Cerulean
The first paragraph has also appeared in Grimaud's Book of Destiny kit, but the 1890-20th Century BP Grimaud version of the Book of Destiny does not have the same pictures or meanings assigned as the Small Oracle of the Ladies -- BP Grimaud's translators just lifted the introduction or first paragraph from the 1809 text of Petit Oracle des Dames for their "Art of Drawing the Card" pink-covered booklet in their Book of Destiny circa 1890-20th century kit.
I have starred the first paragraph though, because you might find the instructions similar to an oracle Book of Destiny kit if you have it. However, the second paragraph of the Petit Oracle des Dames and subsequent meanings that I translated aren't in any other book--there are some similarities in the first seven cards of the Petit Oracle des Dames book of 1809 to Grand Etteilla meanings we find from 1789 in his letter exchange with Hugrand AND the use of Isis and Osiris as allegory--others will tell you of that closeness to Compte de Gebelin's material.
In the Petit Oracle des Dames thread, others will have posted links to their partial or verbal translations, but I've not used the other resources. The 1809 French text posted below and the pink covered booklet in French that appears in the 20th century reissue of the Petit Oracle des Dames are my main sources...although I did post above that I carefully looked through and did use the first English paragraph of the Book of Destiny introduction for only that paragraph. There's some modification to match actual period French of the 1809 text and my French Petit Oracle des Dames.
BNF French booklet online here:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k62270d/f1.image.r=Etteilla.langEN
Petit Oracle des Dames discussion here (please post commentary for the deck and questions there):
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=171379&page=2
The rest of the thread is devoted to the English translation of the text.
Please only post questions to me via pm, I will post corrections as these come up. Thanks! Hopefully it will help not interrupt the flow of related threads and assist as we explore this wonderful cross over between 1809 cartomancy, Grand Etteilla and oracular discoveries of the late 18th and early 19th centuries!
Cerulean
I have starred the first paragraph though, because you might find the instructions similar to an oracle Book of Destiny kit if you have it. However, the second paragraph of the Petit Oracle des Dames and subsequent meanings that I translated aren't in any other book--there are some similarities in the first seven cards of the Petit Oracle des Dames book of 1809 to Grand Etteilla meanings we find from 1789 in his letter exchange with Hugrand AND the use of Isis and Osiris as allegory--others will tell you of that closeness to Compte de Gebelin's material.
In the Petit Oracle des Dames thread, others will have posted links to their partial or verbal translations, but I've not used the other resources. The 1809 French text posted below and the pink covered booklet in French that appears in the 20th century reissue of the Petit Oracle des Dames are my main sources...although I did post above that I carefully looked through and did use the first English paragraph of the Book of Destiny introduction for only that paragraph. There's some modification to match actual period French of the 1809 text and my French Petit Oracle des Dames.
BNF French booklet online here:
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k62270d/f1.image.r=Etteilla.langEN
Petit Oracle des Dames discussion here (please post commentary for the deck and questions there):
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=171379&page=2
The rest of the thread is devoted to the English translation of the text.
Please only post questions to me via pm, I will post corrections as these come up. Thanks! Hopefully it will help not interrupt the flow of related threads and assist as we explore this wonderful cross over between 1809 cartomancy, Grand Etteilla and oracular discoveries of the late 18th and early 19th centuries!
Cerulean