It must be admitted that this practice--however absurd in its object and
application--does great credit to human ingenuity. Once admitting the
possibility of such conjuring, it is impossible to deny the propriety
of the reasonings deduced from the turning up, the collocation, or
the juxta-position of the various cards, when the formalities of the
peculiar shuffle and cut required have been duly complied with by the
consulter.
The cards are first shuffled ad libitum, then cut three different times,
and laid on a table, face upwards, one by one, in the form of a circle,
or more frequently nine in a row. If the conjurer is a man he chooses
one of the kings as his representative; if a woman, she selects one of
the queens. This is on the supposition that persons are consulting
for themselves; otherwise it is the fortune-teller who selects the
representative card. Then the queen of the chosen king, or the king of
the chosen queen, stands for a husband or wife, mistress or lover, of
the party whose fortune is to be told. The knave of the suit represents
the most intimate person of their family.
The ninth card every way, that is, counted from the representative, is
of the greatest consequence, and that interval comprises the 'circle' of
the inquirer, for good or for evil.
Now, all the cards have had assigned to them arbitrary, but plausible,
characteristics. Thus, the ace of clubs (that suit representing
originally the 'fortunate husbandmen') promises great wealth, much
prosperity in life, and tranquillity of mind--if it turns up within
your circle, as before mentioned. King of clubs announces a man of dark
complexion who is humane, upright, &c., in fact, just the man for a
husband. Queen of clubs is equally propitious as the emblem of a dark
lady who would prove a paragon wife. Knave of clubs, a jolly good
friend in every way. Ten of clubs always flurries the heart of the
inquirer--especially if 'hard up'--for it denotes riches speedily
forthcoming from an unexpected quarter--which is usually the case in
such circumstances; but then it also threatens the loss of some dear
friend--which, however, cannot signify much if you get 'the money.'
Seven of clubs promises the most brilliant fortune, and the most
exquisite bliss this world can afford; but then you are ungallantly
warned that you must 'beware of the opposite sex'--which seems a
contradiction in terms--for how call 'the most exquisite bliss this
world can afford' be secured without the aid of 'the opposite sex'?
Five of clubs is the main point of maid-servants, young girls from the
country, governesses, in short, of all the floating womanhood of the
land--for 'it declares that you will shortly be married to a person
who will--MEND your CIRCUMSTANCES.' The trey of clubs is scarcely less
exhilarating, for it promises that you will be married three times, and
each time to a wealthy person. On the whole the suit of clubs is
very lucky, but, very appropriately, the deuce thereof portends some
'unfortunate opposition to your favourite inclination, which will
disturb you.'(80)
(80) According to other authorities, the ace of clubs means a letter;
the nine, danger caused by drunkenness; the eight, danger from
covetousness; the seven, a prison, and danger from the opposite sex;
the six, competence by hard-working industry; the five, a happy but NOT
wealthy marriage; the four, danger of misfortunes caused by inconstancy
or capricious temper; the trey, quarrels.
The suit of diamonds is by no means so satisfactory as the gem of a
name would seem to indicate; but perhaps we must remember that this suit
represented originally the COMMERCIAL CLASSES, and that probably this
divination by cards was invented by some proud ARISTOCRAT in those
times when tradesmen did not stand so high as they now do in morality,
uprightness, &c. The ace of diamonds puts you on the qui vive for the
postman; it means a LETTER. It is only to be hoped that it is not one
of those nasty things, yellow outside and blue within--a dun from some
importunate butcher, baker, grocer, or--tailor. The king of diamonds
shows a revengeful, fiery, obstinate fellow of very fair complexion in
your circle; the queen of diamonds is nothing but a gay coquette, of the
same complexion as the king, and not 'over-virtuous'--a very odd phrase
in use for the absence of virtue altogether; the knave of diamonds is
a selfish, impracticable fellow; ten of diamonds is one of the few
exceptions to the evil omens of this suit, it promises a country husband
or a wife with great wealth and many children--the number of the latter
being indicated by the next card to it; it also signifies a purse
of gold--but where? Oh, where? Nine of diamonds indicates simply a
vagabond, full of vexation and disappointment; eight of diamonds shows
an enemy to marriage, who may, however, 'marry late,' and find himself
in a terrible 'fix;' seven of diamonds is worse still, portending all
the horrors of the divorce court and the bankruptcy court--conjugal
profligacy and extravagance; six of diamonds means early marriage and
premature widowhood, and a second marriage, which will probably be
worse; five of diamonds is the next exception to the misery of this
suit, it promises 'good children, who will KEEP YOU FROM GRIEF'--at
best, however, only a makeshift; four of diamonds is as bad as seven of
diamonds--portending the same results; the trey of diamonds threatens
all manner of strife, law-suits, &c., promises a vixen for a wife,
to your great domestic misery; the deuce of diamonds concludes the
catalogue of wretchedness with the assurance that you will fall in love
early, that your parents will not approve of your choice, and if you
marry, notwithstanding, that they will hardly ever forgive you.(81)
(81) Otherwise the ace of diamonds means a wedding ring, the king, a
fiery but a placable person, of very fair complexion; the ten, money,
success in honourable business; the eight, a happy prudent marriage,
though late in life; the five, unexpected and most likely good news; the
four, a faithless friend, a betrayed secret.
