Chapter I: Front Matter

PROPHETICAL, EDUCATIONAL AND PLAYING CARDS

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

M. Maspero's description of temple--Mr. Rawlinson's
account--Psammetchas--Nebo and Thoth--Symbols--The
month--Its device--Tablet of Khufu or Cheops--
Hieroglyphically described--Names of gods--Qualities and
titles of Thoth--At judgment seat--Sacrifices--Books--
Colleges--Priestess of Thoth--Khufu--Thotmes--Cleopatra's
needles--Generations of priests--Gypsies--Hermetic
books--The ghosts--Book of knowledge--Its boxes--Magical
texts--Amulets--Ritual of the dead--Hall of two
truths--Osiris--Confession--Three Writings--King of
Sais--The dumb children--Some of the books of Thoth--The
temple--Wall pictures--Origin of Atouts.

CHAPTER V--NEBO OR NABU 109-123

Chaldean god--Different names--Parent--Wife--Presides at
birth and death--Sword as symbol--Assyrian gods--King's
temples--Protector--Hymn to Nebo--Borsippa--E-Zida--Great
library--Invocations--Titles--Emblems--Stylus--God of
Revelations--Nabi, Naypes or prophet--Mr. Chatto's
derivation--Early cards in Italy--Planet--Assyrian gods
identical with Roman gods--The Moon--The month--Dog
star--Sacrifices--Card emblems--Boar--Temples--Cult--
Nebuchadnezzar--All wise--Asshurbanipal--Assyrian
invasion--Mingling of cults--Highway of Egypt--Cuneiform
inscriptions--Tablets--Texts--Hymn to Nabu--Origin of
letters.