Whosoever may be adapted to any particular event or pursuit will assuredly have the star indicative thereof very potent in his nativity.
If Virgo or Pisces be on the ascendant the native will create his own dignity; but if Aries or Libra be there he will cause his own death.
Venus gives pleasure to the native in that part of the body which may be ruled by the sign she occupies. It is the same with other stars.
Should a disease begin when the Moon may be in a sign occupied at the birth by some malefic, or in quartile or opposition to any such sign, such disease will be most severe; and if the malefic also behold the said sign, it will be dangerous. On the other hand, there will be no danger if the Moon be in a place held at the time of birth by some benefic.
In all horary questions remember that there is no affliction to the Moon so great as when she is in conjunction with the Sun; the ill aspects for the malefics must affect her, but no evil aspect is so powerful as her conjunction.
Mercury in trine or sextile to the Moon gives the capacity for acquiring foreign languages. In bad aspect to the Moon makes the native envious, sarcastic, ill-natured, given to lying and thieving.
Saturn in trine or sextile to Venus shows much power of attachment to wife and family. In a woman's nativity this is very good, as it indicates purity.
Those born near noon are generally successful in life, owing to the Sun's influence being then most powerful. Those born near midnight are by no means so fortunate as those born at midday, and it is a singular peculiarity in such nativities that the most remarkable events of their lives take place after their thirtieth year, and they are also certain of some kind of a name after death, meritorious or otherwise, according to what their horoscope declares. Persons born near midnight are very imaginative, and subject to see visions, dream dreams, and to be believers in the unseen world.
In all travels the Moon is to be considered, for she is a general signifier of journeys, whether by sea or land.
When the moon is besieged between Mars and the Sun in a nativity, it argues a short life to the native.
Mercury, if posited in one of the houses of Saturn, in trine or sextile to that planet, gives excellent understanding; and if the moon be also well-dignified, the native is much given to the study of occult science, and will have much renown in that particular.
Those born with the Moon powerful in their horoscopes would do well to be guided by her aspects in their daily avocations. If she should be in trine or sextile to Jupiter, it is a good day to seek favours of the great, or to make arrangements with employers. When she is in trine or sextile to Mercury, all intellectual matters taken in hand will be likely to prosper. When she is so aspected to Venus, matters undertaken with reference to love, marriage, or friendship will have a happy issue. When she is in square or opposition she would have, of course, the contrary effects.
The Sun and Moon in conjunction with Mercury give to the native great intellectual abilities.
Those who have the benevolent planets, Jupiter and Venus, well posited in either the ascendant or the mid-heaven at birth will always be much beloved during the whole course of their lives.
He who is born with the sun in trine to Jupiter is fond of rule, and very famous in his generation.
Venus in square to Saturn at a birth causes the native to be sensual and given to unnatural vices.
All the planets, or most of them above the earth, make the native eminent and famous, and if all should be well-dignified, he will—like a comet—outshine all others in the world's esteem. If, on the contrary, all the planets are under the earth at a birth, the native will be of a falling fame and fortune, or if they promise by their natures honour, dignity and fortune (that is, if they appear essentially dignified in nocturnal genitures), these good things will only come in the latter part of the native's life.
Jupiter in conjunction with the Moon in a watery sign gives drunkenness.
Venus in conjunction, trine or sextile to the Moon, gives happy marriage, but in square to the Moon, prodigality, indolence and drunkenness.
Saturn in square to Mars means a malicious and murderous temperament, and liability to imprisonment.
It is advantageous to make choice of days and hours at a time well constituted by the nativity. Should the time be adverse, the choice will in no respect avail, however favourable an issue it may chance to promise.
A sagacious mind improves the operation of the heavens, as a skilful farmer by cultivation improves nature.
Part II.
CHIROMANCY
"God has placed signs in the hands of all men, that every man may know his work."—Job xxxvii. 7 (St. Hierom's Translation).
