Facts and Speculations on the Origin and History of Playing Cards |
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Common terms and phrases
Acorns amusement ancient appears Avatar bells Bibliothèque du Roi Breitkopf British Museum called card-makers card-playing cards and dice Carreau Cartes à jouer character Charles Charles II chess Clubs coat cards coloured common costume Court Diamonds dice Duchesne edition England English engraved on wood Europe evidence fac-simile fifteenth century figures four suits France French cards game of cards gamester Gleek Hearts Hindostanee cards Historiques honour inscription invention Italian Jeux de Cartes kind King Knave known l'hombre latter Leber Lord manner marks means Mons Naipes numeral cards observed origin pack of cards Paris passage period persons Pique Piquet plate play at cards Playing Cards printed published Queen reign represented Ruff Ruff and Honours says Scotland signify Spades Spanish stencil supposed Swords Tarocchi Tarocchi cards Tarots term Thoma Murner Trèfle Valet Vichnou Viterbo Whist wood-engraving word writer
Popular passages
Page 123 - With these, the crystal of his brow, And then the dimple of his chin. All these did my Campaspe win. At last he set her both his eyes. She won, and Cupid blind did rise. O Love! has she done this to thee? What shall, alas ! become of me?
Page 147 - I can never forget the inexpressible luxury and profaneness, gaming, and all dissoluteness, and as it were total forgetfulness of God, (it being Sunday evening,) which this day se'nnight I was witness of, the King sitting and toying with his concubines, Portsmouth, Cleveland, and...
Page 147 - I was witness of, the King sitting and toying with his concubines, Portsmouth, Cleveland, and Mazarine, &c., a French boy singing love-songs,* in that glorious gallery, whilst about twenty of the great courtiers and other dissolute persons were at Basset round a large table, a bank of at least 2000 in gold before them ; upon which two gentlemen who were with me made reflections with astonishment. Six days after was all in the dust...
Page 33 - Alike in the political and in the military line could be observed auctioneering ambassadors and trading generals ; — and thus we saw a revolution brought about by affidavits ; an army employed in executing an arrest ; a town besieged on a note of hand ; a prince dethroned for the balance of an account.
Page 160 - Upon his return to Edinburgh, though he found himself much weaker, yet his cheerfulness never abated, and he continued to divert himself, as usual, with correcting his own works for a new edition, with reading books of amusement, with the conversation of his friends; and, sometimes in the evening, with a party at his favourite game of whist. His cheerfulness was so great...
Page 243 - The Arabian courtesans, like the Indian women, have little golden bells fastened round their legs, neck, and elbows, to the sound of which they dance before the King. The Arabian princesses wear golden rings on their fingers, to which little bells are suspended, as well as in the flowing tresses of their hair, that their superior rank may be known, and they themselves receive in passing the homage due to them."— Calmet's Dietionary, art.
Page 148 - That whereas all lawful games and exercises should not be otherwise used than as innocent and moderate recreations, and not as constant trades or callings to gain a living, or make unlawful advantage thereby...
Page 173 - This picture, placed these busts between, Gives satire all its strength : Wisdom and Wit are little seen, But Folly at full length.
Page 33 - Alike in the political and the military line could be observed auctioneering ambassadors and trading generals ; — and thus we saw a revolution brought about by affidavits; an army employed in executing an arrest; a town besieged on a note of hand; a prince dethroned for the balance of an account. Thus it was they exhibited a government which united the mock majesty of a bloody sceptre, and the little traffic of a merchant's counting-house, wielding a truncheon with one hand, and picking a pocket...