Book "T" (edited) The 36 Pips

[Parzival]

Book "T": The 36 Pips

The MacGregor Mathers' booklet may not be as "pretentious" and "negligible" as Waite describes it in his bibliographical note at end of his PKT. The descriptions of the Aces certainly point to Book T and Waite-Smith renderings. Mathers spotlights the inverted "M" on the Ace of Cups. He suggests specific meanings and key symbols for the Majors, as with X and XV, later somewhat seen in the Waite-Smith Tarot. Mathers' booklet is certainly general and sketchy, but stimulatingly formative and full of future possibilities for the ever-evolving Tarot. The Tarot has myriad sources in its long history. It's a series of inspirations and confusions and artistic highs and artistic lows. The Waite-Smith or Smith-Waite Tarot is an invaluable artistic, symbolic high. But it comes out of foundations, not out of a vacuum.
Interesting question about the origin of the Celtic Cross divination pattern. I read somewhere (that's definitive!) that Waite made it up and suggested a long, mysterious history for it .Sometimes he seemed to think he made up the whole Universe on his own -- maybe not...

 

[Fulgour]

"Journey by Water"

Nobody has claimed that Book T is the sole source for the RWS pictures. Waite took his meanings from several sources. In this case, both Mathers and Etteilla had mentioned travel, voyage, passage, etc.

Rather here, I am claiming that the RWS pictures inspired Book T.
Sure there may have been some notes collected from a meeting,
and various members put in their tuppence worth, but in the end
what was eventually published made reference to the 1909 cards.

Without the enduringly useful, beautiful, and inspiring illustrations
by Pamela Colman Smith, the so-called Golden Dawn is a bedlam.

 

[MikeTheAltarboy]

For starters, how does any body get "journey by water" from
"Tiphareth of HB:V" unless they're looking at Pamela's design?

By them both copying Eteilla?

 

[Teheuti]

Rather here, I am claiming that the RWS pictures inspired Book T. Sure there may have been some notes collected from a meeting,
and various members put in their tuppence worth, but in the end
what was eventually published made reference to the 1909 cards.

Not at all, rather the RWS deck made subtle reference to Book T.

The proof of this lies in the personal papers of Farr, Horniman and Yeats who were all using the GD titles and keywords, and at least the first part of the "Opening of the Key" processes in their own readings - long before Waite's deck appeared on the scene. Please see my book, _Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses_ for examples of this and a complete explanation of the reading done by Annie Horniman when she decided to purchase the Abbey Theatre for Yeats. [Note: In my explanation I rigorously followed the rules laid out in Book T.]

The manuscripts N,O,P,Q and R were initially formal papers signed by Mathers (with the initials of his order name), and copied out individually by members.

Without the enduringly useful, beautiful, and inspiring illustrations
by Pamela Colman Smith, the so-called Golden Dawn is a bedlam.

How I would characterize it is that without the enduringly useful, beautiful, and inspiring illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith, the Golden Dawn tradition would have been left almost entirely in the hands of Crowley/Harris - if they would have even bothered to create a version of the GD deck for the public. Either way, it would have been left to others, less knowledgeable (on the one hand) and less psychically & artistically talented (on the other) to come up with modern fully-pictorialized decks. The plural is deliberate in that few other decks could, I believe, have established themselves as such a powerful influence to others.

Also, I believe that far fewer people would have been interested in the Golden Dawn. For instance, I came to learn of and through it entirely as a result of my involvement with the RWS deck.

Mary

 

[Fulgour]

Either way, it would have been left to others, less knowledgeable (on the one hand) and less psychically & artistically talented (on the other) to come up with modern fully-pictorialized decks. The plural is deliberate in that few other decks could, I believe, have established themselves as such a powerful influence to others.

I think we may share an acquaintance with the Mergenthaler
CRTronic 150 phototypesetter... and I wouldn't mind meeting
Mr. Waite on friendlier terms than I am used to. But where to
begin, without having to re-write every line in English myself?

Teheuti, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...

~Fulgour

 

[Teheuti]

I think we may share an acquaintance with the Mergenthaler CRTronic 150 phototypesetter...

Sorry, I don't get the reference. I used to be a typesetter but not on the Mergenthaler.

I wouldn't mind meeting
Mr. Waite on friendlier terms than I am used to. But where to
begin, without having to re-write every line in English myself?

After a while you get used to his style. It sort of grows on you - to some extent.

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...

Could always use more friends. Thank heavens for tarotforum!

Mary

 

[wizzle]

Not at all, rather the RWS deck made subtle reference to Book T.

The proof of this lies in the personal papers of Farr, Horniman and Yeats who were all using the GD titles and keywords, and at least the first part of the "Opening of the Key" processes in their own readings - long before Waite's deck appeared on the scene. Please see my book, _Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses_ for examples of this and a complete explanation of the reading done by Annie Horniman when she decided to purchase the Abbey Theatre for Yeats. [Note: In my explanation I rigorously followed the rules laid out in Book T.]

...