The suit of hearts, as previously explained, represented originally the
ecclesiastical order, the jolly monks, churchmen of all degrees; how far
the indications tally must be left to the ingenious reader to determine.
The ace of hearts means feasting and pleasure; but if attended by
spades, it foretells quarrelling; if by hearts it shows affection and
friendship; if by diamonds, you will hear of some absent friend; if by
clubs, of merry-making: the king of hearts denotes a not VERY fair man,
good-natured, but hot and hasty individual, and very amorous; the queen
of hearts promises a lady of golden locks (not necessarily 'carrots'),
faithful and affectionate; the knave of hearts is a particular friend,
and great attention must be paid to the card that stands next to him, as
from it alone you can judge whether the person it represents will favour
your inclination or not, because he is always the dearest friend or
nearest relation of the consulting party; the ten of hearts shows good
nature and many children, and is a corrective of the bad tidings of the
cards that stand next to it; and if its neighbouring cards are of good
import, it ascertains and confirms their value: nine of hearts promises
wealth, grandeur, and high esteem; if cards that are unfavourable stand
near it, you may expect disappointments; and the reverse, if favourable
cards follow; if these last be at a small distance, expect to retrieve
your losses, whether of peace or goods: eight of hearts signifies
drinking and feasting; seven of hearts shows a fickle and unfaithful
person, vicious, spiteful, malicious; six of hearts promises a generous,
open, credulous disposition, often a dupe; if this card comes before
your king or queen (as the case may be) YOU will be the dupe; if
after, you will get the upper hand: five of hearts portends a wavering,
unsteady, unreliable individual of either sex: four of hearts indicates
late marriage from 'delicacy in making a choice:' trey of hearts
is rather a 'poser;' 'it shows that your own impudence will greatly
contribute to your experiencing the ill-will of others:' deuce of hearts
promises extraordinary success and good fortune, though, perhaps, you
may have to wait long for 'the good time coming.'(82)
(82) Or,--the ace of hearts denotes the house of the consulter; the
queen, a lady not VERY fair; seven, many good friends; six, honourable
courtship; five, a present; four, domestic troubles caused by jealousy.
The suit of spades originally represented the NOBILITY, and the
following are its significances in fortune-telling. The ace of spades
wholly relates to love-affairs, without specifying whether lawful or
unlawful--a pretty general occupation of the 'nobility,' of course;
it also denotes death when the card is upside down: the king of spades
shows a man ambitious and successful at court, or with some great man
who will have it in his power to advance him--but, let him beware of the
reverse! the queen of spades shows that a person will be corrupted by
the rich of both sexes; if she is handsome great attempts will be made
on her virtue: the knave of spades shows a fellow that requires much
rousing, although 'quite willing to serve you' with his influence
and patronage--like many a member in the case of his importunate
constituents: the ten of spades is a card of caution, counteracting the
good effect of the card near you: the nine of spades is positively the
worst card in the whole pack; it portends dangerous sickness, total loss
of fortune, cruel calamities, endless dissension in your family, and
death at last--I hope you may never see it near you: the eight of spades
indicates much opposition from your FRIENDS, or those you imagine to be
such; if this card comes near you, leave your plan and adopt another:
seven of spades shows the loss of a most valuable, influential friend,
whose death will plunge you in very great distress and poverty: the six
of spades announces a mediocrity of fortune, and great uncertainty in
your undertakings: the five of spades is rather doubtful as to success
or a rise in life; but it promises luck in the choice of your companion
for life, although it shows that your own temper is rather sullen--and
so to get a 'fond creature' to take care of you, with such a temper, is
a mighty great blessing, and more than you deserve: the four of spades
shows sickness speedily, and injury of fortune by friends: the trey
of spades shows that you will be fortunate in marriage, but that your
inconstant temper will make you unhappy: the deuce of spades is the
UNDERTAKER, at last; it positively shows a COFFIN, but who it is for
must depend entirely on the cards that are near it.(83)
(83) Or,--the ace of spades denotes death, malice, a duel, a general
misfortune; the king, a man of very dark complexion, ambitious, and
unscrupulous; the queen, a very dark-complexioned woman of malicious
disposition, or a widow; the knave, a lawyer, a person to be shunned;
the ten, disgrace, crime, imprisonment, death on the scaffold; the
eight, great danger from imprudence; the six, a child, to the unmarried
a card of caution; the five, great danger from giving way to bad temper;
the trey, a journey by land,--tears; the deuce, a removal.
