were the original signposts4 ,professor ,anthon says3 ,hermes may in some degree be regarded as a personification of the ,egyptian priesthood4 ,it is in this sense1 therefore1 that he is regarded as the confidant of the gods1 their messenger1 the interpreter of their decrees1 the genius who presides over science1 the conductor of souls to the realms of bliss4 ,one of the ,egyptian names for ,mercury1 when he combined many attributes of ,osiris and other deities1 was ,thoth1 which1 according to ,jablonski's ,pantheon gypt1 signifies an assembly composed of sages and educated persons1 the sacerdotal college of a city or temple4 ,professor ,anthon says3 ,thus the collective priesthood of ,egypt1 personified and considered as a unity1 was represented by an imaginary being to whom was ascribed the invention of languages and writing1 hence the sacrifice of tongues to ,mercury4 ,he was also credited with the origin of geometry1 arithmetic1 astronomy1 medicine1 music1 rhythm1 the institution of religion and sacred processions1 the introduction of gymnastic or health-giving exercises1 and1 finally1 the less indispensable1 though not less valuable1 arts of architecture1 sculpture and painting4 ,so many volumes were attributed to him that no human being could possibly have composed them4 ,for many years it was customary for the priests devoted to his service to present the results of their labours to ,thoth1 receiving no reward or glory for the individual work1 which was turned to the advantage of the whole sacerdotal association in being ascribed to its presiding genius1 who1 by his double figure1 indicated the necessity for a plural doctrine1 of which the interpretation was confined entirely to his initiates1 or priests1 who translated the occult signs of the gods or the learning entrusted to their care to the inquirers1 who frequented the temples to receive knowledge or directions in the material walks of life which they were taught to believe was transmitted by the oracle to ordinary mortals by the priests of ,thoth1 who alone understood the painted or written signs4 ,besides the arts and crafts before mentioned as being under the protection of the ,egyptian god1 was the important one of commerce4 ,this in like manner1 says ,professor ,anthon1 was intended to express the influence of the priesthood on commercial enterprises4 ,the identity of ,hermes with the ,dog ,star1 ,sirius1 that serves as precursor of the inundation of the ,nile1 the emblem of which1 says the same authority1 was the gazelle that flies to the desert on the rising of the waters1 his rank in demonology as the father of spirits and guide of the dead1 his quality of incarnate godhead1 and his cosmogonical alliance with the generative fire1 the light1 the source of all knowledge1 and with water1 the principle of fecundity4 ,it is surprising1 however1 to observe how strangely the ,grecian spirit modified the ,egyptian ,hermes1 who was transformed by the ,greeks into the messenger or interpreter of the wishes of others who were more powerful than himself1 but not omnipotent1 as the ,egyptian mythology regarded him4 ,this is seen in the mystic portions of the early ,orphic or ,homeric hymns1 where ,hermes is treated quite differently than is done in the ,iliad or the ,odyssey4 ,the earliest records of ,hermes recall all the peculiar qualities of the ,egyptian ,hermes1 and sometimes even the strange legends of the ,hindoo ,avatars1 as well as the ,babylonian ,nebo4 ,one of the ,hindoo gods bears the same emblems that are devoted to ,mercury1 namely3 the ,cup1 the ,sword1 the ,staff1 and the ,ring1 ,coin1 or ,circle2 but a striking difference is noted when ,hermes is adopted by the ,romans1 who even changed his name as well as his characteristics1 although retaining his distinguishing marks or emblems4 ,the ,romans1 says ,professor ,anthon1 first received the sacerdotal ,hermes1 whose worship had been brought into ,etruria by the ,pelasgi1 previous to the time of ,homer1 and1 as the earlier ,hermes had been represented by a column1 he became with them the god ,terminus4 ,when1 however1 the ,romans became acquainted with the twelve great deities of the ,athenians1 they adopted the ,grecian ,hermes under the name of ,mercury1 preserving at the same time the remembrance of their previous traditions and jumbling the attributes of the ,egyptian god ,thoth with that of the ,grecian ,hermes4 ,but1 in order to make this favourite god of use1 it was necessary to approach him through his own priests1 the only persons who were initiated into his mysteries and who could interpret them4 ,since these priests were already established and had been for some time in ,italy1 in the great temple of ,serapeon1 it is easy to see how the cult engaged the attention of the people1 and how readily it absorbed the new-fashioned god who strayed there from so many different quarters4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,thoth ,the great authority on modern ,egyptian discoveries1 ,m4 ,gaston ,maspero1 says in his book1 ,ancient ,sites and ,modern ,scenes3 ,on the outskirts of ,thebes there are ruins that lie to the north of the ,valley of ,kings4 ,the temple was built or restored in the last years of the seventh1 or in the first years of the sixth1 century ,b4 ,c4 to ,thoth1 the master of magic and letters2 the god who was the scribe and the magician of the gods4 ,this mysterious but powerful god ranked high in the ,egyptian cosmogony and the remains of his worship flourish to-day among the votaries of the card table1 who1 however1 no longer consult him as the oracle1 but use his book for their amusement or pleasure4 ,during the ,roman period1 from #ebg ,b4 ,c4 to #ccb ,b4 ,c41 that was called the ,egyptian renaissance1 says ,mr4 ,rawlinson in his ,history of ,ancient ,egypt 7,volume ,,ii1 page #ejb71 ,asia poured the fetid stream of her wonderful superstitions into ,africa4 ,the exorcisms of ,thoth and the powers of witchcraft in league with him are the favorite themes which cover the polished surfaces of the monuments at this remarkable time4 ,and on page #dfe1 ,asiatic ,greeks became in the reign of ,psammetchas 7about #faj ,b4 ,c47 close to the throne4 ,consequently1 free communication and commercial intercourse between ,egypt and ,europe were opened4 ,this ruler was devoted to art1 architecture and adventure1 and one of the inventions of his reign was the enchorial or demotic writing which superseded the hieratic4 ,this was attributed to the priests of ,thoth1 those wise men who sought no personal glory1 but who contented themselves with placing their works at the feet of their presiding genius and attributing their own discoveries to him4 ,without discussing whether the ,assyrian god ,nebo absorbed the ,egyptian ,thoth1 or the reverse1 we may concede that such strong similarities exist between them that they are virtually the same4 ,with similar heraldic symbols and functions1 they were the inventors of many useful arts1 that of writing always being attributed to both4 ,besides1 both gods were supposed to have the power of recording the fate of mankind at birth1 and both presided at the judgment of souls after death4 ,the ibis-headed ,thoth was also symbolized by a stylus and inkstand1 and was often termed the ,scribe1 just as ,nebo was called the ,writer1 and had for his device a stylus and inkstand4 ,a month was dedicated to each1 that of ,thoth being the first in the ,egyptian calendar1 or our ,september4 ,its symbol was a reversed crescent with three lotus flowers1 under which were two aspects of the moon1 as full and as a crescent4 ,one cannot but wonder if the artistic ,egyptians1 while adopting the cuneiform characters which resemble long shafts with reversed triangles on top1 did not alter the lines and convert the arrow head of ,nebo's invention into the graceful flower1 thus retaining the original conception of the symbol of the ,assyrian god1 while stamping it with their own love of the beautiful4 ,the tablet of ,khufu at ,wady ,magarah shows ,thoth bearing in his right hand a sceptre 7one of the designs of the ,tarot pack74 ,this rod has three triangles on it that resemble the cuneiform characters1 which is certainly not accidental4 ,the name of ,thoth is written heraldically as an ibis standing on a perch 7which in shape again recalls the cuneiform7 followed by a crescent and the two oblique lines commonly used to express the number one4 ,the principal likenesses of the great gods of ,egypt seem to be represented in the ,atouts of the ,tarot pack of cards1 called ,the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 for the sun1 moon1 seven stars1 etc41 are all among the ,atouts4 ,mr4 ,rawlinson 7,history of ,ancient ,egypt1 page #cae7 gives the names of the gods1 and the qualities for which they were worshipped1 revered or dreaded1 as follows3 ,,num or ,,kneph--the creative mind4 ,,phthah--the creative hand4 ,,maut--matter4 ,,ra--the sun4 ,,khons--the moon4 ,,seb--the earth4 ,,khem--the generative power in nature4 ,,nut--the upper hemisphere in heaven4 ,,athor--the lower world4 ,,thoth--divine wisdom4 ,,ammon--divine mysteriousness4 ,,osiris--divine goodness4 ,all knew that there was but one god1 but these were the interceders4 ,on page #cgj of his book1 ,mr4 ,rawlinson says3 ,thoth was the oracle or the clerk 7recorder7 of the wishes of the divine circle1 who bears as insignia a palm branch or a stylus1 and often a tablet4 ,sometimes he carries the ,crook ,headed ,sceptre4 ,his titles were ,lord of ,sesennu and ,lord of ,truth4 ,he is called one of the chief gods--the ,great ,god--the ,god ,twice ,great--the ,great ,chief in the paths of the dead--the ,self-created or ,neverborn--the ,lord of ,divine ,words--and the ,scribe of ,truth4 ,thoth was often represented under two different forms1 earthly and infernal1 or as ,thoth in the ,house of ,selection1 and ,thoth at the ,balance of ,souls4 ,as the god who took part in the judgment of the dead ,thoth was revered throughout ,egypt and it is written of him3 ,all ,eyes are open on thee and all men worship thee as a god4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,court ,cards of the ,pip ,part of the ,pack #be ,queen of ,rods #bf ,queen of ,swords #bg ,queen of ,money #bh ,king of ,rods #bi ,king of ,swords #cj ,king of ,money ,oxen1 cows and geese were sacrificed in his honour and the ibis with the cynocephalous ape were sacred to him4 ,very many images of him are found that show him in attendance on different kings1 either purifying them or inscribing their names on the sacred tree4 ,his spiritual office was to be present in ,amenti when souls were to be judged1 to see their deeds weighed in the balance and record the results4 ,this is recalled in the ,atout of the ,tarot pack1 named ,justice4 ,thoth also reveals to men the will of the gods4 ,he composes the ,ritual for the ,dead1 that great work that is so frequently found bound in the shrouds of mummies1 to instruct the soul how to conduct itself in the world of spirits4 ,it is also ,thoth who1 in the realms below1 writes for good souls with his own fingers the ,book of ,respirations1 which protects1 sustains1 and enlightens them1 causing them to breathe with the souls of the gods for ever and ever4 ,thoth had three great colleges1 at ,thebes1 at ,memphis1 and at ,heliopolis1 where he was worshipped by priestesses as well as by priests1 and there are many records of the prognostications of the former4 ,if the supposition is correct that the gypsies are descended from the outcasts of the temple of ,thoth1 near ,naples 7the ,serapeon71 when that building was overthrown by an earthquake1 it may be noted that in the tribe the women are the principal soothsayers1 while the men generally pursue other occupations4 ,king ,shafra1 who built the ,second ,pyramid1 married the daughter of ,meri-,aukhs4 ,her tomb at ,saccarah bears an inscription stating that she was a ,priestess of ,thoth1 and her son was called a sacred scribe4 ,from the time of ,shafra1 scribes are frequently represented as seated or squatting at work1 with a pen or brush in the right hand and one or two tucked behind the ear1 while the left hand holds the paper or a palette4 ,the first and greatest of the builders of the pyramids1 says ,mr4 ,rawlinson1 was ,khufu or ,cheops4 ,he composed a religious work called the ,sacred ,book4 ,he was a great admirer and worshipper of ,thoth1 who is represented with him on the rock pictures4 ,closely copying the ,assyrian kings1 who placed themselves under the protection of their gods1 notably that of ,nebo1 by adopting their names1 several of the ,pharaohs called themselves ,thothmes1 meaning child of ,thoth4 ,the third ruler of that name1 who has been called the ,alexander of ,egyptian history1 raided the heart of ,western ,asia1 going as far as ,nineveh4 ,he was wise as well as valiant1 and noted all novelties in the lands through which he passed1 which he afterwards sought to introduce into his own country4 ,the two obelisks known as ,cleopatra's ,needles were originally set up at ,heliopolis1 one of the temples of ,thoth1 by ,thothmes ,,iii4 ,they were transported to ,alexandria and afterwards carried to ,london and ,new ,york1 so the genius of playing cards still presides at the two great world centres1 where cards are a favourite amusement4 ,the priests of ,thoth were said to have descended in a direct line from father to son for three hundred and forty-five generations4 ,this habit is another one common to gypsies1 who rarely marry any but their own people4 ,to the priests of the temple of ,thoth many books called ,hermetic were ascribed that were so dedicated to the honour of the god that the name of the writer is merged into his4 ,m4 ,maspero mentions an ,egyptian romance that describes the adventures of a family of ghosts who were living with their mummies in a tomb lighted by a wonderful talisman1 which was an incantation written on papyrus by ,thoth himself4 ,another work was particularly full of wisdom and science1 containing in it everything relating to the fowls of the air1 the fishes of the sea1 and the four-footed beasts of the mountains4 ,the man who knew a single page of the book could charm ,heaven1 ,earth1 the great ,abyss1 ,mountains and ,seas4 ,this marvellous composition ,thoth enclosed in a box of gold1 which he placed within a box of silver1 within a box of ivory and ebony1 and that again within a box of bronze1 within a box of brass1 within a box of iron2 and the book thus guarded he threw into the ,nile at ,coptos4 ,the act became known1 and the box was searched for and found4 ,it gave its possessor vast knowledge and magical power1 but always brought misfortune on him4 ,one of the books of ,thoth consists of magical texts1 and ,mr4 ,rawlinson says3 ,the belief in magic was widely spread among the ,egyptians1 and the behests of the priests were obeyed with confidence that1 whether they turned out well or badly for the inquirer1 they had been foretold at birth4 ,the fatalism of the ,north ,africans is too well known to be disputed1 for they accept misfortune bowing the head and saying3 ',it is the will of ,allah4' ,this is the inheritance of ages4 ,the priests explained to the inquirer into the divine wishes the commands of the god1 and then inscribed them on parchment or some convenient material4 ,these records were either hung around the neck or bound on the arm4 ,the ignorant folk considered that these amulets would preserve them from all evil4 ,this practice is observed to the present day by members of different religious cults4 ,one amulet has been translated3 ,thou art protected against the accidents of life4 ,thou art protected against a violent death4 ,thou art protected against fire4 ,thou escapest in ,heaven and thou art not ruined upon ,earth4 ,such a valuable insurance against every evil during life or death must have been well worth a handsome fee to the priest who issued it4 ,lenormant1 in his ,manual 7,volume ,i1 page #eaf71 says3 ,it is remarkable that the ,ritual of the ,dead 7the ,egyptian name for which was ,manifestation of ,light1 or the ,book ,revealing ,light to the ,soul7 is accompanied by pictures which form the essential portion of it4 ,so the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 or the ,tarots1 is composed of pictures that can only be deciphered by initiates4 ,the ,ritual of the ,dead claimed to be a revelation from ,thoth ,hermes1 who through it declared the will of the gods and the mysterious nature of divine things to mankind4 ,portions of it are expressly stated to have been written by the finger of ,thoth1 and other parts to have been the composition of the god himself4 ,it was held in such high esteem that portions of it were placed in coffins4 ,the ,ritual has been divided into three sections4 ,there are prayers for the dead1 and a long chapter that has been said to contain the ,egyptian ,faith4 ,this creed is followed by a series of prayers1 and spells1 and famous chapter 7cxxv7 describing the seat of judgment known as the ,hall of ,two ,truths4 ,here the deceased is brought before ,osiris as supreme judge4 ,the latter is seated on a lofty throne1 surrounded by forty-two ,assessors1 each of whom addresses the dead person in turn1 and to each he declares his innocence of crime or sin1 saying1 ,i have not blasphemed4 ,i have not deceived4 ,i have not stolen4 ,i have not slain any one4 ,i have not been cruel4 ,i have not caused disturbance4 ,i have not been idle4 ,i have not been drunken4 ,i have not been indiscreetly curious4 ,i have not multiplied words in speaking4 ,i have struck no one4 ,i have caused fear to no one4 ,i have slandered no one4 ,i have not eaten my heart through envy4 ,i have not reviled the face of the king nor the face of my father4 ,i have not made false accusations4 ,i have not kept milk from the mouths of sucklings4 ,i have not caused abortion4 ,i have not ill-used my slaves4 ,i have not killed sacred beasts4 ,i have not defiled the river4 ,i have not polluted myself4 ,i have not taken the clothes of the dead4 ,a dead person is always spoken of as ,an ,osiris1 or ,he sleeps in ,osiris4 ,egyptian writing was of three distinct kinds1 known as ,hieroglyphic1 ,hieratic and ,demotic or ,enchorial4 ,there is but little difference between the ,hieratic and the ,demotic4 ,the former is the earlier of the two1 but was nearly lost in the ,demotic1 which1 according to ,lenormant1 was introduced about the seventh century ,b4 ,c41 and rapidly superseded the ,hieratic1 being simpler4 ,both were written from left to right4 ,it was about this time that the worship of ,nebo1 in ,babylonia1 and of ,thoth1 in ,egypt1 was most important1 so it is probable that the priests1 who were the learned and scientific men of the day1 then reconstructed the art of writing and so earned for their patrons the honour of being gods of writing1 although the stylus and the title of the ,writer had been born for many centuries4 ,pasmmetichas1 king of ,sais1 who1 as has been already mentioned1 fought the ,assyrians1 must have been a most intelligent person1 for during his reign1 says ,mr4 ,rawlinson 7page #dfe71 a question was raised as to the relative antiquity of different races of mankind4 ,therefore the ,pharaoh had two children isolated from their species and brought up by a herdsman who was dumb1 and suckled by a goat1 in order to see what language they would speak1 presuming that they would revert to the primitive type of speech4 ,the result of his experiment was thought to prove the ,phrygians to be the most ancient nation1 and the ,egyptians1 we are told by ,herodotus1 accepted it as an established fact4 ,thoth was revered as a great teacher1 since his works treated of all things1 such as the creation of the world1 of divine power1 of wisdom1 of the art of presaging the issue of maladies by means of the planets4 ,the work treating on this was dedicated to ,ammon4 ,then there were the ,aphorisms of ,hermes1 which consisted of astronomical propositions translated from the ,arabic about the time of ,manfred1 king of ,sicily4 ,the ,cyranides of ,trismegistus treats of magic power and the medicinal virtues of precious stones1 of plants1 and of animals4 ,many of the other books of ,thoth are treatises on chemistry or alchemy4 ,one is called ,the ,seven ,seals of ,hermes ,trismegistus1 another1 ,chemical ,tinctures1 and a third1 ,the ,emerald ,tablet1 describing the art of making gold4 ,it is said that ,sara1 the wife of ,abraham1 found the ,emerald in the tomb of ,hermes1 on ,mount ,hebron4 ,one essay is to ,tat or ,esculapius1 another is entitled ,the ,virgin of the ,world1 as ,isis is sometimes called1 and is a dialogue between her and her son ,horus4 ,many small statues were found in a well in the temple of the ,sphinx1 that may have originally represented the gods now found among the ,atouts4 ,this would be a most valuable confirmation of the theory of their original position in the temple when the priests and initiates wished to consult the occult4 ,in an age when letters were only used by the learned1 and pictured emblems or symbols took the place of an alphabet1 it was natural that the priests of ,thoth1 when pressed to divine the fate of men1 should place sketches of the great gods on the walls of their temples1 so that1 by combining them with the rods of divination1 the wishes of the supreme beings could be easily conveyed4 ,the custom of adorning the walls of the temple is referred to in ,ezekiel xxiii3#ad4 ,she saw men pourtrayed upon the wall1 the images of the ,chaldeans 7or ,nebo and his confrres7 pourtrayed with vermilion1 girdled with girdles upon their loins1 exceeding in dyed attire upon their heads1 all of them princes to look to1 after the manner of the ,babylonians of ,chaldea4 ,this was possibly the origin of the ,tarots1 or the ,atout volume of the ,book of ,thoth4 ,,chapter ,v ,,nebo1 ,,or ,,nabu ,a great ,chaldean god was ,nebo1 mentioned in ,isaiah xlvi3#a1 ,bel boweth down1 ,nebo stoopeth1 and he had an immense influence over the lives of the ,assyrians and ,babylonians1 extending over centuries4 ,in primitive times nothing was undertaken without an attempt to consult the wishes of the superior gods1 and it is interesting to trace through the tablets on which are inscribed the wonderful cuneiform inscriptions1 discovered and deciphered during the past fifty years1 how the people were taught by their prophets or priests to consult the predestinations of ,nebo1 who inscribed at birth what would befall each person during life4 ,nebo had many names or designations4 ,he was called ,laghlaghghi-,gar1 or illuminator2 ,gishdar1 or god of the sceptre2 ,ilu-tashmit1 or god of revelations2 and the spouse of ,tashmit2 his name signifies ,proclaimer ,herald in ,assyrian1 and ,height in ,hebrew4 ,nebo1 called ,nabu by the ,babylonians1 was the son of ,enlil1 or ,marduk1 the ,merodach of the ,bible 7,jeremiah l3#b71 who became merged in the ,jupiter of the ,romans4 ,nebo was the husband of ,tashmitum1 or ,tashmit1 or ,tashmetu1 sometimes called ,erna4 ,her name is translated as signifying revelation1 she who listens1 or she who intercedes4 ,she is frequently invoked and besought to placate her more important spouse1 or she is appealed to by worshippers to intercede with her consort to reveal what he had prophesied on the tablets of fate4 ,as the grandson of ,ea1 who was the god of doctors1 ,nebo inherited the privileges of healing4 ,he also presided at birth and death1 and could cure diseases4 ,one of his symbols seems peculiar and is still retained on the ,tarots4 ,it is a sword1 for in the minds of the men of his day a pestilence was a certain follower of war4 ,although ,nebo was not the god of war1 he was first its herald and then the healer of the sick or wounded1 so it was under these conditions that a sword became his attribute4 ,nebo shared with ,shamash1 ,gula1 and ,nergal of ,assyrian mythology1 the power of restoring the dead to life1 which1 being interpreted1 means curing the ill1 whether from disease or sin4 ,it was to ,nebo that the ,assyrian kings ascribed their wisdom1 for he was deemed to be the source of all knowledge1 and the wonderful inventor of the art of writing that enabled the wise men who were his priests to preserve the records of the different reigns and the history of wars1 the description of buildings and their donors1 of deeds of valour and of charity1 for the enlightenment of posterity4 ,the great temple built at ,calah in the time of ,ram-man-nerari ,,iii 7#hab-ghc ,b4 ,c47 is inscribed with a dedicatory inscription placed by the king on the statue of ,nebo4 ,it closes with the sentence3 ,oh6 posterity1 trust in ,nabu1 ,trust in no other god4 ,nebo was also the patron of agriculture1 who taught the husbandmen when to plant1 the best time for irrigating1 and a favourable time for the harvest4 ,being the messenger from heaven to earth1 one of his symbols was the lightning4 ,this emblem is preserved on the ,japanese cards1 although it is probably accidental4 ,a hymn to ,nebo attests his having lightning as an attribute1 and the tablet upon which it was transcribed in cuneiform characters has been translated as follows3 ,lord of ,borsippa1 ,son of ,e-,sagila6 ,oh1 ,lord1 to thy power ,there is no rival4 ,oh1 ,nebo1 to thy ,temple ,e-,zida there is no rival1 ,or to thy home1 ,babylon4 ,thy weapon is the lightning1 ,from the mouth of which no breath does issue or blood flow4 ,thy commands are as unchangeable as the ,heavens1 ,where thou art ,supreme4 ,the chief temple of ,nebo was at ,borsippa1 on the opposite side of the ,euphrates to ,babylon2 the town was sometimes called ,babylon ,,ii4 ,nebo's temple was styled ,e-,zida1 the true house1 and ,e-,sagila signified the lofty house1 which was the temple of his father1 ,marduk4 ,the connection with lightning is too marked to be overlooked when studying the derivation of ,mercury's attributes from those of ,nebo4 ,the mighty king ,ashur-banapal invokes ,nebo on thousands of tablets that have been found in his great library4 ,nebo is called the opener of the ears to understanding1 he who gives the sceptre of sovereignty to kings1 that they may rule over all lands1 the upholder of the world1 the general overlord and the seer4 ,all these attributes were combined with the scientific attainments of ,nebo1 and he was proclaimed as the inventor of language and the art of writing1 together with being the great teacher and encourager of learning and scientific investigations4 ,this is all emphasised by his numerous titles1 such as ,speaker1 which is said to be derived from his name1 signifying to speak1 or one who announces the fate of mankind1 which was another inheritance of ,mercury's when he was called the ,messenger of the ,gods4 ,the attribute1 then1 in both cases1 was the emblematic ,sceptre of the ruler1 the caduceus4 ,the ,sceptre was also named by the ,assyrians the ,proclaimer1 and was variously represented1 sometimes by the ,staff with twisted serpents1 although in earlier times it was generally pictured as stylus1 which was closely copied in the representations of ,thoth4 ,the entwining serpents of the caduceus sacred to ,mercury were directly inherited from votive emblems peculiar to the ,babylonians1 and they received force and significance after the rods of the ,egyptian magi were turned into serpents and swallowed by the rod of ,aaron4 ,when ,nebo is called ,ilu-tashmit1 or god of ,revelations1 who teaches through his invention of writing and of speech1 he is then regarded as a soothsayer or prophet4 ,the ,hebrew word for prophet is ,nabi1 and this leads to the interesting discussion that was started by ,mr4 ,chatto in his ,history of ,playing ,cards 7page #bb71 when he speculates on the name of ,naibi1 given to cards by the earliest ,italian writers who mention them4 ,as ,naypes or ,naipes is still the name printed on the wrappers and on the ,four of ,cups of ,spanish cards1 it evidently was connected with prophesy1 and this card has peculiar values and significances among the gypsy fortune-tellers4 ,mr4 ,chatto states that in ,hindustani the word ,na-eeb or ,naib signifies a viceroy or overlord1 and quotes from several ,spanish writers who have decidedly asserted that the word ,naipes1 signifying cards1 whatever it might originally have meant1 was derived from the ,arabic4 ,all the writers on playing cards quote from ,corvelluzzo1 who states3 ,in the year #acgi was brought into ,viterbo the game of cards1 which comes from the country of the ,saracens and is with them called ,naib4 ,the ,arabian divining arrows are always made from a tree called ,nabaa4 ,this little history1 which is one of the earliest records of cards that were then no longer considered prophetic1 has seemed to close all inquiry into the birth of games or their vehicle4 ,no inquiry was therefore made into anything preceding this period4 ,however1 had cards been regarded as the survival of one of the most ancient of cults1 connected with it by its traditions of prophesy or fortune-telling1 the true story might have been unravelled centuries ago1 for a study of the traditions1 religions or superstitions of ,africa and ,asia would have revealed that ,naibi 7the name given at that time to cards7 meant prophesy or revelation1 and was inherited from the great ,writer on the ,tablets of ,fate1 ,nebo the prophet1 the ,assyrian god4 ,the prophets of the ,bible were called ,nabi1 and it seems to be no accident that the mountain dedicated to ,nebo and bearing his name should have been selected for the death place of the great prophet1 ,moses4 ,in the earliest histories of ,assyrian mythology ,nebo was not the influential personage that he became afterwards4 ,but it was still early days when he was accorded the honour of having one of the planets named for him1 which afterwards became identified with ,mercury4 ,when ,nebo took his place among the mystic seven great gods1 he found associated with him ,marduk 7or ,jupiter71 ,nergal 7or ,mars71 ,ishtar 7or ,venus71 ,nineb 7or ,saturn71 the ,sun1 represented in a chariot drawn by horses1 as copied in the seventh card of the ,atouts1 and the ,moon 7,nan-nar71 who was called the ,heifer of ,anu1 and was the presiding genius4 ,she received the name because the horns of the new moon resembled those of a cow4 ,her ,assyrian temple was at ,ur of the ,chaldeans1 and she was also worshipped in ,egypt and is represented by the eighteenth ,atout4 ,her horns are always typical of wisdom and prophesy1 and1 as such1 are used on ,michael ,angelo's famous statue of ,moses4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip ,cards of the ,cup ,suit #ca ,ace of ,cups #cb ,deuce of ,cups #cc ,trey of ,cups #cd ,four of ,cups #ce ,five of ,cups #cf ,six of ,cups ,the first month of the ,babylonian year was sacred to ,nebo and his father1 ,marduk1 and was called ,nesan4 ,the ,egyptians made ,thoth1 or ,september1 the first month2 that began ,august #bith1 as we figure it1 with the rising of the ,dog ,star1 which also was sacred to that god4 ,this is symbolised in the seventeenth ,atout1 called ,the ,stars1 represented by an oblation to ,osiris4 ,daily sacrifices were made to ,nebo1 the offerings being bulls1 and other animals1 fish1 birds1 vegetables1 honey1 wine1 oil and cream4 ,their technical term was ,sattuku and ,gina4 ,it is probable that the wild boar was sacred to ,nebo1 as it was to ,mercury1 being one of the animals sacrificed to the latter1 and the emblem is still found on the ,two of ,bells of the ,german cards4 ,the boar was sacred among the ,assyrians1 and its flesh was forbidden on certain days in the ,babylonian calendar4 ,its name was ,nin-shakh1 or ,pap-sukal1 meaning ,divine ,messenger1 the name that was synonymous with that of ,nebo4 ,there were many great ceremonies connected with the rites of ,nebo1 for the scientists1 doctors1 warriors and kings were all anxious to conciliate the arbiter of their fate1 and there were many statues erected in his honour all over the land4 ,the one representing him that was kept in ,e-,sagila1 at ,borsippa1 called by ,nebuchadnezzar the house of the temple of the world1 meaning the lofty home1 was yearly conducted with great ceremonies across the ,euphrates in a car1 or ark1 shaped like a ship1 in order that ,nebo might pay homage at the temple of his father1 ,marduk4 ,the cult of ,nebo reached its height when ,nabu-polassar 7#fbf ,b4 ,c471 ,nebu-chadnezzar 7#fje ,b4 ,c471 and ,nabonnedos 7#eef ,b4 ,c471 adopted his name1 thereby throwing themselves on his mercy1 or invoking his protection4 ,nebuchadnezzar adopted it as signifying ,oh1 god ,nebu1 protect my boundaries4 ,about the ninth century before ,christ there were innumerable temples devoted to the cult of ,nebo dotted over the land1 for those were troublous times1 and1 doubtless1 the rulers and their people were anxious to have all the advice that they could obtain from the ,arbiter of ,fate4 ,he was styled the all-wise who guides the stylus of the scribes1 as well as the possessor of wisdom1 and the seer who guides all gods4 ,these inscriptions are found in many places1 not only on the temples but on clay tablets4 ,ashur-banipal extols ,nebo on many of the tablets found in his great library at ,nineveh1 thanking him for his instructions and the inspiration that enabled the king to record in writing his valiant deeds1 that were thus preserved for the benefit of his subjects4 ,one of them reads1 write for posterity4 ,the ,assyrians invaded ,egypt many times1 and the ,egyptians in return overran ,palestine1 ,persia1 ,babylonia and ,assyria1 so that by intermarriage and constant intercourse the scientific attainments and the mythologies of both became influenced or mingled4 ,although the capital of ,menephtah1 the ,pharaoh of the ,exodus1 was at ,thebes1 the site of the great temple of ,thoth and the favourite residence of the ,ruler was ,zoan1 or ,sau1 as it is now called1 which is three miles from ,goshen4 ,it was there that ,moses and ,aaron had their interviews4 ,from that time on ,thoth and ,nebo became almost one god1 and it is by no means stretching a point to connect the cults of ,assyria and ,babylonia with those of ,egypt4 ,isaiah xix3#bc says3 ,there shall be a highway out of ,egypt to ,assyria1 and the ,assyrian shall come into ,egypt and the ,egyptian into ,assyria1 and the ,egyptians shall serve with the ,assyrians4 ,in the same chapter 7third verse7 we find3 ,and they shall seek to the idols1 and to the charmers1 and to them that have familiar spirits1 and to the wizards4 ,it is1 therefore1 but a simple conclusion to suppose that the magi of ,egypt adopted the great tablet writer of the ,assyrians as one of their inspiring gods1 and1 that afterwards1 when the pair were introduced to ,europeans1 they were merged into ,mercury1 while ,the ,book of the ,writer became known as ,the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus 7three times great71 now called the ,tarot pack of cards4 ,the ,bearer of the ,fate ,tablets1 dedicated to ,nebuchadnezzar at ,borsippa1 has been translated1 ,oh6 ,nabu6 ,on thy unchangeable ,tablets which determine the boundaries of ,heaven and ,earth1 decree the length of my days4 ,write down posterity4 ,which we would read1 ,tell me how long ,i am to live and bestow children upon me4 ,there is a colophon in ,semitic ,babylonian1 written by ,nabu-baladhsuigbi1 son of ,mitsircea 7the ,egyptian71 probably during the reign of ,nabonidus1 the father of ,belshazzar1 that is also an invocation in the same style4 ,the inscription of ,tiglath-,pileser ,i1 king of ,assyria1 which is the longest and most important of early ,assyrian records1 says ,professor ,sayce1 dates from about #aajf ,b4 ,c4 ,this inscription was found under the foundations of the four corners of the temple of ,kileh ,shergha1 the ancient city of ,asshur1 and is now in the ,british ,museum4 ,the one hundred and fifth sentence mentions divining rods as the ,oracle of the ,great ,divinities1 being placed within the temple4 ,this ,elalla1 says ,professor ,sayce1 was a stem of papyrus covered with writing4 ,many tablets of ,assyrian times have been deciphered from the cuneiform text and are designated as ,tablets of ,grace1 or ,tablets of ,good ,works4 ,these are supposed to be those that ,nebo wrote describing the virtues of men4 ,besides these1 the ,babylonians mentioned tablets on which the sins of the evil were recorded4 ,the pious worshipper1 therefore1 prays that the ,tablet of his sins and iniquities may be destroyed1 saying3 ,may the ,tablet of my sins be broken1 showing how prevalent was the belief that ,nebo controlled fate entirely1 both when predicting the future and also after death1 and in this ,thoth resembles him closely4 ,similar connections are met with in the ,old ,testament1 when ,moses cries1 ,forgive their sins--2 and if not1 blot me1 ,i pray thee1 out of thy book which thou hast written4 7,exodus xxxii3#cb47 ,the belief that such records are kept by the ,almighty is referred to also in the ,new ,testament4 ,your names are written in ,heaven4 7,st4 ,luke x3#bj47 ,the verse in ,ezekiel ix3#b1 ,one man among them was clothed in linen1 with a writer's inkhorn by his side1 is supposed to refer to ,nebo1 the ,heavenly ,scribe4 ,in a long cuneiform text inscribed on a terra cotta prism found at ,nineveh1 ,king ,asshur-banapal glories in having received from ,nebo and ,tashmitu 7his consort7 the power to understand the art of tablet-writing4 ,in ,babylonian ,magic and ,sorcery from the ,british ,museum1 by ,leonard ,w4 ,king1 ,m4 ,a41 ,assistant in the ,department of ,egyptian and ,assyrian ,antiquities1 ,british ,museum1 there are tablets invoking the protection of ,nebo as well as of other gods4 ,one of them has been translated as follows3 ,oh6 ,hero ,prince1 ,first born of ,marduk2 ,oh6 prudent ruler of ,spring of ,zarpanitu2 ,oh6 ,nabu1 ,bearer of the ,tablet of the destiny of the ,gods1 ,director of ,isagila1 ,lord of ,izida1 ,shadow of ,borsippa1 ,darling of ,ia1 ,giver of ,life1 ,prince of ,babylon1 ,protector of the ,living4 ,it may be stretching a point to observe that the arrow-headed letters on the tablets of ,babylonia closely resemble a sheaf of arrows that have fallen haphazard4 ,but this may be seen in the name of the god ,nebo4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,,vi ,,the ,,atouts ,,of ,,the ,,tarots ,since the creation of the world mankind has realized a divine power shaping his destiny1 and has tried to conciliate the unknown god4 ,since life is made up of happenings that are unforeseen1 man believed that certain occult powers directed and shaped them4 ,it was natural1 therefore1 to try to ascertain the wishes of the controller of fate1 so that they might be complied with and misfortune thus averted4 ,invocations1 sacrifices and queries1 private or public in the temples1 are recorded from early days4 ,some have been found that date from at least five thousand years before ,christ4 ,directions for wave offerings1 burnt offerings1 etc41 are frequent in the ,old ,testament4 ,the commands for marking the rods with the names of the twelve tribes of ,israel1 for the purpose of laying them on the altar and awaiting results when the wishes of the ,lord would be revealed1 are given in ,numbers xvii4 ,prayers to ,nebo1 ,thoth1 and ,mercury are found everywhere in the countries where they were worshipped4 ,the use of divining arrows 7rods71 when demanding the wishes of the gods1 is a known historic fact1 so it is readily seen whence the ,egyptians received their inspiration to gather together the customs1 ceremonies and superstitions of alien religions1 to absorb them in the worship of their god ,thoth4 ,the temples of the ,egyptian gods were generally gorgeously decorated1 and those of ,thoth were filled besides with learned women and men who devoted the result of their studies to the common good1 without a thought of self-aggrandisement4 ,they made themselves the go-between of ,thoth and man1 when revealing the wishes of the occult beings4 ,the number of ,hermetic ,books1 written at ,thoth's dictation1 is given by ,jamblichus as #bj1jjj4 ,naturally1 when sacrifices or offerings were made1 the worshipper demanded a reply to his inquiries1 thus taxing the ingenuity of the prophets1 who were1 in fact1 no wiser than himself as to the predestinations recorded at birth4 ,so1 sometimes they found the desires of the gods hidden in the entrails of animals or in the palms of the hands4 ,astronomers and astrologers1 observing that the heavenly bodies conformed to certain laws1 decided that these laws also governed the lives of men4 ,in the worship of ,ishtar1 the great ,babylonian goddess1 who has been identified with both ,venus and ,diana1 the flight of birds had portent2 while at the oracle of ,delphi straws 7a variant of the rods of ,aaron or the divining arrows of the ,asiatics7 were employed to ascertain the wishes of the gods1 and it is the descendants of these that are now sometimes known as ,jackstraws1 that came to us from the ,chinese1 and at others are identified as the pip cards now in common use4 ,a close study of each card of the old ,tarots reveals much of the history of the book and its original intention1 for the resemblance of the different cards to the different ,egyptian deities is clearly displayed to the student4 ,the attributes and costumes of ,maut1 ,isis1 ,phthah1 ,neith1 ,amun1 ,thmei1 ,nepte1 ,seth1 ,anubis1 and ,ra are all to be traced on the detached leaves of the ancient book4 ,the costumes are those of ,italians of about the thirteenth century1 it is true1 but the caps1 the girdles1 the positions and the attributes1 as well as the qualities assigned to each by the fortune-tellers1 are too apparent to be ignored4 ,it would seem that the cards were designed by some person to whom these different marks had been described1 but who had no knowledge of the original pictures of these gods that are still so instructive in ,egypt4 ,while the attributes are retained1 the pictures do not recall the old ones that can still be found in mummy cases or historic monuments4 ,it was therefore impossible for those who wrote on ,playing ,cards before the great discoveries in ,egypt to recognize the connection of