ve not made a study of it for
themselves.

This is probably because the Reading of the Tea-cups affords but little
opportunity to the Seer of extracting money from credulous folk; a
reason why it was never adopted by the gypsy soothsayers, who preferred
the more obviously lucrative methods of crossing the palm with gold or
silver, or of charging a fee for manipulating a pack of playing-cards.

Reading the Cup is essentially a domestic form of Fortune-telling to be
practised at home, and with success by anyone who will take the trouble
to master the simple rules laid down in these pages: and it is in the
hope that it will provide a basis for much innocent and inexpensive
amusement and recreation round the tea-table at home, as well as for
a more serious study of an interesting subject, that this little
guide-book to the science is confidently offered to the public.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION TO THE ART OF DIVINATION FROM TEA-LEAVES

It seems highly probable that at no previous period of the world's
history have there been so many persons as there are at the present
moment anxious to ascertain in advance, if that be humanly possible, a
knowledge of at least 'what a day may bring forth.' The incidence of the
greatest of all wars, which has resulted in sparse news of those from
whom they are separated, and produces a state of uncertainty as to what
the future holds in store for each of the inhabitants of the British
Empire, is, of course, responsible for this increase in a perfectly sane
and natural curiosity; with its inevitable result, a desire to employ
any form of divination in the hope that some light may haply be cast
upon the darkness and obscurity of the future.

It is unfortunately the case, as records of the police-courts have
recently shown, that the creation of this demand for foreknowledge
of coming events or for information as to the well-being of distant
relatives and friends has resulted in the abundant supply of the want by
scores of pretended 'Fortune-tellers' and diviners of the Future;
who, trading upon the credulity and anxieties of their unfortunate
fellow-countrywomen, seek to make a living at their expense.

Now it is an axiom, which centuries of experience have shown to be as
sound as those of Euclid himself, that the moment the taint of money
enters into the business of reading the Future the accuracy and credit
of the Fortune told disappears. The Fortune-teller no longer possesses
the