Section 4 SOME ADDITIONAL MEANINGS OF THE LESSER ARCANA
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
De Laurence, L. W. (Lauron William) and Smith, Pamela Colman
Five.—An attack on the fortune of the Querent. Reversed: A sign of sorrow and mourning.
Four.—A bad card, but if reversed a qualified success may be expected by wise administration of affairs. Reversed: A certain success following wise administration.
Three.—For a woman, the flight of her lover. Reversed: A meeting with one whom the Querent has compromised; also a nun.
Two.—Gifts for a lady, influential protection for a man in search of help. Reversed: Dealings with rogues.
Ace.—Great prosperity or great misery. Reversed: Marriage broken off, for a woman, through her own imprudence.
Pentacles.
King.—A rather dark man, a merchant, master, professor. Reversed: An old and vicious man.
Queen.—Dark woman; presents from a rich relative; rich and happy marriage for a young man. Reversed: An illness.
Knight.—A useful man; useful discoveries. Reversed: A brave man out of employment.
Page.—A dark youth; a young officer or soldier; a child. Reversed: Sometimes degradation and sometimes pillage.
Ten.—Represents house or dwelling, and derives its value from other cards. Reversed: An occasion which may be fortunate or otherwise.
Nine.—Prompt fulfilment of what is presaged by neighboring cards. Reversed: Vain hopes.
Eight.—A young man in business who has relations with the Querent; a dark girl. Reversed: The Querent will be compromised in a matter of money-lending.
Seven.—Improved position for a lady's future husband. Reversed: Impatience, apprehension, suspicion.
Six.—The present must not be relied on. Reversed: A check on the Querent's ambition.
Five.—Conquest of fortune by reason. Reversed: Troubles in love.
Four.—For a bachelor, pleasant news from a lady. Reversed: Observation, hindrances.
Three.—If for a man, celebrity for his eldest son. Reversed: Depends on neighboring cards.
Two.—Troubles are more imaginary than real. Reversed: Bad omen, ignorance, injustice.
Ace.—The most favorable of all cards. Reversed: A share in the finding of treasure.
It will be observed (1) that these additamenta have little connection with the pictorial designs of the cards to which they refer, as these correspond with the more important speculative values; (2) and further that the additional meanings are very often in disagreement with those previously given. All meanings are largely independent of one another and all are reduced, accentuated or subject to modification and sometimes almost reversal by their place in a sequence. There is scarcely any canon of criticism in matters of this kind. I suppose that in proportion as any system descends from generalities to details it becomes naturally the more precarious; and in the records of professional fortune-telling, it offers more of the dregs and lees of the subject. At the same time, divinations based on intuition and second sight are of little practical value unless they come down from the region of universals to that of particulars; but in proportion as this gift is present in a particular case, the specific meanings recorded by past cartomancists will be disregarded in favor of the personal appreciation of card values.
This has been intimated already. It seems necessary to add the following speculative readings.