toward the Master-Row. Thus have you a new Figure, smaller than the last Square of Sevens, and somewhat irregular: there be in some Rows five cards, in others less; even so few, though rarely, as three or two. Note that a Pile of Cards is reckoned only as one card. Note, too, that with cards that have become hid beneath others you have no concern.

Of the Sacrifice.

Next, cast or lay aside in a parcel, all Cards in the Figure that are not contained in the three Columns, leftward (the Master-Column, and two other Columns). If, your Reduction done, any Row offer to sight but two Cards—the Master-Card and its neighbor—so must the Row abide. But this comes rarely. You will best not disturb the Cards hid in the Piles, for it is well to let Sleeping Dogs lie, and moreover needless Fingering and Quiddling of the Parallelogram is not commended. With the cards thus rejected have you no more to do. They are called the Sacrifice.

The Parallelogram made.

Now have you a Parallelogram of One-and-Twenty Cards in sight (Fig. 13), reduced from the Square that formerly held Nine-and-Forty. With these One-and-Twenty now under your eyes I will be your Querist's affair.

You may indeed ask why so much Labour is made of building the Square only to reduce it, to despoil it, and to force it to hide or to part with so many of its Sevens—as by a sudden Slaughter or a Panic or a Plague. But it is held that by such prior Shufflings, Dealings, and Placings are much cherished the accidentall Declarings of Fates intelligence; and that by the other Processes, embracing The Sacrifice, there remain for Reading just the Cards decreed; free from disposition by light-fingered Craft, or from ticklish Arrangements by Skill.

A Thing of Great Mystery and Fair Harmony—as Jacobus of Utrecht calleth the Soul.

And the Square itself, the Parent of the Parallelogram, is of great Harmony as a Mystery. Indeed all other Methods of reading fortune in Cards are incomparable to it.

Of Summarizing in the Parallelogram its Aspect and of the Fortune or Experience of the Querist that it will Report.

With your Parallelogram thus built, observe it as an Whole; and remark if it hath an Agreeable or Unpleasing Aspect—one Auspicious or Unkind, according as it contains rather the red or the black Suits. For a Red Aspect is kindly. A Black Aspect contains many less favorable cards, especially if they be Spades.

Of Hearts as a Portent.

And, for another Matter, and a wider Notice as to the Suits of Cards:—it has long been assured by those best knowing Card Intelligences that the Suit of Hearts is the Suit of the Affections, Passions, Fancies and Feelings.

Of Diamonds.

And the Suit of Diamonds ever refers to Condition in Life, Society, Wealth, Position and the Fine Arts; and contains many Comfortable Cards.

Of Clubs.

In the Clubs lies the Judgment, the Intellect, the Will, and the Affairs of a Man's Brains, and what he doeth of his own Mastery and Genius.

Of the ominous Spades suit.

The Spades is ever the suit of doubtful or worse Prognosticks; of the Events that arbitrarily fall to Man's Lot, those things which hardly can any Prescience or Plans or Conditions of our own making amend. Thence is it that in especiall comes a serious, nay even a gloomy appearance to the Parallelogram. Your first Glance at it, therefore, gives you a Generall Character in it, to state first to the Querist before its details.

Of a particular Uncertainty in a Prognostick.

But particularly note that Matters to be read in its Cards may often refer not to the Future, or to the Present, but to the Past. Especially is this the truth with the Old or Elderly or with those Wed. Such must expect to be told of Experiences that lie behind them, rather than before them, of Good or Evil; for Fate oft allows sparingly of Incident to those of middle years, or later; and therewith she is often pleased to make her Oracle speak coldly to a Querist, of Ancient Circumstances.

The Shot seldom goeth twice into the same hole; and a Dead Trouble or Joy rarely Reviveth.  And a Blessed Thing that 'tis so!

Hence, whether a Significancy in a Card speak of what is come or is yet to come, at best is none too certain; only it is true that the greater or harder Experiences of Mortall Lives seldom be duplicated. With the Young or Unwedded, the Significancies are of the Future, with far more determination.

Note now your Card in the Right-Hand column, and also the Card next it, of course to the Leftward; which Leftward Card is spoken of as Influencing the other.

Of the Influences, In which the Philosophick will find a likeness to Human Circumstances.

The Significancy of it, for good or evil, is given in the Tavola that follows in this Book, by its proper Suit and Degree: and this you will tell to your Querist. Next note the card, which was just now an Influencing Card, but which, now in its turn, is to be considered according to the Influence cast on it by the Master-Card, beyond it, leftward. Declare this Significancy. Last, declare what may be the Significancy of the Master-Card, as such and alone. And so proceed, as to each card in the Parallelogram, ever naming last the Significance of the Master-Card, until your Parallelogram is all interpreted to the Querist. And note that the Master-Card even as an Influence is not more potent than another, (as far as is known), and that its Dignity and Potency arise only in its being uninfluenced; and, so speaking, from its Significance with a certain Individuality not belonging to its two Fellows. Nor are there; any Influences cast Upward or Downward by the Cards, out of the Row in which each lieth.

Having read the Parallelogram from beginning to end, slowly and honestly, lay forth those three Wish Cards, early chosen by your Querist, but not dealt in the Square.

Of the Querist's Wish.

If they contain more Red than Black Cards, this shall come: the Querist may wish a Wish for his own Profit or Pleasure, even in removal of an Evil that hath been read to him in the Parallelogram. If there be Black rather than Red cards in the Three, he must wish a like wish for Another. And in either case, if the cards deciding his Privilege be of high degree, such as Court Cards, Aces or above the Eight, his Wish is likely to be granted, or at least it is not in vain in some sort. But if the Cards be low in Values he has desired to Fruitlessness.

Let it be minded that by the Phrase an high or a low Card in a Suit is ever meant, respectively, the cards above or below the Eight; the Aces being reckoned as the highest in a Suit. And indeed Cards must ever be read with a Considering of their Degree, and of the Six in Court Cards. Where there be no speciall Significancies given to the Degrees, the Judgement must I shift as best it can.

It is well not to oblige, of any one evening, or on a set and single occasion, more than a Querist or so—maybe, oblige at most three Querists—by making Squares of Sevens and Reducing the same and Reading what may lie therein. Too much of any good thing makes it over-common, blunts the Appetite and dulls the Apprehensiveness of the Reader. With fatigue, too, may come Carelessness and, on good occasion, even Lying: and, besides, let us respect the Supernaturall.