CHAPTER I

HOW WE GOT OUR PACK OF CARDS

PAGE

Where do they come from?—The Romany Folk—Were they made in Europe?—Suits and signs—The power of cards—Their charm and interest—Necessity for sympathy—Value of Cartomancy

15

CHAPTER II

WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL CARDS SIGNIFY

Two systems—The English method—The foreign—Significations of the cards—Hearts—Diamonds—Clubs—Spades—A short table—Mystic meanings

21

CHAPTER III

THE SELECTED PACK OF THIRTY-TWO CARDS

Reduced pack generally used—How to indicate reversed cards—Meaning of Hearts—Diamonds—Clubs—Spades

27

CHAPTER IV

THE SIGNIFICATION OF QUARTETTES, TRIPLETS, AND PAIRS

Combinations of court cards—Combinations of plain cards—Various cards read together—General meaning of the several suits—Some lesser points to notice

30

p. x

CHAPTER V

WHAT THE CARDS CAN TELL OF THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE

PAGE

A simple method—What the cards say—The Present—The Future

35

CHAPTER VI

YOUR FORTUNE IN TWENTY-ONE CARDS

A reduced pack—An example—The three packs—The surprise

39

CHAPTER VII

COMBINATION OF SEVENS

A method with selected cards—General rules—How to proceed—Reading of the cards—Signification of cards—Some combinations—A typical example—Further inquiries—The seven packs

45

CHAPTER VIII

ANOTHER METHOD WITH THIRTY-TWO CARDS

General outline—Signification of cards—How to consult the cards—An illustration—Its reading

53

CHAPTER IX

A FRENCH METHOD

French system—The reading—An example

57

CHAPTER X

THE GRAND STAR

The number of cards may vary—The method—The reading in pairs—Diagram of the Grand Star—An example

61

p. xi

CHAPTER XI

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. FORTUNE-TELLING GAMES

PAGE

How to answer them—Specimen questions—Cupid and Venus at work

65

CHAPTER XII

HOW THEY TELL FORTUNES IN ITALY

Italian method—An example—Notice the groups—How the pairs work out—The five packs

71

CHAPTER XIII

THE MASTER METHOD. THE CHART AND ITS EXPLANATION

Knowledge is power—Four twos added to the usual pack—The thirty-six squares and their significance—Tendencies of the suits

76

CHAPTER XIV

THE MASTER METHOD. SIGNIFICATIONS OF CARDS USED

Court cards—Plain cards—An example of the Master Method

89

CHAPTER XV

A COMBINATION OF NINES

How to work it—An example—The first reading—The second reading—The third reading

98

CHAPTER XVI

YOUR HEART'S DESIRE. SIX WAYS OF TRYING A WISH

The wish with fifteen cards—Another way—The wish with thirty-two cards—What the four aces tell—The wish in seven packs—The wish card again

102

p. xii

CHAPTER XVII

RHYMING FORTUNE-TELLER

PAGE

Diamonds—Hearts—Spades—Clubs

107

CHAPTER XVIII

THE TAROTS: THEIR ORIGIN AND HISTORY

Derivation of name—Remote origin—The great Etteilla

114

CHAPTER XIX

ETTEILLA'S METHOD OF USING THE TAROTS

The major arcana—The minor arcana—General rules—The second deal—The third deal or great figure—The fourth deal

117