Chiromancy is a science which teaches us to read not only the character but the whole destiny—for good or evil, the length of life and often the manner of death of a man by the lines and marks to be seen in his hand. This study is sometimes called Palmistry, in which case, however, it properly refers only to a judgment formed from what appears in the palm of the hand, whilst Chiromancy (taken from the word Cheir, a hand, and Manteia, divination) signifies the revelations made by the hand, taken as a whole. Chiromancy is nearly as ancient as astrology, with which it is indissolubly connected, for the hand represents, as has been before said, a natural horoscope, which is placed upon it at the time both of the conception and the birth by the influence of the stars. The seven planets are all represented in the hand and also the twelve signs of the zodiac, so that the casting of a nativity is needless, as by simply examining a hand by the light of Chiromancy we can indicate what planets have been powerful at the time of birth, and what, therefore, will be their effect for good or evil over the existence; and we can also find the dates of the principal events of the life. We find many allusions to this subject in the Bible, and still more in the ancient Kabbala.
The Holy Kabbala, as it was called by the Magi, must not be confounded with what is called "The Black Art"; it is, on the contrary, the quintessence of reason and morality as they were understood by the ancients and contains that traditional science of the secrets of nature which, from age to age, is borne towards us as the wave is carried by the tide to the shore; but it has been transmitted obscurely, because the doctrines of the Kabbala were known only, in those early ages, to the adept and the initiation, later on, of neophytes was only yielded after a series of severe and terrible ordeals, whilst the revelation of its mysteries to the uninitiated was punished by death.
The necessity of silence was, in fact, one of the principal tenets of the Kabbala and is represented, in the figure of Adda-Nari,[16] by the position of the fingers of the hand holding the flowering branch of Abundance; the thumb and the first two fingers, which in Chiromancy represent will, power and fatality, are held open; whilst the third and fourth fingers, representing light and science, are closed. This was meant to indicate to the good—the initiated—that they would have, when united, strength and will to direct Fate; but that they must keep hidden from the wicked and ignorant both light and science. It must, however, in justice to the ancient Kabbalists, be suggested that their inculcation of silence probably arose, not so much from a desire of domination, but rather from the fact that, feeling themselves superior in knowledge, they thought they were obeying a divine law in refusing to the wicked those lights which, when possessed by them, led, as perhaps they had sometimes found, to error. We, seeing things in a wider light, give, or try to give, equal knowledge to all, without submitting the ignorant to the ordeal of initiation to prove their worthiness as recipients; but, after all, it amounts to much the same thing—give to all men truth and light in abundance, but all will not profit by it. We see this every day in our college system; the lesson is the same for all, but it is only the few who profit by it; and although we appear to be obeying a divine law in opening the way of light and life—the life of knowledge—to all, as God makes His sun to shine on good and bad equally, still we can, in some sort, understand the feeling of the ancient Magi, whose motto was: "Know, Dare, Will, but keep Silence."
To face Chapter XVI.
In the plate belonging to this chapter we give a hand on which are marked the principal lines seen on the palm; three of which, viz., the Line of Life, the Line of Head and the Line of Heart, are found in a clearer or fainter degree on all hands, but which vary, as regards their relative position, in every hand. The first and largest, that which encircles the thumb, is called the Line of Life; by the length, colour and evenness, or the reverse, of this line the length of life is indicated, and also the illnesses and accidents by which the life is menaced in running its course. The line immediately above it, crossing the palm of the hand, is the Line of Head; by it we are to judge of the intellectual powers. Above it is the Line of Heart, from which we form an opinion of the strength of affection, or the want of it, in the native.
The lines which are not always to be found are the lines going from the wrist to the finger of Saturn, which is called the Saturnian line, and which shows the events of the life; the Line of the Sun, which goes towards the finger of the Sun and which indicates success in art, literature, or the pursuit of riches; and the Line of Health, which goes from the wrist to the finger of Mercury: this line is often absent in a hand.
All these lines will be more fully discussed further on; at present it is only necessary to name them in order to explain the plate belonging to this chapter.
At the base of each figure there is a mount, more or less developed, on every hand. Now, each of these mounts corresponds with one of the planets from which it has received more or less influence, according to its development, and the signs or marks to be found upon it.
It will be seen also, from the plate, that the ancients gave to each finger the name of one of the planets, thus:—
The first finger represented Jupiter, the mount at its base being called the Mount of Jupiter.
The second, Saturn, the mount at its root being the Mount of Saturn.
The third, the Sun, the mount below being the Mount of the Sun.
The fourth, Mercury, the mount at its base being called the Mount of Mercury.
The thumb is sacred to Venus, and the root of the thumb is called the Mount of Venus.
It will also be seen that the planet Mars (although no finger is dedicated to it) is twice represented in the hand, along the side of the palm by the Mount of Mars, and in the palm, between the Line of Life and the Line of the Head, which is called the Plain of Mars.
