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
The word Tarot comes from the Sanskrit and means "fixed
star," which in its turn signifies immutable tradition, theosophical
synthesis, symbolism of primitive dogma, etc. Graven on golden
plates, the designs were used by Hermes Trismegistus and their
mysteries were only revealed to the highest grades of the priesthood
of Isis. It is unnecessary therefore to say that the Tarot is
of Egyptian origin and the work of M. Falconnier has been to
reconstruct its primitive form, which he does by reference to the
monuments—that is to say, after the fashion of Eliphas Lévi, he
draws the designs of the Trumps Major in imitation of Egyptian
art. This production has been hailed by French occultists as
presenting the Tarot in its perfection, but the same has been
said of the designs of Oswald Wirth, which are quite unlike and
not Egyptian at all. To be frank, these kinds of foolery may be
as much as can be expected from the Sanctuary of the Comédie-Française,
to which the author belongs, and it should be reserved
thereto.
XXI
The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum, interpreted by the
Tarot Trumps. Translated from the MSS. of Eliphas Lévi
and edited by W. Wynn Westcott, M.B. Fcap, 8vo, London,
1896.
It is necessary to say that the interest of this memorial rests
rather in the fact of its existence than in its intrinsic importance.
There is a kind of informal commentary on the Trumps Major,
or rather there are considerations which presumably had arisen
therefrom in the mind of the French author. For example, the
card called Fortitude is an opportunity for expatiation on will
as the secret of strength. The Hanged Man is said to represent
the completion of the Great Work. Death suggests a diatribe
against Necromancy and Goëtia; but such phantoms have no
existence in "the Sanctum Regnum" of life. Temperance produces
only a few vapid commonplaces, and the Devil, which is
blind force, is the occasion for repetition of much that has been
said already in the earlier works of Lévi. The Tower represents
the betrayal of the Great Arcanum, and this it was which
caused the sword of Samael to be stretched over the Garden of
Delight. Amongst the plates there is a monogram of the Gnosis,
which is also that of the Tarot. The editor has thoughtfully appended
some information on the Trump Cards taken from the
early works of Lévi and from the commentaries of P. Christian.
XXII
Comment on devient Alchimiste. Par F. Jolivet de Castellot.
Sq. 8vo, Paris, 1897.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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