A pack of fifty-two cards is taken, shuffled well and cut. Then it is
divided into three equal parcels of seventeen cards each, and one over
for "the surprise," which is to be laid aside. The first three cards
of each packet is taken, and each three is put apart. That will leave
fourteen in each group. The first and third packets of fourteen are
taken up, the middle one being put aside. These are now laid out in
four rows of seven, being sure that the significator is amongst them;
or else the card which is supposed to represent the thoughts of the
person consulting you, viz: the jack, may be counted from. Six are
now counted, beginning from the next card to the significator; and
after every sixth card, that card is not counted as one, but the
following one. When these have been explained, which must be done till
the significator is returned to, they are paired from end to end, and
read as arrived at; then they are gathered together, shuffled and cut,
and divided again into two groups of fourteen. These are not laid out
again, but two being merely extracted from each of these, not
forgetting the middle one, and adding them to the three packets of
three placed on one side. The middle one is now taken up, shuffled
well, and four cards taken from it, two from the top and two from the
bottom, and added to the one put aside to form "the surprise." There
are now four packs of five cards each:--One for the "consultant" and
one for the "house," one for "what is sure to come true," and one for
"the surprise." These are laid out in front of the dealer and read
from left to right in rotation.