The Moon is only represented by the Mount of the Moon, at the lower part of the palm on the opposite side of the hand to the thumb.
When these mounts are well in their places, and clearly but not too strongly defined, they give the qualities of the planet they represent; but when any mount is not well marked, or even, as frequently happens, is quite deficient, there is a want of the qualities shown to exist where the mount is clearly defined. If the mounts are not only ill-defined, but represented by a cavity, that cavity would indicate the existence of qualities which are the reverse of those indicated by the mount; whereas an exceeding development would denote an excess of the qualities given by the mount.
Thus the Mount of Jupiter, which is immediately under the index finger, when fairly developed, indicates noble ambition, will-power, love of nature, kindliness, generosity, religion and happy marriage. When in excess—that is, when the mount is so large as to invade that next it—the Mount of Saturn—it gives superstition, exaggerated pride and domineering self-assertion. The total absence of this mount (which is sometimes, but rarely, seen) indicates coldness, selfishness, irreligion and that want of dignity which is produced by the utter absence of self-respect.
The Mount of Saturn is found immediately beneath the second finger, which the ancients assigned to Saturn, the planet of Fatality. Saturn gives extreme misfortune, or extreme good fortune, according to the development of the mount and the signs and lines to be seen upon it, and the course of the Saturnian Line, or Line of Fate (of which we will speak further on), in the palm of the hand. This mount also denotes a tendency to occult science. Those born specially under the influence of Saturn are timid, lovers of solitude, and very seldom marry, but are very persistent in their affections when they do love.
Saturn, when well developed, gives prudence, wisdom and, to a certain extent, success; when in excess it gives sadness, taciturnity, asceticism, dread of the after-life and yet, sometimes, a predisposition to suicide. The total absence of the mount indicates an insignificant existence.
The Mount of the Sun is placed at the root of the third finger, which was sacred to the Sun; when this mount is well developed it indicates love of art and literature, which shows itself (according to temperament) in poetry, painting, sculpture, or music; it gives also religion of the æsthetic, tolerant sort, grace, riches and celebrity; in excess it gives love of show, frivolity and vaingloriousness. The total absence of the mount means a thoroughly material existence; absence of all taste for art—a life without colour, a day without sunlight.
The Mount of Mercury is found at the base of the fourth finger, and, when well defined, indicates intelligence, success in science and in occult studies, the love of work and activity, both of mind and body and eloquence; in excess it gives impudence, theft and falsehood: absence of the mount indicates no aptitude for science, no intellectuality—a negative existence. Of course, should the Mount of the Sun be well defined, the last quality would be overridden by the success which that indicates.
The Mount of Mars is at the side of the hand opposite the thumb, just below the Mount of Mercury, and, when well developed, indicates courage, ardour and resolution; in excess it gives cruelty, anger, revenge and tyranny: the absence of the mount gives cowardice and want of self-command.
The Mount of the Moon is found immediately below that of Mars, and, when well developed, gives imagination of the dreamy, sentimental order, gentle melancholy and love of solitude; in excess it gives morbid melancholy, caprice and fantastic imagination: the absence of the mount indicates want of poetry in the nature, positivism.
The Mount of Venus, which is formed by the root of the thumb, indicates, when fairly developed, love of the beautiful, melody in music, the desire of pleasing and sensuous tenderness; in excess it gives love of material pleasures, coquetry, inconstancy and (when other signs, afterwards to be explained, are also seen in the hand) extreme sensuality.
Each planet has a special influence over certain parts of the body. Jupiter governs the head and lungs; Saturn, the spleen and ears; the Sun, heart, eyes and arms; Mercury, the liver and legs; Mars, the head and throat; the Moon and Venus, the lower parts of the body. Any excess in the length or size of the fingers or mounts argues a tendency to disease in the organs represented by that finger or mount. When a mount is—instead of being high—broad and full, it gives the same indications as if it were high; if much covered with lines it shows an overabundance of the quality of the mount, and is equal to an excess of height. One deep perpendicular line upon a mount is a fortunate sign; two show danger of too great force of the quality; and three give misfortune arising from excess of the qualities of the mount. Crossway lines on the mount always denote obstacles. Some old Italian writers affirm that fine cross lines on a mount signify wounds to that part of the body over which the mount on which they are seen has influence.