'The nine of hearts is termed the wish card. After the general fortune
has been told, a separate and different manipulation is performed, to
learn if the pryer into futurity will obtain a particular wish; and
from the position of the wish card in the pack the required answer is
deduced.
'The foregoing is merely the alphabet of the art; the letters, as it
were, of the sentences formed by the various combinations of the cards.
A general idea only can be given here of the manner in which those
prophetic sentences are formed. As before stated, if a married woman
consults the cards, the king of her own suit, or complexion, represents
her husband; but with single women, the lover, either in esse or posse,
is represented by his own colour; and all cards, when representing
persons, lose their own normal significations. There are exceptions,
however, to these general rules. A man, no matter what his complexion,
if he wear uniform, even if he be the negro cymbal-player in a
regimental band, can be represented by the king of diamonds:--note, the
dress of policemen and volunteers is not considered as uniform. On the
other hand, a widow, even if she be an albiness, can be represented only
by the queen of spades.
'The ace of hearts always denoting the house of the person consulting
the decrees of fate, some general rules are applicable to it. Thus the
ace of clubs signifying a letter, its position, either before or after
the ace of hearts, shows whether the letter is to be sent to or from the
house. The ace of diamonds when close to the ace of hearts foretells a
wedding in the house; but the ace of spades betokens sickness and death.
'The knaves represent the thoughts of their respective kings and queens,
and consequently the thoughts of the persons whom those kings and queens
represent, in accordance with their complexions.
For instance, a young lady of a rather but not decidedly dark
complexion, represented by the queen of clubs, when consulting the
cards, may be shocked to find her fair lover (the king of diamonds)
flirting with a wealthy widow (the queen of spades, attended by the ten
of diamonds), but she will be reassured by finding his thoughts (the
knave of diamonds) in combination with a letter (ace of clubs), a
wedding ring (ace of diamonds), and her house (the ace of hearts);
clearly signifying that, though he is actually flirting with the rich
widow, he is, nevertheless, thinking of sending a letter, with an offer
of marriage, to the young lady herself. And look, where are her own
thoughts, represented by the knave of clubs; they are far away with the
old lover, that dark man (king of spades) who, as is plainly shown
by his being attended by the nine of diamonds, is prospering at the
Australian diggings or elsewhere. Let us shuffle the cards once more,
and see if the dark man, at the distant diggings, ever thinks of his
old flame, the club-complexioned young lady in England. No! he does not.
Here are his thoughts (the knave of spades), directed to this fair,
but rather gay and coquettish, woman (the queen of diamonds); they
are separated but by a few hearts, one of them, the sixth (honourable
courtship), showing the excellent understanding that exists between
them. Count, now, from the six of hearts to the ninth card from it, and
lo! it is a wedding ring (the ace of diamonds); they will be married
before the expiration of a twelvemonth.'
Such is the scheme of fortune-telling by cards, as propounded in the
learned disquisitions of the adepts, and Betty, or Martha, or her
mistress can consult them by themselves according to the established
method--without exposing themselves to the extortionate cunning of the
wandering gipsies or the permanent crone of the city or village.
They may just as well believe what comes out according to their own
manipulation as by that of the heartless cheats in question. Your
ordinary fortune-tellers are not over-particular, being only anxious to
tell you exactly what you want to know. So if a black court card gets
in juxta-position with and looking towards a red court card, the
fair consulter's representative, then it is evident that some 'dark
gentleman' is 'after her;' and vice versa; and if a wife, suspecting
her husband's fidelity, consults the cards, the probability is that her
SUSPICIONS will receive 'confirmation strong' from the fact that 'some
dark woman,' that is, a black queen, 'is after her husband;' or vice
versa, if a husband consults the card-woman respecting the suspicions
he may have reason to entertain with regard to his 'weaker rib' or his
'intended.'
