Divinations by Tarocs

Tarocs differ from the numeral cards used for bridge, whist, &c., in several ways. A pack consists of seventy-eight cards, made up of twenty-two emblematic pictures and fifty-six ordinary.

These latter are grouped into four suits of fourteen cards each:—four coat cards—king, queen, chevalier, and valet; and ten pip cards, numbering from 1 to 10.

The twenty-two emblematic cards are known as the Major Arcana, and are divided into three groups of seven, which equal twenty-one cards. The twenty-second stands for the highest point successful achievement may reach. The Major Arcana contains:—

1st Division.
1.	The Juggler	emblematic	of the	male inquirer.
2.	The High Priestess	„	„	woman inquirer.
3.	The Empress	„	„	action, initiative.
4.	The Emperor	„	„	will.
5.	The Pope	„	„	inspiration.
6.	Lovers	„	„	love.
7.	The Chariot	„	„	triumph, providential protection.
2nd Division.
1.	Justice	emblematic	of	justice.
2.	The Hermit	„	„	prudence.
3.	The Wheel of Fortune	„	„	destiny.
4.	Strength	„	„	fortitude, courage.
5.	The Hanged Man	„	„	trial and sacrifice.
6.	Death	„	„	bereavement.
7.	Temperance	„	„	temperance.
3rd Division.
1.	The Devil	emblematic	of	immense force or illness.
2.	The Struck Tower	„	„	ruin and deception.
3.	The Stars	„	„	hope.
4.	The Moon	„	„	hidden dangers, enemies.
5.	The Sun	„	„	material happiness, marriage.
6.	Judgment	„	„	change of circumstances.
7.	The Foolish Man	„	„	inconsiderate actions.

The remaining card, No. 22, which belongs to this division, is

The Universe, emblematic of success.

The Minor Arcana, divided into two groups of four, corresponding to the suits of ordinary playing cards:—

Scepters	relate to	diamonds,	interpreted	as	enterprise.
Cups	„	hearts,	„	„	love.
Swords	„	spades,	„	„	misfortune.
Pentacles	„	clubs,	„	„	interest.

The four coat cards stand for different conditions of existence:—

King,	emblematic	of	man.	Divine world (spirituality).
Queen,	„	„	woman.	Human world (vitality).
Chevalier,	„	„	youth.	Material world (materiality).
Valet,	„	„	childhood.	Transition stage (life in growth).

The remaining cards of these suits (1 to 10) are important according to their relation to the coat cards and their numerical value. These are divided into four groups:—

(1) 1, 2, 3 of each suit appertain to man—abstract qualities, creation, and enterprise.

(2) 4, 5, 6 of each suit represent woman—opposition, reflection, and negation.

(3) 7, 8, 9 of each suit represent youth and materialism.

(4) The four tens of each suit represent the stage of transition.

In order to tell fortunes by means of tarocs, the manipulator must be perfectly conversant with the design, class, and interpretation of each card.