A Dickens Tarot

Shade

This is about a fun little craft project rather than a deck I'm going to publish - if that means it should be moved just let me know!

I was invited by a friend to her Dickens themed Yule party and I thought it would be fun to make a Dickens Tarot - namely a Tarot that I've added Dickens quotes to. I originally had visions of 78 cards but prudence and the calendar suggest a Majors only deck. I'm sure the very crafty sorts could come up with fantastic ways to accomplish this but I'm thinking of decoupaging the quotes to the back of the deck. I'm thinking of using a Rider Waite even though it was published some 40 years after his passing because I happen to have a few of them lying around.

Question 1: Is there a better deck to use as the base? I don't have unlimited resources for this project but what would a Tarot Reader in a Dickens novel use?

Question 2 - which quote would go on each card. My initial list is below but I would welcome any suggestions. I prioritized quotes that were short and recognizable and fun - the intention is that guests will pick a card and get some small message that may prove useful.

The Fool

Send forth the child and childish man together, and blush for the pride that libels our own old happy state, and gives its title to an ugly and distorted image.

The Magician

Whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do it well; whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself completely; in great aims and in small I have always thoroughly been in earnest.

Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.

This is a world of action, and not for moping and droning in.

The High Priestess

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart.

A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.

Empress

The whole difference between construction and creation is exactly this: that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.

Emperor

I never could have done what I have done without the habits of punctuality, order, and diligence, without the determination to concentrate myself on one subject at a time.

Hierophant

I know I do not exaggerate, unconsciously and unintentionally, the scantiness of my resources and the difficulty of my life... I know that, but for the mercy of God, I might easily have been, for any care that was taken of me, a little robber or a vagabond.

There is a wisdom of the head, and a wisdom of the heart.

Lovers
True love believes everything, and bears everything, and trusts everything.

Chariot

The first rule of business is: Do other men for they would do you.

Strength

Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you've conquered human nature.

Hermit

Renunciation remains sorrow, though a sorrow borne willingly.

Regrets are the natural property of grey hairs.

Wheel of Fortune

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Justice

There is nothing so strong or safe in an emergency of life as the simple truth.

If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.

Charity begins at home, and justice begins next door.

Let us be moral. Let us contemplate existence.

Hanged Man

The men who learn endurance, are they who call the whole world, brother.

Death

Life is made of ever so many partings welded together.

It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.

Temperance

Vices are sometimes only virtues carried to excess!

Devil

We forge the chains we wear in life.

Tower

Bring in the bottled lightning, a clean tumbler, and a corkscrew.

Star

There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.

Moon

Oh the nerves, the nerves; the mysteries of this machine called man! Oh the little that unhinges it, poor creatures that we are!

Sun

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.

A boy's story is the best that is ever told.

Judgment

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.

Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.

O blessed Heaven," I says a crying, "teach me what to say to this broken mortal! I am a poor sinful creature, and the Judgment is not mine.

World

Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own; and from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.
 

Debra

Oh my God, Shade, this is hilarious!

When I think of Dickens, it's with black inked illustrations, but the costume aspect of the rider waite fits in too. And since it's for a party, the quotes on the back are fun and appropos. The only alternative I can imagine would be just a set of, hm, scrolls, keyed to each card? Naw.

I wonder if the Empress could be a bit more Empress-y. Share pics when you're done!
 

Debra

This came out really nice, Shade. I like that you used the Wirth deck, and the overlaid quotes look good. What's next: a Poe deck? Mark Twain?

Enjoy the party and Happy Solstice, my friend.
 

reall

beautiful!:)) but text should be edited more like without blUE square and some bigger old font to go with cards style?:))
 

Shade

Good suggestions. I debated the blue square for a while (originally it was the brown color pulled from the background but it felt too murky).

If I ever expanded it to 78 cards I would pull most of the minor card quotes from dialog spoken by characters in his books (though obviously there is a lot of that in the current majors). I think I'll leave it at 22

I tried to find a better quote fro the Empress, Debra. There are not very many matronly characters that I found spoken of in quotes.

I experimented with a few fonts, I looked at script fonts and some more Victorian ones but ultimately they were hard to make out (bearing in mind that I'm printing these on an office color printer on regular paper). I chose True Golden because I've always loved that font and it has an elegant look without being ornate.

Poe might be a morose Halloween deck ;-) and I think Twain would make for a fun sarcastic one)
 

reall

oh! looking forward to Twain!XD lolz ;))
 

baconwaffles

This is beautifully done. Being a literary lover and I find this excellent. I downloaded the deck and plan on printing it if it is alright with you Shade?
 

daphne

This is beautifully done. Being a literary lover and I find this excellent. I downloaded the deck and plan on printing it if it is alright with you Shade?

Where did you download it from? I would like to see a dickens deck.
 

baconwaffles

Where did you download it from? I would like to see a dickens deck.

Shade provided a downloade link from dropbox in a one of her followup posts.