Meaning of the Various Cards.
Hearts are especially connected with the work of Cupid and Hymen. The suit has also close reference to affairs of the home and to both the domestic and social sides of life.
Diamonds are representative of financial matters, small and great, with a generally favorable signification.
Clubs stand for prosperity, a happy home life with intelligent pleasures and successful undertakings.
Spades forebode evil. They speak of sickness, death, monetary losses and anxieties, separation from friends and dear ones. They are also representative of love, appealing exclusively to the senses.
Meaning of the Hearts.
Ace.—A love letter, good news; (reversed) a removal or a visit from a friend.
King.—Fair man of generous disposition; (reversed) a disappointing person.
Queen.—Fair, good-natured woman; (reversed) she has had an unhappy love affair.
Knave.—A young bachelor devoted to enjoyment; (reversed) a military lover with a grievance.
Ten.—Antidote to bad cards, happiness and success; (reversed) passing worries.
Nine.—The wish card, good luck; (reversed) short sorrow.
Eight.—Thoughts of marriage, affections of a fair person; (reversed) unresponsiveness.
Seven.—Calm, content; (reversed) boredom, satiety.
Meaning of the Diamonds.
Ace.—A letter, an offer of marriage; (reversed) evil tidings.
King.—A very fair or white-haired man; a soldier by profession, and of a deceitful turn of mind; (reversed) a treacherous schemer.
Queen.—A fair woman, given to gossip and wanting in refinement; (reversed) a rather spiteful flirt.
Knave.—Subordinate official, who is untrustworthy; (reversed) a mischief-maker.
Ten.—Traveling or a removal; (reversed) ill luck will attend the step.
Nine.—Vexation, hindrances; (reversed) domestic wrangling, or disagreement between lovers.
Eight.—Love passages; (reversed) blighted affections.
Seven.—Unkindly chaff, cynicism; (reversed) stupid and unfounded slander.
Meaning of the Clubs.
Ace.—Good luck, letters or papers relating to money, pleasant tidings; (reversed) short-lived happiness, a tiresome correspondence.
King.—A dark man, warm-hearted and true as a friend, straight in his dealings; (reversed) good intentions frustrated.
Queen.—A dark woman, loving but hasty, and bearing no malice; (reversed) harassed by jealousy.
Knave.—A ready-witted young man, clever at his work and ardent in his love; (reversed) irresponsible and fickle.
Ten.—Prosperity and luxury; (reversed) a sea voyage.
Nine.—An unlooked-for inheritance, money acquired under a will; (reversed) a small, friendly gift.
Eight.—Love of a dark man or woman which, if accepted and reciprocated, will bring joy and well-being; (reversed) an unworthy affection calculated to cause trouble.
Seven.—Trifling financial matters; (reversed) money troubles.
Meaning of the Spades.
Ace.—Emotional enjoyment; (reversed) news of a death, sorrow.
King.—A widower, an unscrupulous lawyer, impossible as a friend, and dangerous as an enemy; (reversed) the desire to work evil without the power.
Queen.—Widow, a very dark woman; (reversed) an intriguing, spiteful woman.
Knave.—Legal or medical student, wanting in refinement of mind and manners; (reversed) a treacherous character, fond of underhand measures.
Ten.—Grief, loss of freedom; (reversed) passing trouble or illness.
Nine.—A bad omen, news of failure or death; (reversed) loss of one near and dear by death.
Eight.—Coming illness; (reversed) an engagement canceled or a rejected proposal, dissipation.
Seven.—Everyday worries, or a resolve taken; (reversed) silly stratagems in love-making.
Combinations of Court Cards.
Four Aces.—When these fall together they imply danger, financial loss, separation from friends, love troubles. The evil is mitigated in proportion to the number of them that are reversed.
Three Aces.—Passing troubles relieved by good news, faithlessness of a lover. If reversed, they mean foolish excess.
Two Aces.—These mean union: if Hearts and Clubs, it will be for good; if Diamonds and Spades, for evil, probably the outcome of jealousy. If reversed, the object of the union will fail.
Four Kings.—Honors, preferment, good appointments. If reversed, the good things will be of less value, but will arrive earlier.
Three Kings.—Serious matters will be taken in hand with the best result, unless any of the three cards be reversed, when it will be doubtful.
Two Kings.—Co-operation in business, upright conduct, and prudent enterprises to be crowned with success. Each one reversed represents an obstacle. Both reversed spell failure.
Four Queens.—A social gathering which may be spoilt by one or more being reversed.
Three Queens.—Friendly visits. If reversed, scandal, gossip and possibly bodily danger.
Two Queens.—Interchanged, secrets betrayed, a meeting between friends. When both are reversed, there will be suffering for the inquirer resulting from his own acts. Only one reversed, means rivalry.
Four Knaves.—Jolly conviviality. Any of them reversed lessens the evil.
Three Knaves.—Worries and vexations from acquaintances, slander calling the inquirer’s honor in question. If reversed, it foretells a passage-at-arms with a social inferior.
Two Knaves.—Loss of goods. If both are reversed, the trouble is imminent; if one only, it is near.
Combinations of Plain Cards.
Four Tens.—Good fortune, success. The more there are reversed, the greater number of obstacles in the way.
Three Tens.—Ruin brought about by lawsuits. When reversed, the evil is decreased.
Two Tens.—Unexpected luck, which may be connected with a change of occupation. If one be reversed, it will come soon; if both are reversed, it is distant.
Four Nines.—Unexpected events. The number that are reversed stand for the time to elapse.
Three Nines.—Health, wealth and happiness. If reversed, it means financial difficulties caused by imprudence.
Two Nines.—Prosperity and contentment accompanied by business matters. If reversed, small worries.
Four Eights.—Attending a journey or the taking up of a new position. If reversed, undisturbed stability.
Three Eights.—Thoughts of love and marriage, new family ties. If reversed, flirtation and foolishness.
Two Eights.—Pleasures and passing love fancies. If reversed, disappointments.
Four Sevens.—Schemes and contention and opposition. If reversed, failure of same.
Three Sevens.—Loss of friends, ill-health, remorse. If reversed, slight ailments or unpleasant reaction.
Two Sevens.—Mutual love and marriage. If reversed, faithlessness or regret.
General Information.
When a number of court cards fall together it is a sign of hospitality, festive social intercourse, and gaiety of all kinds.
Married people who seek to read the cards must represent their own life partner by the king or queen of the suit they have chosen for themselves, regardless of anything else. For example, a very dark man, the King of Spades, must consider his wife represented by the Queen of Spades.
Bachelors and spinsters may choose cards to personate their lovers and friends.
A court card placed between two cards of the same grade—for instance, two nines, two sevens, etc.—shows that the one represented by that card is threatened.
Should a military man consult the cards he must always be represented by the King of Diamonds.
It is always essential to cut cards with the left hand, there being a long-established idea that it is more intimately connected with the heart than the right. A round table is generally preferred by those who are in the habit of practising cartomancy. It is a matter of opinion as to whether the cards speak with the same clearness and accuracy when consulted by the inquirer without a fortune-teller. The services of an expert are generally supposed to be of great advantage, even when people have mastered the rudiments of cartomancy themselves.