MOTHER HUBBARD'S
FORTUNE-TELLER.
THE ART OF TELLING FORTUNES BY THE GROUNDS OF TEA OR COFFEE.
To pour out the Tea or Coffee Grounds.
Pour the grounds of tea or coffee into a ⟨white⟩ cup, shake them well about in it, so that ⟨these⟩ particles may cover the surface of the ⟨whole⟩ cup; then reverse it into the saucer, that ⟨all⟩ the superfluous parts may be drained, and ⟨the⟩ figures required for fortune-telling be formed. The person that acts the fortune-teller ⟨must⟩ always bend his thoughts upon him or her ⟨that⟩ wish to have their fortune told, and upon ⟨their⟩ rank and profession, in order to give ⟨plausibility⟩ to their predictions. It is not to be expected upon taking up the cup, that the figures will ⟨be⟩ accurately represented; but the more ⟨fertile⟩ the fancy shall be of the person inspecting ⟨this⟩ cup, the more he will discover in it. In ⟨this⟩ amusement, each must himself be a judge ⟨under⟩ what circumstances he is to make changes ⟨in⟩ point of time, speaking just as it suits, in ⟨the⟩ present, the past, and the future.
