SECTION IX, 563 tation of cards, which might teach the unlearned several parts of grammar, philosophy, geometry, geography, astronomy, Eke. What if on one side of these tablets or charts a town or city were named and described, and on the other side the county, province, and kingdom where that town stands, with some geo- graphical or historical remark on it ; and whosoever in play draws the chart with the town on it, should be obliged to tell the county where it stands, and the remark on it ? What if on one side were a geometrical figure, and on the other the demonstration of some property belonging to it ? What if one side bore the name or figure of any piece of money ; and the other all the multiplies of it by the nine digits, or as far as twelve ? This would be useful for children bred up to a trade. What if the figure of some plant, animal, engine, or any thing else in the world of nature or art, were printed on one side; and on the other the name of the thing, which should be required to be spelled right by young scholars when they see the figure, in order to teach them the art of spelling. And if to this were added some beautiful expression or description of the thing, taken out of our best English poets, to be repeated by him who draws the chart which has the figure on it ? Or if on one side were a word in English, and on the other the same thing expressed in Latin, Greek or French, for such who learn those languages. Or if single names of famous men and women were on" one side ; and the reverse contained the history, or some short aocount, of those persons whose names are so famous. What if in a sheet of paper, or a twopenny book, were writ- ten a hundred proverbs or wise sayings, collected out of moral- ists, ancient and modern, relating to all the virtues and vices : and a collection of the most eminent examples of these vices and virtues were superadded : and if one or more solid bodies of wood, of sixteen, twenty, or thirty -two flat sides were formed with the name of one virtue or vice inscribed on each side ; and by the trolling of this many-sided toy, the uppermost word or name should be an indication what proverb, or what example to require ? There have been, I confess, several sorts of cards invented with proverbs, with various learned figures, and mathematical devices upon them ; but, as far as I can learn, these have been but mere pictures and ornaments to the hearts and diamonds : these learned devices and figures have had no share in the game : the cards are used like common cards still, without any manner of improvement of any of the gamesters in these sciences. But what I propose, is a contrivance to render these words, or figures, or sentences, the very implements or engines of the sport itself, N n 2
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