the ,tarots with the ancient mysteries1 although the symbols of ,mercury might have given a clue1 had these been noted4 ,without declaring that the deductions connecting the ,atouts with the ,egyptian gods is infallible1 the strong resemblance between them must be carefully considered1 and the intention of each card studied with all the obtainable history connected with it4 ,i4 ,,le ,,bagatleur 7,il ,bagattel7 ,this card1 also known as the ,juggler or ,pagat1 bears various names1 according to the locality where it was used4 ,it is derived1 says ,count ,emiliano di ,parravicino1 in the ,burlington ,magazine for ,december1 #aijc1 from ,bagat or ,paghead and ,gad1 that signifies fortune1 and the card is often called ,bagatto 7or cobbler71 since there are sometimes tools placed on the board in front of the figure1 one of which 7in the corrupted designs of modern cards7 resembles a cobbler's awl4 ,the figure on this card represents the ,player or ,inquirer1 and when the cards are laid out1 according to the rules of prophesying1 it is controlled by all that are dealt close to it4 ,that is to say1 the cards surrounding this figure tell the events that are likely soon to befall the inquirer4 ,the first ,atout represents a young man standing behind a table4 ,on his head is a hat of mystic meaning1 for it is shaped like the sign of eternal life1 ,illustration3 infinity symbol2 his left hand carries a wand1 called by de ,gebelin son ,bton de ,jacob1 ou ,verges des ,mages4 ,this magician's wand was readily recognized by the shrewd ,frenchman1 who evidently understood the symbolism of the rod of ,aaron 7or ,jacob74 ,the rod is really the caduceus of ,mercury that has so many significances4 ,it is one of the pip devices that has been reproduced in the ,ace of ,rods1 ,staves1 or ,sceptres1 as it is variously called1 and1 by placing it in the hand of the inquirer1 it denotes that he has been given the power to consult the oracle4 ,the other articles placed on the table before the youth are the other devices that mark the suits of the cards1 namely3 ,money1 ,cups and ,swords1 although on modern ,italian ,tarots these emblems are often changed for others that lack significance4 ,in the lottery chart1 called ,tsz-fa-to1 used by the ,chinese fortune-tellers1 there is a figure like the ,bagatleur1 holding up his hand in the same way1 which recalls the many mystic meanings attached to the blessing hand4 ,the ,pagat or ,magician 7as this card is often called7 is sometimes expressed merely by the ,hebrew letter ,aleph1 which is placed beside the figure1 or is used alone1 when an ,initiate understands the symbol as well as if the ,pagat was in its place4 ,what relation the ,hebrew alphabet has to the ,tarots is a matter for conjecture1 but the characters are often placed on early packs1 and some writers have pointed out that1 in their opinion1 these letters offer fresh evidences of the origin of cards and their connection with divination4 ,so ,papus says3 ,the first letters of the alphabet express hieroglyphically man himself as a collective unity--the ,master principle--the ruler of the world4 ,in very old packs the earth is represented at the bottom of the picture1 ornamented with its fruits4 ,the centre is occupied with the man1 whose right hand bent towards the ground1 the left hand raised towards heaven1 thus representing two principles1 the one active and the other passive1 of the great ,all1 and it corresponds with the two columns of ,jakin and ,bohas of the temple of ,solomon and of ,freemasonry1 as well as with the great statues erected before the tombs of the ,egyptian kings4 ,the meaning may be thus stated3 ,man with one hand seeks for ,god in ,heaven1 and with the other he plunges below to call up the demon to himself1 and thus unites the divine and the diabolic in humanity4 ,it is well known that among primitive people1 boys1 upon arriving at manhood1 went through certain ceremonies with fasting and incantations so this card also represents a youth making his first offering to the gods of the temple1 and consulting them as to his future life1 or asking what ,nebo or ,thoth had written at the time of his birth on their ,tablets of ,fate4 ,in order to learn from the gods what his future occupation should be1 one of the symbols of ,mercury is lifted haphazard from the table before him4 ,thus1 if a sword be grasped1 a man will be a soldier1 and a woman will have a person of rank for a husband4 ,the ,cup represents the ,church or ,love4 ,in primitive nations various articles are still placed before a child1 and the one selected influences its occupations1 when mature4 ,in ,korea a bundle of yarn1 a handful of rice1 a few coins1 a cake of ink1 a brush1 and some paper are placed before a baby1 on attaining its first birthday4 ,if it selects the yarn1 it denotes a long life2 the money means prosperity2 the writing materials signify that a scholar's life will be the one followed1 while rice means happiness4 ,hebrew letters can be expressed by numbers as well as by the conventional characters2 this is well exemplified by the way they were used in making the fringes of the temple of ,solomon1 the strands of which were peculiarly knotted in groups of different numbers1 that1 when deciphered1 represented a text4 ,a similar knotted fringe adorns the ,taleth or praying scarf1 worn by the ,jews when worshipping in the synagogue1 on which a text is typified by groups of knots expressing ,hebrew letters4 ,this fringe is made with four threads1 one of which is longer than the others4 ,two threads are bound together with the longest one in a double knot1 then it is wrapped seven times1 then eight1 then eleven1 followed by thirteen1 with two knots separating each4 ,according to the ,kabbalah1 states ,professor ,rosenau1 in his book entitled ,jewish ,ceremonial ,institutions1 these knots and windings have a secret meaning1 making thirty-nine in all2 they correspond to the numerical value of the letters constituting two words1 or 'the ,lord is one1' since each letter of the ,hebrew alphabet has numerical significance4 ,among uneducated people symbols took the place of written characters in early days1 so1 since these knots conveyed a sound and a meaning1 a number is also indicated by the letters of the ,hebrew alphabet4 ,these letters or numbers that were occasionally placed on the early ,atouts have the greatest value when deciphering the attributes found on the ,tarots1 since each one has occult significance attached to it1 evidently placed there with the intention of assisting the early fortune-tellers to decipher their meaning1 although omitted in the later books of ,thoth-,hermes1 when they were used only for amusement or gambling4 ,,ii4 ,,la ,,papessa 7,,the ,,female ,,pope7 ,this card is supposed to represent ,isis4 ,she is typified by a seated female figure with two pillars behind her1 between which hangs a curtain indicating her temple4 ,she is crowned with a triple tiara1 and has an open book in her lap4 ,this goddess instructs and persuades4 ,law1 erudition1 and occult science are under her protection4 ,as the first female figure among the ,atouts1 she represents the priestess of the temple of ,thoth1 also ,eve1 also the mother4 ,when a woman is the inquirer1 this card represents her1 instead of the ,pagat1 which represents a man inquirer4 ,the name of ,papessa1 given to this card by the modern ,italian card-painter1 seems to be a corruption of ,isis4 ,the former name is misleading1 and has no connection with the original meaning of the figure1 for it has nothing in common with the mythical ,pope ,joan of the ,roman ,church1 while all the attributes show that the figure represents ,isis1 or1 perhaps1 ,tashitum1 the consort of ,nebo1 called the ,interceder4 ,the ,italian card-makers1 says de ,gebelin1 named numbers ,,ii and ,v of the ,atouts1 mother and father1 or ,papessa and ,papa2 but he declares their emblems are ,egyptian and the triple phallus worn by number ,,ii is the one borne by ,isis in the ,fte des ,pampylies1 where ,isis joyfully receives ,osiris4 ,it is the symbol of regeneration of plants1 or spring4 ,the card is also supposed to represent ,juno in the ,roman mythology4 ,the attitude connects it1 says the same authority1 with la haute magic1 since it is the first of the symbols of the ,emerald ,tablet1 one of the books of ,thoth1 that was discovered on the mount of ,nebo4 ,wiltshire says3 ,believers in magic find occult meanings in the hands of this figure4 ,roman women sacrificed to ,juno on their birthdays1 as she was not only the goddess who presided over maternity 7making ,mercury her messenger1 who carried the child to its parents7 but she was also the protector of women4 ,part of the great book of ,thoth1 called the ,ritual of the ,dead1 said to have been written with the finger of ,thoth1 and generally placed with a mummy1 says3 ,i am yesterday4 ,yesterday is ,osiris4 ,phthah goes around4 ,the divine ,horus prefers ,thee4 ,the god ,set does so in turn1 as well as ,isis1 whom thou hast seen4 ,the ,hebrew letter on the second ,atout is ,beth1 which hieroglyphically expresses mouth or tongue1 one of the things used in the sacrifices to ,nebo and to ,mercury4 ,,iii4 ,l',,imperatrice 7,the ,empress7 ,this card betokens ,venus ,urania according to the ,roman mythology1 or ,maut according to that of ,egypt4 ,the vulture is its emblem1 one of ,maut's attributes signifying maternity4 ,the mouse also represents her1 and it typifies fecundity4 ,the card has many significances1 such as speech1 action1 initiative1 friendliness1 protection1 progress1 production1 and helpfulness4 ,the figure is that of a seated woman holding a shield and a sceptre4 ,in old cards she is crowned with a diadem that has twelve stars on its points4 ,this card also symbolizes generation and productive forces4 ,its letter is ,gimel1 the meaning of which is the throat1 or the hand of a man half closed2 hence1 it signifies that which encloses1 that which is hollow1 a canal1 an inclosure4 ,the card also represents a woman friend1 but not always one that is desirable4 ,the ,egyptian goddess1 ,maut1 wears a cap and crown1 and she bears a sceptre4 ,her flowing robes are confined below the breasts with a girdle1 the typical zone that has such occult meanings4 ,among the ,persians and tribes of ,north ,africa1 the girdle is always removed from a bride1 as part of the wedding ceremony1 and neither is she nor the bridegroom allowed to wear one for seven days after the marriage4 ,maut is called ,lady of ,heaven1 and ,giver of ,life1 and has been identified by some as the ,ishtar of the ,babylonians4 ,,iv4 ,l',,imperatore 7,the ,emperor7 ,the fourth ,atout shows in profile a male figure seated on a throne4 ,he represents ,jupiter or ,amun1 the ,ammon of the ,egyptians1 the ,marduk of the ,babylonians1 and the ,merodach of the ,bible4 ,this letter is ,daleth1 suggesting growth1 nourishment1 generation1 divine will1 long life1 strong character or personal ability and ambition4 ,this card and number three have similar representations on the ,persian cards1 which pack alone of those adopted by different countries retains the figure-pictures1 to the entire exclusion of the pip cards4 ,this seems to point to the fact that1 while the ,egyptians or ,assyrians overran ,persia and imposed some of their customs and religious beliefs on the people1 the great gods were adopted reluctantly1 and the key to their wishes was not bestowed on the conquered people1 as would have been the case had their use1 in combination with the prophetic arrows or rods1 been taught at the same time4 ,the great temple of ,ammon was at ,thebes1 the southern ,egyptian capital4 ,the name ,ammon means concealment1 to veil1 to hide4 ,his most common title1 says ,mr4 ,rawlinson1 in ,ancient ,egypt 7page #cbb71 was ,suten-,netern1 king of the gods1 also called ,hek or ,hyk1 the ,ruler1 the ,emperor1 ,lord of ,heaven1 strong bull4 ,his image1 like that of the fourth ,atout1 is represented as seated on a throne4 ,he is crowned1 and wears a collar and bracelets4 ,he bears the sceptre1 the symbol of power and plenty4 ,one of the invocations to ,ammon begins ,hail to thee1 ,lord of ,truth1 whose shrine is hidden4 ,v4 ,,il ,,papa 7,the ,pope7 ,the pronunciation of the name of this card alone proves its connection with the ,egyptian god1 ,phthah1 but1 besides this1 it has many strange significances assigned to it1 all of them pointing to the same conclusion4 ,the figure denotes the religious superior1 as it wears the triple crown1 combined with the two pillars of the temple4 ,the ,african god was greatly revered and feared1 while many temples were dedicated to his worship4 ,four figures kneel before ,il ,papa1 whom he blesses with uplifted palm1 sacred to religious ceremonies1 and inherited from the hand of the ,cohen of the ,jews4 ,in the old cemetery at ,prague there are hundreds of tombstones1 on which the uplifted hands are carved to represent ideographically the descendants of ,aaron1 who alone can bestow benediction in this way4 ,the hand plays an important part in heraldic emblems4 ,the ,ulster1 or bloody hand1 is a mark of rank1 not only in ,english heraldry1 but is venerated by ,orientals as well4 ,a bloody hand is frequently found stamped beside the lintel of the door among ,north ,africans1 and small silver or brass facsimiles of the right hand are also fastened to the door or worn on the person1 to ward off the evil eye1 when it is called the hand of ,fatima4 ,arabs frequently wear this hand1 that is then covered with engraved quotations from the ,koran4 ,their name for it is ,kam or five fingers4 ,the number five--,khamsa--is considered so powerful and mystic that it is believed to bring bad luck if it is mentioned1 so the word is not pronounced1 but the ,arabs say two-three instead4 ,the ,neapolitans generally wear a hand with one finger outstretched as a charm1 one of the many links connecting them with ,egypt4 ,the fifth ,atout in its position and consequence represents aspiration1 health1 intelligence1 union1 strength of will1 religion and faith4 ,the accompanying letter is ,he1 the meaning of which is aspiration4 ,the triple-barred sceptre is an especial emblem of ,phthah1 who was known as the revealer1 the one who made hidden duties manifest4 ,the first four figures of the ,atouts are connected with family life4 ,the inquirer in number one1 the parents in two and four1 and the influence of ,state and ,church in three and five1 forming a significant group when studying the cards and their meanings4 ,,vi4 ,,gli ,,amanti 7,the ,lovers7 ,the sixth card has not yet been connected with any of the occult gods of ,egypt or ,babylonia4 ,the figures seem to belong solely to ,cupid4 ,the card shows a young man between two females1 symbolizing virtue and vice4 ,cupid hovers overhead1 blindfolded1 and with bent bow1 ready to shoot an arrow into the air4 ,when used for prophesying1 this card is typical of a young man starting in life1 whose future depends upon the choice before him1 since good and evil both seem to claim him4 ,the card also denotes affection1 love1 friendship1 charity1 union and sight1 the latter being indicated by the letter1 which is ,vau1 the hieroglyphic sign for eyes1 light or brilliancy4 ,the import of this figure is personal magnetism4 ,this card also indicates marriage1 and is emblematic of the legal tie1 as well as of luck and good fortune4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip and ,court ,cards of the ,cup ,suit #cg ,seven of ,cups #ch ,eight of ,cups #ci ,nine of ,cups #dj ,ten of ,cups #da ,knave of ,cups #db ,cavalier of ,cups ,,vii4 ,,il ,,carro 7,the ,chariot7 ,this is one of the most mystic of cards1 its number being one that was regarded as occult by the ancients4 ,it displays a picture of a king or a conqueror1 in his car drawn by beasts1 precisely as ,nebo was frequently represented in the texts1 when the gilt chariot never marks the way4 ,sometimes the car is drawn by horses1 frequently by oxen1 sometimes by lions1 and occasionally by black and white sphinxes4 ,this car typifies ,mars1 the god of war mentioned in ,babylonian mythology and in the ,bible1 when every nation made gods of their own and the men of ,cuth made ,neral 7,mars74 7#b ,kings xvii3#cj47 ,as has been mentioned1 ,nebo bore a sword and was regarded as accompanying warriors1 although he generally represents the pestilence that follows in the wake of war4 ,the ,hebrew letter of the seventh ,atout is ,zain1 that expresses an arrow1 thus suggesting a weapon as well as a soldier1 so it denotes victory1 a ruling power1 triumph1 protection1 a domineering character4 ,the arrows of divination are frequently referred to in the ,bible1 for instance1 when the king of ,babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of the two ways to use divination4 ,he made his arrows bright1 he consulted with images1 he looked at the liver4 ,the tablets found at ,nippur frequently refer to all the arts of divination1 as when a text in cuneiform characters says3 the arrows were marked ,yes and ,no1 or1 the king had shaken the arrows1 questioned the house gods1 and looked into the liver4 ,mr4 ,culin1 in his ,korean ,games1 considers that divination by arrows is one of the most primitive forms1 and it is still kept up in ,korea1 ,china1 ,japan1 etc4 ,the sticks used for the purpose in ,china are in the form of arrows1 and are kept in a cube-shaped box resembling a quiver4 ,they are shaken in a peculiar way until one jumps out1 when the design on it1 and the direction in which it points to the shrine1 are considered to have replied to the inquirer4 ,the ,chariot of the ,atouts was1 under certain conditions1 supposed to represent ,osiris4 ,it was also called the chariot of ,mercury1 in the sense that he was the messenger of ,mars when war was to be proclaimed1 or when his caduceus was used as a flag of truce4 ,seven was always considered by the ,egyptian savants a mystical number1 so this card played an important part in occult science4 ,count ,emiliano di ,parravicino1 in his essay published in the ,burlington ,magazine1 ,december1 #aijc 7page #bch71 says3 ,mgr4 ,antonio ,dragoni 7#ahad7 suggests that the ,atouts1 numbering twenty-one not counting the ,joker 7,fou71 which has no number1 represent the ,egyptian doctrine beloved by ,pythagoras1 of the perfect number ,three and the mythical number ,seven4 ,hence1 ,thoth1 the ,mercury of the ,egyptians1 forms with the pack of pip cards his book or picture of the creation of three classes of images1 which symbolize the first three ages of the world--i4 e41 the golden1 the silver1 and the bronze4 ,each of these three classes is to represent in its seven divisions a greater reference or mysticism1 a mysterious book of the highest value in the art of divination1 since this book of unbound leaves contained the key to all mysteries1 although its contents were undecipherable to all but those taught in the temples of ,thoth4 ,this proves that other thinkers besides ,papus and de ,gebelin had come to the same conclusions from their study of the ,tarot pack1 although without having the benefit of exchanging views on the subject4 ,the ,babylonians believed in seven evil spirits1 as the following prayer1 translated from a cuneiform tablet1 will prove3 ,seven are they4 ,they are seven1 ,the same in the mighty deep2 ,and ,seven are they in heaven1 ',though in water1 sometimes they sleep4 ,they are neither male1 nor female1 ,these awful spirits that fly1 ,but like destructive whirlwinds1 ,they swirl across the sky4 ,without a home or offspring1 ,compassion and mercy are nil1 ,since prayers or supplications1 ,they neither hear nor feel4 ,like wild beasts bred in the mountains1 ,they defy both gods and men1 ,polluting even the fountains ,the rivers1 the marshes1 the fen4 ,evil are they1 strangely evil1 ,in temples1 in cities1 in homes2 ,for ,seven are they1 cruel ,seven1 ,with weird and terrible forms4 ,mr4 ,willshire1 in his ,catalogue of the ,playing ,cards in the ,british ,museum1 says3 ,it hardly requires a reference to the ,bible to notice the frequency with which the number ,seven is mentioned4 ,not only was the ,seventh day to be kept holy1 but1 then1 there was the mystery of the ,seven stars1 of which ,nebo 7,mercury7 was one1 the latter being the most rapid and brilliant4 ,also of the ,seven golden candlesticks1 and1 in ,zachariah iii3#i1 we find that on the stone laid before ,joshua there were ,seven eyes4 ,mercury invented the lyre1 according to the ,egyptians1 in the year of the world two thousand4 ,at first it had only three strings1 but in the hands of the ,muses1 ,seven were adopted4 ,then also the ,seven virtues were called the ,seven cords of the human lyre1 having their analogies in the ,seven colours of the prismatic spectrum4 ,then there were ,seven precious stones1 namely3 ,carbuncle 7garnet71 ,crystal1 ,diamond1 ,agate1 ,emerald1 ,sapphire1 and ,onyx1 besides the ,seven chief metals4 ,the emerald was considered the stone of ,thoth1 we may infer1 since one of his books was entitled ,the ,emerald ,tablet4 ,among the ,berber tribes1 of ,north ,africa1 the women put seven marks on their foreheads1 to protect them from the evil eye2 this is also done among some of the ,negro tribes4 ,when consulting the pip cards1 the ,sevens have peculiar and occult values1 marking the boundaries between those lower and higher4 ,they also make combinations that influence the consideration of other cards4 ,,viii4 ,,la ,,giustizia 7,justice7 ,the figure on the eighth card is represented in the most modern fashion1 and yet1 with its attributes and values1 it is much as ,egyptians would have known it when the worship of ,thoth was at its height4 ,it is the goddess of ,truth or ,ma4 ,her title was sometimes adopted by the kings1 who called themselves the friends of ,truth4 ,mr4 ,rawlinson1 on page #che of ,ancient ,egypt1 says3 ,the chief judge of every court is said to have worn an image of ,ma around his neck1 and when he decided a case he touched the litigant with it1 in whose favour the decision was made1 in order to testify that everything had been done with justice and truth4 ,in the final judgment of ,osiris1 the image of ,ma was placed in the scale1 and weighed against the good actions of the dead4 ,it may easily be perceived what a forceful figure the one of justice must have been to the people who consulted the oracles in the temples of ,thoth4 ,justice is represented on the ,atout as a seated female figure1 on a throne bearing her usual heraldic marks of a sword and a pair of scales4 ,law and order are denoted by every line and emblem on the card1 which1 summed up1 expresses conscientiousness1 balance1 power1 and poise1 in all their forms4 ,the leaf also corresponds with some of the attributes of the god ,tiemei1 and again represents one of the deities of ,olympus4 ,heth1 the letter corresponding to it1 means a field1 and from that springs the idea of anything requiring labour and continued effort1 the elements and existence4 ,when it typifies ,ceres1 of the ,olympic gods1 it denotes the mother as she is generally represented1 with her daughter1 ,prosperpine1 endeavouring 7as the original type of a mother-in-law7 to keep her from the arms of ,pluto1 while ,mercury leads the wife forcibly away4 ,this card is the dominating one of ,cups 7meaning sacrifice7 of the pip part of the pack4 ,,ix4 ,l',,eremita 7,the ,hermit7 ,the ,hermit is one of the most mysterious designs on the ,atouts1 and has not yet acknowledged all its intentions4 ,for the meaning assigned to it1 and its value for soothsaying1 hardly correspond with the personage depicted1 so it is supposed that the artist who modernized the ancient design has altered it too completely to be recognised by those unacquainted with the original intention4 ,it shows an old man1 holding a lantern aloft1 and by some is regarded as a watchman calling the hours of the night1 and by others1 as ,diogenes searching for an honest man4 ,but the attributes or values given to the card rather quarrel with the design1 for they signify friendship1 protection1 and wisdom4 ,the rod or staff signifies a pilgrim1 certainly an overseer1 and is a favourite emblem in the ,bible1 as in ,psalms xxiii3#d1 ,thy rod and thy staff1 they comfort me1 or1 in ,isaiah x3#ae1 ,if the staff should lift up4 ,it is the cane of the medical man1 and represents the ,sceptre suit of the pip cards4 ,this ,atout typifies strength of character1 philanthropy1 the wisdom of silence in difficulties1 circumspection1 prudence1 and sympathy2 in short1 all the qualities desirable in a friend4 ,the letter is ,teth1 which represents a roof or place of safety1 suggesting the idea of a shelter and protection given by wisdom and forethought4 ,the card also typifies human love and humanity4 ,x4 ,,ruoto ,,della ,,fortuna 7,the ,wheel of ,fortune7 ,this ,atout has many and various connections with the superstitions of ancient days4 ,it is the ,wheel of ,fortune1 and1 among other things1 represents ,osiris judging the souls of the dead4 ,anubis clambers up on one side1 while ,typhon descends on the left of the wheel4 ,there are two ideas1 says ,papus1 expressed by this symbolic card4 ,the first is that of supremacy1 the second of eternity4 ,the former is typified by ,anubis and ,typhon climbing or falling1 one reaching to overpower the other1 while the wheel turns eternally1 lifting first one and then the other4 ,thus it is in life1 for fortune changes from good to bad with unceasing regularity1 sometimes slowly and sometimes rapidly1 but always controlled by an unknown force1 that is called luck4 ,the circle signifies eternity1 and the ,wheel of ,fortune is one of the oldest known symbols in the world4 ,it is deemed by some to have its analogy in the ,wheels of ,ezekiel and of ,pythagoras1 with all the significances attached to these emblematic figures4 ,being numbered ten1 its ,hebrew letter is ,yod1 the hieroglyphic meaning of which is the forefinger extended as a sign of command4 ,this sign ,illustration3 pointing finger is recognised even by the uninitiated1 and is one of the surviving attributes of ,mercury in common use to-day4 ,it was placed under the head of ,mercury1 when he was erected by the roadside as ,terminus to point out a road4 ,in every synagogue is found a pointer1 called ,yod1 because its long arm terminates in a beautifully modelled hand1 with the forefinger outstretched4 ,this is used by the reader of the ,scriptures to keep the place1 since the text is written in fine characters not easily followed without the pointing finger of the ,yod4 ,the ,wheel of ,fortune typifies magic power1 fortune1 expression of the will of the gods1 or their commands1 supremacy1 superstition1 and luck4 ,anubis was the conductor of spirits to the judgment seat 7or ,mercury1 as ,chthonius72 he also held the balance in the hall of the dead4 ,he is called ,lord of the ,burying-ground1 and is represented as a jackal4 ,the ,wheel of ,fortune is derived from ,osiris1 on the judgment seat1 with ,anubis as assistant4 ,,xi4 ,,la ,,forza 7,strength7 ,this ,atout shows a female figure1 wearing the mystic hat1 or vital sign ,illustration3 infinity symbol1 seen on the ,pagat1 or the first ,atout4 ,the girl forces open the mouth of a lion1 expressing vitality1 force1 courage1 daring4 ,it would seem the ancients believed that1 in suffering or trouble a woman was superior to a man1 for endurance and strength of mind4 ,the figure also typifies innocence1 so the fable of ,una and the lion seems to be depicted1 whether intentionally or not4 ,another symbol is that of the ,amazons1 who pretended1 say modern writers1 to great strength1 in spite of being women1 but the translations of some of the cuneiform tablets lead one to suppose that these female warriors were more noted in their own times for their wit than for their strength4 ,the value given to the card indicates it to be under the protection of ,minerva4 ,the ,hebrew letter for this card is ,kaph1 which typifies a grasping hand4 ,this card represents subtle and mystic occultism1 with its influence over mankind2 in fact1 female charity4 ,it recalls1 by its costume and attributes1 the ,egyptian goddess ,neith1 whose temple was at ,sais1 the chief city of the ,delta4 ,she wears a peculiar emblem on her head1 sometimes called a shuttle1 recalling the device of the ,atout4 ,mr4 ,rawlinson1 in his ,ancient ,egypt 7page #cdb71 says the inscription on her shrine reads3 ,i am all that was1 and is1 and is to be4 ,no mortal hath lifted my veil4 ,the last expression would be understood in ,egypt1 for the lifting of the veil is the conclusion of the marriage service1 when the bridegroom sees his wife for the first time4 ,therefore1 one meaning of the card is a bride4 ,,xii4 ,l',,appeso 7,the ,hanged ,man7 ,the hanged man is a remarkable figure on the twelfth leaf of the ,book of ,thoth4 ,the person is suspended by one foot from a gibbet that is crudely made1 by placing a bar in the fork of two opposite trees that have been lopped of other branches4 ,the hands are tied behind1 and the right leg crosses the left1 by which the figure is suspended4 ,this peculiar form of punishment was at one time inflicted for certain kinds of crimes in ,etruria1 and was probably typical when it was adopted4 ,it has been suggested that one of the signs of recognition between ,freemasons consists in crossing the legs1 although these persons generally remain upright and are not contortionists1 so it is difficult to concede this connection with the figure on the ,atout4 ,it shows a young man1 who is said to be the ,pagat1 or inquirer1 of the first ,atout1 who1 having passed through the temptations of youth1 begins to aspire to an ethical future4 ,this is exemplified by his position1 indicating discipline1 or submission to a superior will4 ,perhaps another idea is1 that since all the blood has run to his head1 the powers of knowledge are concentrated1 and will be increased4 ,the card expresses equilibrium1 charity1 courage1 knowledge and prudence2 also wisdom and fidelity4 ,lamed is the corresponding ,hebrew letter2 it designates the arm1 so is1 therefore1 connected with expansive power and movement1 as applied to all ideas of extension1 of occupation1 of possession4 ,the figure being raised above the earth1 and in a position of pain1 together with humility1 typifies a mind withdrawn from temporal ideas1 or a martyr to science4 ,vulcan is supposed to be the ,olympian god typified by ,l',appeso1 not only on account of the strong arm1 but also because he was thrown out of heaven and lamed for life4 ,,xiii4 ,,la ,,morte 7,death7 ,this thirteenth ,atout is represented on some cards as a skeleton mowing off the heads of men1 on some as a rider on a white horse1 and on others on a black one4 ,there is an old proverb3 ,death comes riding on a white horse1 and sometimes the clouds betokening rain are called the white horses of death4 ,one of the horses of ,aurora was called ,abraxas1 the numerical value of these letters summing up three hundred and sixty-five1 or the number of the days of the year4 ,the occult meanings attached to this card and its number in the ,atouts are well known1 for the latter is connected with bad luck or death in all ,european countries1 and in every place where the worship of ,mercury or the ,hermetic art1 as connected with cards1 has penetrated4 ,it is not so regarded1 however1 by savage tribes1 who have not followed this cult4 ,this superstition is1 therefore1 by many deemed to be one of the proofs that the cards were descended from those mysteries4 ,it is supposed that this image of ,death was the half-way position in the temple of ,thoth1 and therefore divided the ,atouts to the right and to the left1 since they were placed in sequence on both sides4 ,thoth ,hermes1 the unnumbered ,atout1 was represented by a statue that occupied the centre of the building1 under which stood an altar4 ,on this altar the rods 7or pip cards7 were thrown when consulting the oracle4 ,at any rate1 the altar 7or its remains7 occupies the centre of the ruins of the temple of ,mercury1 at ,bai4 ,the central position of ,death was deemed to indicate the dividing period of a man's life4 ,the inquirer1 after consulting the pictured figures1 representing the family1 religion1 government1 and friends of the beginning of his life1 now learned of the more serious affairs of later years1 not necessarily death or bad fortune1 but1 rather1 a transforming force1 since this ,atout marked such a distinct epoch in the path of life1 and was to be considered most seriously4 ,still the card also portends sorrow1 destruction1 and death4 ,the letter is ,mem1 meaning fertility and formation1 or the development of the being in an unlimited space1 perhaps regeneration after destruction1 or immortality in another world4 ,,xiv4 ,,la ,,temperan 7,temperance7 ,it is probable that this figure was intended for ,nut or ,nephthys4 ,of her but little is positively known1 and1 so far1 no temple erected to her has been discovered4 ,she was called the wife of ,seb1 and the mother of ,osiris4 ,her titles are the ,elder1 the ,mother of the ,gods1 and the ,nurse4 ,she is usually represented as veiled and pouring a liquid from a vase4 ,her figure frequently appears in tombs1 as if she was the guardian angel or protector of the dead soul4 ,this idea of an oblation to the gods1 through pouring wine or oil before them1 is found to be common among the ,babylonians1 and to pour oil on the troubled waters is no mere figure of speech4 ,the fourteenth ,atout is represented as a winged female pouring liquid from one jug to another1 signifying individual and corporeal existence1 production1 fruition1 health1 temperance1 economy and offspring4 ,its letter is ,nun1 signifying fruit of any kind and all things produced4 ,neptune is typified by one of his nymphs offering an oblation when mingling the waters4 ,there may be a remote and more occult connection with this device and divination1 for one of the earliest methods of consulting the gods was through pouring water on oil1 or oil on water1 and prognosticating from the results4 ,this process is found to have been used among the ,babylonians as early as two thousand five hundred years before ,christ4 ,two books have been discovered on this subject that give full directions for consulting the wishes of the gods through those means1 and they have been fully translated by ,dr4 ,arthur ,ungnad4 ,one is1 ,interpretations of the ,future among the ,babylonians and ,assyrians1 and in it are found many directions for discovering the wishes of the gods1 such as3 ,if the oil fills the cup1 the person dies2 ,if the oil floats on water to the east1 the person will die2 ,if to the right1 it is good luck1 if to the left1 it is misfortune4 ,the name1 ,temperance1 given to this card1 seems to be rather misleading and modern1 since the picture evidently typifies this most ancient custom4 ,,xv4 ,,il ,,diavolo 7,the ,devil7 ,set1 or ,sutech1 the principle of evil1 who is connected with the myth of ,osiris1 needs but little explanation4 ,even moderns can comprehend at a glance all that it typifies4 ,mgr4 ,antonio ,dragoni is one of the earliest persons to identify this card with ,set or ,typho1 the son of ,seb1 who was the brother of ,osiris1 and one of the geniuses of evil4 ,any one who has attempted to read the myth of ,osiris will appreciate the difficulties of unravelling it4 ,the ,hyksos1 or shepherd kings1 selected ,set as their sole deity1 and ,seti ,i assumed his name1 thus placing himself under the protection of the evil one4 ,afterwards the worship of ,set ceased entirely and he was abhorred4 ,the long ears retained on the figure of the fifteenth ,atout mark the connection with ,set1 for that was one of his distinguishing attributes4 ,the ,hebrew letter that represents this card is ,zain1 which means arrow1 or any weapon of destruction4 ,the intention of this ,atout is destiny1 chance1 fatality1 superstition1 illness1 temptation2 it represents a spirit of evil1 hatred1 jealousy1 and suspicion4 ,,xvi4 ,,la ,,torre 7,the ,tower7 ,in this leaf1 a building struck by lightning is portrayed1 through a thunderbolt shot by ,jupiter1 and conveyed by the ,messenger1 ,mercury4 ,the lightning god was one of ,nebo's titles1 and the mark is retained on the ,japanese cards1 although probably accidentally1 since there is no connection between their playing cards and the original ,atouts4 ,some writers call this tower the castle of ,plutus 7the ,roman god of wealth71 deeming it a warning to misers1 for it recalls the legend relating to an incident in the life of ,rameses ,,ii1 recorded in ,herodotus4 ,the ,pharaoh ordered a tower to be built for his treasures1 and he alone had its key1 but daily he discovered that his valuables were disappearing1 although there was only one egress4 ,a watch was set1 and it was found that two of the sons of the architect could enter by displacing a stone1 that had been left for the purpose of thieving1 and when the men were entrapped inside1 they threw themselves headlong from the tower4 ,this picture shows a connection with ,egyptian legend that must not be disregarded in seeking to trace the ,tarots to the mysteries of ,thoth4 ,besides1 some persons believe that the card represents the destruction of the temples of ,babylon1 and due weight must be given to the significance awarded by that people to lightning1 when consulting the gods through divination1 particularly as it was the weapon of ,jove 7,merodach71 who was connected with the ,baal of the ,bible1 and sometimes worshipped as ,enlil1 who was frequently implored not to destroy his people by lightning4 ,but there are other legends connected with the destruction of ancient temples that are even older than that of ,egypt1 and we are lucky to have access to one that has lately been translated from the ,sumerian language1 written in cuneiform characters on one of the tablets discovered by ,prof4 ,herman ,v4 ,hilprecht in the ,temple ,library of ,nippur4 ,above two hundred of them were of a religious or historical character1 which he set apart for the well-known scholar1 ,doctor ,radau1 to translate4 ,these related chiefly to the worship of the gods of the second dynasty of ,ur1 or about two thousand five hundred years before ,christ4 ,although the beginning of the ,babylonian religion1 as portrayed in these tablets1 says ,doctor ,radau1 in ,miscellaneous ,sumerian ,texts from the ,temple ,library of ,nippur 7page #chi71 has to be sought somewhere at about #egjj ,b4 ,c41 when the religions of ,babylon were systematized4 ,one tablet relates how a king of that period conquered his enemies with the help of the chief god1 who at that time was named ,enlil1 the ,governor of the gods1 the god who destines fate4 ,it was his son1 ,nebo1 who was his confidential messenger1 his lightning-rod1 and who wrote on the tablets of ,fate the decrees of the supreme being at the birth of each mortal4 ,it may be noted that ,nebo is given a different father at different times1 but so it is in the mythologies as now interpreted2 the oldest accounts name the chief gods1 whose qualities and symbols later became merged in more modern ones1 and they were given different names at various times1 which is most confusing4 ,the great temple consecrated to ,enlil is called ,e-,kur1 and is at ,nippur4 ,this name for this particular tabernacle became the common name for temple in general 7page #daa74 ,no king of ,babylon ventured to do anything or take any step without kissing the hand of ,enlil1 to obtain his consent and approval4 ,according to ,doctor ,radau1 ,enlil was afterwards succeeded or displaced by ,marduk 7the ,merodach of the ,bible1 and the ,jupiter of the ,romans71 although the supremacy of ,enlil lasted some three thousand five hundred years1 quite long enough to leave an impression on the ,book of ,fate4 ,one of the tablets translated from the ,sumerian language has been given almost literally1 and is an invocation to ,enlil1 bewailing the destruction and begging for the restoration of the principal cities of ,babylonia1 together with the temples that had been destroyed1 which were1 in fact1 the homes of the priests1 who always dwelt in the sanctuaries4 ,doctor ,radau 7page #ddd7 calls the song1 ,the ,lamentation of the ,goddess ,nin1 of the ,city of ,mar1 who was called ,nin-,mar4 ,he gives a literal translation of the cuneiform text of the tablet that has a well-defined metre1 and is divided into sections4 ,the first three verses are an invocation to ,enlil1 the supreme god1 by this goddess1 ,nin-,mar1 who declares that she is ,mistress of ,mar1 who1 through the power granted to her by ,enlil1 was once able to destroy the enemies of her country and lay waste their lands1 but the power has left her1 as her ,master sleeps4 ,nin-,mar gets a sympathetic god1 named ,nin-ib1 to sing a hymn with her1 in which the destroyed temples are recounted4 ,nin-ib was the solar deity of ,nippur1 also a war god1 but inclined to be beneficent to mankind4 ,one of his titles was the warrior1 and he is identified as the planet ,saturn4 ,his symbol was a man with a lion's head4 ,,to ,,enlil4 ,oh1 ,enlil1 who placed on the waters ,a shelter for men and for all1 ,great ,god1 who creates and then slaughters1 ,come1 hark to the children's call4 ,nin-,mar1 the smiter of mountains1 ,i sigh1 ,i sigh2 ,enlil1 to thee ,i cry1 cry1 cry4 ,shall the ,mistress of ,mar and his daughters1 ,his doves and the broods on their nests1 ,shall their homes be cast out on the waters1 ,while their ,master is lying at rest8 ,nin-,mar1 who was the destroyer of lands1 ,i sigh1 ,i sigh2 ,enlil1 to thee ,i cry1 cry1 cry4 ,exalted one6 ,listen to pleadings1 ,for my ,nippur now covers its face2 ,my ,e-,kur1 my ,ki-,ur have vanished1 ,may all be restored to their place4 ,it is ,mar1 the smiter of mountains1 ,i sigh1 ,i sigh2 ,enlil1 to thee ,i cry1 cry1 cry4 ,,the ,,hymn4 ,great ,nippur1 and ,e-,kur and ,ki-,ur with ,girsu have perished in flame1 ,then harken1 oh1 powerful ,enlil1 and restore them to greatness and fame4 ,oh1 then shall thy cities exalt thee1 thy harems1 thy children1 thy lands1 ,the doves which fly over the towers1 the temples that rise from the