It need scarcely be observed that fortune-tellers in any place are
'posted up' in all information or gossip in the neighbourhood; and
therefore they readily turn their knowledge to account in the answers
they give to anxious inquirers.
Apart from this, however, the interpretations are so elaborately
comprehensive that 'something' MUST come true in the revelations; and
we all know that in such matters that something coming to pass will far
outweigh the non-fulfilment of other fatal ordinations. Of course no
professional fortune-teller would inform an old man that some dark or
fair man was 'after' his old woman; but nothing is more probable than
the converse, and much family distraction has frequently resulted from
such perverse revelation of 'the cards.' In like manner your clever
fortune-teller will never promise half-a-dozen children to 'an old
lady,' but she will very probably hold forth that pleasant prospect--if
such it be--to a buxom lass of seventeen or eighteen--especially in
those counties of England where the ladies are remarkable for such
profuse bounty to their husbands.
As a general proposition, it matters very little what may be the means
of vaticination or prediction--whether cards, the tea-grounds in the
cup, &c.,--all POSSIBLE events have a degree of probability of coming to
pass, which may vary from 20 to 1 down to a perfect equality of chance;
and the clever fortune-teller, who may be mindful of her reputation,
will take care to regulate her promises or predictions according to that
proposition.
Many educated ladies give their attention to the cards, and some have
acquired great proficiency in the art. On board a steamer sailing for
New York, on one occasion a French lady among the saloon-passengers
undertook to amuse the party by telling their fortunes. A Scotch young
gentleman, who was going out to try and get a commission in the Federal
army, had his fortune told. Among the announcements, as interpreted by
the lady, was the rather unpleasant prospect that two constables would
be 'after' him! We all laughed heartily at the odd things that came out
for everybody, and then the thing was forgotten; the steamer reached her
destination; and all the companions of the pleasant voyage separated and
went their different ways.
Some months after, I met the young gentleman above alluded to, and among
the various adventures which he had had, he mentioned the following.
He said that shortly after his arrival in New York he presented a
ten-dollar note which he had received, at a drinking-house, that it was
declared a forged note, and that he was given into custody; but that
the magistrate, on being conclusively convinced of his respectability,
dismissed the charge without even taking the trouble to establish the
alleged fact that the note was a forgery. So far so good; but on
the following morning, whilst at breakfast at his hotel, another
police-officer pounced upon him, and led him once more on the same
charge to another magistrate, who, however, dismissed the case like the
other.(84)
(84) It appears that this is allowable in New York. The explanation of
the perverse prosecution was, that the young gentleman did not 'fee' the
worthy policemen, according to custom in such cases.
Thereupon I said--'Why, the French lady's card-prediction on board came
to pass! Don't you remember what she said about two constables being
"after you"?'
'Now I remember it,' he said; 'but I had positively forgotten all about
it. Well, she was right there--but I am sorry to say that nothing else
she PROMISED has come to pass.'
Doubtless all other consulters of the cards and of astrologers can say
the same, although all would not wisely conclude that a system must be
erroneous which misleads human hope in the great majority of cases.
In fact, like the predictions in our weather-almanacks, the
fortune-teller's announcements are only right BY CHANCE, and wrong ON
PRINCIPLE.
FORTUNE-TELLING FORTY YEARS AGO, OR, THE STORY OF MARTHA CARNABY.
A certain Martha Carnaby, a tidy but rather 'unsettled' servant girl,
some forty years ago went to an old fortune-teller, to have her fortune
told, and the doings on both sides came out as follows, before the
magistrate at the Bow Street police-court. The fortune-teller was
'had up,' as usual, 'for obtaining money and other valuables' from the
former.
Miss Martha Carnaby said that this celebrated old fortune-teller had
first gained her acquaintance by attending at her master's house,
before the family had risen, and urging her to have her fortune told.
At length, after much persuasion, she consented; but the fortune-teller
told her that before the secrets of her future destiny were revealed,
she must deposit in her hands some little token, TO BIND THE CHARM,
which the old lady said she would invoke the same evening--'if I would
call at her lodgings, and also cast my nativity by her cards, and tell
me every particular of the future progress of my life. I accordingly
gave her what money I had; but that, she told me, was not enough to buy
the ingredients with which she was to compose the charm. I at length
gave her four silver teaspoons and two tablespoons, which she put
carefully in her pocket; and then asked me to let her look at my hand,
which I showed her. She told me there were many lines in it which
clearly indicated great wealth and happiness; and, after telling her my
name was Martha Carnaby, she took her departure, and I agreed to meet
her at her lodgings the same evening. Agreeably to her directions, I
dressed myself in as fashionable a manner as I could, because I WAS TO
SEE MY SWEETHEART THROUGH A MIRROR, AND HE WAS TO SEE ME.'
