The First Named Cartomancer In History—Anna M. of Doncaster
In October, 1734, in the English publication,
THE Gentleman's Magazine, or The Monthly Intelligencer, a short poem was offered, which provides one of the earliest English-language references to fortunetelling with cards, or cartomancy. In addition, this poem names the card-reader in a footnote, and this is, so far as I know, the earliest example of a named cartomancer in history.
The author of the poem leaves only initials, and in the copy of the poem I viewed, these are not clear, and below are suggested to be L.H.
Here is the poem:
On a Young Lady’s telling a Gentleman his
FORTUNE on a Pack of CARDS
In mystick leaves, while (1) Anna deals my fate,
And gives me joys of wedlock, wealth, and
Her wit and beauty, innocence and art. [state:
Ravish my soul, and rob me of me heart:
My hopes and bliss in her alone remain,
I scorn the world my Sybil to obtain.
Cassandra thus the fate of Troy fore-shew’d.
And raging flames her flying words pursu’d.
(1) Mrs Anna M---- Doncaster.*
L.H. (?)
*—I had some question about whether "Doncaster" might have been Anna's last name, but in that case it would seem the spaces placed between "M" and "Doncaster" would have been intended to mask the woman's identity. That would be pointless, if one was giving the first and last names. On the other hand, the town of Doncaster is given elsewhere in the magazine, and it does list its county, Yorkshire, as well. So, it is possible Anna's last name is really Doncaster, but I think it is intended to be her town.