The mounts are often irregularly placed. If one should lean towards the other, it absorbs some of the qualities of the mount which it invades.
To face Chapter XVII.
The ancient Chiromancists divided the Line of Life into ten compartments (see plate), each representing ten years of life, and thus they were enabled to prognosticate at what date in the life the illnesses or dangers indicated by the form or colour of the line would be likely to happen. This plate is copied from one in the Sieur de Peruchio's interesting work, La Chiromance, published in Paris in 1657.
It will be noticed that the mounts are here indicated by the astrological symbols of the various planets they represent, Mars being placed on the Plain of Mars, and again on the Mount of Mars, which, as we have already seen, lies immediately below the Mount of Mercury, It will also be seen that the signs of the zodiac are also represented on the hand: Aries (March), which begins the astrological year, is placed at the base of the hand, close to the Mount of Venus; Taurus (April) is on the Mount of Venus; Gemini (May) is at the base of the Mount of Jupiter. These represent the spring-tide of the year, and also of life: therefore they are placed on and near Venus, which planet represents happiness and enjoyment. The signs Cancer (June), Leo (July) and Virgo (August) represent the second age, which is given to the accumulation of riches and honours: so these signs appear on the finger of Jupiter. In the third age a person is supposed to enter upon the enjoyment of dignities, therefore Libra (September), Scorpio (October) and Sagittarius (November) are on the third finger, that of the Sun, which is supposed to accord position and reputation. The last months of the astrological year are thus placed: Capricornus (December) is beneath the Mount of the Sun; Aquarius (January) is on the upper part of the Mount of the Moon; and Pisces (February) will be seen at the base of the Mount.
When the Line of Life is long, well-formed, slightly coloured and goes all round the thumb, it indicates a long life and free from serious illness; but when the line is wide and pale in colour, it indicates bad health; when it is short, it means early death.
If the Line of Life is broken on one hand, but is marked in a continuous line on the other, these signs indicate an illness of a very serious nature; but if the broken line should appear in both hands, it means death at the epoch corresponding with the place on the line where the break occurs. When the Line of Life is not clearly defined, but is formed by a sort of chain of small lines, it indicates continuous small illnesses.
When the Line of Life, instead of starting from the side of the hand, takes its rise in the Mount of Jupiter, which is sometimes, but rarely, the case, it indicates a life of successful ambition, honours and celebrity—qualities given by the influence of Jupiter.
If the Line of Life joins the Line of the Heart and the Line of the Head, it indicates grave misfortune or violent death, by which the ancients probably meant to infer that when the heart and the head are dominated by merely vital instincts, the life is menaced by misfortune, but, when the Line of Life is very far from the Line of Head, it indicates a life that accomplishes its course without much intelligence; so also if the Line of Life is very far from the Line of Heart, it indicates a life without love.
When the Line of Life is bi-forked at its termination, near the wrist, it means a total change in the way of life towards its close and, should one of the branches tend towards the Mount of the Moon, it indicates madness towards the end of existence. A double Line of Life is sometimes, but rarely, seen: this indicates excess of health and long life and also success in a military career. This line is sometimes called the Line of Mars. To a woman it indicates success in love. Three stars inside the line, but so close to it as to be almost on it, show that the subject will be much loved of men or women as the sex will determine, but that these signs will bring distress.
A circle on the Line of Life shows loss of an eye or disease of the eye at the period at which it appears on the line. If two circles appear the person will become blind. If the Line of Life terminates with many small lines it means slight illnesses towards the close of life.
A woman having two crosses on the upper part of the Line of Life is sensuous and immodest. A line going from the Line of Life and terminating with an island on the Mount of Jupiter shows lung disease or pleurisy at the time where such line starts. If at the end of the Line of Life, towards the wrist, there is a small triangle, it denotes loquacity and falsehood; but with a good Line of Head and Heart, tact and eloquence.
When the Line of Life throws branches upwards towards the Plain of Mars it means that, after long struggles, riches and honours will be acquired in old age. A line upwards from the Line of Life to the Mount of Jupiter shows success by the subject's own merits. This often makes its appearance quite suddenly.