sands4 ,we pray that thy days may be lengthened1 thy cities1 like mountains1 arise2 ,then open thy ears1 mighty ,enlil1 to thy children's most sorrowful cries4 ,listen to ,nin-,mar1 its ,mistress1 ,i sigh1 ,i sigh2 ,enlil1 to thee ,i cry1 cry1 cry4 ,the ,atout of the ,tower typifies the money pip of the cards1 with all of its mundane significances1 so its meaning is easily translated as intending sorrow1 destruction1 vice1 descent1 perverseness1 wickedness1 degeneration4 ,ayin is the letter of la maison de dieu1 or le feu de ciel1 as the card is variously called1 and both its design and its complementary letter express all that is crooked1 bad1 and false4 ,,xvii4 ,,le ,,stelle 7,the ,stars7 ,this ,atout shows a young woman beneath the mystery of the stars1 the seven stars of the ,bible1 that were the seven planets of antiquity4 ,the name star is derived from that of ,ishtar1 the great ,babylonian goddess4 ,the central and most brilliant star on the ,atout represents ,mercury as the god of speech1 or the transmitter of the wishes of gods to men1 or ,nebo1 the writer on the tablets of ,fate4 ,the ,dog ,star was called ,thoth by the ,egyptians1 who also considered this god the author of speech1 language1 and writing1 like his predecessor1 ,nebo1 whose mountain was at the plain of ,moab1 7,deuteronomy xxxiv3#a71 and he also had the same planet dedicated to him4 ,he1 the differentiating letter1 means voice or speech1 just as ,nebo1 or ,nabi1 means prophet1 proclaimer4 ,hebe1 who succeeded ,mercury1 as cupbearer to the gods1 represents him here dispensing the essence of life equally between two jugs2 and1 to carry the resemblance still further1 the picture recalls oblations to ,osiris1 which were typical of the mingling of life and power1 as exemplified by pouring out water when standing on the earth4 ,thus1 two of the elements are shown1 a third one having been represented in the lightning of the preceding card4 ,the different connections between the ceremonies of the ancients with the ,cup and the cupbearer have been described in the chapter relating to that emblem4 ,on some of the oldest of the ,atouts1 before their designs became confused by ignorant artists1 when some of the most distinctive emblems were omitted1 or altered1 a gazelle stands behind the woman4 ,this still further shows the connection of this card with old ,egyptian legends1 for it was said that the gazelle gave warning of the rising of the ,nile1 by fleeing to the desert1 even before the inhabitants expected the flood4 ,the gazelle is sacred to ,osiris4 ,this animal is also retained on one of the pip cards of the ,spanish pack4 ,the ,stars typify immortality1 creation1 hope1 song1 music1 speech1 and the connection between humanity and a supreme power4 ,it will be recalled that all these things were attributed to ,mercury1 ,thoth1 and ,nebo4 ,a god pouring a liquid from one vessel to another is frequently found on ,egyptian seal cylinders4 ,it is generally the sun god1 although other gods are frequently represented4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip ,cards of the ,rod ,suit #dc ,ace of ,rods #dd ,deuce of ,rods #de ,trey of ,rods #df ,four of ,rods #dg ,five of ,rods #dh ,six of ,rods ,,xviii4 ,,la ,,luna 7,the ,moon7 ,the eighteenth ,atout speaks for itself4 ,the legends connected with it are far spread1 but all are practically the same4 ,two dogs bay at the moon1 that is represented at the top of the picture4 ,they are symbols of ,marduk1 which seem to have little connection here4 ,a crawfish crawls from the water to land4 ,the meanings are manifold1 for the letter ,tzaddi 7although its hieroglyphic idea is similar to that of ,teth on the ninth card7 has different significances1 according to its position in a word4 ,it chiefly means an aim1 an end1 a succession1 and its value varies4 ,the occult significance of this ,atout is the material body1 with its gratifications1 such as gourmandising1 drinking1 covetousness1 gambling1 selfishness1 and the danger of self-indulgence4 ,then1 also1 the card warns of hidden dangers1 enemies1 and accidents1 representing1 besides the ibis-headed ,thoth1 the god of letters4 ,to discover all its significances1 the eighteenth card must be studied with due regard to conditions1 position1 and the meaning of those adjoining it1 all of which aid in deciphering the obscure intentions of this leaf1 that is assigned in mythology to ,diana4 ,,xix4 ,,il ,,sole 7,the ,sun7 ,a representation of the sun is the design on the nineteenth ,atout1 the accompanying letter of which is ,zoph1 signifying a defensive weapon4 ,this ,atout indicates the elements1 precious stones1 and minerals2 an awaking1 revival1 excitement1 transition1 nutrition and digestion2 also self-esteem1 indulgence1 eagerness to make money1 and probable success by self-exertion2 also a worldly person1 or a happy marriage4 ,the god ,ra is represented by the sun in ,egyptian mythology4 ,he was greatly revered by some of the ,pharaohs1 such as ,rameses1 who adopted his name4 ,,xx4 ,,il ,,giudizio 7,the ,judgment7 ,the ,day of ,judgment is the symbol of this ,atout1 and its letter is ,resh1 representing typically the head of man4 ,the picture shows an angel blowing a trumpet from the clouds1 while below1 the earth is yawning1 to allow the dead to rise4 ,this is a strange emblem to be placed among the heathen leaves1 for it is peculiarly ,christian in its significances2 but even the oldest designs show it pictured in this way4 ,as it stands1 it expresses motion1 movement1 travels1 readjustments1 originality1 determination1 respiration1 and regeneration4 ,then1 also1 it typifies scenery1 skill1 and artistic capabilities4 ,the ,romans dedicated it to ,pluto1 the ruler of the nether world4 ,it has many of the attributes of ,ishtar1 the goddess of the ,babylonians1 from whose name ,easter is derived4 ,she represented spring1 and was the protector of vegetation1 growth1 and agriculture4 ,the angel blowing the trumpet is a very old design1 and one often used on tombs or cenotaphs4 ,it recalls ,theodore ,hook's witty epitaph on ,lord de ,ros1 of whom little good could be said1 and who was accused of cheating at cards1 but whose family erected a fine monument to his memory1 on which was the representation of the angel of the ,resurrection4 ,under it ,hook wrote3 ,here ,,lies ,england's ,premier ,baron patiently waiting the last trump4 ,,xxi4 ,,il ,,mondo 7,the ,world7 ,this card shows the nude figure of a woman1 in an ellipse of leaves and flowers1 the victor's wreath of the ,grecians4 ,she represents verity or truth4 ,in the four corners are the emblems of the apostles that ,st4 ,john borrowed from ,ezekiel1 and the latter from ,assyria and ,babylonia4 ,these are the ,man1 ,lion1 ,bull and ,eagle4 ,besides typifying the apostles1 they1 in a manner1 suggest the four attributes of the pip suits1 and also the four elements4 ,the inscrutable-looking man represents brain1 knowledge1 and mystery4 ,the ox typifies strength1 and the lion courage1 while the eagle suggests inspiration and the power of soaring above mundane affairs4 ,these four emblems represent also the four seasons1 when the ox stands for autumn1 the man for winter1 the lion for summer1 and the eagle for spring2 so the complex meaning of the twenty-first ,atout suggests that the head or wisdom of man prescribes the will of the ox1 the courage of the lion1 and the aspirations of the bird1 through the mouth of ,truth4 ,the attributes of the designs on the cards are also included in this leaf from the book of ,thoth4 ,the wand that the figure holds represents the ,stave1 or caduceus1 or magic wand of ,aaron1 that was kept for a token1 as well as fire4 ,the ,cup betokens the south1 and summer1 and water4 ,the ,sword1 earth1 and the ,coin 7or ,ring71 eternity and air4 ,il ,mondo's letter is ,tau1 which symbolises perfection4 ,the meaning of the whole card covers the elements of success1 luck1 happiness1 marriage1 contentment1 bliss4 ,,xxii4 ,,il ,,matto 7,the ,fool7 ,the twenty-second ,atout has no number upon it1 and is called ,le ,fou1 ,il ,matto1 or the ,joker4 ,it is the presiding deity himself1 ,thoth1 ,nebo1 or ,mercury1 in all his various moods1 with all his many qualifications4 ,these are denoted by the cards that fall near him1 when being dealt1 that are controlled or influenced by his overwhelming personality and qualifications4 ,he generally brings news and good luck4 ,count ,parravicino declares3 the ,italian name is derived from an ,egyptian one1 ,mat1 which signifies beginnings or perfection4 ,the card represents everything that is typical of ,mercury1 such as irresponsibility1 with all its consequences4 ,the figure of ,il ,matto carries the attributes of ,mercury3 the staff he holds in his hand1 while a purse dangles from his side4 ,he is travelling or walking1 as if carrying news1 or a message1 and also suggests a wanderer1 a pedler1 or a merchant4 ,motion1 energy1 and luck are expressed1 as well as fickleness1 inconstancy1 and unconventionality that may amount to insanity4 ,the letter is ,shin1 and expresses cyclic movement4 ,in some of the old ,italian ,tarots1 ,il ,matto is represented as being naked1 or else in tattered garments1 like a beggar1 when he symbolises folly1 frivolity1 or chance4 ,in the ,austrian ,tarots he is dressed like a harlequin1 or else simply with cap and bells4 ,he is the gypsy wanderer1 as we know him1 believed by some persons to be the descendant of the ,egyptian priests of the temple of ,serapeon1 at ,pozzuoli1 who were forced to wander by the destruction of this temple4 ,it must be remembered that no ,tarots have been discovered that are over five hundred years old1 and that a great gap exists between these and the mysteries of the temple of ,thoth2 therefore1 some of the emblems or symbols that we know may not resemble those of the originals4 ,we must also recall that there is more than one cult represented among the ,atouts2 therefore1 many of the attributes of different deities are mingled confusingly1 perhaps1 on one and the same card4 ,the student is necessarily limited by conditions1 for many of the virtues accredited to the emblematic figures have been received traditionally1 or have been discovered by intuition1 and are attributed first to one god1 and then to another1 as the study of ancient myths or cults reveals a hitherto unexpected connection4 ,the intention of the ,atouts1 as a whole1 is the representation of a youth and his parents or governors and sponsors4 ,these are followed by everything that can express human life1 such as ambition1 love1 marriage1 temptation1 friendship1 luck1 trials1 illness1 hatred1 jealousy1 despair1 hope1 enemies1 success1 and death4 ,when combined with the pip cards1 the whole makes an interesting game of life1 presided over by the versatile god1 ,mercury1 the writer on the tablets of ,fate4 ,the whole of the ,tarot pack has been called the ,bible of the ,gypsies1 the ,athor of the ,egyptians1 the ,thora of the ,hebrews1 the ,great ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 and the ,key of ,things ,hidden from the ,beginning of the ,world2 so1 how should poor mortals be able to unravel all its secrets and lay them bare before an uncrediting world4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,the ,,pips ,,of ,,the ,,tarot ,,pack4 ,the numbered or what are technically known as the pip cards of the ,tarot pack are divided like those of more modern ones into four sets1 called by ,english-speaking people suits4 ,these are headed by four court1 or coate1 cards1 namely1 ,king1 ,queen1 ,cavalier1 and ,knave1 making one more than usual to each suit1 or fifty-six in all4 ,besides this royal family1 there are the cards numbered from one to ten4 ,in some of the games two or more of the pip cards are dropped1 but this was the original pack4 ,in ,germany there are only three court cards1 like the ,french ones1 but there is no female in the set4 ,the ,german suits are ,herzen1 ,grnen1 ,eicheln1 and ,schellen2 the ,spanish1 ,bastos1 ,otos1 ,coppas1 and ,espadas2 the ,italian1 ,bastoni1 ,danari1 ,coppe1 and ,spade1 and ,english1 ,rods1 ,money1 ,cups1 and ,swords4 ,these pips are emblematically displayed through appropriate symbols1 and1 besides1 each of them represents an idea and a number1 all of which are valuable assistants when grouping the cards1 in order to divine their hidden meanings that are almost lost to us1 although quite decipherable by those who held the key to the ancient mysteries4 ,the reason for invariably having four suits would be incomprehensible were it not recognised that there were four emblems that were peculiar to and always represented ,mercury1 namely1 his ,caduceus1 his ,money1 his ,chalice1 and his ,harp or ,sword1 which also typify the four grand divisions into which the classes of people were divided all over the known world of the day1 particularly in ,egypt1 for they were ,workmen1 ,merchants1 ,churchmen and ,soldiers1 who were easily recognised through the symbols4 ,if any man of one of these castes wished to consult the oracle he selected the emblem of his class and in this way communicated to the god his status in the community4 ,since four was not a favorite number among the mystics1 there could have been no other reason for selecting that number for dividing the pack into suits1 and none other has been suggested by students4 ,as it stands1 it shows that it was arranged scientifically and with a decidedly well-considered purpose that met all the requirements of the worshippers at the temple of ,mercury4 ,that the pips have this interpretation seems natural1 for if it had been intended to select lucky devices common at the time it is more probable that a swatzka1 a circle for immortality1 or a wheel or perhaps an ankh1 that were favourites among the ,egyptians would have been chosen1 since all these devices are quite as old and significant as the ones adopted1 being closely connected with mysticism1 it seems to be sufficient proof that the ones selected were taken because they represented ,mercury1 so these pips must be considered valuable links in the chain connecting them with his worship1 even if they stood alone and were not supported by every card in the ,atout part of the ,tarots4 ,that the religions1 superstitions and deities of ,asia1 ,africa and ,europe have mingled from time to time there is no doubt4 ,e4 ,levi1 in his ,dogme et ,ritual 7,vol4 ,,ii1 page #bcj71 says3 ,passing from ,india to ,egypt with its occultism1 and then to the ,hebrews and their theosophy1 the stick 7or the wand7 corresponds with the ,phallus of the ,egyptians and the ,yod of the ,hebrews that is used to point to the sentence read from the ,scriptures4 ,thus the vase 7or cup7 of ,mercury is the ,cteis1 and the primitive ,he1 the ,sword1 is the conjunction of the ,phallus and the ,cteis represented in ,hebrew anterior to the captivity by the ,vau1 while the ,circle or ,money that may be vulgarly considered the emblem of the world is the final ,he of the divine name4 ,thus we have ,jod-,he-,vau-,he1 or conventionally pronounced ,jehovah4 ,the wand or staff of the ,tarots represents the cards as they were originally used for divination1 when a bundle of arrows1 of rods1 of straws or of sticks were gathered together and cast down before the images in the temple1 so that their direction might be noted and inferences drawn as to the wishes of the gods4 ,divination arrows with many mystic significances were common among all primitive nations4 ,the golden rod given to ,mercury was evidently the magician's wand used when the plagues of ,egypt were overwhelming the land4 ,the staff of ,moses brought forth water1 while that of ,aaron curled into a serpent when it symbolised eternity4 ,there are few of the rock pictures of ,egypt that do not represent their ,pharaohs1 their gods1 and their priests with a sceptre1 a rod1 or a staff as an emblem of authority4 ,so it was typical in ancient days1 requiring then no explanation4 ,it may be noticed in the ,atouts that the cards representing the divinities show each god carrying a staff or sceptre4 ,this fact greatly aids in identifying them1 for the old ,italian artists understood enough to place the sceptre in the hand of the emperor1 and give only a staff to the hermit or priest4 ,divining arrows have been connected with worship from very early days and probably preceded the rods4 ,the former are mentioned more than once in the ,bible1 and the first verses of ,numbers xvii are particularly interesting as being a historical reference to the divine commands to consult the occult1 as well as marking the period when rods were substitutes for arrows4 ,the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ',speak unto the children of ,israel and take every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers 444 twelve rods3 write thou every man's name upon his rod4 ,and thou shalt write ,aaron's name upon the rod of ,levi3 for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers4 ,and thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony1 where ,i will meet with you4' ,it was ,aaron's rod that put forth leaves and fruited1 showing that he was the one selected by the ,lord1 who conveyed his commands in this way4 ,it would be interesting to know what were the distinctive symbols of each tribe1 but the only trace of them is found in ,genesis xlix1 which indicates that ,judah had a lion or a sceptre4 ,the symbol of the uplifted hands still marks the ,cohen or ,aaron's descendant1 while the ,magen ,dovid1 or the shield of ,david1 the six-pointed star1 has been so widely adopted by ,freemasons as to have become almost identified with them4 ,by some people it is called ,solomon's seal4 ,this record of marking or numbering the rods is most important1 for through it we trace the origin of the marks which in the hands of the wily ,egyptian priests were afterwards placed on material they deemed more convenient than the primitive arrows1 such as papyrus1 or parchment1 thus converting the divining arrows of the past into pip cards as we now know them4 ,rods with notched ends1 and also some on which figures of men are cut1 have been lately found in the tombs at ,abydos4 ,the divining rods of the ,alaskan ,indians are given numbers by painting stripes of different colours on them1 while the rods of the ,haida ,island ,indians1 off the coast of ,north ,america1 are differentiated by tribal distinctions1 such as the ,bear1 the ,tortoise1 and so forth4 ,the names of the different families show how little the savage people have parted from ancient customs4 ,the long1 thin1 arrowlike paper cards of ,korea show the same tribal marks4 ,as in ,biblical times the rods were called after the men who used them as representing the ruler of their families1 so substituting their pictures was probably the next step4 ,the cards then were numbered up to ten1 while the father1 mother1 child1 and servant were represented in what we name ,court cards4 ,this enabled a man to ask queries of the gods in a most particular way4 ,should he be a soldier he would select a ,sword emblem to typify him and his family1 and then1 laying the cards of that suit before the testimony 7which signifies the tables of stone or the commandments71 he awaited the answer that was conveyed to him after the priest had consulted the cards with reference to the way they were dealt in connection with the pictures on the walls4 ,in ,chinese fortune-telling the gamblers resort to a shrine of the god of war1 says ,mr4 ,culin1 in ,korean ,games 7page #bc71 and throw numbered arrows or sticks to divine the wishes of the gods1 while sometimes paper lots are employed4 ,the arrows are kept in a tube like a quiver1 or dicebox1 and shaken out at random4 ,the shrine is finely decorated1 containing mystic figures and devices1 and it stands upright against a wall4 ,a table on which to shake the arrows is placed before the shrine4 ,on page #bf of ,korean ,games1 ,mr4 ,culin states3 ,in ,japan fifty slender1 rounded splints of bamboo1 called ,zeichiku1 varying in length from two to fourteen inches1 are used4 ,the fortune-teller gathers them in his right hand1 raising it reverently to his forehead1 muttering incantations1 then parts the sticks into bundles1 prophesying good or evil according to the number in each1 and it is said that each splint1 having its value and meaning1 covers all events of a man's life as recorded in a book of 'oracular responses' that the diviner keeps beside him for reference4 ,mr4 ,culin also mentions the ,meisir game of the ,arabs1 when seven arrows were shaken from a tube or quiver4 ,this old game was played before the time of ,christ1 and ,mahomet prohibited it1 calling it the work of devils4 ,arrows made of nab-a tree were used4 7,this name was seemingly derived from ,naib or prophet47 ,they were of a bright yellow colour1 and when shaken in the box gave a peculiar ringing sound1 so arrows made of any other wood were considered undesirable and were discarded4 ,each arrow had a name and was marked with a numeral4 ,the significant and historical ,staff or ,rod of the ,tarots was replaced in the ,french pack by the design of a clover leaf1 or1 as it is called1 ,trfle1 which we name a ,club1 a cognomen that recalls the original intention1 so would otherwise be meaningless4 ,nor does the ,coin or the ,denari take the place of the one that originally represented ,mercury ,agoneus1 the protector of merchants and of commerce4 ,this sign when consulting the oracle denotes fair people and also the element of water1 and anything floating on it or living in it1 besides all things connected with trade1 mercantile transactions1 or development4 ,the ,coppas or ,cup suit is appropriately typified by a ,cup or ,chalice or the ,vase of ,mercury ,chthonius4 ,this device is superseded by the ,hearts of the ,french pack1 which symbolise the passive principle of the universe4 ,corresponding as it does with the chalice of the clergy1 it betokens not only men of religious life1 but those of knowledge and power through learning1 and also scientific men and those in the government and law4 ,love and instruction are typified by the symbolic ,cup that denotes fair people1 who are also represented by the suit of ,denari when the cards are consulted about the affairs of life4 ,the ,cup plays a prominent part in the symbolism of ancient days4 ,in ,records of the ,past1 by ,professor ,sayce 7,vol4 ,,iii1 page #hf71 is a letter from ,dusratta to ,amenophis ,,iii1 translated from a cuneiform tablet discovered at ,tel-el-,amarun1 in ,upper ,egypt3 ,and to my father did thou send much gold1 ,an oblation dish of solid gold and a ,cup of solid gold1 showing that the ,cup symbolised not only a connection with sacrifice1 but was also a bond of friendship4 ,votive cups are found in the temple of ,osiris1 showing that they were used in his worship4 ,some are very small1 as if intended for children to use4 ,the ,cupbearer to ,royalties in ,babylonia and ,egypt was a most important post1 for the person was chosen for faithfulness1 since poison could be so easily conveyed in wine and drunk unsuspectingly by the king4 ,the ,sakibearer or ,butler of ,persia became one of the heroes or gods4 ,he was also called the ,spiritual ,instructor1 showing a connection with the priesthood1 or ,he who hands a ,cup of ,celestial ,love1 which is typified by the wine as well as the ,cup4 ,jamshid1 one of the greatest rulers of ,iran 7,persia71 says ,major ,sykes1 in ,the ,glory of the ,shia ,world 7page #aci71 was able by means of his seven-ringed ,cup not only to predict the future1 but also survey the entire world4 ,this ,jamshid had many of the qualities of ,thoth ,hermes attributed to him1 for he introduced into his country the use of iron1 the arts of weaving1 wine-making1 and healing1 with many other arts and sciences1 his memory is greatly revered4 ,omar ,khayyam sings of him ,iran1 indeed1 is gone with all his ,rose ,and ,jamshid's sev'n ring'd ,cup1 ,where8 ,no one knows4 ,the ,cup placed in the sack of his brethren by ,joseph was no mere accident1 as it had for them a most important and symbolic meaning that is indicated but not enlarged upon in the ,bible4 ,babylon is called ,a golden ,cup in the hand of the ,lord4 7,jeremiah li3#g47 ,that it was a symbol connected with power1 priesthood1 sacrifice1 and friendship is indicated whenever it is mentioned in the ,bible--for instance1 ,psalms lxxv3#h1 where it is said3 ,for in the hands of the ,lord there is a ,cup2 or the thirty-seven other times it is again spoken of in the ,old ,testament1 and the thirty-two references to it in the ,new4 ,the cups discovered in ,babylonia and ,egypt are of many different shapes that indicate the particular uses to which they were to be put4 ,those intended for holding the sticks when consulting the oracle of ,thoth resemble a modern dicebox1 as well as the box still used for sticks in ,china and ,japan4 ,in ,egypt immediately after death the soul was supposed to descend to the ,lower ,world1 and was then conducted to the ,hall of ,two ,truths1 where it was judged in the presence of ,osiris and the forty-two ,dmones 7the ,lords of ,truth7 and ,judges of the ,dead4 ,the ,director of the ,weights was ,anubis1 who placed in one of the scales of ,justice 7or ,ma7 a figure of ,truth1 and in the other a ,cup containing the good actions of the deceased1 while ,thoth stood by1 tablet in hand1 to record the result4 ,this shows the positive connection of ,thoth with the emblems that afterwards became one of the devices of ,mercury when he succeeded ,thoth in both the upper and the lower worlds4 ,late discoveries in ,crete show frescoes representing handsome youths as cupbearers to ,king ,minos4 ,the ,espadas or ,sword suit speaks for itself1 and here1 as well as in the name of the ,club suit1 the origin of the ,spade is preserved1 for ,les ,piques of the ,french pack 7that represents the ,halbert of medival times or the guardians of the person of the king71 resembled garden spades to the ,english1 who called them by that name1 that when spoken recalled the pronunciation of the ,spanish pip ,espadas4 ,a ,harp or ,sword was presented by ,jupiter to his son ,mercury as a token of bravery and skill when he was the ,messenger who killed ,argos1 or the herald of ,mars4 ,his title was then ,mercury ,argiphontes when he represented the best qualities of the warrior1 such as courage1 bravery1 decision1 and temperance4 ,the suit typifies dark people and the element of air1 and protects those who fly1 whether birds or men4 ,altercation is also denoted by the ,sword suit1 as are troubles1 sorrows1 transformations1 lawsuits1 hatred1 enemies1 spies1 or rivals4 ,the word in ,hebrew signifies lightning1 brightness--as in ,job xx3#be1 the glittering sword cometh out1 which is particularly typical of the bright planet and the god of lightning4 ,the ,sword as ,messenger is frequently referred to1 as in ,numbers xxii3#ca1 ,the angel of the ,lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand4 ,the ,cup and the ,sword pips are recalled by a game played in ,korea called ,pitch-pot1 one of the oldest games known to history4 ,arrows are thrown into a vase of water placed two and a half lengths from the player1 who kneels on a mat to throw his weapon into it4 ,after all the arrows have filled the cup the loser must drain it at one swallow4 ,the ,money suit not only recalls the connection with merchants1 with ,mercury as their protector1 but probably had an earlier origin in the mystic circle so beloved by occults4 ,isaiah xl3#bj mentions the one that sitteth upon the circle of the earth1 which quotation is fraught with symbolism4 ,the royalties on the ,egyptian tombs always wear a broad collar or necklace1 the narrow cord being the emblem of the slave2 but the ,king wears it as denoting his submission to the gods1 while claiming to be supreme among men4 ,the circle placed on their heads was a sign of unceasing power1 and the zone or belt worn by female goddesses or princesses signified maidenhood or supremacy and had other mystic meanings4 ,the coin placed on the cards signified many things besides merchants and their occupations1 but it was generally connected with the material things of life4 ,the ,chinese coin still retains the hole in the centre1 making it a hollow round4 ,it is supposed by some that the coin was originally the mystic serpent with tail in mouth1 thus completing the circle4 ,zwvoi meant the ,serpent which girdles the globe and represents the ,zodiac or ,ecliptic line denoting the path of the sun4 ,the four ,court cards dominate and control the pips of their own suits and play an important part wherever placed4 ,the suits of ,money and ,cups denote the home and family life and are considered benign1 while ,money represents friends1 partners1 or strangers1 and ,swords may mean any one of them as desired by players2 but the last two suits are usually deemed material or malignant1 being the opposite to the benign suits4 ,in general1 ,rods represent enterprise and glory2 ,coins denote investments or transactions2 ,cups typify love and happiness2 while ,swords seem to call for hatred and misfortune4 ,then the number of each of the cards betokens something1 for1 dealt in four packets with three cards in each one of the heaps1 a singleton is left for the fourth packet4 ,the first pile should contain an ,ace1 ,deuce1 and ,tray1 which portend commencement4 ,that is to say1 if ,rods are the suit these three cards tell of the beginning of an enterprise4 ,if the suit is ,cups they mean the beginning of a love affair1 and in the same way hatred or a quarrel is denoted as beginning if the ,sword suit is used1 while ,ace1 ,deuce1 and ,tray of ,money announce the inception of a business transaction4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip and ,court ,cards of the ,rod ,suit #di ,seven of ,rods #ej ,eight of ,rods #ea ,nine of ,rods #eb ,ten of ,rods #ec ,knave of ,rods #ed ,cavalier of ,rods ,the second packet includes the ,four1 ,five1 and ,six1 which denote inertia1 stoppage1 opposition1 concentration4 ,the ,sevens1 ,eights1 and ,nines represent balance1 poise1 or result1 and the ,tenth card means uncertainty4 ,each number has the same value or meaning4 ,that is to say1 an ,ace of ,rods means the beginning of an enterprise1 the ,deuce that the enterprise is arrested1 while the ,tray signifies that the enterprise having been established1 can be continued4 ,the ,ace of ,money is the commencement of fortune1 the following two cards mean opposition and good fortune4 ,the ,ace of ,cups the dawn of a love affair1 the ,deuce opposition to it1 and the ,tray consent4 ,the ,ace of ,swords means enmity1 the ,deuce that the enmity is arrested1 and the ,trey declares open rupture or war4 ,therefore the packets of three with the singleton may be classified as1 first1 commencement2 second1 opposition2 third1 balance4 ,the first three indicate dawn1 the second three noon1 while evening is represented by the ,seven1 ,eight1 and ,nine1 and the ,ten card shows bewilderment or night4 ,the court cards in the ,tarots have four to each suit that are named ,king1 ,queen1 ,cavalier1 and ,knave1 and they represent man1 woman1 child1 and servant4 ,the male figure denotes enterprise1 the female characterises affection or love1 the youth typifies conflict1 strength1 struggle1 rivalry1 or hatred1 while the ,knave means transition4 ,the court cards also express pointedly the meanings of the suit that they represent4 ,they betoken family life1 with the ,king as father1 the ,queen as mother1 the ,cavalier as son1 and the ,knave as daughter1 child1 or servant4 ,the ,king of ,rods or ,staves is a dark1 kind friend2 his ,queen represents an amiable1 good1 charitable1 or friendly person4 ,the ,cavalier is dark and good2 the ,knave is a dark messenger or child4 ,the court cards of ,money typify fair people who are friendly1 kindly disposed1 or indifferent2 the ,king representing the male1 the ,queen the female4 ,the ,cavalier portends strangers1 and the ,knave messages or news4 ,these figures of the ,rods and ,cups bear inverse value to the ,swords and ,money1 for the latter do not belong to the family1 but indicate outsiders1 strangers1 or the world in general4 ,the ,king of ,cups is a fair man and frequently means a lawyer1 a councillor or a clergyman4 ,the ,queen is a blonde friend1 perhaps the best beloved1 and the ,cavalier is sometimes a fair-haired lover1 while the ,knave is an infant1 a messenger1 or a birth4 ,the ,suit of ,swords always is unlucky1 and its ,king betokens a dark1 bad man1 an enemy or some one to be mistrusted4 ,the ,queen represents a brunette who is wicked and to be feared1 a gossip1 a treacherous character4 ,the ,cavalier is an enemy or a spy1 and is dark2 while the ,knave is bad news1 delay1 or malice4 ,the whole group indicates opposition raised outside of the home4 ,it will be seen that if each one of the seventy-eight cards belonging to the ,tarots be given the meaning assigned to it in the foregoing rules1 nearly every emotion1 every incident1 every characteristic of man is typified1 and the combinations are as endless as are the chances of life4 ,as the cards are dealt and fall together1 one balances or controls the other1 so that when their meaning is deciphered as a whole there is a most interesting picture of ordinary life4 ,the game is played by two persons1 one who deals and one who reads the cards1 or rather interprets with superior knowledge the meaning of the great ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus4 ,it can readily be seen how the game could be taken advantage of by the unscrupulous1 who induced credulous persons to believe that the leaves of the book revealed the future4 ,this faith1 indeed1 was inherited through generations1 who received it from ,moses and many of the ,hebrew prophets1 as well as from the priests of the temple of ,thoth and those of ,mercury2 so it is small wonder that the mysterious leaves were regarded with awe1 and that their revelations are received with implicit obedience1 since the orders of the gods could be transmitted through the rods of ,moses and ,aaron that became the pip leaves1 and the message was exemplified through the emblematic figures on the walls4 ,the pips translated the meaning of the ,atouts1 without which neither part or volume of the book could be fully understood4 ,therefore all fortune-telling with packs of ,hearts1 ,diamonds1 ,spades and ,clubs is nonsense1 since these cards were invented for games or gambling and have nothing occult or prophetic about them4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,some ,,old ,,italian ,,tarots ,it is practically impossible to bridge the chasm between the abandonment of the actual and open worship of ,mercury in his own temples to the transference of his heraldic emblems to the unbound leaves of a book that could be concealed on the persons of his priests1 for doubtless the rites of ,mercury were practised privately for many years by people who had every motive for concealment2 and since there was no law against these secret practices1 there is no record of their having been broken1 no ordinance concerning games of cards or fortune-telling1 and no official record pointing directly to cards under the name now generally given them4 ,what may be recorded concerning the priests of the cult of ,mercury remains to be discovered4 ,nor can we date the period when these same leaves came to be regarded as affording amusement1 or from being wholly in the hands of initiated persons and regarded as a vehicle for consulting the wishes of the deities1 they fell into the possession of soothsayers or unscrupulous fortune-tellers1 who did not hold the interpreting key and made improper uses of the ancient ,book of ,thoth4 ,nor1 again1 is there any record of when cards became the tools of gamblers1 who used them for games of chance1 although their consultation might always have partaken of the elements of chance1 but in a very different way4 ,however1 it is well known that the introduction of ,christianity into ,rome gradually caused the deities of ,olympus to be disregarded1 so that those who still worshipped the gods of their ancestors did so in secret1 and when ,st4 ,paul set foot at ,pozzuoli1 close to the temples of ,osiris and ,mercury1 the first step was taken towards the downfall of the ancient rites4 ,it is quite natural1 therefore1 that writers on the origin and history of ,playing ,cards have found no record of their invention1 no monument to their inventor1 and no cradle at their birthplace1 since they looked solely for the cards that were familiar to them and for games played with those cards1 while they failed to recognise that the cards were part of a cult and were the heraldic emblems of ,mercury 7as displayed on the pip cards7 and those of ancient ,egyptian gods 7as depicted on the ,atouts71 and1 therefore1 these writers declare that no link exists between the ,italian ,tarots of the present day and the great ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 while they acknowledge that ,playing ,cards owe their invention to the ,egyptians1 who1 having inherited the men portrayed upon the walls from the ,babylonians and the traditions of ,nebo1 the one who writes the tablets of fate1 elaborated the ceremonies1 simplified their code1 and introduced them to ,europe1 first through the priests of the ,serapeon1 and then1 by means of the ,tarots1 to other parts of the world4 ,some claim that the gypsies were originally the initiates of the temple of ,thoth1 and that it was they who carried ,playing ,cards as a means of divination through ,europe4 ,one of their customs is to demand that the palm of the right hand be crossed with a piece of money before beginning to read a fortune2 and by some this custom is supposed to date from the time when the fortune-teller demanded from his clients an oath of secrecy1 which was ratified by making the sign of the cross4 ,unless there was some such meaning originally attached to the custom1 there would seem to be no reason for this performance being enacted in connection with fortune-telling with cards1 and as far as is known with no other transaction in the commercial or nomadic world4 ,there are many signs suggesting that the gypsies were able to translate the symbols on the cards at an early date1 soon after they appeared in ,europe1 and it is certain that for several centuries these nomads have used ,playing ,cards for telling future1 past1 or present events1 and have done it with so much self-confidence that it would seem that they possessed a key to the occult mysteries4 ,it is1 therefore1 unwise to discard this theory entirely1 for the gypsy tribes scattered over ,europe certainly aided in widely distributing the cards4 ,nor does the connection of gypsies with the ancient mysteries quarrel with the statement that cards were part of the worship of ,mercury1 since no man can say that these people were not the original priests of the temple who were cast out of their shrines and forced to wander about the world4 ,in ,england these nomads are frequently called the ,egyptians1 while their own name for themselves is ,romany4 ,spain has contended with ,italy for the honour of originating ,playing ,cards1 but without proving her case1 for ,spain preserved only a mutilated pack of pip cards1 showing the symbols of ,mercury1 indeed1 but unaccompanied by the emblematic ,atouts that were the first volume of the book2 these have never been known in that country4 ,but1 then1 ,spain was not the home of the gods of ,olympus1 nor was that country in close contact with ,egypt1 as was ,italy4 ,there is no historic record of yearly communications between the two opposite shores of the great sea1 as is the case with ,italy1 for ,seneca has left an interesting description of the great fleet from ,alexandria that yearly visited ,pozzuoli1 on the bay of ,naples4 ,these vessels carried not only wares1 but merchants and missionaries1 from the great seats of learning at the temples of ,egypt4 ,the priests of those days were not necessarily religious men1 but they were scholars and scientists1 who thought that their best use in the world was the diffusion of their learning and knowledge4 ,since it is clearly established that the worship of ,serapis1 ,thoth1 and ,mercury was followed at ,pozzuoli from a very early date1 preceding ,christianity1 it may be conceded that the people there were imbued with the appreciation of its mysteries and adored them4 ,when ,christianity refuted the doctrines of the heathen gods1 those who followed the ancient rites were forced to conceal them4 ,hence it is that if ,playing ,cards are derived from this mysterious worship1 through which they consulted the wishes of their gods1 no trace of them can be found in the legal records before the middle of the fourteenth century1 when the cards were established as a game but not as a cult4 ,count ,emiliano di ,parravicino1 in his essay on ,tarocco cards in the ,burlington ,magazine for ,december1 #aijc1 declares that professional players or teachers1 known as barrattieri or rabildi1 were organized in guilds that were recognised by law as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century1 which seems as if the deposed initiates1 or the priests of ,mercury1 were still vital and a recognised necessity1 although under a new title4 ,happily for the card student1 there still remain several packs of ,italian cards that link the present ones with the ancient emblems of ,mercury4 ,the ducal family of ,visconti inherited sixty-one cards that originally belonged to ,duke ,filippo ,maria ,visconti1 having been executed for him by ,marziano da ,tortona early in the fifteenth century4 ,these were mentioned by ,breitkopf in his work published at ,leipsic in #aghd4 ,this pack differs from its compatriots and successors in having five1 instead of four1 court cards4 ,the ,atouts are beautifully painted with all the attributes connected with ,mercury4 ,that of the ,lovers1 ,no4 ,,vi1 represents ,duke ,filippo ,maria wearing a broad-brimmed hat on which is inscribed ,a bon ,droit2 the female figure is dressed as a bride and is probably a likeness of