Tarot Thoughts

"The true tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no other sign." -- Dr. Arthur Edward Waite (1857-1942)


The Rider-Waite Tarot deck I have came with a little booklet that had some history of the cards and I was thumbing through it during a train delay, trying to refresh my memory of the Major Arcana and reading here and there.

I found it odd that Waite (arbitrarily?) transposed numbers VIII (Strength) and XI (Justice).

Miss Pamela Colman Smith, who had ties to the Order of the Golden Dawn was the artist. How much of her artistry and symbolism was swayed by her order or personal beliefs?

How far off is the current deck from the original? I imagine no one can know, since the Tarot dates back to obscurity. And how does this change our reading, if at all?
I'm wondering

I Magician
II High Priestess
III Empress
IV Emperor
V Heirophant
VI Lovers
VII Chariot
VIII Strength
IX Hermit
X Wheel of Fortune
XI Justice
XII Hanged Man
XIII Death
XIV Temperence
XV Devil
XVI Tower
XVII Star
XVIII Moon
XIX Sun
XX Final Judgement
XI World
0 Fool