A black spot on the Line of Life indicates an illness or some misfortune which affects the health. Lines going from the base of the thumb across the Mount of Venus and cutting the Line of Life denote illness from money worries if they stop at the Line of Head; and from heart troubles if they go direct to the Line of Heart. A line going from the Line of Life straight to the Mount of Saturn indicates accident from a four-footed beast. A line going from the Mount of Venus to the Line of Heart and terminating with a fork shows separation after marriage.[17] When this is seen, in conjunction with an island on the line of Fate, it has a worse indication—that of adultery and divorce. One deep line going from the joint of the thumb across the Mount of Venus and just cutting the Line of Life indicates a deep heart sorrow from the death or faithlessness of someone much loved.
The Line of Heart is placed immediately beneath the mounts at the root of each finger. This line, when clear, straight and well coloured, rising in the Mount of Jupiter and extending to the outer edge of the hand, signifies that its possessor has a good heart capable of strong affection. If, instead of commencing on the Mount of Jupiter, it does not take its rise till the Mount of Saturn, then the love will, in that nature, be rather of a sensual character. The Line of Heart sometimes stretches across the whole of the hand; such a line announces a too great amount of tenderness—a passionate and blind devotion in affection.
When the Line of Heart is broken in several places, it means inconstancy, both in love and friendship. Should the breaks be seen immediately beneath the Mount of Saturn, it indicates a tragic end to the love; if beneath the Mount of the Sun, by pride;[18] but if between the Mount of Saturn and the Mount of the Sun, the heart-break will be occasioned by folly; if between the Mounts of Apollo and Mercury, by cupidity—the desire to make a better marriage in a worldly point of view; if the break occurs immediately beneath the Mount of Mercury, the evil issue of the love will be from caprice.
When the Line of the Heart appears in the form of the links of a chain instead of in one clear line, it indicates inconstancy and indecision—a tendency towards a series of amourettes rather than to a high and serious affection. If it goes round to the percussion of the hand it indicates jealousy.
The Line of Heart of a deep red colour indicates a power of love ardent even to violence; but when, on the contrary, the Line of Heart is pale and wide, it is an indication of coldness of temperament.
When, at its starting-point, the Line of Heart is seen to turn round the base of the Mount of Jupiter somewhat in the form of a circle, it is what the ancient Chiromancists called "Solomon's Ring," and indicates an aptitude for the occult sciences. If the Line of Heart joins the Line of Life between the thumb and forefinger, it is a sign (if the mark is in both hands) of a violent death; if only in one, of a serious, but not fatal, illness connected with the heart.
Should the Line of Heart droop towards the Line of Head and touch it, it is a sign of coldness in the affections: the instincts of the heart are swayed by worldly considerations. Red punctures on the Line of Heart mean as many wounds in the affections as there are spots. White spots, on the contrary, show the persons of the opposite sex who, at some time of the subject's life, have given him, or her, a strong love. Should the spot be at the beginning of the line, above the Mount of Venus, the person will have the appearance and qualities given by that planet; if under the Mount of Jupiter he would be a Jupiterian; if under Saturn he would have the appearance and character of a Saturnian; under the Sun of a Sun person; if under Mercury the appearance and character would be those of a Mercurian; if near the side of the hand, of Mars; and if quite at the percussion of the hand, the qualities and physical appearance given by the Moon would describe the person.
If, on starting, the Line of Heart is bi-forked and one branch of the fork rises towards the Mount of Jupiter, it indicates great happiness of a glorious nature; but if the other branch stops between the finger of Jupiter and that of Saturn, it is merely negative happiness—a life passed without great misfortunes. When a hand (but this is rare) is entirely without the Line of Heart it indicates an iron will, wickedness and cruelty, unless the Ring of Venus is deep and goes towards the Mount of Mercury, in which case it would supply the place of the Line of Heart.
The Line of the Head rises between the Line of Life and the Mount of Jupiter and, when it is long and clear, it denotes a sound judgment, good memory and masterly intellect; but it must not extend across the hand in a straight line, as that signifies a disposition to avarice, or at any rate of extreme economy, because unless corrected by a rich Line of Heart, it would indicate an excess of calculation in the character.
If the Line of Head is long, but droops towards the Mountain of the Moon, it signifies ideality in excess. Life and its numerous duties and cares will be considered from an artistic and unreal point of view, for the Mount of the Moon, it will be remembered, represents imagination in excess, romanticism and superstition; and if the Line of the Head droops very low to the Mount of the Moon, it indicates more than superstition—it is then mysticism.
