CARDS, oblong pieces of pasteboard, inscribed with certain figures and points, and used in various games of skill and hazard. The origin of this in vention is obscure. While it has by some been erroneously attributed to the Ro mans, by others it has been traced, per haps with more plausibility, to an Asiatic source. The figures of the four suits were symbolical representations of the four great classes of men, and the names attached to these figures in England arose from a misapprehension of the names originally assigned to them. Thus, by the hearts are meant the Bens de chceur (coeur), the choir-men or ecclesi astics, and hence these are called copas, or chalices, by the Spaniards; whose word sword, indicating the no bility and warriors of the State, has been corrupted into the English spade. The clubs were originally trefies (trefoil leaves), and denoted the peasantry; while the citizens and merchants were marked by the diamonds (cairreaux, square tiles). The modern pack of cards consists of fifty-two cards, in four suits —two red, hearts and diamonds, and two black, spades and clubs; each suit con sisting of three court or picture cards, the king, queen, and knave, and ten other cards distinguished by the number of their "pips" or spots, from ten to one respectively. The lowest of these is al
ways called the "ace," and the two and three are often called the "deuce," and "tray." The natural rank of the cards in each suit is, king highest, and so on down to ace lowest; but in many games this rank is varied, as in Whist, where the ace is put highest of all, above the king. Sometimes the pack of cards is reduced to 32 by excluding the six, five, four, three, and two of each suit; it is then called a "piquet pack." An im mense variety of games are played with cards, some involving chance only, some combining chance and skill, the best of them furnishing very agreeable and in tellectual amusement. Some are round games, in which any number of persons may join, as Poker, Hearts, Loo, Pope Joan, etc.; some are for four persons, as Whist, and Euchre; some for two, as Piquet, Ecarte, Bdzique, Cribbage; and even for one, called Solitaire.