The Spaniards depicted their citizens or commercial men under
dineros, a small coin, an emblem very well adapted to the
productive classes; the French by carreaux, squares or
lozenges--importing, perhaps, unity of interest, equality of
condition, regularity of manners, and the indispensable duty of
this class of men to deal with one another 'on the square.' The
Spaniards made bastos, or knotty clubs, the emblem of the 'bold
peasantry,' taken probably from the custom that the plebeians
were permitted to challenge or fight each other with sticks and
quarter-staves only, but not with the sword, or any arms carried
by a gentleman; while the French peasantry were pointed out under
the ideas of husbandry, namely, by the trefles, trefoil or
clover-grass. So much for the SUITS.
With regard to the depicted figures of cards, each nation
likewise followed its own inventions, though grounded in both on
those ideas of chivalry which then strongly prevailed. The
Spanish cards were made to carry the insignia and accoutrements
of the King of Spain, the ace of deneros being emblazoned with
the royal arms, supported by an eagle. The French ornamented
their cards with fleurs de lis, their royal emblem.
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