To Tell How Many Cards A Person Takes Out Of A Pack And To Specify

each Card.



To perform this, you must so dispose a PIQUET pack of cards, that you

can easily remember the order in which they are placed. Suppose, for

instance, they are placed according to the words in the following

line,



Seven Aces, Eight Kings, Nine Queens, and Ten Knaves;



and that every card be of a different suite, following each other in

this order: spades, lubs, hearts, and diamonds. Then the eight first

cards will be the seven of spades, ace of clubs, eight of hearts, king

of diamonds, nine of spades, queen of clubs, ten of hearts, and knave

of diamonds, and so of the rest.



You show that the cards are placed promiscuously, and you offer them

with their backs upward to any one, that he may draw what quantity he

pleases; you then dexterously look at the card that precedes and that

which follows those he has taken. When he has carefully counted the

cards, which is not to be done in your presence, (and, in order to

give you time for recollection, you tell him to do it twice over, that

he may be certain,) you then take them from him, mix them with the

pack, shuffle, and tell him to shuffle.



During all this time you recollect, by the foregoing line, all the

cards he took out; and as you lay them down, one by one, you name each

card.



Unless a person has a most excellent memory, he had better not attempt

the performance of the above amusement, as the least forgetfulness

will spoil the whole, and make the operator appear ridiculous.