the ,duke's first wife1 ,beatrice di ,tenda1 the widow of ,francisco ,cane4 ,these figures are surrounded with small shields blazoning the arms of ,visconti and ,pavia4 ,among these ,atouts ,no4 ,,xiii1 ,death1 is represented on a black1 instead of on a white1 horse4 ,the figures on the other cards resemble those still commonly used1 but1 unfortunately1 there are fifteen cards missing from the pack4 ,this historic collection of ,tarots has been frequently described and reproduced1 since ,marziano da ,tortona1 who executed the pictures1 was a scholar1 as well as a skillful artist4 ,he introduced some original features in his treatment of the pictures while strictly conforming to the heraldic devices that marked their origin1 for no man living at that time would be ignorant enough to change the devices1 since they still told their story to the people of the day1 who understood heraldry even if they could not decipher written words4 ,this celebrated pack of cards was probably a wedding gift to the illustrious couple1 since the artist was also their secretary4 ,that it was prized1 but little handled1 and kept as a work of art is proved by the good condition of the pictures1 which are almost as fresh as when they left the hands of the designer4 ,they are treasured possessions of the descendants of ,duke ,filippo ,maria ,visconti and are seldom allowed to be seen or exhibited4 ,another interesting collection of early ,tarocci 7little ,tarots7 is described by ,count di ,parravicino1 who states that the pack was painted early in the fifteenth century by a ,ferrarese artist named ,antonio ,cicognara4 ,these cards have been owned in one family several centuries with an authentic history of them1 for in the annals of ,cremona1 written by ,domenico ,bordegallo1 is found the following reference to the pack3 #adhd4 ,in this year our townsman1 ,antonio di ,cicognara1 a most skillful painter of pictures and an admirable miniaturist1 designed and illuminated a magnificent pack of cards called ,tarots1 which have been seen by me1 and he made a present of them to the most honorable1 reverend1 and illustrious ,lord ,ascanio ,m4 ,sforza1 ,cardinal of the ,holy ,church1 ,bishop of ,pavia and ,novara1 at one time dean of our cathedral and now commendatory of the canons of ,st4 ,gregory1 and son of the most illustrious and excellent ,francesco ,sforza and the ,lady ,bianca ,visconti1 born here in ,cremona4 ,the same artist1 states ,count di ,parravicino1 illustrated other packs for the sisters of this ,cardinal4 ,they were nuns in the ,augustine ,convent founded in this town by the aforesaid ,madonna ,bianca4 ,this nave record of the amusements of the religious communities of the fifteenth century presents a novel picture to the minds of those who suppose that cards were not permitted within the sacred precincts1 although such was not the case1 as is confirmed by a proverb of the day that says ,mind what the friar says1 not what he does4 ,the ,tarocco cards were thus called from the game ,little ,tarots or ,tarocci1 played at the time1 said to have been invented by ,francis ,fibbia4 ,thus the older name of ,tarots became corrupted to ,tarocco1 although the number and value of the original pack remained unaltered4 ,the cards painted for ,cardinal ,sforza are still in existence4 ,some are shown in the ,carrara ,museum at ,bergamo2 others are in the possession of ,count ,alessandro ,colleoni2 while thirty-five cards of this pack are owned by ,mr4 ,pierpont ,morgan and are exhibited by him in the ,victoria and ,albert ,museum in ,london4 ,it is impossible to do justice to the beauty of this set of cards that are painted in the most delicate manner4 ,the background is of gold picked out or embossed with a diapered pattern dotted in raised designs on a smooth surface2 the figures are cleverly moddeled and beautifully executed2 the faces are painted with the delicate touch of an accomplished miniaturist4 ,that of the ,knave of ,money is seen in profile1 and is so expressive that it is probably a likeness1 since the treatment is even more careful and the features better drawn than those of most of the ,atouts4 ,the ,knight of ,cups in the pack 7originally owned by ,count ,alessandro ,colleoni1 now owned by ,mr4 ,morgan7 is mounted on a white horse and is dressed in an embroidered coat1 with white leggings and pointed shoes4 ,the hair is parted and falls in waves on either side of the face1 which is that of a very young boy and rather effeminate4 ,there is a crown on the saddle-cloth of the horse that probably denotes the rank of the rider4 ,the ,king of ,swords also seems to be a likeness4 ,he wears black armour1 and his shield displays armorial bearings4 ,the ,queen of ,money has a beautifully embroidered robe with a regal mantle falling from her shoulders4 ,her hands are particularly well drawn and her attitude is remarkably graceful4 ,temperance1 ,death1 and ,strength are among this pack1 the former pouring the water and oil together1 which is one of the earliest known devices for consulting the wishes of the gods4 ,death is the usual skeleton1 who in this case bears a sceptre1 and ,strength also repeats the emblem of the sceptre or the caduceus4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,hearts1 ,,diamonds1 ,,spades1 ,,and ,,clubs ,it is probable that one of the oldest existing packs is the ,tarot pack now preserved in the ,cabinet des ,estampes in ,paris4 ,others discovered in the back of a book in ,florence in #aiaj1 also ,tarots1 have not been open to the inspection of students4 ,they are valued at two thousand dollars1 but the pack is not complete1 nor on record1 so the cards painted for ,charles ,,vi may still claim to be the oldest known4 ,the dbris of this pack was also discovered in the binding of a book of the fifteen century4 ,the heraldic devices on the cards and the detail of the costumes1 which are essentially ,french1 point to their having been produced in the time of ,charles ,,vi4 ,the robes1 beards1 etc41 of three of the ,kings are similar to the portraits of ,charles or his courtiers4 ,the velvet hats are surmounted with crowns and the robes are trimmed with ermine4 ,the dress of the ,knaves corresponds with that of the pages1 or else with that of the sergents d',armes of the day1 while the ,queens are dressed like the portrait of ,isabella of ,bavaria4 ,the court cards of the fourth suit show a marked contrast to the richly bedecked ones of the three other suits1 for the figures are habited like savages1 which is supposed to recall a fte given on the occasion of the marriage of one of the queen's maids of honour to the ,chevalier de ,vermandois1 that had such a horrible termination4 ,charles ,,vi had had attacks of mania1 but was at that time more reasonable4 ,hugonin de ,janzay1 one of his favourites1 planned to entertain him by inducing him to take part in a mummery1 for which the king and five other men were to be dressed as savages1 and were to enter the fte to surprise the guests4 ,the party were dressed in linen soaked with tar and covered with fur1 so were completely disguised4 ,they rushed into the ballroom shouting and rattling their chains1 when the ,duc ,d',orleans1 brother of the king1 seized a torch from an attendant to look more closely at the strangers1 and by mischance set the inflammable clothes on fire4 ,most of the men were chained together and could not escape1 but one of them freed himself and saved his own life by plunging into a cistern of water which was placed in the buttery for the purpose of rinsing the drinking cups4 ,the king1 who was standing at a little distance talking to the ,duchess de ,beri1 was saved by that lady1 who1 with great presence of mind1 wrapped her velvet cloak around her royal master4 ,this gruesome incident brought on another attack of mania1 that lasted until his death on the #bast of ,october1 #adbb1 after a reign of forty-two years4 ,it is presumed by ,m4 ,paul la ,croix1 in his essay on ,cartes a ,jouer 7#ahgc71 that this celebrated incident was perpetuated in the ,french cards that he thinks were invented and painted at about that time4 ,the fragments of the second pack1 that apparently belong to the same period1 closely resemble those with which we are familiar1 since they are not ,tarots but bear the pips invented by the ,french1 and ,m4 la ,croix states 7page #bda7 that he credits the tradition declaring that these particular cards are the first ,piquet pack1 and that these were the original cards that dethroned the ,tarots of the ,italians to become the favorites of the ,french nation4 ,these ,french pips were afterwards adopted by the less ingenious ,english1 while the ,germans invented devices of their own1 called ,grnen1 ,eicheln1 ,herzen1 and ,shellen1 at about the same period4 ,although the ,spaniards remained faithful to the ,tarots1 they discarded the ,atout part of the pack1 retaining only the suit cards with the pips of ,cups1 ,money1 ,swords1 and ,staves4 ,the emblems adopted in the several countries nearly five hundred years ago 7when a wave of card playing seems to have swept over ,europe71 have retained their hold on the affections of those who adopted the individual devices1 for each nation still clings to the pips that were then chosen1 and it is only by degrees that the ,french designs are emigrating to different parts of the world4 ,the ,jesse pack of cards1 now to be seen in ,paris1 are painted on cardboard1 and the figures are dressed in the fashions of the day4 ,the emblems recall the heraldic tokens of two of the courtiers of ,charles ,,vi1 as well as the one identified with one of the most beautiful and learned women of her day4 ,it is said that the invention of these pips was due to the anxiety of ,queen ,isabella and her ministers to divert the unfortunate monarch1 so as to prevent his interfering with their schemes4 ,it was with the alteration of the pips1 the adoption of ,coeurs 7,hearts71 ,carreaux 7,diamonds71 ,trfles 7,clubs71 and ,piques 7,spades71 the distinctive use of red and black unmingled with other colours1 and the discarding of the fourth court card1 together with the ,joker1 and the ,atout part of the old pack1 that the fortune-telling ,book of ,thoth became transformed into a set of toys or gambling instruments4 ,it is little wonder that their original intention1 purpose1 and history became obliterated and finally almost forgotten1 so that when a ,french writer ventured to state that cards were part of the ,egyptian mysteries he was treated as a foolish dreamer4 ,the invention of the ,french pips is attributed to two persons1 both of them courtiers of the king1 who probably worked together to produce a simple and convenient set of devices that should be easily recognised and as well adapted for playing1 as were the original ,tarots suited for divining the lives and characteristics of mankind4 ,one of the inventors of the ,french pips was ,etienne ,vignolles1 whose nickname was ,la ,hire1 and this name has been found on some of the old cards1 as if he wished to be perpetuated in this way1 and not as the brave old soldier who was well versed in chivalric customs1 and who1 according to historians1 had always his sword drawn against the ,english4 ,the second person to whom is credited the invention of the ,piquet pack is ,etienne ,chevalier1 secretary to the king1 and his treasurer1 who was noted for his original and inventive genius and his quick wit4 ,it is more than probable that to his facile pencil the new designs should be attributed4 ,the men who formulated the rules of the game for which they invented the cards must have been clever1 as it is arranged with such care that these rules have remained practically unaltered for five hundred years1 and ,piquet is still a favourite in men's clubs and the best tte-a-tte game known4 ,the ,piquet pack contains five pip cards1 ,ace1 ,seven1 ,eight1 ,nine1 and ,ten1 with three court cards1 ,king1 ,queen1 and ,knave1 called by the ,french names of ,le ,roi1 ,la ,reine1 and ,le ,valet or varlet4 ,with this handful of cards we are all familiar4 ,here was a great modification of the old suits with their heraldic devices4 ,the ,cavalier of the ,tarot pack was discarded1 thus reducing the court cards to three instead of four1 while five of the pip cards were also omitted4 ,the game was thoroughly scientific1 needing close attention and discretion even with the curtailed pack of cards4 ,it showed the soldier's hand in its stratagem1 and that of the artist in its simple colours4 ,the king's banker was ,jacques ,coeur1 whose beautiful palace in ,bourges shows a pun on his name in every lintel1 door or window where a heart is cut in stone or wood to remind one of the owner4 ,tradition states that it was in honour of ,jacques ,coeur that his heraldic emblem1 ,coeurs 7,hearts71 was placed on the cards to perpetuate his memory1 to the exclusion of that of his patron1 ,mercury1 the god of merchants4 ,the ,money emblem was changed to ,carreaux 7,diamonds74 ,this device may have been inspired by the little lozenge panes of glass in the windows of ,coeur's palace1 or by the tiles in the floors1 or perhaps by les fers de fiche1 which would have retained the original idea of the divining arrows from which the old cards came4 ,m4 la ,croix says3 ,the ,sword of the ancients became ,pique 7,spade71 to do honour to the two soldier brothers1 ,jean and ,gaspard ,bureau4 ,the ,trfle 7,club7 was the heraldic device of ,agnes ,sorel1 a greatly accomplished woman who displaced the queen in the affections of her husband4 ,sorel is the ,french for what we call shamrock or clover1 and was a pun on the name of the lady4 ,m4 la ,croix thinks that these cards were devised some time between the years #adbj and #addj4 ,if so1 they could only have been born at the very end of the mad king's life4 ,the distinctive marks of the ,french pack are the two dominating colours1 red and black1 that strongly contrast with the various and mingled colours seen in the ,tarots4 ,the reason for simplifying the pips in this way is not recorded1 although the change makes it much easier for players and was a clever idea1 but no sharp division like this is called for when playing the game of ,piquet 7or little ,pique71 for which these cards were primarily used4 ,it was probably intended to simplify the work of the card maker1 as it demanded only the two colours commonly used by printers1 black and red4 ,it was about the year #aghe1 over three hundred years after the ,french had become accustomed to their new cards1 and had entirely forgotten that there were any others1 that ,court de ,gebelin1 a ,french writer1 published his essay on ,tarots1 which he calls that strange collection of unbound leaves that are the parents of all modern playing cards4 ,it is entitled ,extrit du ,monde ,primative ,analys et compar avec le ,monde ,moderne1 ,tome ,i1 ,du ,jeu des ,tarots4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip ,cards of the ,sword ,suit #ee ,ace of ,swords #ef ,deuce of ,swords #eg ,trey of ,swords #eh ,four of ,swords #ei ,five of ,swords #fj ,six of ,swords ,the account begins with the announcement that the origin of the ,tarots and their allegories will be traced and explained1 as well as their connection with the cards of the day4 ,the essay being in ,french1 a free translation with necessary omissions must be given1 while the curious are referred to the original4 ,m4 de ,gebelin begins3 ,if it were announced that one of the ancient books of the early ,egyptians that contained most interesting information had escaped the flames that consumed their superb libraries1 every one would doubtless be anxious to see such a precious and rare work4 ,if added to this information it was stated that the leaves of this book were scattered over ,europe1 and that for centuries they had been in the hands of all the world1 surprise and incredulity would greet the suggestion4 ,yet when1 to crown all1 it was realized that no one had even suspected the connection of the scattered pages in their possession with those of ,egyptian mysteries1 nor had any person deciphered a line on them1 and that the fruit of an exquisite wisdom is to-day regarded as a collection of extravagant pictures without any significance1 the world would be surprised at its own supineness or ignorance4 ,despite incredulity on these points1 a great ,egyptian book1 the sole survivor of a valuable library1 is still in existence1 and1 what is more strange1 this book is so universally used and seems to be so insignificant that no savant has condescended to study its unbound pages1 nor has any student suspected its illustrious origin4 ,composed of seventy-eight leaves that are divided into five classes1 this book is1 in one word1 what is commonly known as the ,tarot pack of cards4 ,of ancient origin1 the bizarre pictures that they display do not betray the intention or motive for assembling together such peculiar figures and emblems4 ,these pictures1 that seem to be incongruously mingled1 call for an answer to the enigma1 and they should not be treated as trifles or merely for amusement4 ,such is the opinion of a scholar who lived over one hundred years ago1 and this opinion has survived the ridicule1 abuse1 and disdain showered on de ,gebelin after he had pointed out that the ,tarots were in truth the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus4 ,there is only one spot in the world where these cards remain in their pristine condition and are played with to-day1 and where they are offered for sale1 and it is interesting to note that it is close to the place where the worship of ,thoth first made its appearance in ,europe4 ,the ,tarots are now used for playing several games1 and these1 if analysed1 will show marks of the ancient mysteries4 ,through them can be traced not only a birthplace1 but a history declared by de ,gebelin to hark back to the borderland of civilization4 ,he points out that the writers of his day have confined their studies to ,french cards used in ,paris1 when they were looking for the origin of playing cards1 entirely ignoring1 or at least never referring to1 the ,tarots1 of which probably they had never heard4 ,the history of ,french cards was not hard to relate1 since it goes back little over three hundred years4 ,there is a record of their birth1 and1 as has been mentioned1 there are survivors of the original pack now to be seen in ,les ,cabinet des ,estampes in ,paris1 which display ,hearts1 ,diamonds1 ,clubs1 and ,spades4 ,merlin1 ,chatto1 ,singer1 and ,breitkopf look farther afield than de ,gebelin's predecessors1 whose writings are now forgotten1 but all of them1 while acknowledging that the images or the pips of the ,tarots with which they are familiar have some connection with an old condition of affairs1 fail to trace it1 since no reliable historical or legal record of cards that are called ,playing ,cards can be discovered prior to the ,middle ,ages1 so they assumed that cards could not have existed before that date1 but the possibility that they might have lived and flourished under another name is overlooked4 ,these authorities acknowledge that the shape1 the sequence1 and the grouping of the ,tarots display system1 which they decide is interesting but incomprehensible1 yet they fail to unravel the significance of these arrangements4 ,they touch upon the strange resemblance of various figures and their value in the game of ,l',ombre 7,the ,man7 to the civil law1 philosophy1 and religion of the ancient ,romans1 ,greeks1 or ,egyptians4 ,mr4 ,singer points to one of the ,atouts that he says resembles the attributes of ,osiris1 and other cards impress him as recalling those of ,mercury1 as well as other mythological personages that he writes seem to be found among the ,atouts4 ,but all the authors arrest themselves at this point without inquiring if these ancient gods whom they recognised were placed with intention or by chance on the cards1 and1 although they concede that the cards were used for divining purposes1 they fail to connect them distinctly with the mysteries of past ages4 ,de ,gebelin declares that the ,tarots could only be the outcome of the work of sages1 and that these cards were intended for the use of initiates and not for gamblers4 ,he alone pierces the mystery of the origin of the ,tarots1 while the others content themselves with supposing that cards sprang in their present form into use precisely as ,minerva emerged fully equipped from ,jove's head2 they write that cards had no existence1 no form1 and no record1 previous to those accorded to them about the thirteenth century4 ,to call an antagonist a dreamer or a fool is an unconvincing form of argument4 ,to declare that a proposition is untrue because it is presented for the first time and has not been looked into is absurd2 so to-day1 over one hundred and twenty-five years after ,court de ,gebelin spread his pearls before the uncomprehending students of ,playing ,card lore1 it may be well to recapitulate his theories and study his conclusions with minds opened by latter-day revelations of the ancient rites1 mysteries1 and cults1 and not to reject them without investigation4 ,,chapter ,x ,,court ,,and ,,point ,,cards ,,with ,,french ,,pips ,as early as #afef1 according to the writers of the day1 a pack of cards was called in ,england1 a pair of cards1 which was evidently derived from the ,italian1 ,paio1 as the combined ,atout and numbered cards1 or the two volumes of the book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 were occasionally called in ,italy4 ,the importation of cards was prohibited in ,england in #adfc1 by ,act #aa1 ,henry ,,vii1 as local productions were to be encouraged1 so foreign cards are seldom found in ,england4 ,sometimes the collection of fifty-two cards1 adopted from the ,french1 was called a stock1 notably in the play of ,the ,three ,ladies of ,london1 where one of them says3 ,now1 all the cards in the ,stock are dealt about4 ,but the word is now only applied when it is wished to designate those cards left after a hand has been dealt1 although they are more commonly called the widow1 or the forsaken one4 ,in ,queen ,elizabeth's day1 a pack of cards was called a bunch1 and ,shakespeare terms them a deck1 which designation is still used in ,scotland and in parts of the ,united ,states4 ,the designs on the cards representing the numbers are technically termed pips1 or peeps1 perhaps from the seeds of apples1 pears1 and oranges1 that are so called in ,england2 and they are also called spots4 ,in the ,metamorphosis of ,ajax1 by ,sir ,john ,harrington 7#afae71 he says3 ,when ,brutus had discarded the kings and queens out of the pack1 and shown himself sworn enemy to all the ,coate cards1 there crept in many new forms of government4 ,this rather unique and old-fashioned way of designating the figures in the pack leads some persons to suppose that the name implied coated figures1 that is to say1 men and women wearing coats1 in contradistinction to the other devices of flowers or animals4 ,the term does not seem to have been general1 however1 and it is more probable that they were called court cards1 since these representative persons are dressed in ermine1 with rich embroideries and jewels1 and two of each suit are crowned1 so that they were recognised as coated1 or fashionably dressed4 ,it has been pointed out that the original ,french court cards were probably likenesses of the kings of ,france of the day1 as well as their consorts and mistresses2 while in ,england1 they were copies of well-known portraits of ,henry ,,viii and his beautiful mother1 ,queen ,elizabeth of ,york1 so that they were rulers of the card kingdom1 as well as of their respective countries4 ,the cards were1 therefore1 called of the court1 or court cards4 ,the collection necessary for most of the games played with the ,french cards vary in number1 but this is merely a matter of local preference1 as demanded by the games in vogue4 ,in ,paris1 a ,piquet pack requires only thirty-six cards1 while1 in the ,united ,states1 ,nonsuch ,euchre calls for sixty-one1 including the ,joker1 which card is unknown in ,france4 ,a standard ,french or ,english pack contains fifty-two cards1 divided into four suits1 like their forefathers1 the ,tarots4 ,the distinguishing feature of the junior pack is the two colours into which it is parted1 for two of the suits are painted black1 and two are red2 this distinction marks the difference between the ,french cards and those of all other nations1 where local pips are used4 ,the ,tarots had four court cards to each suit1 while the ,french and ,spanish packs have only three members of the court world4 ,the ,spaniards omit the woman from their cards1 while the ,french drop one of the men1 the cavalier1 a mounted figure that gives variety and value to the royal family in other countries1 and makes the game more like one of war1 and not merely a compliment to a distinguished lady4 ,however1 the ,king1 ,queen1 and ,knave are now the only ones with the ,french emblems1 and these are followed by ten pip cards1 in which number one1 or the ,ace1 is sometimes the highest1 and1 at others1 the lowest in the pack1 according to the game to be played4 ,in the ,united ,states1 a pack is incomplete without the ,joker1 which then makes fifty-three cards to a standard pack4 ,many writers have tried to connect the number fifty-two with the weeks of the year1 but1 as can easily be seen by studying the ,tarots1 this was not the original number1 and the ,french1 when inventing their new set of cards1 probably had no such connection in mind1 and the ,piquet1 which is the earliest ,french pack1 contains less than fifty-two cards4 ,the ,joker did not make its appearance in the ,united ,states until about the middle of the nineteenth century1 and then for a rather strange reason4 ,the cards used in the ,northern ,states were those inherited from ,france or ,england1 while those used in the extreme ,south-western ,states were of ,spanish origin1 but the packs of none of these countries had retained the old figure of ,mercury4 ,the ,joker1 however1 suddenly appeared in the ,american packs1 the reason for this being as follows1 cards are printed or stamped on large sheets of paper1 which are afterwards cut apart to the required size4 ,when arranged on the sheet1 one space in a corner was not used1 and1 therefore1 left blank1 although the back was printed exactly like all the rest of the pack4 ,having no need for this card1 the makers generously threw it in1 and placed it on the outside of the wrapper1 so as to show the colour and design of the back4 ,the value of the new card was rapidly recognised by players1 who1 impelled by some unknown power1 assigned to it the position originally occupied by ,il ,matto of the ,tarot pack1 with all its old privileges of taking every other card4 ,it was particularly valuable in the game of ,euchre1 that sprang into popularity at the same time that the ,joker 7or the one who played tricks and took them7 was adopted4 ,so1 through this accidental appearance of a blank card in the pack1 ,mercury suddenly asserted his old supremacy1 and cunningly resumed his wonted place and power in the card world1 although his original prominence and his cult had been entirely overlooked and forgotten for over five hundred years1 except in one particular town in ,italy1 where the old ,tarots are retained in their pristine condition4 ,instead of using a blank card on the outside of the pack1 some of the ,european card manufacturers make a hole in the wrapper1 through which may be seen the ,ace of ,hearts1 stamped with the government revenue stamp4 ,in ,england and the ,united ,states1 the name of the manufacturer is printed on the ,ace of ,spades1 and the revenue stamp is pasted on the wrapper of the pack4 ,german card makers often place a blank card in their wrappers1 but it has not been incorporated into any of the local games1 nor does it bear a revenue stamp or the maker's name upon it4 ,as soon as ,american manufacturers discovered that card players considered the odd card of value1 the ,joker was quickly represented by various grotesque figures1 that differ in every pack1 and are somewhat confusing to players4 ,it1 therefore1 seems a pity that a uniform design is not agreed upon1 as is the case with the court cards4 ,any deviation from the dress of the figures on the latter meets with instant opposition from players4 ,it seems peculiar that the card is never represented by ,mercury1 or a fool1 or a clown1 or perhaps1 a red devil1 which would make it easy to distinguish from the ,ace of ,spades1 which is often1 and sometimes disastrously1 mistaken for the more powerful ,joker4 ,the most desirable image that might now be used would be a reproduction of the beautiful flying figure of ,mercury1 carrying the caduceus1 by ,john of ,bologna4 ,no ,french packs1 and very few ,english ones1 contain a ,joker1 since the games that call for its use are not favourites in those countries4 ,however1 the ,joker1 with all its inherited value1 is known in the ,japanese and ,korean packs of cards1 where it seems to be of sporadic growth1 and is apparently not connected with the ancient god1 ,mercury1 the quondam ruler of the cards4 ,nor are the makers of the ,french packs wedded to one costume for the court cards1 as are those of ,england1 where the slightest change in the dress1 emblems1 or colours1 causes a remonstrance from players1 who insist on retaining everything as they have been accustomed to it for several hundred years4 ,the ,english people1 however1 do not reverence the images because they are those of their own royal families1 for it remained for an ,american to identify the origin of the pictures1 and to connect them with the originals4 ,english players even resented the alteration made about #ahgj1 when the cards were cut in two1 and reversed1 making what are known as double headers4 ,these are sometimes declared to be an ,american innovation1 but in ,cartes a ,jouer1 by ,m4 ,merlin1 a pack of ,venetian cards1 dated #afjb1 is illustrated1 the court cards of which are so divided4 ,another novelty invented and introduced in ,america1 is the index1 or the number of the card printed in the upper left-hand and lower right-hand corners4 ,this was necessary for playing ,poker1 where the players keep the cards squeezed together as closely as possible1 to prevent other players looking into their hands4 ,these useful little numbers have given their name of squeezers1 or indexed cards to this fashion4 ,english clubmen1 however1 absolutely refused to adopt cards printed in this way4 ,the costume of the ,king in ,english and ,american packs is a grotesque reproduction of that of ,henry ,,viii of ,england1 and that of the ,knave is like the dress of the page of his day4 ,the long sleeves were nicknamed pokeys1 since food or precious articles might be concealed in them1 so these bag sleeves were the ancestors of pockets and reticules4 ,it is quite as important to retain the position as the dress of each figure1 if the wishes of players are to be respected4 ,thus1 the ,king of ,hearts holds the sword of ,mercury uplifted in his left hand4 ,it is an heraldic weapon1 and not a rapier1 or what is known as a dress sword1 that would have been usual with the costume of the period4 ,his mate on the ,english cards1 the red ,king of ,diamonds1 has a battleaxe displayed in the upper left-hand corner1 and he is the only king whose face is in profile4 ,his right hand is raised1 as if bestowing a blessing4 ,the two black kings each hold uplifted swords4 ,that of ,clubs faces towards the left1 as does the ,king of ,hearts1 but ,clubs holds an orb in his right hand4 ,the ,king of ,spades faces towards the right4 ,all the kings have long hair1 resting on the shoulders1 and curling upwards at the ends4 ,they wear small1 pointed moustaches 7with the exception of ,hearts71 and all have beards divided in the middle and curled4 ,crowns and long1 flowing robes1 trimmed with ermine1 complete the costume1 excepting on the modern1 double-headed cards1 where their royalties are curtailed of half of their splendour4 ,it was once fashionable to assign names to the royal family of cards4 ,this custom has been retained in ,france1 and is the only one1 with the exception of the colour and designs of the pips1 that has been kept1 for the early dresses have been entirely discarded1 and fantastic ones1 with no heraldic meaning and no inherited intention1 have been substituted4 ,the revolution that overturned the throne of ,france also upset the costumes of the card world1 that had closely resembled the original designs up to that date1 but when royalty was banished1 the cards followed many and various fashions4 ,in the originals1 the ,knave of ,clubs was named ,roland1 for one of the heroes of ,french literature in the time of ,charlemagne4 ,the king of that suit has a legend printed beside his name1 faut sou or lack penny4 ,the ,queen was called ,tromperie4 ,the ,king of ,diamonds received the historical name of ,corsube1 and the motto of his ,queen was en toi te fie1 or self-trust4 ,the ,king of ,spades was ,apollin1 a ,saracenic hero1 and the ,queen of ,hearts bears the motto1 ,la foie etsp4 d4 u41 or lost faith4 ,the date of these cards is about #adej4 ,in another pack1 of probably nearly the same date1 the ,king of ,hearts is named ,la ,hire4 ,this was the nickname of the warrior who was said to have assisted in the invention of the game of ,piquet1 and the pips unalterably connected with it4 ,the ,king of ,diamonds has1 beside his name1 that of ,hector of ,troy1 said to have been the ancestor of the kings of ,france4 ,the ,knave of ,spades is ,ogier the ,dane1 reminding the players of one of the peers in the time of ,charlemagne4 ,the kings of this historic pack were ,alexander1 ,csar1 ,david1 and ,charlemagne4 ,the queens were ,judith1 ,pallas1 ,argine1 and ,rachel4 ,judith was intended for ,isabella of ,bavaria1 mother of ,charles ,,vii1 and a very disreputable person2 ,pallas typified ,joan of ,arc1 who gave her life for her nation2 ,argine was supposed to represent the wife of the king1 ,marie of ,anjou2 and ,rachel was ,agnes ,sorel1 whose emblem1 the sorrel or clover leaf1 had been placed among the pips4 ,the ,knaves in the card kingdom of ,england wear battlemented caps of red velvet1 shaped like those worn in that country by the servant class in the middle of the sixteenth century1 when the dress of each man and woman marked his or her position with peculiar distinctness4 ,to be quite correct1 the caps should be black1 but the touch of colour is well-liked on the cards4 ,the warriors or police of the pack are the black knaves who hold pikes as weapons4 ,the ,knave of ,clubs looks to the right1 and his comrade to the left4 ,these cards typify ,boaz and ,jakin1 or the pillars of the ,temple of ,solomon1 revered by ,freemasons4 ,the ,knave of ,hearts is a soldier1 like his comrades1 but of a somewhat higher grade1 and he carries on his right arm a halberd at rest4 ,in his left hand is a branch of olive1 representing the messenger of peace1 clearly descended from the emblem of ,mercury1 whose wand was often used as a flag of truce4 ,the ,knave of ,spades carries a twisted ribbon1 strongly suggestive of the caduceus2 and he is supposed to represent ,patch1 the favourite court fool of ,elizabeth of ,york4 ,both the ,knave of ,hearts and the ,knave of ,spades are in profile1 and look over the left shoulder4 ,the hair of all is long and curly4 ,with the exception of ,clubs1 all of the ,knaves wear moustaches1 but no beards4 ,diamonds once sported a quiver with arrows1 but this has now become part of the dress1 and is difficult to separate from its trimmings4 ,before they were so ruthlessly cut in half1 these ,knaves had funny short1 fat legs1 with broadtoed shoes4 ,the names given to the knaves in different localities and in different games are not written on the cards1 as is the case in ,france1 but they receive them from the players1 and are sometimes historical and rather affording4 ,in the old game of ,gleek1 they were nicknamed ,tom4 ,in other games1 the ,knave of ,clubs was designated ,pam1 and in ,germany1 he is called ,wenzel1 ,wencelaus1 or der ,treffle-,bube4 ,jack was the name given to all the ,knaves in ,all-,fours1 which cognomen has clung to them4 ,in ,euchre1 the ,knaves of ,trumps are called ,bowers4 ,the rules of that game make the ,joker the highest card1 followed by the ,knave of the suit declared to be trumps1 and the ,knave of the suit of the same colour4 ,thus1 if ,hearts are trumps1 its ,knave is called the right bower1 and the ,knave of ,diamonds becomes the left bower4 ,this word is a corruption of a dialect word1 meaning young man1 and was given to the ,knaves when ,euchre was invented1 about the middle of the last century1 at the same time that the ,joker was reappointed to his old place in the pack4 ,in ,skat and the games from which it has been adapted1 such as ,tapp ,tarot1 of the ,austrians2 ,l',ombre1 of the ,italians1 and ,primero1 of the ,spaniards and ,english 7to all of which the ,german game bears a strong resemblance71 the ,knaves are called ,matadores4 ,in ,france1 the ,knave is called ,varlet1 or ,valet2 in ,italy1 ,fant2 in ,spain1 ,soto2 but there are local nicknames for all the ,knaves in different countries and in different games4 ,obermann and ,untermann1 or1 for short1 ,ober and ,unter1 are printed on the two male figures in the ,german packs1 where three court cards are retained1 but where no ,queens are to be found1 although the ,tarots had four royal personages1 including a ,queen4 ,the attributes1 dresses1 and devices of the queens of the card kingdom are historical and most interesting1 for1 like their kings and valets1 their fashions have survived unchanged for practically four hundred and twenty-five years1 since the ,french cards were introduced into ,england4 ,none of the faces are in profile1 but the ,queens of ,diamonds and ,clubs incline to our right1 while the ,queens of ,hearts and ,spades look towards our left4 ,the robes are trimmed with ermine and are confined at the waist by jeweled buckles4 ,a wimple or veil floats from the fair hair that is parted over the brow and crowned with a diadem1 worn quite far back instead of on the top of the head4 ,the representation of the ,queens on the cards is a close copy of the costume of the many portraits extant of ,elizabeth of ,york1 daughter of ,edward ,,iv of ,england1 wife of ,henry ,,vii and mother of ,henry ,,viii4 ,some of her likenesses are in different collections in ,england1 the most interesting one being in the ,national ,portrait ,gallery in ,london4 ,the picture of ,henry ,,vii1 which hangs as a pendant to that of his lovely wife1 is marked #aeje1 or four years before his death1 and looks like an elderly1 careworn man1 but that of his consort was probably painted at the time of her marriage1 as she is portrayed as a young1 sweet-faced woman4 ,it is this picture that has been placed on the cards1 where it has remained practically unaltered for four centuries1 while her husband's likeness has not been perpetuated among the court cards4 ,the reason for placing the likeness of ,elizabeth of ,york on the cards may be briefly stated4 ,she was born in the palace of ,westminster1 ,february #aa1 #adff1 and was the eldest child of ,edward ,,iv and ,elizabeth ,woodville4 ,for some years the little royal princess was heiress to the throne4 ,when his daughter was about nine years of age1 ,king ,edward made an expedition into ,france1 and war with that country was averted only by her submitting to become tributary to the invaders4 ,in the articles of peace1 the ,princess ,elizabeth was contracted to the ,dauphin ,charles1 the eldest son of ,louis ,,xi and the great-grandson of the crazy ,charles ,,vi1 for whom the ,french pips were said to have been invented4 ,from the hour of her contract with the heir of ,france1 ,elizabeth was always addressed in the palace1 says ,miss ,strickland in her ,lives of the ,queens of ,england1 as ,mme4 la ,dauphine1 so the most illustrious ,maid of ,york 7as she was also called7 was taught to speak and write ,french by ladies sent to ,england by ,louis4 ,they also dressed the princess in the latest ,french fashions4 ,the simple veil of fine white muslin1 that had been the customary court dress1 was replaced by a velvet hood with long lapels heavily jeweled4 ,flowing sleeves trimmed with ermine took the place of the tight ones with broad lace cuffs that had formerly been the style in ,england1 and a robe confined at the waist by a girdle and jeweled buckle took the place of the stiff1 tight bodice4 ,all these items of dress have been closely copied in the cards1 where they may be easily studied4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip and ,court ,cards of the ,sword ,suit #fa ,seven of ,swords #fb ,eight of ,swords #fc ,nine of ,swords #fd ,ten of ,swords #fe ,knave of ,swords #ff ,cavalier of ,swords ,elizabeth was also taught embroidery by her ,french dame d'honneur1 but1 above all1 was instructed to play with the cards bearing ,french pips instead of those with ,german emblems1 showing ,acorns1 ,leaves1 ,hearts1 and ,bells1 that were probably used before that time in ,england1 since they are the only ones found in that country4 ,the marriage contract was treacherously broken by the ,french king1 who married his son to ,anne of ,bretagne1 and this slight to the ,princess ,elizabeth so infuriated her father that it caused his death4 ,after years of sorrow and vicissitudes1 ,elizabeth married ,henry ,,vii1 ,january #af1 #adhf1 thus uniting the houses of ,york and ,lancaster1 and her heraldic rose remains on the cards to remind us of this important event4 ,john de ,gigh1 a prebendary of ,st4 ,paul's1 wrote a ,latin epithalamium on her marriage1 and a part of it describes this exalted lady on her wedding day4 ,a free translation of it may be given as follows3 ,oh6 royal maid1 ,put on your regal robes in loveliness4 ,a thousand fair attendants round you wait1 ,of various ranks1 with different offices1 ,to deck your beauteous form4 ,lo1 this delights ,to smooth with ivory comb your golden hair1 ,and that to curl