PROPHETICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND PLAYING CARDS [Illustration: ATOUTS OF AN EARLY ITALIAN PACK OF TAROTS 1 Il Bagattel 2 La Papessa 3 L'Imperatrice 4 L'Imperatore 5 Il Papa 6 Gli Amanti] Prophetical, Educational and Playing Cards By MRS. JOHN KING VAN RENSSELAER Author of "The Devil's Picture Books," Etc. LONDON HURST & BLACKETT, Ltd. PATERNOSTER HOUSE 1912 PRINTED BY THE GEORGE H BUCHANAN COMPANY PHILADELPHIA, U. S. A. THE ORACLE OF ISHTAR AND NEBO UTTERED BY A WOMAN BAYA (OR WITCH) A NATIVE OF ARABELA "I proclaim it aloud--What Has Been Will Be--I am Nebo--The Lord of the Writing Tablet--Glorify Me." CONTENTS CHAPTER I--PROPHETICAL AND OTHER CARDS 27-57 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 Baiæ--Book of Thoth--Addha-Nari-- Heraldry--Tradesmen's signs--Lady Mary Wortley Montagu-- Terminus--Cestus--Pigs and tongues--Gazelle--Number Thirteen--Joker. CHAPTER II--THE BOOK OF THOTH, HERMES, AND NEBO 58-71 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"--Tête-á-Tête mysteries--The pack--L'Ombre--Skus--Pagat--Austrian Taroks--The romance of a pack of Tarots--Austrian games-- Austrian game books--A clergyman on cards. CHAPTER III--MERCURIUS 72-93 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 Baiæ--Mercurius--His work--His parentage--His Infancy--Gifts from the gods-- Golden-leaved rod--Wings--The planet--Different cognomens--Representations--Thoth--Inventions--Priests-- Sirius--Hermes introduced by the Pelasgi--Books of Thoth--Inventor of games--Great teacher--Titles of books--Connection with cards--Their scientific arrangement. CHAPTER IV--THOTH 94-108