Also, I believe that far fewer people would have been interested in the Golden Dawn. For instance, I came to learn of and through it entirely as a result of my involvement with the RWS deck.

Mary

Mary,

Your "Opening of the Key" example was terrific and I studied it very carefully against the instructions in Book T and they finally made sense to me. Thank you very much. I do have a question about the illustration on page 287 where you show the spread laid out using a Marseilles type deck. What lead you to select this deck rather than a GD type? It is my understanding that making a deck according to the descriptions in Book T was part of the work of an inner order innitiate.

Also, do you happen to know Pixie's grade in the GD or Waite's organization? I gathered that she never made it into the inner order.

Many thanks for your wonderful book and your willingness to share your scholarship with us here on AT.

 

[Teheuti]

I do have a question about the illustration on page 287 where you show the spread laid out using a Marseilles type deck. What lead you to select this deck rather than a GD type?

This is close to the deck that Yeats used for his own readings (see photographs in _Yeats, the Tarot and the Golden Dawn_ by Kathleen Raine). It is a 19th c. Italian deck (published as the Soprafino) and was probably given to him by Annie Horniman who made many trips to Italy and often brought him gifts. I assumed that Horniman had one like it of her own.

It is my understanding that making a deck according to the descriptions in Book T was part of the work of an inner order initiate.

No GD deck has, to my knowledge, ever been found among the effects of British GD members. The only complete deck I've seen is the Whare Ra (New Zealand) deck. Some of the Major Arcana cards (but not all) are drawn in the private notebooks as part of the related initiation rituals. A couple of examples are in the Kathleen Raine book.

Westcott's drawings for the Court Cards was published by Darcy Kuntz through Holmes Press.

French or Italian decks were used for readings in that the GD majors were mostly used for initiatory work.

Also, do you happen to know Pixie's grade in the GD or Waite's organization? I gathered that she never made it into the inner order.

No, I don't remember her grade but it wasn't very high and certainly not inner order.

Many thanks for your wonderful book and your willingness to share your scholarship with us here on AT.

Glad you like the book. I'm always hoping that more info will come to light.

Mary

 

[wizzle]

Hi Lee! It's easy ~ just compare the "official" descriptions
of the cards (right there in Book T) to the illustrations from
the Tarot drawn by Pamela Colman Smith. There you have it!

Nothing about the Golden Dawn cards even remotely implies
the very specific and detailed references to Smith's artwork.

I have done as Fulgour suggests. Here are several quotes from Book T without Fulgour's editing:

The Four Queens
are seated upon Thrones; representing the Forces of the He of the Name in each suit; the Mother and bringer-forth of Material Forces: a force which develops and realizes that of the King: a force steady and unshaken, but not rapid, though enduring. It is therefore symbolized by a Figure seated upon a Throne: but also clothed in Armour.

I note with regret that there is no armour on any of the Queens in the RW deck.

The Four Princes
These Princes are Figures seated in Chariots, and thus borne forward. They represent the Vau Forces of the Name in each suit: the Mighty Son of the King and Queen, who realizes the influence of both scales of Force. A Prince, the son of a King and Queen, yet a Prince of Princes, and a King of Kings: an Emperor whose effect is at once rapid (though not so swift as that of the Queen) and enduring. It is, therefore, symbolized by a Figure borne in a Chariot, and clothed in Armour. Yet is his power vain and illusionary, unless set in Motion by his Father and Mother.

I can't find any Prince's in Chariots in the RW deck. Perhaps I need to look harder.

THREE White Radiating Angelic Hands, issuing from clouds, and holding three swords upright (as though the central sword had struck apart the two others, which were crossed in the preceding symbol): the central sword cuts asunder the rose of five petals, which in the previous symbol grew at the junction of the swords; its petals are falling, and no white rays issue from it. Above and below the central sword are the symbols of Saturn and Libra.

Disruption, interruption, separation, quarrelling; sowing of discord and strife, mischief-making, sorrow and tears; yet mirth in Platonic pleasures; singing, faithfulness in promises, honesty in money transactions, selfish and dissipated, yet sometimes generous: deceitful in words and repetitions; the whole according to dignity.

Binah of HB:V (Unhappiness, sorrow, and tears).

Herein rule the Great Angels HB:HRYAL and HB:HQMYH as Lords of the Decan.

I see a heart pierced by 3 swords in the RW deck but am unable to see any angelic hands as described. No rose petals either, I'm afraid. However, the RW card doesn't have any rays so that does match the description.

**********
Why yes, Fulgour, the Book T descriptions match RW pictures exactly, don't they?...Not
Was this a trick question?

However, one might be able to make a case for the Thoth cards matching the Book T descriptions pretty well, especially the courts. Maybe Book T was really written after the Thoth deck came out, eh?

 

[Fulgour]

Why yes, Fulgour, the Book T descriptions match RW pictures exactly, don't they?...Not Was this a trick question?

Not as delightful as, Why does the porridge bird lay his eggs in the air?
but sometimes I do feel a sense of déjà vu when the historians all agree.
When I'm told agreement is proof I have to laugh! et je? "J'Accuse!"