and braid each shining tress1 ,and wreathe the sparkling jewels round your head1 ,twining your soft1 smooth locks with gems4 ,this one shall clasp ,the radiant necklace framed in fretted gold ,about your snowy neck1 while that unfolds ,the robes that glow with gold and purple dye1 ,and fits the ornaments with patient skill ,to your unrivalled limbs1 and here shall shine ,the costly treasures from the ,orient sands4 ,the sapphire1 azure gem that emulates ,heaven's loftly arch1 shall gleam1 and softly there ,the verdant emerald shed its greenest light1 ,and fiery carbuncle flash forth its rosy rays ,from the pure gold4 ,this graphic description of hair1 costume1 and ornaments seems to be still repeated in the cards of to-day that closely resemble the portraits of this dainty queen4 ,elizabeth was a believer in fortune-telling and consulted an astrologer on many occasions4 ,it was predicted that all sorts of good fortune would befall her in #aejc1 on the day that she completed her thirty-seventh year4 ,this is alluded to in the elegy that ,sir ,thomas ,more wrote on his royal mistress1 describing in it the folly and vanity of such divinations and their untrustworthiness1 as follows3 ,yet was ,i lately promised otherwise ,this year to lie in weal and in delight2 ,lo6 to what cometh all thy blandishing promises1 ,o false astrology and divinitrice1 ,of ,god's secrets vaunting thyself so wise8 ,how true is for this year the prophecy8 ,the year yet lasteth1 and lo1 here ,i lie4 ,it booteth not for me to wail and cry1 ,pray for my soul1 for lo1 here ,i die4 ,for1 after a short and sad married life1 ,queen ,elizabeth died on her birthday1 ,february #aa1 #aejc4 ,she was1 says ,miss ,strickland1 one of the most beautiful of our queens4 ,her portraits are numerous and her monumental statue is in ,king ,henry's ,chapel at ,westminster ,abbey4 ,it was designed by ,torregiano and shows the sweet expression of her mouth4 ,the portrait of this lovely1 gentle lady may well remain as queen of the ,card ,kingdom1 with that of her son1 ,henry ,,viii1 as king4 ,in ,england the ,queen of ,hearts is still frequently called ,queen ,bess4 ,the plaid or chequered backs fashionable at one time on cards were later discarded1 since they could so easily be used by gamblers1 who put marks on the cards that could not readily be discerned by unaccustomed players4 ,the chequered backs gave rise to the supposition that the board for playing chess had been transferred to the backs of the cards1 and the chessmen had been converted into printed figures on the faces of the cardboard4 ,this idea has been proved incorrect1 since cards are in no way derived from the game of ,chess4 ,in ,france the backs of the cards are highly glazed and are of a plain1 uniform colour1 generally red or green4 ,in ,spain card makers use speckled backs4 ,the modern ,tarots have designs engraved on a very thin paper that is pasted on the back1 the edges of which are turned over the face of the card1 making a narrow border4 ,these designs are sometimes the woman of ,samaria1 and at others a ,hercules throwing rocks down a precipice4 ,the backs of old ,english cards were generally plain1 and when paper was scarce or expensive1 old cards were too useful to be destroyed1 and were used for various purposes2 hence we find them in the bindings of old books4 ,sometimes they were cut up for paper dolls4 ,the richly dressed figures of the court cards were ingeniously put to this purpose1 while a skillful cutter could with a pair of scissors fashion sleds1 chairs1 tables1 etc41 from the pip cards4 ,in ,henry ,esmond1 ,thackeray mentions that an invitation was sent on a ,ten of ,diamonds1 and this was a common practice in ,america before the ,revolution4 ,there are several cards preserved in different families on which invitations have been written or printed4 ,one of them is as follows3 ,sir ,jeffery ,amhurst's compliments to ,mrs4 ,paul ,miller1 and desires the ,favour of her ,company to a ,ball at the ,new ,assembly ,rooms on ,saturday the #bc;d inst41 being the ,anniversary of ,st4 ,george4 ,head ,quarters ,april #ahth1 #agfc1 ,new ,york4 ,in the days of ,charles ,i and the ,commonwealth1 there was a ,sir ,john ,northcote1 ancestor of the present peer1 who took the ,parliamentary side against the king4 ,his father was ,justice ,northcote1 who at a game of cards won an estate in ,devonshire from a ,mr4 ,dowrish4 ,the game played was ,piquet1 and to commemorate this transaction1 the hands held by the players were afterwards inlaid upon the table they used1 that is still preserved by the family4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,point ,,cards ,,with ,,french ,,pips ,when ,mercury's emblems were discarded by the ,french1 some four hundred years since1 to be replaced by local designs1 it was but natural that the points should be accorded original and appropriate significances at their birthplace1 as well as in the alien countries where these new pips were adopted4 ,names were suggested by the shape or usage of the device in different games or under noteworthy occasions4 ,thus1 the ,pique of the ,french 7the shape of which was derived from the outline of the hallebarde of the soldiers who were on guard about their king7 received from the ,english the name of ,spade1 and for this several derivations have been given4 ,one of them is that the shape resembled that of the shovel or spade common among miners1 but the more probable origin is the one that is suggested from the ,tarot pip called by the ,spaniards ,espadas1 the name of which was transferred to the new emblem1 which is a suggestion that the ,tarot cards were not unknown in ,england before the arrival of the ,french pack1 although no cards of this period have been found in ,england4 ,this is strange1 for fragments of an old pack called ,dr4 ,stukley's cards are now in the ,british ,museum1 bearing ,bells and other ,german emblems4 ,they are of about the date of the invention of the ,french pips1 but since they were found in the binding of a ,latin book that may have been imported into ,england1 the originals may never have been used in that country4 ,in ,yorkshire1 the common people call a ,diamond a ,picke1 says ,mr4 ,taylor1 because it is picked or sharp-pointed as the diamond stone4 ,other authorities declare that it is to be gathered from its resemblance to a mill-pick1 and others assume that the small window frames of early days are responsible for the name ,diamond1 as they were generally lozenge or diamond-shaped4 ,the name ,picke may also have been a corruption of the ,french ,pique1 assigned from the original to the pip of another colour4 ,the name ,club by no means describes the clover or sorrel leaf that was the emblem adopted by ,agnes ,sorel1 but was probably the name originally given to the ,rod or caduceus of the ,tarots1 again showing that these cards were probably known in ,england before the ,french pips became fashionable4 ,they may have appeared first at court1 and then among the noblemen and upper classes1 although it was probably a hundred years before these emblems became common1 as fashions moved slowly in those days and cards were not cheaply reproduced1 but for some time were expensive luxuries only to be found among the rich4 ,hearts are the only pips whose emblem is correctly described by its name4 ,the name of ,ace seems to have been derived from ,as or ,asso1 which was the unit of the ,roman coinage4 ,it is represented by a single device1 placed in the centre of the card1 a fashion followed in all countries4 ,a nickname for the ,ace of ,diamonds in ,ireland is the ,earl of ,cork4 ,this is explained by ,mr4 ,taylor1 who says3 ,it was because it is the worst ,ace and the poorest card in the pack1 and the ,earl of ,cork was the poorest nobleman4 ,the ,spaniards call the ,ace of ,money ,le ,borgne1 or the one-eyed4 ,the ,trey of that suit is ,le ,seigneur4 ,the ,trey of ,cups is named ,la ,dame1 or the ,lady1 and the ,deuce of that suit ,la ,vache1 or the ,cow4 ,the ,nines of ,cups and of ,money are the great and little ,nines1 while the ,ace of ,sticks is the serpent4 ,this is the caduceus of ,mercury1 around which originally were wound the two heraldic snakes1 which have now degenerated into two strips or ribbons4 ,the ,aces of the ,swiss pack have flags wrapped around the central pip1 and those of ,germany have beer mugs and kindred subjects printed on them4 ,in ,european countries1 cards can only be purchased from tobacconists or in beer gardens4 ,the ,spaniards call the ,two spot ,dos1 the ,germans name it ,daus1 and the ,french and ,english dub it ,deuce4 ,although it is always the lowest in the pack1 since in almost all games the ,aces are high1 there is an old proverb which says1 ,there's luck under the black ,deuce1 and old whist players had a habit of trying to prevent the good fortune from falling to an adversary when they turned it up for trumps by saying1 ,not when the right elbow is on it1 and suiting the action to the word4 ,in ,england1 at one time1 the ,nine of ,diamonds was called the curse of ,scotland1 or the cross of ,scotland1 referring to the arrangement of the pips1 which1 with the addition of a few connecting lines1 can be made to look like the heraldic ,st4 ,andrew's cross on the arms of ,scotland4 ,mr4 ,taylor quotes on page #bce from ,the ,oracle or ,resolver of ,questions 7#aggj71 saying the ,crown of ,scotland had but nine diamonds in it1 so that was the origin of the name for that card4 ,an explanation is given for calling the card a curse1 as there is a tradition that it was on this card that the ,butcher ,duke of ,cumberland wrote his sanguinary order after the battle of ,culloden1 and yet another reason given is that1 in the game called after her1 the ,nine of ,diamonds is named ,pope ,joan1 to whom a large forfeit must be paid4 ,old ,chinese laquered boxes1 that also contained beautifully carved mother-of-pearl counters 7chips71 always had several little trays in them1 which obviated the necessity for spoiling a fresh pack of cards and folding them for the necessary trays4 ,the ,chinese boxes had the ,kings1 ,queens1 ,knaves1 and ,nines of ,diamonds painted on their bottom4 ,these were placed in the centre of the table and the forfeited counters paid into them4 ,the game called for one chip to be paid to the ,king1 two to the ,queen1 three to the ,knave1 and four to ,pope ,joan 7the ,nine of ,diamonds71 causing this card to be disliked by players1 who considered it a curse4 ,we call the ,three spot a ,trey1 which name is probably derived from the ,spanish ,tres or the ,french ,trois4 ,the ,four of ,hearts is sometimes called ,bob ,collingwood1 and is by some considered an unlucky card1 while the ,four of ,spades has received the name of ,ned ,stokes2 but these are probably localisms and have but little interest for the general public4 ,the ,four of ,clubs is nicknamed the ,devil's bed-posts1 and in the old game of ,gleek all the ,fours were named ,tiddy4 ,the ,four of ,money frequently bears the emblem of the double star1 signifying the house of ,david1 that was one of the signs adopted by ,freemasons4 ,in the game of ,gleek the ,fives were called ,towser1 and the ,sixes ,tumbler1 and these were lucky cards1 as they counted double when they were turned up as ,trumps4 ,in ,ireland1 says ,mr4 ,taylor1 the ,six of ,hearts is called ',grace's card1' from the spirited answer returned by one of that family to ,marshal ,schomberg1 who sent to tempt ,grace to espouse the cause of ,william of ,orange4 ,a reply was written on the ,six of ,hearts as follows3 ',tell your master that ,i despise his offer1 and that honour and conscience are dearer to me than all the wealth and titles that a prince can bestow4' ,lady ,dorothy ,nevill1 in her interesting book1 ,under ,five ,reigns1 says 7page #cbj73 ,visiting cards1 it is not generally known1 originated from ordinary playing cards1 which were used as such as late as the end of the eighteenth century4 ,a proof of this is that when1 some time ago1 certain repairs were being made at a house in ,dean ,street1 ,soho1 a few playing cards were found with names written on their backs behind a marble chimney piece4 ,one of the cards in question was inscribed ,isaac ,newton1 and the house had been the residence of his father-in-law1 ,hogarth1 in one of whose pictures of ,marriage a la ,mode1 ,plate ,,iv1 several 'playing card' visiting cards may be seen lying on the floor on the right side of the picture4 ,on one of them is inscribed1 ',count ,basset begs to no how ,lady ,squander slept last nite4' ,as time went on1 specially devised visiting cards with somewhat ornate calligraphy took the place of playing cards1 and these1 in time1 developed into the small and simple pieces of pasteboard in use to-day4 ,although the ,tarots and the cards of many nations have well-decorated engraved backs1 these sometimes were simply chequered or covered with tiny dots1 which made some writers believe the name ,tarot to be derived from tarot1 or spotted2 but this was not the case1 since the original name for cards was the ,book of ,thoth4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,according ,,to ,,hoyle ,the ancestor of all our common games of cards is probably ,l',ombre1 ,el ,hombre1 or ,the ,man1 sometimes also called ,la ,beste1 the origin of which has been traced to the middle of the fourteenth century in ,italy1 where the original ,tarots were used as they are to-day4 ,a modification of the old game is called ,tarroco1 the rules for which have been altered during the centuries that have passed since the game was first taken to the hearts of the gamblers1 who succeeded the fortune-tellers or the priests of ,mercury4 ,the game having now but few interpreters1 the cards have nearly ceased to bear the messages of the gods1 and the cult of ,mercury is forgotten4 ,l',ombre was played during the fourteenth century in ,spain1 and wandered to ,england1 ,france1 ,germany1 and ,austria4 ,it still receives its original title in the first two countries1 and is played by country folk1 but in ,france it seems to have been discarded4 ,under the name of ,skat1 and played with the pips of that country1 a modified form of the game is known in ,germany4 ,in ,austria the game is called ,tapp ,tarok1 and the ancient names are assigned to strangely designed cards quite foreign to the original ,tarots1 although the pack includes twenty-two ,atouts and fifty-two pip cards that bear the ,french1 but not the ,italian or ,german1 designs4 ,for this game the old rules are largely retained1 and it is considered difficult and highly scientific1 so this rearranged pack has taken the place of the old ,tarots in ,austria4 ,tapp ,tarok is a fashionable game in ,vienna1 where the ,hoyle of the day calmly announces that it originated in that city with the cards invented for it1 totally ignoring the lineage of the true ,tarots1 of which their ,tarok pack is simply an alteration1 with the ,french pips exchanged for ,cups1 ,money1 ,swords1 and ,staves4 ,that the new symbols were adopted at the same time that the emblematic figures of the ,atouts were cast aside1 to be replaced by meaningless pictures1 is most probable1 and one author declares that the change was made lately1 but a pack in the writer's possession proves that such was not the case1 for the designs are those of the old ,tarots4 ,after the fortune-telling pack had been adopted for a tte-a-tte game1 it spread rapidly from ,etruria to other places1 and ,l',ombre is mentioned in early ,italian books of history1 romance1 and poetry1 where the game is frequently called ,tarroco or ,minchiate4 ,in ,england the ,poet-laureate ,waller immortalized a card torn at ,l',ombre by the ,queen1 who was ,catherine of ,braganza1 the wife of ,charles ,,ii4 ,it is ,belinda's game in ,the ,rape of the ,lock1 and in many pictures of that time players are depicted either tte-a-tte1 or else three persons are seated at three-sided tables that were particularly fashioned for this game2 these are still treasured in old mansions1 where they are called ,ombre or ,preference tables4 ,the ,spanish nickname for ,l',ombre is ,manilla1 which is also that of one of their favourite cards4 ,some of their towns have had this name given to them1 one of which is in the ,philippine ,islands and one on the ,african coast4 ,la ,manilla is one of the ,matadores1 the name given the four cards that are selected to outrank all the others1 and so called because they are killers or slaughterers1 since they kill or take all other cards4 ,the ,ace of ,espadas 7,swords7 is the first ,matador1 nicknamed ,espadilla1 or little ,sword1 after the ,harp of ,mercury that is represented on this card1 the suit being called after its emblem4 ,in ,england the card is called ,spadille4 ,the second ,matador is the one named ,manilla or ,malilla1 and is the ,nine of ,money4 ,the third ,matador is the ,ace of ,sticks1 called ,basto1 he who knocks or beats4 ,it is the ,caduceus1 or ,rod1 and the suit takes its name from it4 ,in certain parts of the game it is played with great effect1 as is mentioned in ,cranford1 by ,mrs4 ,gaskell1 where is a description of some ladies playing a game that was then called ,preference2 where ,miss ,barker at the card table was basting most unmercifully1 although she declared that she was too ignorant to know ,spadille from ,manille4 ,the fourth ,matador is the ,ace of ,cups1 and is called ,punto1 which means the point or spot4 ,players of ,skat will readily recognize these terms and the value of the cards4 ,rules and play vary in different countries1 so it would take close study of each game to point out the various rules1 names1 etc41 that connect the games of the day with their five-hundred-year-old ancestor4 ,in ,england the eldest descendant of ,l',ombre seems to be ,primero1 ,prime1 ,prima-sta1 or ,preference1 for all are the same game4 ,some writers claim that when ,philip of ,spain was wooing ,mary of ,england he taught her the game fashionable at the court of his father1 ,charles ,v1 but ,primero was in vogue among the people from the days of ,henry ,,viii to that of ,james ,i1 so much so that ,piquet1 the ,french game taught to ,henry's mother when the ,french pips were introduced into ,england1 was greatly neglected except in court circles4 ,in the ,earl of ,northumberland's letters we find a reference to the game1 as in one of them is the following sentence3 ,jocelyn ,percy was playing at ,primero on ,sunday in ,essex ,house1 when his uncle the conspirator called on him4 ,in the ,sidney ,papers1 ,vol4 ,,ii 7page #hc71 there is an account of ,sir ,walter ,raleigh1 ,william ,ambrose ,willoughby1 and ,mr4 ,parker being at ,primero in the ,presence ,chamber1 the queen was gone to bed4 ,lord ,southampton1 as ,squire of the ,body1 desired him1 ,willoughby1 to give over4 ,soon after he spoke to them again that if they did not leave he would call in the ,guard to pull down the board1 which ,sir ,walter ,rawley seeing put up his money and went his ways4 ,this occurred in #aeih4 ,in ,marcus's ,life at ,primero1 many of the terms used in the game are mentioned1 such as ,prime1 ,rest1 ,eldest ,hand1 ,flush1 ,stop1 ,pack1 etc41 all of which have been adopted in one or more modern games4 ,in ,minshew's ,spanish ,dictionary there is an illustration of players at ,primero in the time of ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,in ,capitolo del ,gioco della ,primera1 by ,berni1 the game is thus mentioned3 ,to describe what ,primera is would be little less than useless1 for there can scarcely be any one so ignorant as to be unacquainted with it1 although played differently in ,florence from ,venice1 ,naples1 ,france1 or ,spain1 but none of these various ways of playing the game are superior to the ,rules of ,rome1 where the game principally flourishes4 ,in one of the works of ,rabelais1 edited by ,m4 le ,duchat1 two kinds of ,primero are described called the lesser and the greater4 ,in the former only pip cards are required1 but in the latter the whole ,tarot pack is retained1 as in ,austria1 where ,atouts and pip cards belong to ,tapp ,tarok4 ,the ,germans play the lesser ,primero and call it ,skat4 ,this shows how widely the rules of the game have parted from the original laws1 which is the reason that it is now almost impossible to harmonize it with the fortune-telling game that it was primarily4 ,in ,italy it is called ,minchiate1 ,tarocco1 and ,tarocconi4 ,these now differ as much from the original as bridge whist does from these games4 ,the terms of the different games were frequently used in old plays or romances in ,england1 as well as in other places4 ,shakespeare mentions ,primero in ,henry ,,viii 7v3#a73 ,i left the king at ,primero with the ,duke of ,suffolk4 ,again1 in ,the ,merry ,wives of ,windsor 7iv3#e71 ,falstaff says3 ,i never prospered since ,i foreswore myself at ,primero4 ,sir ,harry ,wildair 7#agja7 says3 ,the ,capot at ,piquet1 the ,paroli at ,basset1 and then ,ombre4 ,who can resist the charms of ,matadores8 ,lady ,lurewell answers3 ,ay1 ,sir ,harry1 and the ',sept le va1 ,quinze le va' of ,basset1 'the ,nine of ,diamonds at ,comet' or ,pope ,joan1 'three ,fives at ,cribbage and ,pam1' the ',queen to the ,knave of ,clubs in ,loo4' ,the terms in ,primero have been so generally adopted in modern games that they are familiar to all players1 although as a collection they are no longer used for one game4 ,primero is played by dealing four cards1 at which the players look1 and1 if they are unsuitable1 they say ,pass4 ,the ,sevens are the highest cards and are worth twenty-one points4 ,the other numbers have values that differ according to the locality where the game is played4 ,quinola1 or the ,knave of ,hearts1 represents the ,joker1 and the cards left after dealing are not called the ,widow or the ,stock1 as in some games1 but the ,rest4 ,punto1 or point1 is not the ,ace of ,cups1 as in ,spain1 for in ,england it is the ,quinola4 ,flushes are four cards of the same suit1 and ,prime is a hand in which there are four cards of the same value1 but each one of a different suit4 ,card games followed each other1 first one and then another becoming the fashion1 only to be replaced by a new one or a modification of some old one1 and after ,l',ombre and ,preference came ,mawe1 ,post1 ,lodam1 ,noddy1 ,barkerout 7probably ,baccarat71 and countless others1 to the now all-important ,bridge or ,auction ,whist4 ,mawe is described in ,mr4 ,singer's ,history of ,playing ,cards 7page #beh7 as a playe at cards grown out of the country from the meanest into credit at court with the greatest4 ,the game is frequently referred to by name in books or plays written about #aehj4 ,the ,ace of ,hearts is called ,rumstitch or ,romstecq1 the name given to ,mawe in the ,netherlands4 ,in ,germany the game is played with a ,piquet pack of thirty-six cards1 and any number of persons from two to six may form the party4 ,the ,italians call a similar game ,romfa4 ,noddy is a childish game1 but it was fashionable in the seventeenth century1 and is frequently referred to by writers of that time4 ,gleek is described in ,cotton's ,complete ,gamester1 where it is called a noble and delightful game or recreation4 ,it is also mentioned by ,villon1 who wrote in #adfa1 and other contemporary authors4 ,m4 le ,duchat1 the editor of ,rabelais1 declares that the name is derived from the ,german word ,glck1 meaning chance or luck4 ,it is played by three persons only1 each of whom is dealt twelve cards1 eight being left in the widow1 that is called the stock4 ,the ,deuces and ,treys are taken from the pack4 ,if the ,four is turned up as trump1 it is called ,tiddy1 and each player pays four counters to the dealer4 ,a ,mourival is a hand holding all the ,kings1 ,queens1 ,knaves1 or ,aces4 ,the players bid for the stock1 as is done in ,nonsuch ,euchre4 ,the eldest hand says1 ,i'll vie the ,ruff2 the next1 ,i'll see it2 the third1 ,i'll see it and revie it1 or1 ,i'll not meddle with it1 which terms are closely copied in modern games4 ,the ,ruff is the highest flush1 or else four ,aces4 ,the game of ,ruff seems to have succeeded ,gleek1 and many games have been evolved from it1 including ,bridge1 ,poker1 and ,euchre1 each one of which has adopted certain rules to the exclusion of others1 in this way making such different games that few people can trace them to the originals4 ,to ruff is a term still used by provincials1 by which they mean to revoke4 ,the steps from ,ruff to ,bridge are called by different names1 such as ,trump or ,triumpo by the ,italians and ,spaniards4 ,ruff and ,honours1 ,alias ,slam1 was once a favourite in ,england1 says ,cotton in #afhj4 ,in #agcg ,richard ,seymour published some rules1 in which he says3 ,whist1 or the silent game1 vulgarly called ,whisk1 is said to be very ancient among us1 and the foundation of all the ,english games upon the cards4 ,dean ,swift declares that in his time ,whisk was a favourite among the clergy4 ,his pride is in ,piquet1 says ,lord ,godolphin in ,pope's ,moral ,essays1 showing the position that this game occupied in ,england in #agcc1 about three hundred years after its introduction to the ,english court4 ,it is still played at the clubs to-day1 showing what a strong hold it has upon the affections of card players1 and its original rules are hardly altered1 while the cards remain practically the same as when invented by ,la ,hire1 ,etienne ,chevalier1 and ,jacques ,coeur4 ,it is supposed that the first reference to ,piquet in print is in the works of ,rabelais1 already quoted from 7#aecc74 ,probably the earliest book of rules is the one published at ,rome in #afdg1 and translated into ,english in #afeb4 ,the rules were very much the same as those laid down afterwards by ,cavendish in #ahhb4 ,the point was called the ruffe1 or1 in ,french1 ,ronfl4 ,in ,les ,facheux1 by ,molire 7#affa71 there is an interesting ,piquet hand described by ,alcippe1 one of the players4 ,in #afdf a ,ballet du ,jeu de ,piquet was produced1 in which the dancers were ranged according to their colours1 the blacks opposite to the reds and both sides headed by the court cards4 ,this ballet became a great favourite and was often produced1 as it interested the audiences1 who appreciated the various movements of the dance that reproduced and corresponded with the play of the game4 ,english and ,french plays frequently refer to the card games of their day1 and ,piquet is often mentioned4 ,in the ,epilogue to ,sir ,harry ,wildair 7#agja7 is the following3 ,vat have you got of grand plasir in dis town8 ',tis said ,vidont is come from ,france1 dat vil go down4 ,piquet1 ,basset1 your vin1 your dress1 your dance1 ',tis all you see tout a la mode de ,france4 ,john ,hall was one of the early writers in ,england who referred to ,piquet1 originally called ,cent in that country4 ,he says1 in #afdf1 a man's fancy 7or character7 would be summed up at ,cribbage2 ,gleek requires a vigilant memory1 ,mawe a pregnant agility1 ,picket a various invention1 ,primero a dexterous kind of rashness4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip ,cards of the ,money ,suit #fg ,ace of ,money #fh ,deuce of ,money #fi ,trey of ,money #gj ,four of ,money #ga ,five of ,money #gb ,six of ,money ,in #afei a curious pamphlet was published called ,shuffling1 ,cutting1 and ,dealing in a ,game at ,pickquet1 a political squib which used the terms of the game to describe the politicians4 ,hamlet says3 ,how absolute the ,knave is4 ,we must speak by the card or equivocation will undo us4 ,by the ,lord1 ,horatio1 these three years ,i have taken notice of it1 the age is grown so picked 7piqued74 ,as the ,french cards1 with the game of ,piquet for which they were invented1 were introduced into ,england in the time of ,edward ,,iv1 it is possible that ,hamlet used a familiar term when he declared the age was picked1 as this is an expression frequently used in the game4 ,it is generally supposed that ,euchre is a variant of the ,french game ,ecart1 the name of which is taken from one of the rules1 meaning to put away or discard4 ,in the ,united ,states1 ,euchre was adopted about #ahdj1 appearing first in the ,middle ,west4 ,it was for this game that the ,joker was reinstated in the pack1 a card that at first was a blank one left imprinted1 but its adoption was accomplished very slowly1 and it did not change the games or completely dominate the packs until within the last few years4 ,others assume that the game had a nautical derivation and was invented by old salts1 as the names given to the commanding cards have reference to the forward anchors of a ship4 ,in the year #ahgj the first celebrated and authentic illustrated history of the game of ,euchre was published by ,bret ,harte3 ,which we had a small game1 ,and ,ah ,sin took a hand2 ,it was ,euchre1 and the same ,he did not understand2 ,but he smiled as he sat by the table ,with a smile that was childlike and bland4 ,the verses continue describing the game1 in which all cheated1 and its disastrous termination1 ,when we went for that ,heathen ,chinee1 is too well known to require repetition4 ,in early editions of ,the ,american ,hoyle1 as the book is called which is the acknowledged authority on card games in this country1 the history of ,euchre is given tentatively1 but the account is rejected by later editions1 or1 at least1 not republished4 ,although the compilers of these later editions evidently did not value1 or perhaps credit1 the history given by their predecessors1 it may well be quoted1 since no other has been advanced4 ,the edition of #ahfd says3 ,the origin of this fascinating game is somewhat uncertain4 ,from the fact that the word ,bauer 7a peasant7 is pronounced similarly to the names of the leading cards of the game1 some have supposed it to be a ,german invention1 yet the game is unknown in ,germany except in those parts where it was introduced by wandering ,americans4 ,nor do the ,german pips and cards lend themselves to the chief features of the game1 particularly since they have no ,joker1 which is the most important card in ,euchre4 ,in speaking of this game1 ,hoyle writes as follows3 ,as it has been traced to the counties of ,bucks1 ,lancaster1 and ,lehigh1 in the ,state of ,pennsylvania1 where it first made its appearance about forty years ago1 it is not difficult to conjecture how it arose4 ,some rich farmer's daughter of those ,american ,teutonic regions had occasion to visit ,philadelphia1 and carried back to her home a confused memory of ,ecart4 ,from her dim account one of her ingenious rustic beaux created the rudiments of the original game of ,euchre1 which it is claimed is a corruption of ,ecart1 which by alterations and additions grew to what it is4 ,conjectural as this is1 a number of corroborative facts seem to indicate that it is the fact4 ,so far according to ,hoyle1 but any one who has studied games and their sequences may also suppose that among the descendants of the ,prince of ,hesse's soldiers who were left after the war with ,england to spend the remainder of their lives in exile1 the old games common in their country were remembered1 and a game was evolved that suited the cards with the ,french pips1 which were the only ones obtainable in this country1 even although they differed from those of the ,fatherland4 ,euchre resembles ,gleek or ,glck1 a game well known in ,germany1 so the tradition of the farmer's daughter1 although ingenious1 is probably without foundation4 ,many of the terms used in ,euchre and ,nonsuch ,euchre are probably derived from the dialect spoken by ,german immigrants and their children4 ,the name ,bower is the ,american-,german word signifying youngster1 which may well describe the ,knave child1 as it was at one time called in ,england4 ,this word was naturally bestowed by ,pennsylvania ,germans on the card1 for they still speak a patois peculiarly their own and clearly derived from their ancestors4 ,it was probably they who gave this name to the ,knave1 and it is retained for the aforementioned game1 where certain ,knaves have a particular value4 ,the word ,euchre seems likely to have been derived from the shout of exultation usual when playing certain games of cards in ,germany1 although the evil tendencies of the imp who presides over the spelling of ,english words has altered the original word ,juch to the peculiarly unmeaning one of ,euchre4 ,juch pronounced ,yuch1 is a cry of exhultation4 ,there is not only a verb to cry out1 ,juch1 but a somewhat unusually constructed noun made from that verb1 which is ,jucheier2 whereas ,jucher would be the normally constructed noun made from that verb4 ,therefore1 it seems quite natural to assume that ,jucher1 describing a player shouting with exultation when winning a point1 must have been used unconsciously1 whether this word is to be found in the dictionary or not1 for it is certainly this exclamation that is used as the player throws down the card winning the third trick in ,euchre when the opponent has ordered or taken up the trump card or made the suit4 ,the words ,keno or ,domino are commonly used to declare winning one of those two games1 particularly in foreign countries1 and since ,euchre is evidently derived from alien games1 and was introduced by persons speaking a patois of ,english and ,german1 the name is probably taken from the verb mentioned4 ,ch is pronounced in ,german like ,k1 so ,jucher has the sound of ,euchre4 ,in ,grimm's ,deutsches ,woerterbuch1 we find the following definition3 ,,juch 7interjection74--,a loud burst of joy4 ,as example1 ,the good man dreamed as if he were still at the card club1 shouting1 ',juch1 ,juch1 ,grun 7the leaf suit in the ,german cards7 is chosen4' ,,juchen 7verb74--,to shout ,juch4 ,in the ,new ,english ,dictionary1 commonly called the ,oxford ,dictionary 7#aije71 we find the following3 ,,euchre or ,,uker or ,,yuker4--,of uncertain origin1 supposed to be ,german4 ,as ,bower1 one of the terms used in this game1 is of ,german origin1 it has often been supposed that the word ,euchre is also from the ,german1 but no probable source has been found in that language4 ,can it be that it is the ,spanish ,yuca1 in the sentence ,ser yuca1 given by ,cabillero as an ,american expression for cock of the walk1 meaning to get the best of anything8 ,in #ahdg ,euchre was common in ,mississippi1 and is alluded to in various celebrated lawsuits growing out of disputes over the game4 ,it would seem that the compilers of the ,english dictionary had not given enough weight to the localisms of ,pennsylvania when they could discover only a ,spanish derivation for the terms used in ,euchre1 a game unknown in ,spain4 ,the game that apparently started in the western part of that ,state seems to have travelled down the ,ohio and the ,mississippi rivers1 for the earliest mention of it comes through the boatmen on those great streams4 ,poker seems also to be a game evolved by gamesters of the ,united ,states from the old ,primero1 with its ancient derivations1 for so many of the rules and expressions common in the modern game may be traced to the fourteenth century4 ,it is played by four or more persons1 who bet on the value of their hands1 a pair being the lowest and a straight flush being the highest hand1 the names of which were inherited and explain themselves4 ,jack ,pot1 ,widow1 and ,kitty are some of the cant words used in the game1 the derivations of which are evidently from ,primero4 ,the first signifies the ,pool under certain circumstances4 ,the ,widow 7or the forsaken1 the discarded one7 was originally called the ,stock1 or the cards unused after dealing4 ,the ,kitty is the name for the forfeit paid at the end of each game by its winner to the gambling house1 that frequently amounted to a considerable sum of money4 ,in #aijh1 a variation of ,poker was arranged in ,england1 although one writer thinks that it originated in ,china1 but without giving any authority for the statement4 ,the game is called ,poker ,patience4 ,it can be played by one or more persons1 who are supplied with a board on which are twenty-five squares that1 when covered with the cards1 according to the rules1 will count ten poker hands1 five horizontally and the other five vertically4 ,the first card is placed on square ,no4 #ac1 directly in the middle of the board1 and the next card played must touch the first one on one of its eight adjoining squares4 ,the third card should touch either the first one or the second1 and so on until the twenty-five squares are covered4 ,the hands are counted exactly as in ,poker1 a straight flush being the highest1 and counting thirty points1 while a pair is rewarded with only one point4 ,the flushes are not of much scoring value1 being only five points1 but they are not difficult to make4 ,this game is easy and interesting when used as a solitaire1 but when two or more players are pitted against each other and bent on preventing the score of the opponent1 it will be seen that there is a great deal of play1 for there are so many cards left in the ,widow that the game is uncertain until its finish1 as a card that is most desirable may never turn up1 and1 therefore1 there is much chance as well as skill in the baby prodigy4 ,according to ,hoyle has become a proverb among card players1 most of whom could give no more explanation for the term than they could for the origin of ,playing ,cards1 although it trips so readily from the tips of their tongues4 ,but whenever a play at cards is disputed1 the justification is that it is ,according to ,hoyle1 which leads to the query of how and where the sentence originated that is freighted with so much weight and expression4 ,with this cant phrase goes another1 that was once frequently on the lips of card players1 which condemned an unlucky player or a careless partner to go to ,halifax4 ,these proverbs will be explained by a cursory glance backwards over the life story of ,edward ,hoyle1 born in ,england1 in #afgb1 near the little town of ,halifax1 in ,yorkshire4 ,he was of a good family and was educated for the law1 for which his clear1 analytical1 and logical mind seemed to be particularly adapted4 ,living in ,london1 he amused himself in the evenings by meeting some friends at what was the precursor of men's clubs1 the ,crown ,coffee ,house1 in ,bedford ,row1 to play ,whist or ,triumph1 a title that was about that time shortened to ,trump1 a name that is retained to designate the highest suit elected by the players at the beginning of each hand1 either by turning up the last card of the deal or by electing a suit according to the preference of the players4 ,the ,french retain the old name of ,atout for that purpose1 although those picture cards have not been used in that country for centuries4 ,the first mention of ,whist under the revised name is in ,the ,compleate ,gamester1 which was published in #afgd1 and was intended to supply standard rules for the fashionable games of the time4 ,but ,cotton's laws were confusing1 and the game was played in various ways in different parts of ,england1 since this standard was not universally accepted1 and it is said that ,whist was a favourite only in the servants' hall1 so that these unarbitrary rules led to quarrels and sometimes even to bloodshed4 ,but when ,edward ,hoyle became interested in the game of ,whist1 he had for partners or opponents some of the deepest players and most distinguished men about town1 and the gamesters gradually adopted regular rules for their own guidance1 which usually originated with ,hoyle1 so the fame of his decisions about disputed points was noised abroad throughout ,london4 ,this led to his taking pupils at a guinea a lesson1 and finally ,hoyle wrote out his rules for their benefit1 distributing them first in manuscript1 but finally publishing them in ,a ,short ,treatise on ,whist1 for which he received one thousand guineas4 ,hoyle's rules were adopted by the clubs and players throughout ,england1 so1 when any dispute arose1 his book was consulted1 and1 instead of the players saying1 ,it is the wish 7or the voice7 of the gods1 as had been the original custom when consulting the oracles of ,mercury1 and continued by card votaries1 it became customary to say1 ,it is according to ,hoyle4 ,that gentleman lived until #agfi1 and his rules remained unaltered for over one hundred years4 ,in #ahfd1 however1 the ,arlington and ,portland ,clubs1 finding that modifications were needed1 revised the rules1 after which the ,cavendish rules became the mode1 but books on card rules are still issued under the name of ,hoyle's ,games of ,cards1 so ,according to ,hoyle is still a fashionable saying among the votaries of the card table4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,engraved ,,cards ,thanks to the lovers of woodcuts1 prints1 and engravings1 the history of ,european ,playing ,cards has been preserved4 ,through these it has been investigated1 as it would have been impossible in any other way1 since the men who are devoted to the card table are not usually of an investigating turn of mind1 while those who prophesy with cards prefer the occult and mysterious to the scientific4 ,it was far otherwise with the dilettanti1 who recognised the master hand that had produced beautiful pictures1 intrinsically valuable1 although put to what1 in the opinion of connoisseurs1 was a debased use4 ,since the cards1 as gamblers' tools1 or the instruments of diviners1 had little attraction for print lovers1 the latter traced the origin of the cards from an interest in the method of their production4 ,but the history of these instruments followed1 since it was an integral part of the story of the pictures that had at first been produced by hand1 and then by mechanical arts4 ,this led to an awakened desire to understand the connection of the gambling toys with the period when prints were first issued4 ,but when these learned men studied the histories of the ,european countries for the first printed or legal record of ,playing ,cards1 and decided on the fourteenth century as the date of their birth1 they never looked into the haze of the past to the period when cards were not bits of pasteboard1 but of very different character4 ,so the mystery of their origin