those on the other, the Ten, Four, Five, and Eight of Hearts. The "pips" on those low cards were evidently impressed by means of a stencil. [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration] On one square of paper were the Valets of Clubs and Spades,--Lancelot and Hogier; and on another, the Valets of Diamonds and Hearts,--that of Diamonds being named Rolant, and that of Hearts containing the inscription, "Valery: f." Though each piece of paper contained _four_ cards, it yet displayed only two different characters,--the Valet of each suit occurring on it being repeated in the alternate compartments. The outlines of the figures and the names have evidently been engraved on wood, and are printed in a brownish colour,--something like Indian ink mixed with bistre; and the colours have been laid on by means of stencils. The names of these Valets,--Rolant, "Valery: f," Lancelot, and Hogier,--compared with those occurring on other French cards of an early date, seem to prove that, originally, the French coat cards received their names merely at the caprice of the card-maker. Any argument, therefore, respecting the origin of cards, or the invention of Piquet, as founded on the names of the coat cards, must be utterly without foundation. With respect to the names of those Valets, it seems to be generally agreed that Roland, spelled Rolant on the cards, was the nephew of Charlemagne, so famed in romance, and that Hogier, or Ogier, was the renowned Hogier of Denmark. According to a modern author, this hero was a grandson of Pepin of Heristal, the great-grandfather of Charlemagne; and the appellation, "of Denmark," was conferred on him, not from his being of that kingdom, but from his being a native of Dane-marche, that is, of the district now called Ardennes. The same author also informs us, that Hogier was a descendant of St. Hubert of Ardennes; and, for a confirmation of the fact, refers to the dog seen in an old Valet of Spades, of which he gives a copy in his work: in the irregular line of the more distant ground, in the same card, he sees an indication of the uneven surface of the district of Ardennes.[247] An inspection of the four Valets in question will enable any person to decide on the value of his speculations: three of those Valets,--Rolant, Hogier, and Lancelot,--are accompanied by dogs; and the line of the more distant ground in two of the subjects is nearly level; while the slight eminence in the third--Rolant--evidently indicates a rabbit-burrow. If such stuff as Mons. Barrois drivels forth on the subject of cards pass for antiquarian knowledge in France, it would seem that an ass-load of useless book-learning constituted the grand qualification of a French antiquary.