If, instead of drooping towards the Mount of the Moon, the Line of Head rises towards the mounts at its close, the intellect will partake of the qualities of that mount towards which it rises: thus, if it rises beneath the Mount of Mercury, the intellect will be employed successfully in affairs or on the stage; if towards the Sun, in art and literature.
The Line of the Head pale-coloured and wide indicates a want of intelligence; so also does a very short line, only extending half-way across the hand. This is often seen in persons of medium intellect.
The Line of the Head broken in two immediately under the Mount of Saturn means, where the sign is on both hands, death on the scaffold, or at least, a fatal wound on the head. When this sign appears in only one hand (no matter which), it indicates a probability of madness from an unfortunate passion, or a broken limb, or a blow, but not fatal, on the head. When it is broken under the Mount of the Sun it shows injury to the right arm or, in a very artistic hand, illness from over-strain of the mental powers.
If the Line of the Head is long, thin and not deeply marked, it shows infidelity and treachery. If, towards its close, it mounts suddenly to the Line of the Heart, it signifies early death.
When the Line of Head is cut by a number of small hair lines, it indicates continuous nervous headaches; a cross in the middle of the line is a sign of approaching death, or of a mortal wound.
When the Line of the Head is not joined to the Line of Life at its starting-point, it indicates self-confidence and impulsiveness, jealousy and that sort of untruth which springs from exaggeration of facts, from over-impressionability. With the planets of Mars and Jupiter in excess, the Line of Head separate from the Line of Life gives audacity and enthusiasm and, therefore, success.
If large, round, red spots are seen on the Line of Head, they indicate so many wounds on the head; whilst white spots on the Line of the Head indicate as many successes in literature as there are spots to be seen.
A star on the Line of Head means a wound on the head, or madness if the line droops much to the Mount of the Moon, and the star appears at its termination.
A sister (or double line) of Head is rarely seen; but if it appears it is a sure sign of fortune by inheritance.
When the Saturnian Line starts from the wrist, exactly below the finger of Saturn, and goes in a direct line to it, cutting through the mount, but stopping at the root of the finger, it is a sign of a life of extreme happiness. If the line goes toward the mount of Jupiter, this happiness is the result of a marriage bringing both riches and love. If the Saturnian Line stops short at the Line of Head, it is misfortune in affairs through a false calculation; or, taken in conjunction with a troubled Line of Life, it would mean a physical brain affection.
If the Saturnian Line is straight and well-coloured at its termination—that is, as it nears the finger of Saturn—it indicates happiness and success in old age, however troubled the life may have been before. If this line only starts from the Line of Head, it denotes poverty and stupidity.
The age, on the Saturnian Line, is counted from the wrist upwards; from the wrist to the Line of Head chiromancists count thirty-five years,[19] from the Line of Head to the Line of Heart fifteen years; and from the Line of Heart to the root of the finger are the remaining years of Life.
If the Saturnian Line is broken and irregular, it means trouble and worry in life; and according to whether these breaks occur on the Line of Head or on the Line of Heart, so will the troubles be of the head or heart—troubles arising from affairs or from the affections. If the Line of Life be irregular, denoting uncertain health, these troubles may be physical evils to the heart or head.
Short Lines crossing the Saturnian show vexations in either the affairs or in love-matters. A downward branch from the Saturnian going towards the Moon shows sorrow from the death or treachery of a woman. This is the same whether it be on a man's or a woman's hand.
If the Saturnian Line is twisted in a sort of spiral at the starting-point, but yet the upper part of it goes in a clear, direct line to the Mount of Saturn, and cuts through it to the root of the finger without penetrating beyond, it indicates a troubled and anxious youth, followed by riches and good fortune in middle age. If the twisted line continues and crosses the Line of the Head and the Line of the Heart, the troubles will continue until old age, and the good fortune be only quite at the close of life. A triangle, or small island, at the commencement of the line, shows death of the father or mother in early childhood.
If the Mount of Saturn is much wrinkled, and the Saturnian Line cuts through it, and is of a deep-red colour, and mounts as high as the third joint of the finger of Saturn, it indicates a violent and disgraceful end—death on the gallows. Upward lines from the Saturnian Line mean events of happy omen either in the affections or affairs at the age shown on the line; downward lines have the reverse signification.