was not unfolded1 although all of the written records mentioned that cards were called the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus1 who was evidently an unknown person4 ,it was owing to the necessity of producing cards cheaply1 on account of their widespread use1 that xylographic arts were invented and perfected1 thus leading the way to printing1 that art which has enlightened mankind as nothing had done before in the same space of time4 ,mr4 ,singer states that the earliest examples of woodcuts were intended for ,playing ,cards1 although it is generally believed that the earliest example of a woodcut that survives is the picture of ,st4 ,christopher1 which was discovered pasted inside of the cover of an old book4 ,many ,playing ,cards have been preserved in the same way1 since frugal persons utilized the precious paper on which the cards were printed1 and did not waste it1 as is done in this extravagant age4 ,that the oldest known print is that of a saint does not disprove ,mr4 ,singer's statement1 for many of the rude figures produced by the first engravers served a double purpose1 being equally well adapted for court cards or as representations of historical or saintlike characters1 they were often adopted first for the games1 and then transferred to the homes of peasants1 where the pictures were accorded the name of a patron saint and revered accordingly1 so in many such places priceless cuts and engravings have been found1 and from there have been transferred to museums or to private print collections1 where they are recognised as rare and valuable specimens of the art of the graver's tool4 ,these old figures and the cards that followed them are not classed under the head of games or ,playing ,cards1 so students wishing to examine examples of early ,european ,playing ,cards must seek the print rooms of the ,british ,museum1 or the ,nuremburg ,museum1 and the national libraries of ,vienna1 ,bologna1 and ,paris4 ,since among the first productions of the graver's tools were gambling cards1 ,mr4 ,singer and others have studied the games for which so much time and labour were devoted4 ,it is evident1 he says1 that since the earliest specimens of engraving on steel and on copper both in ,italy and ,germany are cards1 there must have been a great demand for them1 and that their cheap production was eagerly seized upon by the card makers1 who through it considerably shortened their labours and increased their output1 so from this moment games with cards rapidly spread over ,europe1 while the ,book of ,thoth was abandoned to gypsies and fortune-tellers4 ,the cards painted under ,grigoneur for the ,french king1 and now in ,les ,cabinet des ,estampes1 ,paris1 are probably the oldest extant1 and are about contemporary with the ,italian packs in ,bologna and those in ,mr4 ,morgan's collection1 that are painted1 but not engraved4 ,a pack in the ,british ,museum goes by the name of ,doctor ,stukley's cards1 for he was the first to exhibit them4 ,they are stencilled and have ,german pips4 ,there is no ,queen among the court cards1 but her place is taken by a male figure called ,ober1 accompanied by a ,king and ,unter4 ,there are no ,aces1 so the cards were probably intended for the popular game of ,sixty-six4 ,these cards were rudely printed and coloured with stencils4 ,they were first shown to the society of ,antiquarians1 ,london1 ,november #i1 #agfc1 and have been frequently exhibited and discussed4 ,they were found in the binding of an old book1 supposed to be ,claudian1 printed before #aejj1 and to these we owe a debt of gratitude for exciting an interest in ,playing ,cards1 to which much of their history is due4 ,the supposition that the ,german pips were used in ,england before the ,french cards were introduced is sustained only by finding this solitary pack4 ,the book itself was not printed in ,england1 while the name assigned to the suit of ,spades is clearly derived from the ,spanish ,espadas1 which points to the probability of the ,swords1 ,rods1 ,cups1 and ,money pips having been known in ,england4 ,the ,trfle of ,france was called a ,club1 as had probably been done with the ,rod suit of the old cards4 ,a nearly complete pack bearing these designs and almost facsimiles of the ,stukley pack is in the ,historical ,society of ,new ,york4 ,among the earliest specimens of ornamental engraved cards are some that were executed at ,cologne1 the different cards of which are so widely separated that the complete pack can nowhere be found4 ,solitary examples are scattered in different museums1 where they are treasured as beautiful representations of the master's art1 although no person knows his name4 ,the wrapper of these cards has been found1 and on it is a well-executed design of three ornamental crowns1 placed inside of ,gothic arches1 that are connected by a gracefully twisted ribbon on which is the inscription ,salve ,felix ,colonia which is the only remaining clue to the engraver1 the date of execution1 and the birthplace of the pack4 ,in it are five suits instead of four1 and these have original emblems that1 however1 never seem to have been popular or intended for gambling1 or even for divination1 but they were probably the invention of the artist1 who had little idea of the significance of the original emblems of ,cups1 ,swords1 ,staves1 and ,money1 for not only was a fifth and unprofitable suit added to the pack1 but the pips were changed to artistic designs that may delight the senses of the connoisseurs1 but fail to appeal to a card player1 since the designer was evidently not as clever as the ,frenchmen1 who invented a new set of emblems for their royal master1 and through constructing the game ,piquet1 that could only be played with these cards1 clinched their adoption by players4 ,the five suits of these ,german cards were ,hares1 ,parrots1 ,pinks1 ,roses1 and ,columbines1 with four court cards to each suit1 and they are illustrated in ,playing ,cards1 by ,mr4 ,singer 7page #dg71 and are attributed by him to ,martin ,schoen1 or ,schongaur4 ,the costume of the figures1 he says1 belongs to the fifteenth century1 and seems conclusively to establish the fact4 ,to this statement other authorities do not agree4 ,one of the earliest examples of ,playing ,cards executed on copper was produced in ,germany before #addf4 ,the artist is known only by his initials1 and is called ,the ,master ,e4 ,s4 ,his cards are original and finely executed1 although his emblems stray as far from the ancient ones peculiar to ,mercury as the games to be played with them differ from divination4 ,the devices are ,roses1 ,cyclamen1 ,savages1 ,birds1 ,stags1 and ,lions4 ,this ,master ,e4 ,s4 seems to have copied most of his designs for a smaller set of cards1 and he also executed a pack that had ,shields1 ,flowers1 ,animals1 and ,helmets for pips4 ,these are artistically grouped1 and the escutcheons display coats-of-arms of the nobility that go far to establish the date of those that are not marked4 ,but the pips1 although they were gracefully marshaled1 were troublesome and confusing to the players1 which has caused these cards to be chiefly valued as examples of the graver's art1 lacking the simplicity of the ,french pips1 with their harmonious red and black colours1 these peculiar designs failed to revolutionise the ,playing ,cards in common use1 as had evidently been the intention of ,the ,master4 ,the little that is known of ,e4 ,s4 points to his having been the immediate predecessor of ,martin ,schongaur1 of ,colmar1 who was the unrivalled engraver of his time1 and has been described as the ,van ,eyck of engraving4 ,he was the actual creator of the art as practiced in modern times1 says ,max ,lehrs in his essay on the ,playing ,cards engraved by this master4 ,to him we owe the technical method of producing the appearance of relief and solidity on a flat surface by the combination of a number of parallel lines on transverse lines1 which effect had only been obtainable before his invention by the addition of colour to the finished prints4 ,his home was probably in the vicinity of ,freiburg1 or ,breisach1 and it is supposed that he died in #adfg4 ,the cards attributed to ,e4 ,s4 are scattered over ,europe1 but they seem to be universally acknowledged as the first specimens of engraved ,playing ,cards4 ,the dainty pictures served as models to the students of the ,master1 and have often been copied or adopted as accessories to other pictures4 ,the ,four of ,men and the ,ober ,knave of the same suit1 the ,four of ,dogs1 and the ,three of ,birds were used to adorn the cover of a ,bible that is now in the ,university ,library of ,erlangen4 ,these designs were also used in the tooling of other books4 ,augsburg may lay strong claim to be considered the first seat of the art of engraving on wood1 as a ,guild of ,card ,makers is mentioned in the ,town ,roll of #adah4 ,sheets of cardboard on which the pack was printed from the block1 but not yet coloured by hand1 are to be found in museums1 and it is supposed that the celebrated woodcut of ,st4 ,christopher1 dated #adbc1 was produced in ,augsburg1 which about that time became the great exporting centre of card makers1 against whom the manufacturers of ,vienna1 ,venice1 and ,viterbo caused ordinances to be passed in their respective cities1 forbidding the ,augsburg and ,nuremburg cards to be sold within their boundaries4 ,this law is enforced to-day1 which has prevented the introduction of foreign or ,french pips into ,austria and ,italy4 ,an interesting sheet of cards produced by the tool was acquired by the writer in ,nuremburg in #aiaj4 ,it is about ten by twelve inches in size1 and is made of several sheets of paper pasted together4 ,the reverse side shows a lozenge pattern1 and each one of the spaces contains a fleur de lis1 emphasised at the corner by a square4 ,the sheet has not been cut apart1 and there are eighteen cards printed on it1 comprising all those belonging to the court1 and six pip cards bearing the usual ,german devices4 ,the figures do not include a ,queen1 but have the ,king1 the ,ober1 and the ,unter4 ,the ,king of ,eicheln 7or ,acorns7 is seated1 wears a crown on top of a turban1 and holds a sceptre4 ,his ,ober and ,unter both carry two swords4 ,their dresses are richly trimmed and they wear lace at the neck and wrists4 ,the ,king of ,grnen 7or ,leaves7 also wears a crown on top of a turban1 but holds his sword in his right hand instead of his left1 as is the case with his brother of ,acorns4 ,his chair is more ornate than that of any of the other kings4 ,he wears at his neck two muslin lapels1 such as were once worn with black silk gowns by ministers when preaching4 ,one of his ,knaves plays a flute1 the other beats a drum4 ,the ,king of ,bells wears a five-pointed coronet and has a book on his knees4 ,his ,ober has a wig and a richly embroidered coat1 but is bareheaded1 as is his ,unter1 who is a ludicrously stout figure1 parrying a thrust with his sword from an unseen warrior4 ,the ,king of ,hearts has a crown with fleurs de lis1 and on the side of his chair is an anchor with the initials ,m4 ,s41 leading to the supposition that these cards were engraved by ,martin ,schongaur1 the successor to the ,master ,e4 ,s4 ,the execution1 however1 is far inferior to his usual delicate work4 ,the ,ober of ,hearts is armed with a pike and his hair is tied with ribbons1 the two ends of which float carelessly down his back4 ,he and the ,unter of his suit can ruffle with the best of them1 for both have side arms as well as long pikes1 and their coats are handsomely embroidered1 while they wear lace at the throat and wrists4 ,the four ,deuces are on this sheet4 ,that of ,hearts has an escutcheon on which is a lion rampant4 ,the ,two of ,leaves shows a deer and a unicorn rampant regardant4 ,the ,two of ,acorns has a ,bacchus astride of a beer barrel1 holding up the ,cup of ,hermes1 and the ,two of ,grnen has the sow sacred to ,prosperine and ,mercury1 that was always sacrificed to them at the feast of ,hermes1 on the thirteenth of ,may1 when ,spring commenced1 and ,mercury led ,prosperine from ,pluto back to earth and to her ,mother1 ,ceres4 ,the pig was also sacred to ,nebo1 so its position on the cards is fraught with meaning4 ,the ,ten of ,leaves and the ,seven of ,hearts complete this valuable sheet that shows an early process of card production4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,italian ,,tarots ,pip and ,court ,cards of the ,money ,suit #gc ,seven of ,money #gd ,eight of ,money #ge ,nine of ,money #gf ,ten of ,money #gg ,knave of ,money #gh ,cavalier of ,money ,a beautiful pack of cards was engraved by ,jost ,ammon1 who was born in ,zurich in #aeci4 ,his wood engravings are very numerous4 ,he died in ,nuremburg in #aeia4 ,the interesting cards attributed to him were published1 it was said1 to inculcate ,industry and ,learning rather than ,idleness and ,debauchery1 so may be placed under the head of ,educational ,cards4 ,each one shows a pip1 under which is a clever sketch that is fully described by some appropriate ,latin verses4 ,the pips are ,books1 ,winepots1 ,cups1 and ,printer's ,balls4 ,one of the cards represents a wood carver at work1 supposed to be a likeness of the artist4 ,another shows a printer4 ,a third has on it a bibliomaniac surrounded by flies that he is striking at with a flapper1 and the accompanying verses are forcible1 if inelegant4 ,on the ,three of ,printer's ,balls are a lady and gentleman playing cards4 ,the ,six of ,winepots shows two men at a game of ,draughts4 ,some of the cards have pictures of men and women playing musical instruments1 while others depict various homely occupations4 ,these symbols did not take the place of those simple devices that convey at a glance to a player the suit or number of a card1 so necessary from a gambler's point of view4 ,their authorship has been disputed1 but the cards remain as interesting specimens of wood engraving4 ,the greater part of the early ,italian cards are printed with a pale ink of a grayish tint4 ,the earliest specimens are a set of ,tarots that are much larger than the standard size of ,playing ,cards1 being about four by six and a half inches4 ,these cards are finely executed1 and are one of the first of the educational packs1 since the emblematic figures of the ,atouts are ,rhetoric1 ,arithmetic1 etc4 ,the specimens of engraved cards of the ,netherlands are of a later date1 being about the middle of the eighteenth century4 ,they are carefully done1 and the two red suits are distinguished by being printed with a pale red ink1 while the ,spades and ,clubs are printed in black4 ,these cards are pretty miniature pictures1 with local figures and landscapes1 while the pips are ,french and are placed in the upper left-hand corner4 ,the ,dutch have also several educational packs of cards4 ,some are historical1 with ,kings1 ,queens1 and ,knaves representing their royalties4 ,there is also one showing the chief products of their kingdom and its dependencies4 ,a third pack illustrates the costumes of the different provinces4 ,germans1 ,french and ,english were very fond of teaching children through educational games of cards1 and a great collection of these may be found in the print room of the ,british ,museum under the head of ,lady ,charlotte ,schrieber's ,collection1 but it is carelessly kept in drawers1 the packs tied with bits of string or worsted1 and it is difficult to study on this account4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,playing ,,cards ,,for ,,educational ,,and ,,other ,,purposes ,it was but natural that1 from the very date of the readjustment of the ,book of ,thoth1 when it was deposed from its high position of being the voice of the gods to become the tool of gypsies or the toy of gamblers1 that invectives should be hurled at it from the pulpit1 from whence the early war is continued1 as well as from the government1 for when pleasure becomes a vice it behooves those in authority to repress it1 so as to protect the unwary or the ignorant from traps laid for gain against them4 ,cardinal ,john ,capistran1 who visited ,nuremburg in #adeb1 found the inhabitants devoted to all games of chance1 and so addicted to gambling that the prosperity of the town was threatened4 ,the good ,cardinal preached against the vice of gambling with such fervor and eloquence that the cathedral could not contain the crowds who went to listen to him1 so a pulpit was erected before the church1 in the great square or ,market ,place1 under the clock1 where a procession of wise men bowing before the ,king still takes place daily at noon1 and from this rostrum the ,cardinal ordered that all cards1 dice1 chessmen1 draughts 7checkers71 etc41 should be brought before him and publicly burned2 an order that was implicitly obeyed4 ,how well the good man succeeded in obliterating games of chance or hazard may be questioned1 since ,nuremburg is still one of the chief centres of card making1 the descendants of the original makers being in active business to-day1 who sell sheets of cardboard that were concealed for many years1 on which the cards are printed1 but not cut apart1 for probably the manufacture was checked at the time1 but never entirely suppressed4 ,the celebrated museum of the town has one of the best collections of native ,playing ,cards to be found1 while the dramatic holocaust is recalled with pride by the inhabitants1 who value the woodcut that is commemorative of the event4 ,english preachers denounced card playing1 and the ,scotch dubbed the packs ,the ,devil's ,picture ,books4 ,robert ,burns says3 ,the ,ladies1 arm in arm1 in clusters1 ,as great and gracious a' as sisters1 99 99 99 99 99 ,on lee-lang nights1 wi' crabbit leuks4 ,pore owre the devil's pictured beuks4 ,the ,sunday before ,christmas1 #aebi1 ,bishop ,latimer preached a sermon against gambling at ,st4 ,edward's ,church1 in ,cambridge1 taking for his text ,who art thou8 and filling his sermon with phrases that were culled from ,primero1 which was the favourite game of his day4 ,this knowledge showed such an intimate acquaintance with the game that his offended hearers used it with great effect against him4 ,the sermon is now remembered only because of these phrases and expressions that give students a clue to the rules and play of the old game4 ,one ingenious preacher took for his text3 ,as ,god has dealt to every man 7,romans xii3#c71 implying that the ,almighty had sorted and distributed the cards of life4 ,this practical allusion to gambling so horrified his congregation that they nearly pulled the minister from the pulpit4 ,yet ,st4 ,paul evidently referred to the tablets of fate1 on which the destinies of men were written at birth as the measure of fate1 since these traditions must have been active in the mind of the apostle4 ,modern people seldom place themselves in the atmosphere of ,biblical times1 which leads to much misconstruction and misunderstanding4 ,the various proclamations and edicts passed against ,playing ,cards are a history in themselves1 although it is a pity that they are of too late a date to throw much light on the first alteration of the cult of ,mercury into games1 a change that was probably gradual1 and so insidious or secret as to have no public record4 ,still1 it is through these legal papers that we get authentic dates and the earliest mention of cards as gambling instruments or toys2 but at the end of the fourteenth century1 at a time when cards were denounced as such1 and by name there is still no interdiction of fortune-telling1 which may have been conducted too secretly to occasion attention1 or1 perhaps1 the general law against vagrants or gypsies may have been deemed sufficient protection4 ,m4 la ,croix says3 ,the ,germans were the first to apply cards to instructing young persons1 by endeavouring to teach them different sciences illustrated by the cards1 that had printed on them historical tales1 sums of arithmetic1 heraldic devices1 astronomical symbols1 bars of music1 or quotations from the poets1 with the pips displayed in the corners to deceive people into imagining that they were enjoying a play1 when in reality they were being gently led along the paths of learning1 and that this idea seems to have found favour in other countries1 particularly in ,great ,britain and ,france4 ,in this list of countries that adapted cards to purposes of instruction might have been included ,china and ,japan1 had ,m4 la ,croix studied the games of those nations4 ,the latter country has two packs that are devoted to quotations from the poets1 or historical tales4 ,numerous specimens of these educational cards are now to be found in all card collections1 although to those who regard ,playing ,cards as part of the cult of ,mercury these instructive bits of pasteboard are no more related to the ,tarots than are advertisements or school books4 ,there are some puritanical persons who regard ,playing ,cards with horror1 and will not touch the devil's picture books that display the symbols of ,hearts1 ,clubs1 etc42 but these same people adopt with avidity these educational cards that sometimes have the pips slyly tucked into a corner4 ,or1 perhaps1 they use cards that have numbers printed on them to indicate the pips1 with other marks to show the suits and the court cards1 so these good people play ,grabouche1 ,pinocle1 ,bezique1 ,flip1 and other games that are1 in truth1 recognised as games of chance4 ,in #aejg a set of instructive cards was invented by ,dr4 ,thomas ,muruer1 the celebrated opponent of ,martin ,luther4 ,the pack was printed at ,cracow and called ,chartiludui ,logicae1 and these were intended for the use of the inventor's pupils in the art of reasoning4 ,at first people were delighted with them and their novelty1 and then they turned against this method of instruction and threatened to burn the doctor for inventing them4 ,this pack was an imitation of the ,tarots1 and was composed of ten logical cards with sixteen suits of emblem cards1 the pips being the ,german ,bells1 ,acorns1 ,leaves1 and ,hearts1 with additional symbols of crayfish1 scorpions1 etc4 ,when ,louis ,,xiv was eight years old1 it was necessary to educate him1 but he was a dull and reluctant pupil1 so ,cardinal ,mazarin invented some instruction cards for the youthful king that illustrated fables and proved attractive to others besides the agrammatist4 ,a little later1 some cards depicting the history of ,france were designed by the artist ,desmarits1 who1 finding that they were received with favour1 followed them with a geographical set1 and then with one called harlequin1 in which the figures of well-known persons were grotesquely dressed4 ,there are later ,french packs illustrating the kings and queens of ,france1 and also some that commemorate the ,revolution1 the ,empire1 the reign of the ,orleans family1 and that of ,napoleon ,,iii2 for in that country not only were the cards used for illustrating their historical events1 but the court cards changed their dress with the rulers1 not keeping to the costumes of the fifteenth century1 as the ,english cards have done4 ,the ,french also issued a pack of cards to teach heraldry as early as #afhj1 and one for music in #ahjh1 while in #ahbj two instructive sets were issued1 one of them on botany and the other one on astronomy4 ,heraldic cards were published by ,m4 ,claude ,fin in #afei1 and others were issued in #agbe4 ,this idea was followed in ,england in #afge1 when some ,german cards were adapted to the needs of the other country4 ,the ,germans issued another pack on which were heraldic devices in #agjj1 and a similar one came out in ,venice in #agjg4 ,the cards are not useful for gambling or fortune-telling1 but they are ornate1 and are fine examples of print work1 and as such find places in collections4 ,in #afef practical cards for teaching spelling1 arithmetic1 etc41 were issued in ,london by ,f4 ,jackson1 and at about the same time satirical and political cards were published4 ,those interested in full descriptions of these packs can find a list in ,the ,catalogue of ,playing and ,other ,cards in the ,british ,museum1 by ,mr4 ,willshire4 ,cards for divination have appeared from time to time1 but the emblems were so fanciful and so unauthoritative that the unhistoric designs have not found favour4 ,one of them in the ,british ,museum shows traces of being derived from the ,tarots1 as ,mercury is seen hovering over a sailing vessel under his guise of protector of merchants4 ,it is to be remarked that it is the ,seven of ,bells and is called ,commerce4 ,the ,eight of ,bells is the ,wheel of ,fortune4 ,the ,two of ,leaves is ,hope1 and the ,six of that suit is the ,death card4 ,it is evident that the artist picked out at haphazard certain designs on the ,tarots for imitation1 and that he had no comprehension of the meaning or value of the numbers1 such as three1 seven1 or thirteen1 accorded to them by mystics4 ,humourous1 or what are known as harlequin1 cards have been published in all countries1 where the emblems themselves have been taken for the foundation of fantastic figures4 ,one of these packs was designed by ,mr4 ,william ,thackeray4 ,there are several ,french and ,belgian packs1 but far the best one was designed by ,mr4 ,charles ,caryl and issued by ,messrs4 ,tiffany ,co41 ,new ,york4 ,musical cards are ingenious1 and1 by following the rules1 several pretty airs may be played4 ,cards for the game of ,authors were lately popular1 and the game called ,doctor ,busby was a capital one for teaching children observation and concentration4 ,the ,japanese cards1 that have been referred to1 are original in conception and design4 ,the pack emblematic of the weeks of the year seems to be intended for gambling1 although it shows no traces of a descent from the ,tarots1 for the cards display no suggestion of the pips or emblems of ,mercury4 ,nor are there any emblematic figures like those of ,china1 where the cards show evident imitations of the ,stave1 ,money1 and ,sword pips1 with some court cards4 ,the ,japanese themselves declare that ,portuguese sailors introduced gambling cards into the country1 but the only proof lies in the tradition and in the name by which cards are known in ,japan1 which is ,karta1 for the ,portuguese use cards with the ,cup1 ,money1 ,sword1 and ,stave pips1 and no traces of these are to be found on any of the ,japanese packs4 ,in that country divining cards or sticks are used1 which seem to have been inherited from ,china1 and the methods of using them follow closely the rules adopted in all primitive countries1 where the old superstitions referred to in the ,bible are still active and in force4 ,a chap book of the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century had a large circulation1 for it described one ,richard ,middleton1 who1 being caught playing with a pack of cards in church1 was haled before a magistrate1 who was amused when the soldier declared that he looked upon the cards as his ,prayer ,book1 and described what they conveyed to him as he ingeniously connected each one with some ,biblical reference4 ,this original description led to his release1 and it has frequently been quoted4 ,a variant of the story appeared in ,the ,american ,hebrew that is worth repeating1 as the original ,christian ideas have been altered to suit the synagogue4 ,it says3 ,the ,ace is the only ,god4 ,the ,deuce1 the two tables of stone that ,moses broke at one blow4 ,try to keep them4 ,the ,trey is the three patriarchs1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,the four is our four ancient mothers1 ,sarah1 ,rachel1 ,leah1 and ,rebecca4 ,the five1 the books of ,moses4 ,the ,six1 the six days of the week1 and the ,seven is the ,sabbath1 when ,god rested and the seven-branched candlestick was made4 ,eight righteous persons were saved from the flood1 ,noah1 his wife1 three sons1 and their wives4 ,joab came to ,jerusalem at the end of ,nine months4 ,ten ,commandments are the cornerstone of the jurisprudence of the civilized world4 ,the ,knave is the constable who took me up4 ,he was a fool1 or he would not have disturbed me at my devotions4 ,queen ,sheba and ,king ,solomon are the ,royal family4 ,the former dressed fifty boys and fifty girls alike in male attire1 and1 to test the king1 asked him to tell which were which4 ,the wise one ordered water to be brought1 and then quickly picked them out1 greatly to the astonishment of the queen2 but the children had betrayed themselves1 as the boys only washed their wrists1 while the girls washed to their elbows4 ,furthermore1 there are three hundred and sixty-five spots in a complete deck of cards1 corresponding to the days of the year1 fifty-two to a pack corresponding to the weeks4 ,twelve picture cards1 one for each month4 ,four suits1 ,spring1 ,summer1 ,autumn1 and ,winter4 ,diamonds represent wealth1 ,hearts love1 ,spades health and labor1 and ,clubs power4 ,in the ,british ,museum is a pack of grammatical cards printed by ,jane1 ,june #a1 #afgf4 ,a small treatise of instruction that went with the cards begins as follows3 ,to all ingenious gentlemen the ,purchasers of these ,sciential cards4 ,it was ,plato's custom1 after he had ended his disputation1 as he went forth from his school1 to give this admonition to his scholars1 ',videte ut ocium in re quapiam honesta collocetis1' or1 ',nothing is more irksome to nature than not to know how to spend one's time1' and if the mind have not some relaxation from its grave and ,serious ,employment it cannot endure4 ,i should have been very injurious to you if ,i should have ,obscured this ,grammatical ,epitome and ,deprived you of that which will make much both for your ,leisure and ,profit4 ,there is another pack in the same collection with a short tract teaching their use1 saying3 ,for as your cards are entitled ,hearts1 ,diamonds1 ,spades1 and ,clubs1 so ours are to be called by the names of ,orthographie 7,spades71 ,etymologie 7,clubs71 ,syntax 7,hearts71 and ,prosodie 7,diamonds74 ,by such gentle paths were men lured from vice to literature6 ,astronomical cards were early adopted in ,nuremburg1 as was natural1 for one of the most celebrated astronomers lived in that town1 and the ,tarots certainly lent themselves more easily to conceptions based on astronomy than to any other science1 since so many of the ,atouts have derivations from the planets4 ,there are also ,french cards that are dated #afbj1 and ,italian ones of about fifty years earlier1 all of them being on the same subject4 ,many of the ,atouts in the ,tarots are connected with the signs of the ,zodiac1 but the emblems on them are not clearly displayed1 so inferences from them are mere guesswork4 ,the astronomical cards of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries1 showing the signs of the ,zodiac1 are clearly inspired by the ,tarots1 but the designs are supplemented by figures that show no connection with the ,book of ,thoth4 ,an ,english pack1 dated #agjj1 called ,virtues and ,vices1 has the former so repulsively and the latter so attractively displayed that they can serve no good purpose4 ,historical cards are interesting to students of costume4 ,in the ,united ,states one pack commemorates the war of #ahdh with ,mexico1 and the ,kings represent the generals of the day4 ,on the ,aces are views of well-known country places1 ,one is of the headquarters of ,general ,washington at ,newburgh2 another is ,highwood1 on the ,hudson ,river at ,wiehawken1 opposite ,forty-second ,street1 ,new ,york1 the residence of ,mr4 ,james ,gore ,king4 ,a pack of cards of #ahfc represents the battle between the ,monitor and the ,merrimac1 and the court cards are soldiers in the uniforms of the day1 such as zouaves1 etc4 ,a pack in the ,british ,museum displays small and very indecent pictures with descriptive legends4 ,some of the latter are amusing1 such as1 ,hee that has no ,head wants noe ,hatt4 ,under the picture of a bachelor maid is3 ,i know well how the world waggs1 ,he's most beloved that has most ,baggs4 ,under the sketch of an old woman with her pet is written3 ,two heads are better than one1 which made the old woman carry her dog to ,market with her1 and its mate has3 ,men and ,doggs may goe abroad1 but ,women and ,catts must stay at home4 ,another reads3 ,two ,doggs and a ,bone1 ,two ,catts and a ,mouse1 ,two ,wives in a ,house can never ,agree4 ,the picture of three doctors entering a room with their sticks to their noses and approaching a sick man bears the legend3 ,if you'll avoid old ,charon1 the ,ferryman1 ,consult ,dr4 ,dyett1 ,dr4 ,quiett1 and ,dr4 ,merryman4 ,the following card has on it3 ,an ,ounce of ,mirth is worth a ,pound of ,sorrow4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,european ,,playing ,,cards ,according to ,spanish writers1 the authentic history of ,playing ,cards in ,europe begins about #accb1 for they point with triumph to an order issued by ,alphonse of ,castile1 presumed to be of that date1 forbidding his soldiers to play games or to gamble4 ,it is pointed out by disputatious writers that the command was not directed against ,playing ,cards1 since they were not expressly mentioned by name1 as are the other prohibited games of chance4 ,then there is a second statement that ,charles ,v of ,spain1 in #acfi1 denounced cards1 calling them by the local name of ,naipes1 or prophets2 and also a third record that1 in #achg1 dice1 cards1 and chess were banned by ,john of ,castile4 ,it is evident through these trustworthy records that gambling was widely practised in ,spain1 and that1 even if cards were not particularly named in the first-mentioned edict1 it was but little more than eighteen years later that they had become so common it was necessary to forbid their use through an official decree4 ,in #acie the ,provost of ,paris issued a proclamation against ,playing ,cards1 showing that their abuse in the capital of ,france had become intolerable4 ,with these and other evidences1 it may well be asserted that by the beginning of the fifteenth century ,playing ,cards were commonly known in the capitals of ,europe1 where they were publicly used for games and gambling1 as well as for fortune-telling4 ,it has already been mentioned that there are records of ,playing ,cards in the ,red ,book of ,ulm1 of #acig1 and an account in ,nuremburg1 dated #achd1 when a monk preached against the inordinate love of gaming among his congregation4 ,aretino assigns the invention of cards1 as well as of chess1 to ,palamedes1 in the ,grecian camp before the wall of ,troy1 thus claiming a very early date for their introduction to ,europeans2 but1 while little credence has been placed on this record1 it is more than probable that ,tarots were part of the equipment of the camp if the soldiers wished to have their future foretold by the messenger of the gods1 and gambling sticks1 made of ivory and marked with men's heads1 have been found in the tomb of ,king ,qa1 at ,abydos1 ,egypt4 ,history states that the ,crusaders played at tables 7as draughts or checkers were then called71 and also that ,king ,richard ,coeur de ,lion was fond of chess2 but the ,english histories do not mention cards at that date4 ,german authors infer that cards were introduced into ,europe by the ,crusaders1 who1 finding the ,tarots common among their enemies 7or prisoners71 the ,saracens1 learned to play from them1 and as the pictures on the cards were attractive1 they used them to send home as missives to their families1 and these authors support their theory by pointing out that cards are still called briefe1 or letters1 in ,germany1 while we might say that these pictures were the ancestors of the postal cards of the present day4 ,writers harp on the lack of historical data concerning ,playing ,cards before the middle of the fourteenth century1 oblivious of the fact that previous to that time it is probable that ,tarots would not have been classed with games1 and that educated people had not learned to use the pack for amusement1 nor had the lower classes grasped the fact that they could be converted into a means for gambling1 so they disregarded the ancient symbols1 which they considered only useful for fortune-tellers1 so cards at that date would not have been classed as gambling tools4 ,as soon as a game was arranged for the cards1 however1 they were eagerly adopted by all classes of society as a welcome diversion4 ,from that time on1 numerous descriptions are to be found in the archives of ,european countries1 appearing almost simultaneously4 ,gough 7a writer mentioned by the ,rev4 ,edward ,taylor in his ,history of ,playing ,cards1 page #ahg7 expressly states that the ,italian game called ,la ,minchiate1 which was played with the ancient ,tarot pack1 was invented at ,sienna by ,michael ,angelo to teach children arithmetic4 ,it would seem that the writer was slightly confused in his ideas1 for the cards invented for teaching arithmetic were not true ,tarots4 ,he may be correct1 however1 in supposing that cards were arranged by the painter for educational purposes1 and that they followed closely the number and arrangement of the older pack1 for there are such cards still to be found in collections1 although hardly of so early a date4 ,there seems no reason to doubt the record that ,francis ,fibbia1 of ,pisa1 invented the game of ,tarrochino 7or little ,tarots71 in #adai1 receiving as reward the permission to place his own coat-of-arms on the escutcheon of the ,queen of ,staves1 and that of his wife on the ,queen of ,money1 as stated by ,leopold ,cicognara1 for we are told that there is a picture extant showing this prince with a number of cards scattered before him1 on which are these arms1 so it may be that he arranged a game for common use from the more ancient one of ,l',ombre1 since the games closely resemble each other1 and the former is popular to-day in parts of ,italy1 where the ancient ,tarots are still used4 ,rafael ,maffei1 who lived at the close of the fourteenth century1 has left a description of what he calls a new invention1 or a game played with ,tarots4 ,a ,bolognese gentleman named ,innocento ,renghierri1 who lived in #aeea1 declared that cards were invented in days of yore1 and by an industrious and very learned person4 ,unfortunately1 neither the name of the inventor nor the date is mentioned1 for1 if given correctly1 it might have saved much trouble and dispute4 ,illustration3 ,,gambling ,,and ,,educational ,,cards #gi-hj-ha ,swedish ,cards for old ,cucu game4 ,no4 #hj is the ,joker4 #hb-hc ,korean ,cards showing numeral and suit marks with feather design on reversed card4 #hd-he-hf ,japanese ,educational ,cards with quotations from favorite poets1 for game of ,hayku-,niu-,isshu4 ,in the ,history of ,viterbo1 by ,feliceano 7#agdb71 there is a statement quoted from ,covelluzzo that cards called ,naib were introduced into that city in #abgi from a ,saracenic source4 ,this name given to the cards in ,italy is interesting1 since it is the one used to-day in ,spain1 for which various derivations have been given4 ,it was probably derived from the ,hebrew word for prophet1 emphasising the original intention of cards for divination purposes4 ,it seems strange that one of the best known and most widely spread cults has received so little recognition or study among those who have interested themselves in the religious progress and civilization of mankind4 ,even if regarded as toys or gambling instruments1 ,playing ,cards certainly fill a great part in the lives of men1 while their origin and the influence they have wielded in the past should surely have created more interest than has been the case4 ,a ,frenchman1 ,pre ,menestrier1 studied the history of the cards that were known to him as early as #agjd1 when he published ,des ,principes des ,sciences et des ,arts ,dispos en ,forme de ,jeux4 ,others followed his example1 but they all looked upon cards simply as gambling instruments1 or regarded them as interesting historical fashion plates picturing ,french celebrities1 or else as rare engraved plates2 so they treated the cards of their own countries only from this point of view4 ,of course1 most of the writers knew only the cards of their immediate surroundings1 and1 if they ever were cognizant of the ancient ,tarots1 disregarded them entirely4 ,when1 in #ahcf1 ,samuel ,weller ,singer published his ,history of ,playing ,cards1 he was interested in engraving1 with its kindred arts1 and he found that the earliest work on wood or metal had been done to reproduce cards4 ,this book was followed by the ,history of ,playing ,cards1 by ,william ,andrew ,chatto2 ,origin of ,playing ,cards 7#ahfe72 ,history of ,playing ,cards1 by ,rev4 ,edward ,taylor1 and many others4 ,although two persons in the priesthood devoted time to studying cards1 they did not do so with reference to their religious influence on their congregations4 ,still1 they acknowledged with surprise that these unbound leaves offered an interesting study1 and1 while each one pointed out the probable connection of ,playing ,cards with the ,book of ,thoth and the cult of ,mercury1 not one of them proved the statement1 but slurred it over1 as if rather ashamed of the idea1 although the fact could easily have been proved through a careful examination of the marks1 the pips1 and the emblems on the cards themselves1 that are so undoubtedly the heraldic devices through which ,mercury is always recognised1 and which he received from the most ancient forms of worship in ,babylonia4 ,these authors1 with other ,german1 ,french1 and ,spanish writers1 unanimously decided that1 since there is no legal record or trustworthy mention of cards intended for use in games before the year #acib 7the one that they seemed to agree upon1 ignoring the account given of the martyrdom of ,st4 ,cyprian in #beh1 who was killed for remonstrating against playing cards71 and since chance has not disclosed a hitherto unknown monument to their birth and cradle1 that these playthings were suddenly invented just about the date when they appeared simultaneously all over ,europe for the amusement of pleasure-loving mortals4 ,however1 they quarrelled a bit as to whether cards were first known in the ,occident or in the ,orient1 