The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of DivinationDe Laurence, L. W. (Lauron William)
Religion
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination
De Laurence, L. W. (Lauron William)
Fortune-telling by cards; Tarot
As in spite of its modest pretensions, this monograph is, so
far as I am aware, the first attempt to provide in English a complete
synoptic account of the Tarot, with its archæological position
defined, its available symbolism developed, and—as a matter of
curiosity in occultism—with its divinatory meanings and modes of
operation sufficiently exhibited, it is my wish, from the literate
standpoint, to enumerate those text-books of the subject, and the
most important incidental references thereto, which have come
under my notice. The bibliographical particulars that follow lay
no claim to completeness, as I have cited nothing that I have not
seen with my own eyes; but I can understand that most of my
readers will be surprised at the extent of the literature—if I may
so term it conventionally—which has grown up in the course of
the last 120 years. Those who desire to pursue their inquiries
further will find ample materials herein, though it is not a course
which I am seeking to commend especially, as I deem that enough
has been said upon the Tarot in this place to stand for all that
has preceded it. The bibliography itself is representative after a
similar manner. I should add that there is a considerable catalogue
of cards and works on card-playing in the British Museum,
but I have not had occasion to consult it to any extent for the
purposes of the present list.
I
Monde Primitif, analysé et comparé avec le Monde Moderne.
Par M. Court de Gebelin. Vol. 8, 4to, Paris, 1781.
The articles on the Jeu des Tarots will be found at pp. 365 to
410. The plates at the end show the Trumps Major and the Aces
of each suit. These are valuable as indications of the cards at the
close of the eighteenth century. They were presumably then in
circulation in the South of France, as it is said that at the period
in question they were practically unknown at Paris. I have dealt
with the claims of the papers in the body of the present work.
Their speculations were tolerable enough for their mazy period;
but that they are suffered still, and accepted indeed without question,
by French occult writers is the most convincing testimony
that one can need to the qualifications of the latter for dealing
with any question of historical research.
II
The Works of Etteilla. Les Septs Nuances de l'œuvre philosophique
Hermétique; Maniére de se récréer avec le Jeu de
Cartes, nommées Tarots; Fragments sur les Hautes Sciences;
Philosophie des Hautes Sciences; Jeu des Tarots, ou
le Livre de Thoth; Leçons Théoriques et Pratiques du Livre
de Thoth—all published between 1783 and 1787.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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