There are some hands in which the Saturnian Line is very faintly indicated and, when this is the case, it signifies an uneventful, insignificant existence. The Esquimaux, for example, who live in a wretched climate, and live hard, unlovely lives, have absolutely, some of them, no Saturnian Line in their hands; and M. Serres, a famous French anthropologist, asserts that this line (which he calls the Caucasian Line) is only to be found in the hands of the white races; whilst M. Desbarrolles, another French writer on this subject, goes farther, and affirms that, among persons condemned to a dry, unintellectual vegetative life, even among the white races, the Saturnian Line is often found entirely wanting.
The Saturnian Line is one of great importance, for it corrects and modifies the significations both of the lines and of the mounts.
A double Saturnian Line, which is sometimes, but very rarely, seen, indicates great moral corruption and physical infirmities, brought about by abuse of material pleasures. A cross upon the line shows a change of position or a crisis in the affections at the age indicated by its position on the line. A star on the line shows disaster at the date at which it appears.
Downward lines from the Line of Heart towards the Fate Line show heart sorrows at the period when they cross the line. Widowhood is indicated in this way if the Line of Fate breaks and shows a total change in the way of life immediately afterwards. It sometimes only means a death at the period when it crosses the Fate Line.
The Line of the Sun takes its rise either in the Line of Life or from the Mount of the Moon, and, ascending, it traces a furrow in the Mount of the Sun, but stops at the root of the finger; it signifies, when straight and well defined, and taking the course we have described, celebrity in literature or art, whether in poetry, painting, sculpture, or music. The mounts decide in some measure which branch of art is preferred. With Venus large it would probably be music or painting; with the Moon much developed, poetry—or at any rate literature of an elevated kind. Those having the Line of Sun thus traced, even who are not artists by profession and whom destiny has placed in quite inartistic careers, will always have artistic tastes, eye for colour, ear for music, or a perception of beauty in form or in language. Where the line only begins in the Line of Heart the artistic feeling is only appreciative, not productive, but when it rises as low as the Mount of the Moon, it signifies creative power.
If the Line of the Sun subdivides, in traversing the Mount of the Sun, into several lines, it indicates a tendency to cultivate several branches of art, which prevents the success which generally crowns excess of artistic feeling when confined in its expression to one especial art; it also indicates too great a struggle after effect in art; it is more significative of the dilettante, or patron of art generally, than the artist pur et simple. When the Line of the Sun, in its upward course, is barred by several transverse lines, there are obstacles in the career of art; but if the line continues and marks a single deep furrow in the mount till it reaches the root of the finger, these obstacles will, in the end, be conquered and success, riches, honours and celebrity will be attained. In a hand where the Sun Line begins above the Head Line, the deep line at its close only means riches after fifty, and has nothing to do with art.
The Line of Health, or, as it is sometimes called, the Line of the Liver, takes its rise at the wrist, near the Line of Life, and mounts in the direction of the Mount of Mercury. If it is well coloured and the line is not broken, it denotes good health, great power of memory and success in business pursuits; if the line becomes broken, or is forked at its close, before it reaches the mount, it indicates severe illness in old age. If this line starts from the Line of Life it is a sure sign of weakness of the heart's action. If the line is unequally coloured and gets redder as it crosses the Line of Head, it indicates a predisposition to apoplexy; if it stops suddenly on the Line of the Heart, a serious physical heart affection is likely.
The Line of Health sometimes takes a curved form on one hand, forming a sort of half-circle, from the Mount of the Moon to the Mount of Mercury. In this case it is called the Line of Presentiment and indicates vivid intuition, especially if Mercury is strong in his influence. When the Line of Health on both hands takes this form, it indicates mediumistic powers and powerful second sight. Should there be a long island at the starting-point, that is, near the Mount of the Moon in the Line of Presentiment, it indicates somnambulism.
When the Line of Health forms a large and distinct cross with the Line of Head, it shows a disposition for the study of occult science, but this is not the mystical cross which will be described farther on. An island on this line shows some internal illness at the date on which it appears on the line—that is, if before it reaches the Head Line, it would be before thirty-five; if after and between the Lines of Head and Heart, it would be between thirty-five and fifty; if later, during the remainder years of life. A twisted Liver Line is a sign of biliousness and indigestion; if it is of a red colour (as it frequently is where Mars is one of the ruling planets) it shows a tendency to feverish complaints.