but none of the authors studied divination1 and the rules known to astrologers1 fortune-tellers or gypsies that are carefully preserved1 as well as the evident connection of ,playing ,cards with the tools of the diviners of ancient days4 ,these authors proved entirely too near-sighted and would not read what the cards themselves displayed before their semi-opened vision1 probably because they despised the professional prophets4 ,besides1 the ,french1 ,spanish1 ,german1 and ,english writers each claimed for his own country the first knowledge of ,playing ,cards used for games1 without recognising that their bantlings all came from a common mother stock1 the great ,tarot pack4 ,thus the arguments1 deductions1 and theories of these writers can command respect only to a limited degree4 ,merlin and ,chatto have treated cards as interesting examples of the xylographic art1 and it is certainly true that they were an important factor in developing it2 but this period in the history of ,playing ,cards was by no means its childhood1 as the writers seem to consider4 ,many of them did not know that almost every one of the ,european countries had emblems peculiar to the locality1 which is also the case in ,asia4 ,none of the museums have even now any packs except those peculiar to their own ,state4 ,in the ,middle ,ages games became necessary amusements in camp and home1 so there was a demand for a rapid and inexpensive form of reproduction that should take the place of the expensively painted replicas of the ,book of ,thoth1 which before had been within reach only of the wealthy4 ,of course1 the original emblems had never been entirely lost or forgotten1 but had been concealed in the hands of the initiates1 who regarded them with reverence and transmitted them secretly from one to the other1 but did not use cards for gambling or amusement4 ,these persons did not reveal the history or import of the ,book of ,thoth to the triflers of the outside world1 and had no desire to see their treasured secrets cheaply reproduced1 to be carelessly handled by curious or pleasure-loving people4 ,the author of ,the ,game of ,gold1 published at ,augsburg in #adgb1 says he has read that the game of cards was introduced into ,germany in #acjj4 ,this is one of the first written accounts of ,playing ,cards used for games4 ,it was pointed out by ,chatto that there is a ,chinese legend claiming ,playing ,cards as being used in ,china some two thousand years before ,christ4 ,doubtless the ,chinese recognized that their games of divination1 as still commonly played1 were identical with the cards used for chance1 as the little flat cards are still used for both purposes4 ,when ,columbus made his first voyage across the ,atlantic1 his men gambled continually1 and1 although the superstitious sailors threw the cards overboard when they feared that they would never reach land1 they manufactured new ones immediately on their arrival in ,america1 and taught the savages their game1 so we know without question that cards reached ,america in #adib4 ,they were called ,naypes and bore the emblems of ,swords1 ,money1 ,cups1 and ,rods4 ,after these records of ,playing ,cards come some that are of later date4 ,in ,capitolo del ,gioco della ,primera1 by ,berni1 published in ,rome in #aebf1 the author claims that playing cards were invented by ,king ,ferdinand1 which statement may be regarded with amusement1 since other ,italian records prove an earlier date4 ,there is an interesting invective against cards published in #aeej1 called ,il ,traditor1 which may be translated3 ,what is the meaning of the female ,pope1 ,the ,chariot and the ,traitor1 ,the ,wheel1 the ,fool1 the ,star1 the ,sun1 ,the ,moon1 and ,strength1 and ,death1 ,and ,hell1 and all the rest ,of these strange cards8 ,showing that the ,egyptian temples had not disclosed their secrets that identified these pictures on the ,tarots common in ,italy with the cult of ,thoth1 ,mercury1 and ,nebo4 ,painters have transmitted to us pictures of many games of cards1 and perhaps one of the earliest is the one ascribed to ,van ,eyck1 of ,philip the ,good1 ,duke of ,burgundy1 about the year #adic4 ,the early ,dutch painters often depicted boors playing cards1 and those by ,jan ,steen1 the two ,teniers1 and others are well known4 ,hogarth devoted a series of engravings to depicting grotesque figures playing chess1 draughts1 and cards4 ,after the fourteenth century1 it is easy to learn the important position that ,playing ,cards reached in ,spain1 ,italy1 ,germany1 ,france1 and ,england through the works of other painters1 miniaturists1 and engravers1 while books such as ,fortune-,telling1 by ,francisco di ,milano1 published in #aefj1 or the one by ,francisco ,marcolini1 published in ,venice in #aedj1 prove the hold that the new amusement had taken on the people at that time4 ,proclamations against cards followed each other rapidly from ,state and ,church1 so histories are filled with the denunciations of the clergy of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries against the old sin that had reappeared under a new form for them to combat4 ,mercury was as active as ever1 and had quite as strong a hold on the affections of the people as he had in the days when ,st4 ,paul landed in ,italy1 close to the ,temple of ,mercury1 and it was quite as hard to overcome his influence as it had been when ,christianity first began to overthrow the heathen gods4 ,perhaps the day may come when those who believe in fate and predestination will confront these preachers with the divine commands to consult the prophets so often mentioned in the ,bible1 notably when the ,rods of the ,israelites were marked and laid before the testimony4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,asiatic ,,playing ,,cards ,it has long been the opinion of students that the key to many things that are mysterious to ,europeans could be found through studying the habits1 customs1 games1 or cults of ,asia and ,africa1 whose people cling to ancient ideas and habits1 so through looking at things with their eyes1 and listening to their views or opinions on the everyday happenings of life1 that the tangled skeins that puzzle our academically trained minds would be unravelled4 ,much has been done in this direction by ,mr4 ,f4 ,h4 ,cushing and ,mr4 ,stewart ,culin1 who have discovered1 by patient research in ,america and the ,eastern part of ,asia1 the value of the arrow in divination1 in music1 in money-making1 and in symbolism1 as well as in war1 for which purpose it was primarily intended4 ,it was put to minor uses by its simple adaptability to the needs of the people1 who were direct in their purposes1 and who used the tools that were at hand no matter for what they were originally intended4 ,any student of the ,bible knows how often the gods were appealed to1 not only through the different offerings1 but also for the purposes of directly divining their wishes1 which was done most frequently through a simple stick that could be cut from any sapling4 ,this became in turn a divining arrow1 or a magician's wand when in the hands of the ,egyptian magi4 ,the staff of ,moses as used during the plagues of ,egypt1 or the rod that put forth leaves when marked with ,aaron's name4 ,small wonder1 then1 that the golden-leaved rod1 or ,aurea virga1 given by ,apollo to ,mercury1 was a venerated symbol1 probably derived from the ,egyptians1 and by them from the ,assyrians1 where it was symbolically used in the worship of the gods1 and when it was placed on the cards all persons could understand at a glance the intention and meaning of the ,rod4 ,it was not only adopted from the ,babylonians1 who used it with the serpents twining around it exactly as it is seen in ,mercury's hands1 but the people had seen it put to practical use by the great marshal of the ,israelites1 who confounded their wise men1 or magi1 with their own weapons4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses and unto ,aaron1 saying3 444 ,take thy rod and cast it before ,pharaoh1 and before his servants1 and it became a serpent4 ,then ,pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers2 now the magicians of ,egypt1 they also did in like manner with their enchantments1 for they cast down every man his rod1 and they became serpents2 but ,aaron's rod swallowed up their rods4 7,exodus vii3#i47 ,then ,aaron was commanded to take the rod which was turned to a serpent1 and to smite the waters that were turned into blood2 but the magicians did the same thing1 and again were able to produce the next plague by imitating ,aaron's rod when it was stretched forth4 ,but these wise men failed with their enchantments to produce lice at their biding1 saying3 ,this is the finger of ,god4 ,it is more than likely that these magi were priests of the temple of ,thoth1 who were the learned men of that day4 ,moses was also commanded to lift up thy rod1 so that the children of ,israel should go on dry ground through the midst of the sea 7,exodus xiv3#ae71 and to use the same rod to smite the rock in ,horeb 7,exodus xvii3#f74 ,these examples may be multiplied1 but enough has been quoted to show the importance of this symbol in the minds of primitive people4 ,looking next to a people of this century who have retained almost unchanged their inherited customs1 ,mr4 ,culin has dwelt at length on the people of ,korea1 who with the culture inherited from their neighbours1 the ,chinese1 have still a childlike simplicity and follow in the footsteps of their ancestors in their habits1 games1 and heraldic devices4 ,in ,korean ,games1 ,mr4 ,culin traces the origin of ,playing ,cards directly to practical arrows bearing cosmical or personal marks used by primitive man4 ,see also ,numbers xvii3#c4 ,he says3 ,the pack of cards used to-day stands for a quiver of arrows with the emblems of the world's quarters1 and further states that the most primitive ,playing ,cards of ,asia1 the ,htou-,tjyen of ,korea1 still bear the marks of their origin4 ,this confirms the opinion already formed by the writer1 who studied the subject from the ,biblical and ,african point of view1 concluding that the pips on the ,tarot cards had a meaning that could be traced to the diviners of a period much earlier than the fortune-tellers or gypsies of ,europe2 that the cards themselves were not intended for a game1 but were originally devoted entirely to consulting the wishes of the gods2 and that it was more than probable that the cult of ,thoth ,hermes was a scientific adaptation of the arrow worship of early man2 and that the gift of speech that ,mercury was credited with bestowing on humans was the comprehension of the signs and the ability through them to transmit to men the wishes of the gods4 ,the ,korean cards are printed on paper1 and are1 therefore1 one step higher in the scale than those found among the ,alaskan ,indians4 ,these are simple round sticks on which are painted stripes of red and black1 to denote their value4 ,in some sets the ends are notched like arrows1 which probably adds to the numerical value of the card4 ,the ,indians keep their sticks in a sealskin pouch wrapped around with a thong of leather1 on the end of which is a shark's tooth that is passed under the wrappings to hold them in place and secure the contents4 ,a handful of oakum accompanies the bag4 ,this is needed during the consultation of the wishes of ,manitou1 for these sticks are used for divination purposes as well as for play4 ,a heap of oakum is placed on the ground1 under which the sticks are hidden4 ,the players squat in a circle around and draw from under the pile one stick after the other1 the meaning of which is interpreted by one of the party4 ,illustration3 ,,gambling ,,cards #hg-hh-hi ,english ,court ,cards with ,french pips4 ,about #ahdj4 #ij-ia-ib ,german ,cards1 showing ,six of ,acorns1 ,six of ,leaves1 and ,six of ,hearts4 #ic-id ,chinese ,cards showing ,money and ,rod emblems4 ,the ,alaskans also have a game somewhat like the ,mora of the ,egyptians and the ,italians1 only it is the value of the sticks or the stripes painted on them that must be guessed4 ,one step higher are the sticks used by the ,hidah ,indians1 the natives of a little group of islands in the ,pacific ,ocean off the west coast of ,north ,america4 ,these sticks show the totem marks of the tribes or families1 such as the ,bear1 the ,tortoise1 etc4 ,they are clearly derived from arrows1 and sometimes have notched ends1 and are still used for divination1 although also for games4 ,taken with those from ,alaska1 they are the most primitive packs known4 ,the next step forward is from the wooden shafts or rods to thin slips of yellow oiled paper1 narrow and long1 that belong to the ,koreans4 ,the use of these cards is still the same1 and the close resemblance to the ,north ,american packs is marked1 showing that all came from a common source4 ,these ,korean cards serve as a link connecting the primitive arrow or rod with the step that follows1 from which come the ,chinese gambling tools4 ,the ,korean cards are made of strips of paper about eight inches long by three-quarters of an inch wide4 ,they are uniformly decorated on the reverse side with a feather1 which ,mr4 ,culin considers important as attaching the cards to the original winged shaft4 ,there are eighty cards in the pack1 divided into eight suits of ten cards each1 numbered from one to nine with numerals peculiar to these cards1 which1 like the device on the other side1 come from arrow feathers4 ,the suit marks correspond to the totemic emblems of the ,koreans4 ,these cards are a vital bridge between the primitive traps for divination and the more enlightened devices of the canny ,egyptian priests1 for it was through the use of strips of bamboo1 simple straws1 or the arrows of the period that the priests first transmitted the wishes of the gods to mankind4 ,but whether the cult of arrows originated in ,egypt and travelled from that centre both east and west1 being modified1 simplified1 or elaborated by every nation through which it passed1 or whether it started on the ,pacific ,ocean1 to sweep across ,asia to ,africa and ,europe1 has not been made clear4 ,it is more than probable that the simple art of divining through the fall of arrows is due to the primitive tribes of ,asia1 and certainly in ,exodus1 ,numbers1 and others of the books of ,moses1 there are many records of the direct command of the ,almighty to his people to carry out his wishes through using the rods1 or to consult his orders through occult means to be revealed by the rods4 ,these are authentic records on the subject1 and are supported by the tablets found at ,babylonia1 so we may suppose that the arrows of divination spread gradually from this ,asiatic centre1 becoming altered from time to time1 until in many places all traces of the original purpose was lost1 and the art of consulting the wishes of the gods through them lapsed into the pleasure of gambling4 ,the ,korean name for their pack of cards is ,htou-,tjyen1 signifying ,fighting ,arrows1 according to ,mr4 ,culin in ,korean ,games 7page #abh74 ,the suits1 he says1 represent ,man1 ,fish1 ,crow1 ,pheasant1 ,antelope1 ,star1 ,rabbit1 and ,horse1 the name of the card being written on it in ,chinese characters in some packs4 ,six ,generals1 or ,court cards1 representing the heads or the chiefs of the different families1 and two entirely blank cards1 or ,jokers1 complete the set4 ,other packs have different totemic marks1 but all agree with each other in general appearance4 ,it is said that there are a number of games that are played with these cards1 but they are difficult for a foreigner to understand or learn4 ,a close connection exists between the ,korean pack and the lots used by the ,chinese to divine the lucky numbers in the game called ,pak-,kop-,piu1 as these cards retain the feather device1 and the names of both are nearly identical with the word for arrows4 ,the most common packs of ,chinese cards are narrow1 like those of the ,koreans1 but are less than half the length1 sometimes only about two and a half inches long by a quarter of an inch wide4 ,these packs generally have plain red or black backs with no designs on them1 and are printed with black ink on white paper4 ,there are at least twenty-five different kinds of ,playing ,cards common in ,china4 ,some of them are intended simply for divination1 others are for gambling1 and some for the amusement or instruction of children4 ,some are very primitive in their markings2 others closely resemble dominos1 having similar spots on them denoting their value2 while the cards in common use have distorted emblems that are clearly derived from the ,sword1 ,stave1 and ,money pips of the ,tarots1 although the ,cup of ,hermes is not retained4 ,it is noticeable that the ,money emblem has a design upon it1 and is not the simple ring of primitive times4 ,this leads to the suggestion that these particular cards were devised from those of ,mercury4 ,since there are ,court cards and a ,joker1 it would seem as if the ,chinese had adopted part of a pack of ,tarots1 omitting the ,cup suit1 since it had no meaning for them1 but copying the other emblems in their own peculiar way2 but this is only a guess as to the origin of this particular set of cards1 and only those used for divination bear these devices4 ,the ,chinese also have ,actors' cards1 bearing portraits of the heroes and heroines of certain favourite plays4 ,these have three ,jokers1 that in ,china bear the name of ,blessings4 ,then there are flower packs and educational packs1 ,proverb cards1 and cards to teach writing1 so that the ,chinese have in their own original way marched step by step with ,europeans1 but on parallel lines that have not met4 ,the ,chinese declare that they have known and used ,playing ,cards for two thousand years1 in which statement they are probably correct1 as certainly the ,rod1 the ,sword1 and ,money emblems were known and used by the ,babylonians in their religious rites two thousand five hundred years before ,christ4 ,owing to cards having been introduced into ,japan by ,portuguese traders1 the packs are called by the ,portuguese name of ,karta1 as has been mentioned4 ,but the resemblance to ,european cards stops there1 for the shut-in nation invented designs and games for themselves1 keeping them distinct from divining instruments1 of which they have a full share1 some of them being identical with the ,chinese rods for divination4 ,one ,japanese game is historical1 and the packs are beautifully painted in miniature1 with gold backgrounds and gold backs4 ,the cards are three by three and a half inches in size4 ,two sets always come in one box1 and the game is played by matching cards4 ,they far surpass ,european ones1 for they are most carefully designed and painted4 ,the two sets in the writer's possession resemble dainty miniatures1 and the small figures might almost be taken for likenesses of living people4 ,then there are other sets of cards of the same size as those described1 but differently marked1 as they have three suits indicated by the colour of the emblems1 blue1 green1 and red4 ,there are two emblematic ,court cards1 one of them the picture of a house1 the other one showing a stream over which a bridge is thrown4 ,the pack in the writer's collection is rare1 for none like it has been described1 and there are none in the foreign museums4 ,another set of cards is called ,bakuchi-,no-,euda1 or gambling cards4 ,those in common use are of cardboard about two to two and a quarter inches square1 with black backs and flowers painted or stencilled on them1 representing the weeks of the year4 ,the game played with them is called flower matching4 ,january is represented by a ,matsu or ,pine tree1 followed by the ,plum1 ,cherry1 ,wistaria1 ,iris1 ,peony1 and ,clover4 ,the eighth suit has a sketch of a volcano1 representing ,august1 which is the sacred month2 during it pilgrimages are made to the mountain4 ,the card which follows represents a ,chrysanthemum2 then comes a ,maple for ,october4 ,november is represented by rain1 sometimes with a little man scampering through the driving storm with a half-opened umbrella over his head1 his shoes flying off in the mud1 with the symbol of thunder and lightning placed in one corner of the card4 ,december has the flower sacred to the ,mikado1 the ,kiri4 ,each card shows the flower representing it in different stages of development1 according to the four weeks in the month4 ,each has a definite value1 and the game is played by three persons1 who match cards to make different combinations4 ,the ,joker is blank1 so these cards were never intended for divining1 but were prepared solely for amusement4 ,divining arrows1 represented by bamboo splints1 are used in ,japan as well as in ,china1 and are nearly identical in both countries4 ,fifty sticks are kept in a quiver or a tube of cane1 resembling the shape of the modern dicebox4 ,the splints vary in length1 says ,mr4 ,culin1 who describes them in ,korean ,games 7page #bf71 from two to four inches4 ,one person consults the oracle1 which is interpreted by a ,baru1 or fortune-teller1 as described in ,our ,neighbourhood1 by ,mr4 ,purcell3 ,having rattled his rods together by rolling them between his palms1 he raises them to his forehead4 ,the sticks are then laid out in order on a table1 and their meaning is deciphered through referring to the ,book of ,oracular ,responses1 or through the inspiration of the magi1 who declares that he passes one hour daily in a trance1 during which he receives instruction as to the prognostication he must deliver4 ,there is another ,japanese game called ,hayku-,niu-,isshu1 or the ,poems on ,one ,hundred ,arts4 ,for this there are two hundred cards1 that are kept in boxes especially provided for them4 ,on each card is printed or written either the first or the last half of one of the hundred poems that give their name to the game1 which all well-educated ,japanese are supposed to know by heart4 ,the one hundred cards having the latter half of the poems written on them are dealt and are laid out in rows1 face upwards1 before the players1 one of whom is appointed reader4 ,he holds the remaining hundred and reads them aloud in whatever order they fall4 ,skill in the game consists in remembering the line following the one read and rapidly finding the card on which it is written4 ,especially must each one watch his own and pick it up before it is seized by another4 ,if an opponent is nimble he snatches the card from the careless player1 giving several from his own hand1 and the one who is first able to match and discard all of his cards wins the game4 ,the players usually range themselves on opposite lines and play against each other4 ,such is the account of the game given by ,miss ,alice ,mabel ,bacon in ,japanese ,girls and ,women 7page #bb74 ,the cards of this set in the author's possession are rather small1 being two by two and a half inches1 or a trifle larger than the ,flower pack4 ,they are arranged in small wooden boxes1 with a description of the rules of the game printed on the top2 the lid moves up and down in a groove4 ,the verses are written in fine running characters on a white ground4 ,in ,hindustan we find strange circular cards that have strayed far from the arrow shape1 and seem much more to resemble the ,european pips4 ,there are eight suits1 indicated by the colour of the background1 on which are depicted ,men1 ,bullocks1 ,elephants1 and ,tigers4 ,the ,money and ,cup suits may be traced in two of the emblems1 the former painted like a double ring1 and it is questionable if these cards were ever intended for divining purposes1 since they seem to be used purely for amusement4 ,persian cards are about two inches by one and a half square4 ,the suits are shown1 like those of ,cashmere1 by the colours of the background4 ,they have nothing in common with the arrow-shaped ,korean1 ,chinese1 or ,north ,american divination cards1 but rather incline to the emblematic figures of the temple of ,thoth as retained by the ,tarots1 for every card displays a symbolic representative figure4 ,these cards are rare even in ,persia1 and only two incomplete sets are in the writer's collection1 one of which contains six1 and the other eighteen1 cards4 ,three of these cards have black backgrounds on which is displayed a white and yellow animal of a species unidentified4 ,the third card of the set shows a great dragon with a forked tail twisted around a lion4 ,three of the cards have green grounds1 on which are seated figures1 and one of them so closely resembles the ,emperor1 or ,osiris1 of the ,tarots in position and design that it seems it must have been derived from that figure4 ,of the other two1 one resembles the ,atout called the ,empress1 and the other is a seated male figure1 in the attitude of some of those in the ,tarot pack4 ,four cards have black grounds sprinkled with dots of yellow4 ,these four all show dragons or mythical animals1 and are alike in every respect1 which is not always the case with the other designs even when of kindred suits4 ,as none of the ,atouts have animals depicted on them except in a subordinate way1 it would seem that some of the ,persian cards are original1 while others may have been copied4 ,another green suit has only two cards1 although there might be more if the pack were complete4 ,the ground is sem1 like the last1 with orange-coloured flecks1 and displays a seated figure with an attendant1 its peculiarity being that this ,king has his legs folded under him in ,oriental fashion1 while the figures on all the other cards are seated like the ,egyptian gods4 ,two cards have gold grounds1 and on them are two standing figures1 one beating a drum1 the other man holding what may be a magician's rod or1 perhaps1 a flute4 ,there are three cards of a dull yellow hue flecked with brown dots4 ,these closely resemble the ,atouts1 as one of the seated figures holds up a circle or the ,money mark1 like the ,queen of ,dinari2 and against the knees of the other a child leans1 recalling ,isis with ,osiris4 ,the eighteenth card is the ,joker1 and shows a likeness of the late ,shah of ,persia4 ,it was brought from that kingdom in #aijd4 ,these cards do not seem all to have belonged to the same pack1 for five of them have been much more used than the others4 ,the ,persians are secretive about their games1 probably because the religion of ,mahomet1 following that of the ,jews1 forbids any representation of the human form4 ,therefore1 games bearing such an emblem must be used in private1 and descriptions of them are not readily obtained by foreigners4 ,the cards themselves offer an interesting problem1 since they retain the emblematic figures without any pip cards1 and they stand alone in this respect in ,asia1 where the pip or arrow cards are more generally to be found than the figure cards4 ,but1 then1 the ,persians use the cup or vase for divining purposes1 as a rule1 although in some parts the arrows or rods of divination are common4 ,there are also sticks found among the common people that seem to be used in this way1 but the natives are chary of describing their purpose1 so no trustworthy account of them can be offered4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,chess ,,and ,,other ,,games ,many writers have thought that ,playing ,cards were simply an evolution of ,chess1 and the features connecting them have been widely discussed1 since there are strongly marked attributes common to both4 ,but1 as far as is known1 ,chess has never at any time been used for divination1 and there are no traditions connecting it with prophesying1 while from time immemorial cards have been used for fortune-telling by almost all nations1 either through the complete pack of ,tarots1 or the ,book of ,thoth1 their successors1 the ,playing ,cards1 or their predecessors1 the divining arrows4 ,on the other hand1 ,chess is distinctly a mimic battleground1 with armies of warriors drawn in serried ranks1 defying each other to mortal combat1 whether there are only two armies1 as in the modern games1 or four1 as on some of the ,asiatic boards4 ,the figures are the rank and file of the army1 with their castles for base and retreat1 their cavalry1 their executive officers1 and generals1 with the monarch to preside over the field4 ,that in ,europe one of the figures is called a ,queen is strangely out of place1 for her actions and moves during the game are those of an active lieutenant or aide-de-camp4 ,the name has been given to the piece in modern days1 for originally and in the ,east it is called the ,vizier4 ,that the piece may be called after the dame who invented the game1 as is said1 seems improbable4 ,some writers declare that ,chess came from ,southern ,africa1 where it is well known2 but it is also found in primitive form in ,korea and throughout ,eastern ,asia1 and traces of it have been seen in ,central ,asia1 where 7in ,babylonia7 stones have been discovered that are marked in squares1 as if intended for ,draught or ,chess boards4 ,a pretty legend is told of the ,emperor ,akbar1 of ,india1 for whom his countrymen declared that the game was invented by one of his wives1 who wanted to amuse her husband1 after the manner of wives1 and to keep him at home1 particularly as the king was suffering from a sunstroke that made it inadvisable for him to venture to head his army4 ,with this end in view1 she ranged the courtiers on the black and white squares in the courtyard within the precincts of the palace1 in order that the king might amuse himself fighting his battles in a harmless way from his divan1 that was placed in one of the balconies overhanging the enclosed space4 ,a graphic description of the palace is given in ,our ,vice ,regal ,life in ,india1 by ,lady ,dufferin 7page #aej74 ,referring to the legend1 she says3 ,there is a curious place which is a five-storied open court1 each platform getting smaller1 till the top one is a mere little summer house4 ,each one is supported on rows and rows of pillars1 from them one looks down into a court1 where the ,great ,mogul used to sit and play ,chess with live pieces4 ,in ,india1 ,china1 and ,japan1 by ,bayard ,taylor 7page #ajh71 the author says3 ,this palace of ,sheesh ,mahal 7or ,palace of ,glass71 with its courtyard paved with squares of black and white marble1 has an open terrace in front1 where is the throne of ,akbar1 which is a block of black marble about six feet square4 ,it is said that when any one seats themselves on it1 blood gushes from a split in the side1 and red stains on the surface support this tradition4 ,opposite the throne is a smaller one of white marble1 where the emperor's fool sat and burlesqued his master4 ,this fellow carried a staff of office and conducted the pieces to their positions as indicated by ,akbar and his opponent4 ,the game of chess1 with living pieces1 became a favourite with the ,rajahs of ,india1 so many of the courts of different palaces were also arranged for ,chess or ,parchesi1 a game played with pieces1 but with less complicated rules than for ,chess4 ,though the court jester was the master of ceremonies1 he has not taken his place permanently among the chessmen1 although he may be sometimes found among them1 notably in a beautiful gold and silver set of men made for one of the kings of ,bavaria and now in the ,museum at ,munich4 ,in this set there are two ,jokers1 who are placed in front of all the others in the middle of the board as at present arranged1 but their value and moves seem not to have been recorded and are now practically unknown4 ,it was at one time supposed that the figures of the chessmen were transferred to pasteboard cards1 thus making a masked army instead of one that was on an open field1 and that ,playing ,cards originated in this way2 but this theory is no longer tenable4 ,mr4 ,wiltshire1 in ,playing ,cards1 derides the idea that they are derived from ,chess1 saying3 ,chess is a game of calculation and combination1 and cards are purely chance1 which opinion is sustained1 for up to this time the history of the two games points to no common derivation4 ,it is claimed that ,chess was first played before the walls of ,troy1 having been invented by ,palamedes to amuse the ,greeks1 who were tired of the monotony of the siege4 ,this is probably one of the first records of games1 although it is not certain that the one referred to was ,chess any more than that it was a game of cards1 which some writers have supposed4 ,in ,the ,sea ,kings of ,crete1 by ,rev4 ,james ,baikie1 is an account and an illustration of a gaming board just discovered in the palace of ,minos1 which certainly dates from one thousand four hundred years before ,christ1 but it resembles a ,draught board more than one for ,chess4 ,there is an ,egyptian caricature of a lion and a unicorn playing a game on a table with men1 which1 however1 are too indistinct to describe as chessmen4 ,there is a set of chessmen in the ,british ,museum1 the date of which is uncertain1 that are by some considered to have been of such early origin that they prove that the ,egyptians had the game1 although deductions of this kind are sometimes overthrown by subsequent discoveries4 ,that chessmen of the conventional type are by no means absolutely necessary for a game is shown by the ,korean ,tjyang-,keui1 whose figures closely resemble the pieces used by the ,chinese4 ,the men of the set in the writer's collection are of wood about the thickness of an ordinary checker or draughtsman1 but they are octagonal in shape1 and the size of the pieces varies1 since it is indicative of the value4 ,sometimes the pieces are circular in shape1 and have their value painted in incised characters on both sides in red1 blue1 or green1 according to the side they represent4 ,the ,king or ,general is much the largest piece and about an inch and a half in diameter4 ,the ,chariot1 ,elephant1 ,horse1 and ,cannon are of medium size1 while the ,pawns and ,councillors are the smallest4 ,the pieces in the writer's collection were kept by the original owner in a netted string bag4 ,the board differs from those of ,europe1 as the men are placed at the intersections of the squares1 and not in their centres1 as is customary in other places4 ,the game1 as played in ,korea1 is logical1 and was the inspiration of various games played in ,germany1 where marbles are placed in stated positions on boards made for the purpose1 with rounded holes1 and marked off with diagrams4 ,in some games the board represents a fort to be defended2 in others1 a series of positions to be captured by one or other of two armies of equal value4 ,a very interesting set of chessmen in the ,british ,museum was found at ,nig1 in the ,isle of ,lewis1 and is described as ,north ,european1 ,twelfth ,century4 ,the backs are carved with intricate interlacing designs like those on the reverse of the old ,tarots4 ,the ,queens rest their cheeks on their right hands4 ,the ,kings have swords laid across their laps4 ,the ,bishops are mitred1 and all are seated4 ,an anonymous writer declares3 ,the most probable conjecture is that ,chess descended from the ,brahmins1 through ,persia1 to ,arabia1 about the sixth century1 and passed into ,europe two or three hundred years later4 ,continuing1 the writer says3 ,a mathematician named ,seffa originated the game for his master1 ,ravan1 ,king of ,ceylon1 who was so pleased with the device that he asked the inventor to name his own reward4 ,the cunning sage demanded enough wheat to cover the board1 starting with a single grain for the first square1 two for the second1 and so on1 doubling the grains until the sixty-four squares were covered1 finally adding the whole amount together1 so when computed1 it was found that more wheat would be required than the world produced in ten years4 ,the ,persians claim that ,chess was invented in their country1 pointing out the retention of some of their names and expressions in the ,english game1 such as ,check1 from the ,persian ,sciack or ,king1 and ,mat1 signifying dead1 hence ,checkmate1 or ,the ,king is dead4 ,these words may well have their derivation from the ,persian or ,arabic1 but they are not universally employed1 although ,chess is of ancient origin and has been played for centuries in ,africa1 ,asia1 and ,europe4 ,the term ,rook1 that is sometimes used instead of ,castle1 is undoubtedly of ,indian origin1 derived from ,rokh1 and signifying dromedary4 ,in ,china this piece is called ,ku1 and in ,korea ,tcha1 words in no way connected with the ,arabic4 ,there are many historical descriptions of ,chess in ,europe too well known to be repeated2 besides which1 there are numerous copper1 steel1 and wood engravings showing persons playing ,chess4 ,in ,a ,history of the ,moorish ,kings 7#acif71 there is an account of a game played when ,jussef1 the heir to the throne1 was ordered to be beheaded by his usurping brother4 ,an alcade was sent to the prison for the purpose of carrying out the command1 but1 finding ,jussef playing ,chess1 and becoming interested in his skill1 he waited until the game terminated to dispatch the prince4 ,however1 before it was finished1 the usurper1 ,mehemed1 was murdered1 so ,jussef succeeded to the throne and rewarded the kindly executioner with money and honours4 ,one of the earliest descriptions of ,chess in the ,english language was written by ,thomas ,hyde in #afid1 at about the time that ,cotton's ,complete ,gamester1 on the subject of gambling and its tools1 appeared4 ,there is a rare book1 entitled ,the ,game and ,playes of the ,chess1 that1 strange to say1 contains little or nothing concerning the game beyond its title4 ,it is remarkable1 says ,sir ,gardiner ,wilkinson1 in ,ancient ,egyptians 7,vol4 ,,ii1 page #dae71 that a game so common as ,mora among the lower order of ,italians should be found to have existed in ,egypt from the earliest period of which their paintings remain1 even in the reign of the ,first ,osirtasen4 ,the game1 which requires no accessories1 is skillfully played by holding up certain fingers to an opponent1 who tries to guess the number2 it was probably carried to the ,southern ports of ,italy by the ,egyptians1 when the yearly voyage was made to the ,bay of ,naples1 at the time that the great ,temple of the ,serapeon was erected at ,pozzuoli and the cult of ,thoth ,hermes introduced4 ,draughts were also found in early days at or about the same place1 and that game is represented as being played on the sculptures of ,beni ,hassan in grottoes on the east bank of the ,nile4 ,the same authority says3 ,this would be coeval with ,joseph1 or #agdj ,b4 ,c4 ,an anonymous writer in an ,english paper states that one of the frescoes of the palace of ,rameses ,,ii shows the mighty ,pharaoh himself playing against some of the beauties of his harem4 ,many writers consider that the ,roman ,latronculi and the ,greek ,digrammisnios were games of ,chess or ,draughts4 ,a ,spaniard1 named ,antonio ,torquemada1 published rules for the latter as early as #aedg1 and a ,frenchman1 named ,pierre ,malet1 described the ,parisian game in #affh4 ,the latter called for a board of sixty-four squares1 the men moving but one block at a time1 and the crowned pieces having the right to move backwards4 ,the game was not popular in ,france until the days of the ,regency1 when the ,polish game1 that is played on a board with one hundred squares1 each player having twenty pieces1 became the vogue4 ,this variation of the old game of ,draughts was introduced by a man named ,manoury1 who started life as a waiter in one of the cafs4 ,he gave lessons to ,marshal ,saxe and ,jean ,jacques ,rousseau1 besides writing out the rules governing the game for the use of his pupils4 ,in ,france and ,england players use the black squares on the ,checker board1 but in ,holland and ,russia the white ones are those that are favoured1 and it is strange how puzzling this slight change is to unaccustomed players4 ,draughtsmen or checkers are made of many different materials1 such as clay1 bone1 wood1 and ivory4 ,some old ones in the ,british ,museum are of ivory1 two inches in diameter1 and were found in ,leicestershire4 ,on one of them is a figure like ,il ,pendu1 or the ,hanged ,man1 of the ,atouts4 ,in the writer's collection there are some draughtsmen of unpainted wood most beautifully carved4 ,one of them displays a winged figure with a cap of ,mercury hanging over his head1 on top of which is perched a die1 a ,four ,spot on one side of it1 while the other displays an ,ace4 ,the cap is suspended in the air over a table covered with a fringed cloth1 on which rests a rose and a laurel wreath4 ,a motto surrounding the checker reads3 ,fert ,praemia ,favsta4 ,on the reverse is a hand emptying a purse on a ,backgammon board1 the legend being ,freqvens ,tibidissipat ,avrum4 ,another checker1 a mate to the above1 shows a table on which is a ,backgammon board and two players busy over the game4 ,the man is seated1 while the woman is standing with arms upraised1 and having evidently just lost a game1 is upbraiding her companion4 ,the motto is ,ars ,sortem ,corrigat ,astx4 ,the reverse shows a draped ,cupid opening a money chest1 the motto being ,sat ,loevlo ,havt ,ocvio4 ,a black man of this set shows a warrior talking to a harpist1 the motto being ,juam ,rari ,amici ,chari4 ,the reverse shows a figure of ,mercury1 as ,luck1 with a philosopher and a courtier trying to hold the flying figure with ropes that have been thrown around the waist of the flitting god4 ,the motto is ,ah ,fortuna ,bona ,me ,condona4 ,these checkers are part of a set that was once in ,lady ,charlotte ,schriber's collection of games4 ,they are probably of ,german manufacture1 as they closely resemble sets of draughtsmen that are in the ,nuremburg and ,munich collections4 ,in ,korea the game of ,draughts is a favourite one4 ,the pieces are not flat and round1 like those of ,europe1 but the horses1 as they are named in ,korea1 have shanks about two inches long1 with round1 solid bases1 making them easy to pick up and move1 but they would be awkward if the game called for jumping1 as does that of ,european players4 ,with this exception1 the rules for playing resemble those common in ,europe4 ,the ,japanese1 the ,siamese1 and the ,chinese all play the game with the assistance of dice1 and the men as well as the boards show an origin common with those already mentioned4 ,they are games of luck or chance1 but are not used for fortune-telling1 and have nothing in common with cards1 arrow divination1 or prophesying1 unless students can hereafter trace them to the ,urim and ,thummim of the ,bible4 ,games with dice are favourites in all ,asiatic countries1 but the men themselves and the games played with them are far more elaborate and scientific than those of ,europe1 and capable of a great variety of combinations quite unknown to ,english-speaking nations4 ,the mathematical calculations necessary for the ,asiatic games are intricate and complicated1 but well worthy of adoption4 ,about #ahae the ,germans issued a pack of cards that had dice on them instead of the commonplace pips4 ,the set in the writer's collection is incomplete and incomprehensible without the rules1 that have been lost4 ,the cards have the dice on the lower half1 while the upper part displays different designs1 such as a diligence1 a ship1 a bookcase1 and an easy chair4 ,the two designs last mentioned have doctor printed under them4 ,illustration3 ,,gambling1 ,,historical ,,and ,,educational ,,cards #ie-if ,spanish ,cards showing ,four of ,cups 7with name ,naypes1 meaning prophetical7 and ,knave of ,money 7with the gazelle of ,osiris74 #ig ,english ,educational ,cards--historical4 ,one of the ,jubilee pack containing ,queen ,victoria and all her descendants4 #ih ,netherlands ,domino ,card for teaching music4 #ii ,united ,states ,domino ,card4 #ajj ,united ,states ,numbered ,card for game of ,grabouche or ,flinch4 #aja ,united ,states ,educational ,card for game of ,authors4 #ajb ,english ,educational ,card for teaching arithmetic4 ,games of dice are probably the oldest known1 and are found in all ,asiatic countries4 ,the evolution from them to dominos is easily traced1 for the latter is evidently a pair of dice placed together4 ,the pieces in a ,korean set of dominos in the writer's collection are of the size that a pair of ,european dice would make if glued side by side4 ,besides the games of chance1 dice are used for divining purposes all over the world1 but particularly in ,africa and ,asia4 ,jackstones1 or ,knuckle-bones1 is another old game4 ,there is in the ,british ,museum a most interesting marble group of boys playing ,jackstones4 ,a lively dispute1 if not an active fight1 over the result of the game is in progress1 and the little men are scattered over the ground while the boys wrestle4 ,jackstones may be of many different materials1 although those most commonly used are the simple round pebbles found by any roadside4 ,a set in the writer's collection is of bone1 which was common in ,new ,york about #ahej4 ,others are of glass and are said to be ,phoenician4 ,ivory and sheeps' knuckles are favourites with children1 who in modern times have added a small rubber ball for a ,jack4 ,the game seems to be universal1 for children on the ,nile1 in ,hungary1 ,austria1 ,france1 ,england1 and the ,united ,states all seem to play the same primitive game that is common in ,asia4 ,in ,korean ,games 7page #eh71 ,mr4 ,culin calls it ,kong-,keui1 and says it is played by boys with five or six stones or pieces of bricks4 ,when girls play1 they use cash or coins1 and then the game is called ,tja-,ssei4 ,when played with stones1 it is called ,ishi-,nago1 or throwing stones1 and ten of these are used4 ,the ,chinese call the game ,chaptsz1 or picking up stones4 ,no rules for the ,western game seem ever to have been written1 but they are transmitted from one generation to another with almost no difference1 whatever the country may be1 although it is noticeable that the innovation of the rubber ball for a ,jack seems to have been introduced by the ,polish or ,russian ,jew children to the ,new ,yorkers1 as it is chiefly played by these little immigrants4 ,the game has nothing to do with divination1 and is one merely of skill1 as it is a simple amusement of the most primitive kind1 for1 given a handful of stones1 any one can learn the game1 and1 with a moderate amount of practice1 can play it with more or less skill4 ,there are five pieces to a set2 four are of equal value1 and the fifth is called the ,jack4 ,any one of the five may be used for the ,jack1 which is simply the stone that is tossed into the air while the others are gathered in the hand4 ,the sets 7or their order7 are agreed upon beforehand by the players4 ,any number can take part1 for each one plays for himself1 and the winner is the one who independently executes all the difficult sets without failing4 ,any place is convenient for the game1 and the stones are generally thrown on the lap1 the ground1 a pillow1 a doorstep1 or even the pavement4 ,muggins is the name of the first set1 which consists in gathering all five stones in the palm of the right hand and throwing them into the air together1 then catching all five on the back of the hand4 ,without stopping1 the stones must be thrown again in the air and all five caught together in the hand4 ,this makes all the stones of equal value and all of them ,jacks 7the technical name for the stone thrown in the air while different movements are being done74 ,the ,muggins set requires considerable dexterity1 and a player dropping any one of the stones loses his turn1 which passes to the player on the left4 ,the next set is not started until all the players have successfully accomplished their turn of ,muggins1 which must be done five times in succession without failing4 ,milking the ,cow is the name of the second set4 ,the stones are gathered in the hand and the ,jack is thrown into the air1 and while it is up1 one stone is quietly and gently placed upon the table from the palm1 but must not be thrown or dropped1 and the ,jack caught as it comes down4 ,this is repeated until all the stones are discarded one after the other1 the art being to do this without letting more than one escape at a time4 ,if this is not done1 the turn passes to the next player on the left2 but1 if successfully accomplished1 the stones are swept into a heap and caught up in the hand while the ,jack is in the air4 ,all the players must do this in succession or lose their turn4 ,those who have not completed the first ,muggins take their turn here1 and must do it five times without fault before beginning to milk4 ,grab is the name of the third set1 and it is difficult4 ,it is called ,laying ,eggs in ,korea4 ,it is done by laying four stones about two inches apart in a row1 tossing the ,jack and picking them up one by one4 ,the first stone is kept in the hollow of the palm of the right hand while the ,jack is tossed and the second stone is picked up4 ,this is retained1 and the third stone is picked up in the same way1 and so on until all are caught in the right hand4 ,then all are placed in a heap and are gathered while the ,jack is tossed4 ,the left hand is not used at all in these two sets4 ,peas in the ,pot is the first set of the second part of the game4 ,the left hand is partly closed and four stones are placed about an inch apart in a row1 the first one touching the thumb4 ,players1 to show their skill1 will often make the spaces wider1 but they must not throw the ,jack any higher than is usual1 which is about a foot and a half4 ,the play consists in throwing the ,jack1 and1 while it is in the air1 one stone after another is picked up and put in the pot 7which is the left hand74 ,some players push the stones into the pot4 ,to do so1 the thumb and forefinger of the left hand are opened to allow the stones to pass in1 but this is considered unworkmanlike by good players4 ,the stones1 after being placed in the pot and the left hand removed1 are gathered with one swoop as the ,jack is tossed4 ,horses in the ,stable is played with the fingers of the left hand outstretched to form stalls4 ,the stones are placed about four inches away on the table1 and must be pushed into the stalls one by one while the ,jack is aloft4 ,then all are gathered up at once in the right hand while the ,jack is tossed4 ,in ,hindustan the native girls have their photographs taken when playing this set of ,jackstones4 ,horses out of the ,stable follows4 ,the stones are pushed out with one motion1 one beside the other1 and then caught up with one sweep as the ,jack is tossed4 ,the art consists in getting the stones close together when they leave the stalls1 so that they can be grabbed with one sweep while the ,jack is up4 ,sweeping the ,floor comes next4 ,the stones are placed four inches apart in a square1 and the third finger of the right hand must sweep inside two of the stones without touching them while the ,jack is aloft4 ,they must then be gathered and caught with one sweep of the hand4 ,spreading the ,table is done by arranging the square with four stones1 as in the preceding set1 after which they are pushed together with one sweep and caught in the right hand while the ,jack is up4 ,laying ,eggs1 called ,al-,nat-,ki in ,korea1 is the next set4 ,american children play it exactly in the same way as do the ,asiatics4 ,four stones are placed on the table1 the ,jack is tossed1 one stone is picked up and laid down while the ,jack is in the air4 ,then another stone is picked up as the ,jack is tossed and laid down as before1 until all are used4 ,in ,korean ,games1 ,mr4 ,culin describes this play1 but no reference is made to the preceding sets1 although they are played in ,europe4 ,setting the ,eggs1 or ,al-,houm-,ki1 calls for four of the stones being placed beside the left hand and pushed under it1 as is done in ,peas in the ,pot4 ,hatching the ,eggs1 or ,al-,kka-,ki1 consists in holding all the stones in the right hand1 with one tucked under the little finger4 ,this is then dropped gently on the table while the ,jack is tossed1 the other stones being held in the hand1 and this is repeated until all are down4 ,a good player may work right through the whole number of sets before the opponents have a chance to play at all4 ,children often arrange handicaps among themselves to prevent this4 ,one peculiarity of the game seems to be that it is a point of honour among the children to take no unfair advantage of each other1 but to try to assist and make the others win if possible1 and it is one of the few games played by children that seldom lead to quarrelling4 ,there are variations of the sets1 but the above is the standard game4 ,quite different from the last1 which is simply one of skill1 is the game known as ,jackstraws1 which is a primitive game1 but it is played all over the world1 and is evidently derived from the arrows of divination4 ,a set of ,chinese ,jackstraws in the writer's collection was made about the middle of the last century1 probably for exportation1 for some of the straws are ,european in character4 ,they are of ivory1 which is most delicately carved1 and are not coloured1 as are some of the sets of ,chinese ,jackstraws that are carved out of bone4 ,they were imported by a naval officer who was on the expedition under ,commodore ,perry which opened the treaty ports of ,japan to ,american trade4 ,in this set there are two hooks1 for separating the pieces one after another without shaking any of the bunch4 ,the long1 slender straws are four inches in length4 ,there are eight that are carved to represent ,javelins1 and eight carved like ,spears4 ,they count1 respectively1 one and two marks if taken from the rest of the pile without shaking4 ,then there are twenty ,straws1 counting ten apiece1 that are delicately carved1 each one entirely different from any of the others4 ,there is a ,spade1 a hooked ,spear1 an ,arrow1 an ,axe1 a ,flag1 a ,standard1 a ,halberd1 a war ,hammer1 a ,javelin1 a ,sabre1 a ,lance1 a ,sword1 a ,trident1 and a ,pitchfork4 ,these all seem to be intended to represent weapons familiar in the antiquated warfare of ,china4 ,the five ,european implements are a long-handled ,shovel1 a pair of ,tongs1 a ,bodkin1 a ,pen1 and a ,musket4 ,the skillful player who captures the ,tongs counts twenty1 since it is twice as difficult to disentangle as any of the other ,straws1 that are valued at ten marks apiece4 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,fortune-,,telling ,,through ,,the ,,cards ,without in the least crediting that cards that are derived from ancient mysteries are able to reveal the incidents connected with human life1 many people consider the trial an interesting amusement4 ,what were the methods used by the ancients for divining the wishes of the gods8 ,truly this opens a vast field of inquiry that ranges through every device and symbol ever invented by man4 ,within a few years various plans have been suggested for reading the fate through the hand1 as is done by the ,gypsies1 or by the cards1 as practised by the priests of ,mercury2 but these are only a few hundred years old1 and probably have but little relation to the actual rites that have left no authentic record and now can only be guessed4 ,consultation of the cards serves to amuse the idle1 the curious1 and the credulous1 so a brief recapitulation of the two methods most in vogue may interest readers1 who can try for themselves to read what the divining tools say through the interpretations used by two of the most celebrated fortune-tellers of the past century1 namely3 ,etteila and ,mlle4 le ,normand4 ,the latter used modern ,french cards1 while the former required a complete ,tarot pack that is not easy for most people to obtain4 ,cardmakers have not been unready to invent for their customers various fantastic packs with weird symbols1 and to bestow on these modern creations various significances that have no relation whatever to the old ,tarots2 therefore they are valueless in the eyes of those who believe in the ancient mysteries1 which have been implicitly credited for ages1 and have a significance that is not difficult to understand1 although the different shades of meaning attributed to them by the ,initiates have been lost4 ,the fortune-telling packs issued by the card makers of the day generally bear ,french pips1 since these symbols are the ones familiar to manufacturers in ,france1 ,england1 and ,america4 ,they have1 in addition1 badly drawn1 inartistic pictures that are foolish and meaningless1 since they are neither heraldic nor symbolic1 and they are only intended for amateurs1 since the true fortune-teller or ,gypsy of to-day prefers the cards with the ancient pips of ,money1 ,swords1 ,rods1 and ,cups1 together with the ,atouts4 ,a pack published in ,frankfort-on-,main has the ,french1 not the ,german1 pips1 as would seem natural1 and the cards are named ,le ,normand ,karten4 ,they are great favourites in ,europe1 where they are used for foretelling the future and describing the past or present by credulous persons who follow the rules laid down in the accompanying book or key1 believing that the cards were originally arranged and interpreted by the celebrated ,french cartomancie1 ,mlle4 le ,normand herself1 who had wonderful luck in her business and has had many successors4 ,this pack is one and a half by three inches in width1 which is smaller than ordinary ,playing ,cards1 and more convenient for laying out on a table4 ,the pack contains only thirty-six cards1 with three court cards to each suit1 namely3 ,king ,queen1 and ,knave4 ,the six pip cards are ,ace1 ,six1 ,seven1 ,eight1 ,nine1 and ,ten4 ,each one has a meaningless picture on it1 such as a coffin1 birds1 flowers1 or keys1 and male or female figures dressed in the fashion of #ahej4 ,in the upper centre of each card is a small space1 on which are the court figures or the pip symbols that are represented on an ordinary pack of ,french cards4 ,the directions for consulting the cards are printed in ,german and ,french in a small book accompanying them1 so1 since any pack with ,french pips would serve for the same amusement1 the rules and interpretations may well be here given1 as many persons enjoy consulting the cards to discover through them1 if they may1 the past1 present1 and future4 ,shuffle and cut the cards1 and then hand them to the ,inquirer to cut three times4 ,deal one at a time1 placing them face upward on the table in rows from left to right4 ,the first four rows each should have eight cards1 and the fifth row only four cards1 which should be placed in the middle under the others4 ,these signify the end of life1 and the row is1 consequently1 shorter than the others4 ,the cards for this row must be put so that there are two outside of them on either side1 both left and right on the row above them1 which makes the two outside lines count only four cards from top to bottom1 while the third1 fourth1 fifth1 and sixth lines have five cards under them4 ,if the inquirer is a female1 she is represented by the ,ace of ,spades1 and if a male1 he is betokened by the ,ace of ,hearts4 ,these cards also represent husband and wife1 or two lovers1 and great attention must be paid to the place where they fall in dealing1 for all the other cards are dominated and controlled by one of these two1 taking their significance from them4 ,the portent of the other cards is great or less in degree according to their position1 whether it be near or far1 above or below1 these two representative cards4 ,those touching them are supposed to show the events that are happening at the present moment1 those far from them are in the past1 or the future1 depending whether they are above or below the two important ones4 ,the meaning of the thirty-six remaining cards is explained as follows3 ,,king ,,of ,,spades4--,great happiness4 ,a journey4 ,a voyage on business4 ,a happy life4 ,,queen4--,happiness throughout life in every way4 ,,knave4--,a birth4 ,a child4 ,a sweet disposition4 ,affability4 ,,ten4--,inherited wealth4 ,business4 ,fortune4 ,journey on account of business4 ,travel4 ,,nine4--,successful voyages4 ,commercial enterprises4 ,faithfulness4 ,illusions4 ,flirtations4 ,,eight4--,social position4 ,constant love4 ,unimportant position4 ,bad companions4 ,,seven4--,good news4 ,a letter from a distance4 ,bad news4 ,an invitation4 ,,six4--,long life4 ,sad life4 ,sickness4 ,death4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,king ,,of ,,clubs4--,trouble4 ,happiness4 ,disaster to friends4 ,good news of friends4 ,,queen4--,misfortune4 ,bad friends4 ,slander4 ,loss4 ,,knave4--,discord in family4 ,unhappiness between lovers4 ,illness4 ,protracted sufferings4 ,,ten4--,happiness4 ,indifference4 ,trouble from outsiders4 ,slander4 ,,nine4--,annoyances4 ,troubles from friends4 ,quarrels4 ,lawsuit4 ,,eight4--,friendship4 ,faithful lover4 ,powerful enemy4 ,enemy overcome4 ,,seven4--,loss4 ,thief4 ,loss recovered4 ,loss irreparable4 ,,six4--,disagreeable news4 ,slight trouble4 ,bad news4 ,trouble for friends4 ,,ace4--,engagement4 ,happy marriage and riches4 ,broken engagement4 ,separation of lovers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,king ,,of ,,diamonds4--,fortune from the sea4 ,enterprises successful4 ,misfortune4 ,loss4 ,,queen4--,unhappiness averted4 ,danger escaped4 ,sorrow4 ,trouble4 ,,knave4--,chagrin4 ,misfortune averted4 ,danger4 ,unhappiness averted4 ,,ten4--,news4 ,secret intelligence4 ,gossip4 ,scandal4 ,,nine4--,illness4 ,sorrow4 ,accidents4 ,danger4 ,,eight4--,invitations4 ,a love affair4 ,pleasure for the beloved4 ,a love affair in the family4 ,,seven4--,happy journey4 ,arrival of friends4 ,a short trip4 ,a journey4 ,,six4--,pleasure4 ,good news4 ,annoyances overcome ,good fortune4 ,,ace4--,prosperity4 ,good luck4 ,discouragement4 ,misfortune4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,king ,,of ,,hearts4--,reunion4 ,prosperity4 ,fidelity4 ,endurance4 ,,queen4--,an excursion4 ,a journey4 ,a prevented visit4 ,delayed journey4 ,,knave4--,love4 ,happiness4 ,pleasure4 ,concord4 ,,ten4--,fidelity4 ,lovers4 ,friendships4 ,treachery4 ,,nine4--,good news4 ,tidings4 ,letters4 ,visits4 ,,eight4--,honours4 ,approbation4 ,jealousy4 ,misery4 ,,seven4--,pain4 ,slight illness4 ,recovery from illness4 ,health4 ,,six4--,good fortune4 ,happiness4 ,reverses4 ,troubles4 ,with this key to the interpretation of the cards1 as arranged according to ,mlle4 le ,normand's theory1 they may be read as follows1 counting on the cards as they fall near or far from the ,ace of ,hearts4 ,if they are above or close to and on the right1 they mean the first description2 if on the left1 they signify the second one4 ,if below on the right1 the third description is the one to be taken1 and if below on the left1 the fourth4 ,suppose a young man is the inquirer1 and the cards be dealt as follows3 ,,first ,,row4--,six of ,diamonds1 ,nine of ,clubs1 ,seven of ,hearts1 ,seven of ,diamonds1 ,ten of ,spades1 ,queen of ,clubs1 ,ace of ,hearts1 ,ten of ,clubs4 ,,second ,,row4--,six of ,spades1 ,seven of ,spades1 ,eight of ,clubs1 ,six of ,clubs1 ,nine of ,spades1 ,king of ,clubs1 ,ace of ,clubs1 ,seven of ,clubs4 ,,third ,,row4--,king of ,hearts1 ,knave of ,hearts1 ,king of ,diamonds1 ,queen of ,spades1 ,knave of ,spades1 ,queen of ,diamonds1 ,six of ,hearts1 ,ten of ,diamonds4 ,,fourth ,,row4--,queen of ,hearts1 ,king of ,spades1 ,ace of ,spades1 ,eight of ,diamonds1 ,king of ,clubs1 ,eight of ,hearts1 ,king of ,diamonds1 ,nine of ,hearts4 ,,fifth ,,row4--,ten of ,hearts1 ,nine of ,diamonds1 ,eight of ,spades1 ,ace of ,diamonds4 ,this could be explained through the key as being a young man who from birth had been surrounded by envious1 jealous1 and quarrelsome persons1 who formed his character1 leading to the greatest unhappiness in the family life4 ,the marriage of his parents having been unfortunate1 it reacted on the boy's welfare4 ,a trusted friend or guardian stole the fortune that had been left in trust4 ,but1 endowed with good health1 these troubles were disregarded in youth4 ,his character being unbridled1 capricious1 frivolous1 inconstant1 peevish1 and given to imagining grievances1 although affectionate to his friends1 his disposition made him uncongenial to most persons4 ,secret enemies1 who had been trusted as friends1 embittered his life in a way that nothing could overcome4 ,a long journey undertaken for the sake of forgetfulness was filled with annoyances and mishaps4 ,some brightness entered into it through the companionship of a charming woman1 which might have resulted in a happy marriage had not the jealous spirit that controlled the young man's career prevented4 ,an early death is prognosticated4 ,let us now consider the other method of fortune-telling1 which was followed by ,etteila1 a celebrated ,french fortune-teller1 who lived in ,paris about one hundred years since1 who wielded a vast influence over his compatriots1 who firmly believed1 as1 indeed1 he did himself1 that he had discovered the key to the ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus through an old pack of ,tarots that fell by chance into his hands4 ,it is said that ,napoleon ,bonaparte had great faith in the deductions and revelations of this ci-devant hairdresser's apprentice1 to whom ,josephine presented him4 ,the empress was an ignorant and credulous woman1 owing to her education in the ,west ,indian island of her birth1 the society of which was corrupted by ,negro superstitions of a most complicated and far-reaching character4 ,etteila published a book called ,collection sur les ,hautes ,sciences 7#aghj74 ,it included an essay on ,the ,sublime ,book of ,thoth that is now very rare1 but he saw what few others had seen1 that ,playing ,cards were of ,egyptian origin1 although he failed entirely to trace their progress through the temples of ,nebo and ,thoth to the ,mercury of the ,romans1 so1 of course1 never connected the pips with the emblems of ,mercury or discovered that they originated from the divine commands given to the ,israelites1 as well as to the desire of primitive people to consult the ,tablets of ,fate that were inscribed by ,nebo1 the great god of ,babylonia4 ,many of the statements and beliefs of ,etteila would have doubtless been received with greater credence if these tokens had been pointed out4 ,but ,etteila declared that he had discovered the different subtle meanings connected with the ,tarots1 and that he had elucidated many of the points that had previously been obscure4 ,he certainly obtained astonishing results when consulting the ,tarots1 or a set of cards that were probably invented by himself1 and which are now rare4 ,they were adorned with figures of men and women dressed in the fashion of his day1 with numbers on them1 but with no pip marks4 ,they were printed on a yellow-tinted paper1 and when issued were accompanied by a small book of rules for their use in divining4 ,papus1 in his ,tarots of the ,bohemians1 having digested various works on the ,gypsies1 kabalism1 and occultism1 worked out many rules for divining with the ,tarots4 ,he places great reliance on magnetic currents1 the position of the stars1 and the signs of the zodiac1 suggesting astrology1 but he finds these symbols in the ,tarots4 ,he also gives value to the letters of the ,hebrew alphabet in connection with the ,atouts1 but1 after all1 he declares that intuition plays a most important part when reading the ,tarots4 ,as has been pointed out1 the ,book of ,thoth1 or the ,tarot pack1 is divided into two volumes1 twenty-two leaves of which are called ,atouts and bear symbolic figures more or less correctly described by the names written on them4 ,the fifty-six leaves of the second volume are divided into four suits1 namely3 ,cups1 ,swords1 ,rods1 and ,money1 with four court cards to each suit3 ,king1 ,queen1 ,knave1 and ,cavalier1 followed by nine numbered cards headed by the ,ace4 ,papus 7page #cjh7 defines the meaning of the suits as follows3 ,,rods4--,enterprise1 glory4 ,,cups4--,love1 happiness4 ,,swords4--,hatred1 misfortune4 ,,money4--,money1 commerce1 mercantile interests4 ,these four sets of principles must be remembered4 ,the four court cards represent people in general or particular who come in contact with each other during the events of life4 ,the ,kings represent men1 the ,queens women1 the ,cavaliers youths1 and the ,knaves children4 ,the court cards of the ,rod and ,sword suits represent dark people1 while those of the ,cup and ,money suits represent light or fair people4 ,the latter are benign1 the former indifferent or malignant4 ,the key to the pip cards as given by ,papus is as follows3 ,,rods4 ,creation4 ,enterprise4 ,agriculture4 ,fire4 ,,king4--,a dark man4 ,a friend4 ,generally married4 ,the father of a family4 ,,queen4--,dark woman4 ,a friend4 ,a serious person4 ,a very good counsellor4 ,the mother of a family4 ,,cavalier4--,a dark young man4 ,a friend4 ,,knave4--,a dark child4 ,a friend4 ,also represents a message or letter from a near relation4 ,,ace4--,commencement of an enterprise4 ,,two4--,opposition to the beginning of an enterprise4 ,,three4--,realization of the commencement of an enterprise4 ,the basis of the work is now definitely established1 and the undertaking can be fearlessly continued4 ,,four4--,obstacles to be prepared for4 ,,five4--,obstacles surmounted4 ,,six4--,failure4 ,,seven4--,certain success4 ,,eight4--,partial success4 ,,nine4--,great success4 ,,ten4--,uncertainty4 ,,cups ,preservation4 ,love4 ,instruction4 ,earth4 ,,king4--,a fair man4 ,a friend4 ,a barrister1 judge1 or ecclesiastic4 ,a bachelor4 ,,queen4--,a fair woman4 ,the loved one4 ,the mistress of a house4 ,,cavalier4--,young1 fair man4 ,a friend4 ,the lover or the loved one4 ,,knave4--,fair child4 ,a messenger4 ,a birth4 ,,ace4--,commencement of a love affair4 ,,two4--,opposition4 ,unimportant obstacles raised by one of the lovers4 ,,three4--,mutual love4 ,,four4--,serious obstacles from others4 ,,five4--,obstacles overcome4 ,,six4--,obstacles insuperable4 ,widowhood4 ,separation4 ,,seven4--,success and happiness4 ,,eight4--,jealousy and trouble4 ,,nine4--,children4 ,,ten4--,uncertainty4 ,,swords ,transformation4 ,war4 ,hatred4 ,lawsuits4 ,air4 ,,king4--,dark bad man4 ,a soldier1 an enemy1 or one to be mistrusted4 ,,queen4--,a dark wicked woman4 ,a gossip4 ,a calumniator4 ,jealous4 ,,cavalier4--,young dark man4 ,an enemy4 ,a spy4 ,,knave4--,a child4 ,an enemy4 ,bad news4 ,delay4 ,,ace4--,commencement of enmity4 ,,two4--,enmity does not last4 ,,three4--,hatred4 ,,four4--,enemy defeated4 ,,five4--,enemy triumphs at last moment4 ,,six4--,enemy powerless4 ,,seven4--,enemy successful4 ,,eight4--,enemy only partially successful4 ,,nine4--,duration of hatred4 ,,ten4--,uncertainty in the hatred4 ,the court cards generally indicate an opposition raised outside of the home4 ,,money ,development4 ,money4 ,trade4 ,commerce4 ,journeys4 ,water4 ,,king4--,fair man4 ,inimical or indifferent4 ,,queen4--,a fair woman4 ,indifferent4 ,,cavalier4--,a young1 fair man4 ,a stranger4 ,an arrival4 ,,knave4--,a fair child4 ,a messenger4 ,a letter4 ,,ace4--,commencement of good fortune4 ,inheritance4 ,gifts4 ,economy4 ,,two4--,difficulty in getting inheritance or good fortune4 ,,three4--,a small sum of money4 ,,four4--,loss of money4 ,,five4--,success coming that will balance loss4 ,,six4--,ruin4 ,,seven4--,a large fortune4 ,,eight4--,partial success4 ,great loss of money at last moment4 ,,nine4--,a durable fortune4 ,,ten4--,great successes and great reverses4 ,the pips of the ,rod and ,cup suits indicate that which comes from within or at home4 ,the pips of the ,money and ,sword suits indicate that which comes from outside or abroad4 ,in order to practise card-reading with success1 the ,book of ,thoth must be mastered in every detail1 and every significance of each of the seventy-eight leaves must be committed to memory4 ,after this the laying out of the cards and the reading of their meaning would become mechanical1 were it not that the position of each one1 as well as of the surrounding cards1 is capable of such subtle and illusive connections that only those well versed in cartomancy1 or1 perhaps1 inspired by the dominating genius of ,mercury1 can translate their import4 ,first1 then1 the direct meaning of each card must be remembered1 and then its significance when it is reversed2 thirdly1 its value owing to its position on the table and when in contact with other cards must be known4 ,the card is read in one way when it is required to reveal the character1 and in another when the social position or the thoughts of the inquirer are to be revealed4 ,the same card signifies1 under other circumstances1 past or future events according to its position4 ,a malignant card may be entirely changed if surrounded by benign cards4 ,thus each condition must be given due weight when the cards are being consulted4 ,human life1 says ,papus1 passes through four great periods1 namely3 childhood1 youth1 maturity1 and old age2 so1 when the ,tarots are being read with regard to the past1 present1 or future1 this is the first thing to be dwelt upon to the exclusion of every other significance that may be seen in the cards4 ,if1 however1 they are being read regarding events1 it will be seen that commencement1 apogee1 decline1 and fall are represented4 ,if a business transaction is the subject of inquiry1 the suit of ,rods must be the one selected1 since it indicates creation1 enterprise1 agriculture1 art1 and the element of fire4 ,if a love affair is being inquired about1 ,cups must represent it4 ,the ,cup indicates instruction1 preservation1 the earth1 and affection4 ,a lawsuit1 quarrel1 or trouble has ,swords for an emblem1 as they denote transformation1 hatred1 war1 trouble1 and the air4 ,business calls for the ,money suit2 that typifies development1 trade1 commerce1 and water1 with ships1 travelling1 and all that is connected with movement4 ,the ,money suit is sometimes named ,pentacles4 ,the ,cups and ,staves denote the house or the home1 the family or near relatives and friends4 ,money typifies outsiders1 or the world in general1 or unknown persons4 ,swords may be either close relations or the public1 whichever is indicated by the surrounding cards4 ,the ,atout cards may be divided so that the first seven cards refer to the intellectual life of man4 ,the next seven cards point to his moral condition1 and the last seven of the ,atouts declare the various events of his life4 ,taken with the pip cards1 a fair narrative of all concerning the ordinary events of life may be read in the cards1 that is at least curious and amusing1 even if no credence is placed in the revelations1 and this is supposed to be what the ancients meant when they declared that ,mercury had invented speech1 letters1 and books4 ,,chapter ,,xix ,,reading ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,thoth ,to consult the ,tarots1 the ,initiate must invite the ,inquirer to designate what the cards are to be asked to reveal1 and1 as has been mentioned1 this calls for the selection of one of the four suits that in this case must be separated from the other leaves4 ,the suit selected must be shuffled thoroughly and cut by the ,initiate1 who then passes them to the ,inquirer1 with the request that they be shuffled and cut three times4 ,the cards are then ranged or spread out on a table1 after which the ,atouts are shuffled and cut according to the above directions1 to be dealt according to the rules of the game1 remembering that the first card to the left indicates commencement or childhood1 the second one to the right and above it is youth or apogee1 the third on the right signifies decline or maturity1 while the fourth position means old age or fall2 in short1 past1 present1 and future4 ,a simple way of reading the cards is as follows3 ,with the pip and ,atout cards shuffled and cut separately1 the ,juggler1 or first card of the ,atouts1 must be taken from the pack and laid in the middle of the table1 so that the other cards may be dealt around it2 for it represents the ,inquirer1 and the cards that fall close to it reveal the events in life most nearly connected with him4 ,after the cards are cut1 the ,inquirer may select seven cards from the ,atouts without looking at them4 ,the ,bagatleur represents the ,inquirer4 ,deal four of them one by one1 beginning at the left side1 so as to fill the following diagram3 ,,ii ,i ,,iii ,,iv ,then take three ,atouts1 selected without looking at them1 and place them in the centre1 as follows3 ,,ii ,i ,v ,,vii ,,vi ,,iii ,,iv ,the last three show past1 present1 and future2 the other four indicate the character of the person or the events about which the cards are being consulted4 ,the diagram demands seven ,atouts besides the ,bagatleur or ,inquirer4 ,then1 without seeing them1 twelve pip cards must be taken by the ,inquirer from the suit that has been selected1 and these must be laid in a circle around those already in place1 commencing on the left and working downwards and towards the right4 ,the first card should be next to ,no4 ,i2 the fourth should be under ,no4 ,,iv2 the seventh should be opposite to the first one and next to ,no4 ,,iii2 the tenth should be on the top1 above ,no4 ,,ii1 while the twelfth card falls beside the first one1 completing the circle4 ,the ,juggler is then supposed to be placed in the middle of the diagram or laid above the circle4 ,the twelve pip cards indicate the different phases through which the person will pass1 or the evolution of the events during the four great periods of life4 ,commencement is indicated by the ,atout in position ,no4 ,i2 apogee1 by the ,atout in position ,no4 ,,ii2 decline or obstacle1 by the ,atout in position ,no4 ,,iii1 and fall1 by the one in position ,no4 ,,iv4 ,then the three other ,atouts indicate the special character of the person2 in the past by ,no4 ,v1 in the present by ,no4 ,,vi1 in the future by ,no4 ,,vii4 ,the pip cards should be studied where the future is indicated by the cards in the circle occupying places from seven to twelve1 the present by those occupying positions from four to seven1 the past by those occupying positions from one to four4 7,these numbers refer to the positions occupied1 and never to the number of the pips on the cards1 or to the numbers placed on the ,atouts47 ,the above is a short and hurried method of consulting the cards1 but ,etteila had a second one that was used when a whole career was to be revealed1 as well as the character1 or the influence of education1 friends1 and family4 ,it also indicated the future position and chief events of life4 ,in short1 it was supposed to be a repetition of the scene when a young man1 on reaching maturity made a solemn sacrifice in the temple1 when the ,tablets of ,fate1 that had been inscribed by ,nebo1 ,thoth1 or ,mercury at his birth1 were consulted4 ,in this way their wishes were obtained that should govern his career in life4 ,this ceremony was never repeated1 although the orders of the gods were often requested on particular occasions without going through the entire performance or the full consultation that had been made at maturity4 ,according to ,papus1 four deals are required for this process of divination1 but his methods are unnecessarily complicated1 so they may be simplified without altering the results4 ,shuffle all the ,tarots without making any distinction between the ,atout and the pip cards4 ,let the ,inquirer cut them three times1 and then cut them in three packets of about equal size4 ,take the central heap1 deal out twenty-six cards1 and lay them to the right in a pile4 ,shuffle those remaining with the rest of the pack1 and let them again be cut1 and then again cut into three piles4 ,select the centre and deal seventeen cards1 placing them in a pile beside the one containing the twenty-six cards4 ,shuffle the stock again together1 and let them be shuffled and cut as before1 taking again the centre packet and dealing eleven cards4 ,collect the remaining twenty-four cards and put them aside4 ,this is the ,widow1 or ,stock1 and these cards represent the events that might have happened in the life of the ,inquirer1 but were eliminated by luck or chance1 and these often prove most interesting4 ,the first packet1 containing the twenty-six cards1 represents the soul or the character of the ,inquirer1 and of those most closely connected with him4 ,the pile containing the seventeen cards represents his mind or the events controlling him4 ,and the pile of eleven cards represents the body1 the ills or annoyances of life1 or the events to take place1 such as the profession to be chosen1 the journeys to be taken1 with other happenings4 ,the cards should be spread out on a table1 so that they can easily be seen and interpreted according to their value1 as given on pages #jjj-jjj1 the upper row containing the soul pile1 the second row the mind pile1 and the third row containing the body pile4 ,from this system1 says ,papus 7page #ccj71 ,etteila deduced his subtle arguments upon the creation of the universe1 the ,kabbalah1 and the ,philosopher's stone4 ,if any person can emulate him in these deductions1 they must be wise in their generation1 and must have established direct communication with the great god ,nebo himself1 the writer of the ,tablets of ,fate4 ,for the second deal1 the whole pack of seventy-eight cards must be shuffled and cut three times4 ,deal seventeen cards1 laying them on the table face up4 ,then take the eighteenth card and the seventy-eighth card that should be on the bottom of the pack1 and the meaning of these two cards1 says ,papus1 will tell you whether any fluidic sympathetic communication is established between the ,initiate and the ,inquirer4 ,then the seventeen cards laid out can be deciphered and disclosed4 ,the third deal is ,etteila's great figure1 which gives the key to the past1 present1 and future of the person about whose fate inquiry is being made4 ,take out the ,atout numbered ,one1 or the ,juggler4 ,deal ten cards side by side on the left of the table4 ,shuffle and cut three times1 and then deal ten more across the top4 ,then shuffle1 cut1 and deal ten more on the right side1 thus forming a hollow square1 with the thirty ,atout and pip cards falling indiscriminately1 but arranged side by side4 ,deal thirty cards in a ring in the centre1 leaving seventeen cards besides the ,juggler1 or on one side for the stock1 which has the meaning ascribed to it in the other deals4 ,to read the cards1 they must be picked up one by one1 beginning with the last one dealt on the right side of the open square and the last one of the ring1 explaining their meaning and significance as they are placed together in pairs1 and then discarding them entirely4 ,the twenty cards that are first taken up relate to the past4 ,the next twenty should be lifted in the same way1 starting with the top card of the square1 and mating it with the one nearest it of the centre circle1 which should be the eleventh one dealt4 ,these twenty cards represent the present4 ,the remaining twenty cards1 that should be selected in the same way1 foretell the future4 ,the fourth deal is simple1 and through it answers may be obtained to any queries that are put that have not been covered by the three preceding revelations4 ,shuffle all the cards together and cut three times4 ,then deal seven cards from right to left and read the answer4 ,papus declares that the above system of fortune-telling is based upon ,etteila's method as given in his ,book of ,thoth that is very rare1 and that his method has never before been seriously elucidated by any of his numerous disciples4 ,papus1 therefore1 is one of the first to explain it upon simple principles1 which1 however1 require further simplification to be practical1 probably owing to some misprints in his volume4 ,the manner of telling fortunes by cards1 according to the supposed rules of the priests of the temple of ,thoth1 requires a complete pack of ,tarots that are at present difficult to obtain4 ,spanish1 ,french1 or picture cards issued for games are without real value or connection with one of the earliest cults of the world4 ,fortune-telling with cards is useless unless divined through the emblems of ,mercury or his predecessor1 the great ,egyptian god ,thoth1 by reading the signs and symbols pictured in his ,book of ,thoth ,hermes ,trismegistus called ,,the ,,tarots4