Prophetical, Educational and Playing Cards

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.

CHAPTER VI--THE ATOUTS OF THE TAROTS 124-174