The Line of Health is sometimes, but rarely, accompanied by another line called the Milky Way; when this line commences side by side with the Line of Health and mounts with it in an unbroken line, towards the finger of Mercury, it signifies a long life of uninterrupted happiness. This line, which is sometimes called the Via Lasciva, gives ardour in love, because a super-abundance of health gives force to passion.
The Ring of Venus seems to enclose, as in an island, the Mounts of Saturn and the Sun; this line is not seen in many hands and, when fully developed, signifies unbridled passion and debauchery of all kinds when, in conjunction with it, the Mount of Venus is strongly developed and marked with crossway lines.
If, with the signs mentioned above, the Ring of Venus is strongly marked, yet broken at its centre in both hands, it is a sign of eccentric and depraved passion; still, there are always modifications of these bad signs, and a very good Line of Head would, by bringing reason to bear upon passion, considerably mitigate the evil indications of the broken ring.
When the Ring of Venus is seen on a hand where both the planets Venus and the Moon are strongly indicated and where it is traversed by innumerable fine lines, it is a true sign of an hysterical temperament.
Sometimes the Ring of Venus will be seen to ascend and lose itself on the Mount of Mercury, leaving one end of the semicircle open, which mitigates, in some sort, the terribly strong instincts of voluptuousness indicated by this mark; but if, on the contrary, the semicircle, after extending itself to the Mount of Mercury, closes itself at the root of the finger, such a mark in the hand would indicate a terrible and absorbing power of passion, which would not hesitate at any means to secure its end.
A line traced on the wrist is a sign of long life and, if there are three of these lines, as is sometimes seen, it forms the triple bracelet. These lines indicate, in Chiromancy, thirty years of life each and the three lines form what is called the magic bracelet, indicating long life, health and riches. If these lines are formed irregularly, like the links of a chain, and more especially if the first one—that next the hand—is so formed, it indicates a long life of labour, but acquiring ease and competency at its close. If a cross appears in the centre of the wrist, it indicates a rich heritage at the close of life.
When lines start upwards from the bracelet, and ascend towards the Mount of the Moon, they denote as many travels by land as there are lines. If a line starts from the wrist and, after traversing the Plain of Mars, goes to the Mount of the Sun, such a line presages riches and honours coming from royalty.
When these travel lines go as high as the Line of Head and Heart, they denote journeys during which some person is met who influences either the fortunes or the affections, according to whether the line stops at the Line of Head or Heart.
Lines lengthways on the Mount of the Moon mean sea-voyages; if these lines terminate with a star, it denotes shipwreck; if on both hands, death by drowning.
The letter M, formed more or less regularly in every hand by the Line of Life, the Line of Head and the Line of Heart, represents the three worlds—the material, the natural and the divine.
The first, the Line of Life, surrounds Love and Generation, as represented by the thumb, which is, as we have seen, sacred to Venus—the material world, or world of sense—but the Mount of Venus may either degenerate love to vice, or perfectionate it to tenderness. With high instincts the Mount of Venus is a good quality, since, without it, all the other passions are hard and selfish.
The second line—the Line of the Head—stretches across the natural world; it traverses the Plain and the Mount of Mars, which represent the struggle of Love and Reason in existence—the natural world, life as it presents itself to most persons. There is in the hand the Plain of Mars and the Mount of Mars; both mean a struggle: the Mount is the struggle of resistance; the Plain of Mars (which is between the Lines of Head and Heart) is the struggle of aggression.
The third line, that of the Heart, encloses the divine world, for it surrounds the mounts which represent Religion, Jupiter; Fate, Saturn; Art, the Sun; Science, Mercury; all of which are especially influenced by the astral light, or fluid, emanating from the planets.
According to the proportions—the relative proportions—which these three lines bear to one another, so the life is influenced by the three different worlds represented. Thus we have a hand in which material (sensual) pleasure dominates: the line of the material world enclosing a space greatly superior to that of the two others. It is needless to give further examples of these differences, for, after all, this matter is but a résumé of what has been said before about the power of correction which one line has over the others. Given a wide range to sensual pleasure in the hand, but a good and extensive Line of the Head, the former will be corrected by it, as reason dominates passion; or given the strong powers of sensuality, with a wide range to the divine world by the space occupied between the Line of Heart and the mounts, and again, religion, love of art and science, will correct and keep under extreme sensuality. In reading the hand, each line must be judged with reference to the others, and the hand must be considered in all its bearings, before an opinion on the tendencies it indicates can be arrived at with any degree of correctness.