there being Forty-nine Cards now left in it. Proceed next earnestly to Deal them forth on the table in the following Order and Manner, and without first seeing their Faces. And be solicitous of laying them down just as they shall come, Faces upward, in a Downward and Oblique Line; taking them from the Topmost of the Pack until you have laid forth Seven, Cards. And while you cruise and lay down the same, and indeed during all that here ensueth of Directions for your following, avoid foolish Conversation and sottish Pleasantries with those about you;

having your mind serious to your task. (Fig. 1.)

Shuffle again; and therewith from the store of the Pack add to the above Seven Cards, a Dealing of Six more, to be taken from the Bottom of the

Pack, chusing these also without knowledge of Suits or Values. They shall be laid in an ascending Border of Six, to the Right Hand of your first Series. (Fig. 2.)

Again Shuffle; and deal out

from the Top of the Pack Six other Cards laying them in a downward Border, leftward, to the thirteen already placed. (Fig. 3.)

Nineteen cards now face you in the Series. Shuffle again, and deal from the Bottom of the

Pack, to the Right hand of the Figure a-making, Five cards, in an ascending Border. (Fig. 4.)

Shuffle again; and from the Top of the Pack deal down other Five Cards, laid in descent,

as a Left-Hand Border. (Fig. 5.)

Your next Shuffling and Dealing will cause you to lay down, from the Bottom of the Pack, Four Cards, in a Right Ascension (Fig. 6), as you were laying

a Tiled Floor or a Ceiling Pattern. There are now three-and-thirty Cards laid. Again Shuffle, and from the Top of the Pack lay—downward—a Leftward Border of Four Cards. (Fig. 7.)

Of the sudden appearing of the Fair Cross.

Observe that each side of your Figure thereby has Four Cards, and its midmost Rows, horizontal and perpendicular contain, like the first Row laid, Seven cards apiece; and offer thereby a Fair Cross, the Goodliest Sign.

The first Figure needed, the Square, is now nearing Shape; its Rows, diagonal or horizontal or perpendicular, equalizing. Shuffle, and deal from the Bottom of the Pack, a Rightward Border of Three Cards, upward laid. (Fig. 8.) You have now four rows of sevens, in your figure: a Cross, withal still to be found in its middle—reckoned up and down and right and left.

You must now Shuffle—so well as your lessened cards will allow, yet with but one Shuffle—and deal, from your Pack's Top, a downward Left-Hand Border of Three Cards. (Fig.9.) Note that you now have in your Figure three Rows of Sevens; which you may well

wish were Guineas for your Purse.

Again Shuffle, as best you can, and from your Bottom Cards in the Pack deal Two Cards, laid at the right, upward, as in Fig. 10, nearly finishing

your Square, now holding four rows of Sevens.

Again mix your cards; and deal from their Top, Two Cards, leftward laid in descent, as in Fig. 11. How much, O, Friend, in Human Life is nearly

perfect, yet not quite perfect!

Truly no Man shall reckon this Life a Perfect Matter with him!  R.A.

Confuse now, as best and honestest you may (for you can hardly essay a shuffle), at least Once your two last Cards: and so complete your Square

of Sevens, out of which will presently rise the Parallelogram; by laying its Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth cards in Opposition Comers, as in Fig. 12.

The Square is completed.

Consider this Figure attentively.

For now have you before you the very Square of Sevens: being a magicall Square Figure of Forty-nine Cards, whose Rows include ever Seven Cards, taken anyways. And that same mysticall Square now must be made ready for use in Reading your Querist's Fortune (or Experiences) by making it into a Parallelogram of smaller compass, through what is called its formal Reduction.

Having thus built your Square, chuse the extreme right-hand card in its Uppermost Row. Lay it on such card of the same Suit as lieth nearest it, in the same Row, if there be such; save on the last Card on the Left of the Row.

Of the Master-Card and Master-Column.

This Leftward Card in each Row is called the Row's Master-Card, and it cannot be covered by any other card, nor be moved. It must open and alone abide as it is; and the Seven Master-Cards, counted downward on the Square's left Edge, make what is called the Master-Column.

If you have no other card of the same Suit as your right-ward card—or none save those of the Master-Column—let it lie. But if you can lay it on another, not a Master-Card, of any degree in the Suit—for observe the degree here matters not—so do. And then mark if, leftward and toward the Master-Card of the Row, lies another of the same Suit. If so, take up the two cards you laid together; and lay them on this third one. Look again and carefully; and, if another of the Suit be found, carry to it the former ones. So do until you have no more of its Suit toward its left, to join unto, and until all the cards of one Suit in the Row lie piled together; save the Master-Card, which even if it be of the Suit lieth alone, leftward, as it was first dealt out and down, in the last Square.

Of the Reduction.

Proceed then with the next Suit in the Row: and so with each Row, until you have thus sorted all the cards save the Master-Cards. This is the Reduction.

Close now and straiten-up together each of the Rows thus broken into Piles; pushing ever