Before very many years have passed the language of symbolism by cards, tea-leaves, crystal gazing, etc., will probably be almost universally understood. The day will undoubtedly come when it will be accepted as naturally as the English language, and we shall cease to worry ourselves as to the why and wherefore of it all. It is important that those who are learning the art of divination by tea-leaves should realise the necessity for consistently attributing the same meanings to the symbols. Do not be tempted to change their interpretation for what may seem a more probable, or pleasant, prediction for your client. It is a fatal mistake. Remember that you are dealing with conditions and events of the future which are outside the limited knowledge of the normal mind, whose power of vision is limited to physical sight. A simple instance of what may occur, should you thus change the meanings of the symbols, will suffice to show the folly of such a practice. A consultant comes to have her "fortune read." She is known to you personally, and you are aware that she is anxious to hear a hopeful report of someone dear to her who is ill. The tea-leaf symbols are obstinately unfavourable, and display ominous signs of forthcoming sorrow. If you gloss over this fact completely, and predict a rapid recovery from the illness, what becomes of your client's faith in the power of foretelling the future? Certain it is that the symbols would be right in their verdict, and you would be wrong. It is usually easier to prophesy smooth things rather than unpleasant facts, but to do this in the face of obvious contradictions will lead to disaster in foretelling the future. Divination by tea-leaves or cards has the candour to be frankly disagreeable when necessary. This is one great argument in favour of its unerring truthfulness. There is no means by which symbols may be coaxed into proclaiming false statements. The most practised clairvoyant may occasionally make mistakes in her reading of the symbols, but no genuine seer should ever deliberately give a wrong interpretation of them to please her consultant. The business of the diviner is to give what she believes to be a correct and unprejudiced translation of the symbols before her. It is sometimes a vexed question as to what extent information of a gloomy nature, which may appear in a divination, should be given to a client. Some are in favour of withholding such matter altogether, whilst others announce it frankly without modification. It seems impossible to lay down any hard and fast rule. There are so many things to be taken into account, and each case should be treated on its merits and according to its peculiar circumstances. There are some who would fret themselves ill at the least mention of coming misfortune, others would be the better prepared to meet it by having been warned of its approach.