Page:The mystic test book.djvu/16

12 substitutes a pack of 78 cards containing Jewish and Catholic Symbols, Popes and Devils, for the genuine cards. I quote from him a few passages.

"The Tarot pack of cards, transmitted by the Gypsies from generation to generation, is the primitive book of ancient initiation. This has been clearly demonstrated by Guillaume Postal, Court de Gebelin, Etteila, Eliphas, Levi and J. A. Vaillant. The key to its construction and application has not yet been revealed, as far as I know." (Preface to work.)

All very well, and true, if applied to the book. But what, may I ask, did the Magi of Egypt, or the Gypsies who inherited knowledge from them, have to do with Popes, Devils and "Angels of judgement" used in the bogus test book?

On pages 8 and 9, Papus says:—"The Gypsies possess a Bible, which has proved their means of gaining a livelihood, for it enables them to tell fortunes; yes; the game of cards called the Tarot, which the Gypsies possess, is the Bible of Bibles. It is the book of Thoth Hermes Trismegistus, the book of Adam, the book of primitive Revelations of Ancient Civilizations.

"Thus whilst the Freemason, an intelligent and virtuous man, has lost the tradition; while the priest, also intelligent and virtuous, has lost his esoterism; the Gypsy, although both ignorant and vicious, has given us the key which enables us to explain all the symbolism of the ages."

The work from which the above quotations are made, was handed to me by a friend, and upon reading the headings of chapters, I was delighted, thinking that a feast was in store, for I found such headlines as "The Astronomic Tarot;