The poor deluded creature then stated that she attended punctually at
the hour appointed, at the old lady's sanctum, and seating herself upon
an old chair, beheld with astonishment quite as much as she bargained
for. 'I felt myself,' said poor Martha, 'on entering the room, all of a
twitter. The old woman was seated in her chair of state, and, reaching
down from the mantel-piece a pack of cards, began, after muttering a few
words in a language I could not understand, to lay them very carefully
in her lap; she then foretold that I should get married, but not to the
person in our house, as I expected, but to another young man, whom, if I
could afford a trifle, she would show me through her MATRIMONIAL MIRROR.
To this I consented, and she desired me to shut my eyes and keep my face
covered while she made the necessary preparations; and there she kept
me, with my face hid in her lap, until I was nearly smothered; when
suddenly she told me to turn round, and look through the mirror, which
was seen through a hole in a curtain, and I saw a young man pass quickly
before me, staring me in the face, at which I was much surprised, she
assuring me that he would be my husband. It was then agreed that she was
to call on me the next morning, and return the silver spoons; but, your
Worship,' said the poor girl, 'she never came; and as I was afraid my
mistress would soon want them, I asked the advice of a woman in our
neighbourhood, as to what I had better do, and to whom I related all the
circumstances I have told your Worship; when the woman asked me how
I could have been such a fool as to be duped by that old cheat at the
bar,--that she was a notorious old woman, that she had in her employ
some young man, who was always hid in the room, to overhear the
conversation, and to run from out of the hiding-place before the mirror;
and that I ought to be thankful I came away as well as I did, as many
young girls had been ruined through going to this old creature; that,
from her acquaintance with so many servant girls, she always contrived
to get from them such intelligence as enabled her to answer those
questions that might be put to her, as to the business, name, place
of abode, country, and other circumstances of the party applying, the
answering of which always convinced the credulous creatures who went to
her, of her great skill in the art of astrology; and when she was right
in her guessing, she always took care to have it well published.'
Of course, and again, as usual, the magistrate 'hoped it would be a
lesson to Martha, and to all other foolish girls, never to hearken to
those infernal, wicked old wretches, the fortune-tellers--many a girl
having lost her character and virtue by listening to their nonsense;'
but there have been hundreds and thousands of such Marthas since then,
and no doubt there will be very many more in future--in spite of the
ridiculous exposure of such dupes ever and anon, in courts of justice
and in the columns of the daily papers.
'The art of cartomancy, or divination by playing-cards, dates from an
early period of their obscure history. In the museum of Nantes there
is a painting, said to be by Van Eyck, representing Philippe le Bon,
Archduke of Austria, and subsequently King of Spain, consulting a
fortune-teller by cards. This picture cannot be of a later date than the
fifteenth century. Then the art was introduced into England is unknown;
probably, however, the earliest printed notice of it in this country is
the following curious story, extracted from Rowland's Judicial Astrology
Condemned:--"Cuffe, an excellent Grecian, and secretary to the Earl of
Essex, was told, twenty years before his death, that he should come
to an untimely end, at which Cuffe laughed, and in a scornful manner
entreated the soothsayer to show him in what manner he should come to
his end, who condescended to him, and calling for cards, entreated Cuffe
to draw out of the pack any three which pleased him. He did so, and drew
three knaves, and laid them on the table by the wizard's direction, who
then told him, if he desired to see the sum of his bad fortune, to take
up those cards. Cuffe, as he was prescribed, took up the first card, and
looking on it, he saw the portraiture of himself cap-a-pie, having men
encompassing him with bills and halberds. Then he took up the second,
and there he saw the judge that sat upon him; and taking up the last
card, he saw Tyburn, the place of his execution, and the hangman, at
which he laughed heartily. But many years after, being condemned, he
remembered and declared this prediction."
'The earliest work on cartomancy was written or compiled by one
Francesco Marcolini, and printed at Venice in 1540.'(85)
(85) The Book of Days, Feb. 21. In this work there is a somewhat
different account of cartomancy to that which I have expounded 'on the
best authorities' and from practical experience with the adepts in
the art; but, in a matter of such immense importance to ladies of all
degrees, I have thought proper to give, in foot-notes, the differing
interpretations of the writer in the Book of Days, who professes to
speak with some authority, not however, I think, superior to mine, for I
have investigated the subject to the utmost.