When the Line of Marriage is full of little islands, or linked like the loops of a chain, the subject should be warned not to marry at any time, as such a union would be full of the greatest unhappiness and continual separations.

When the line, which is otherwise well marked, appears about the centre to break in two, it foreshadows a fatality or break-up in an otherwise happy married life.

When the Line of Marriage itself, or an offshoot from it, goes into the hand, and joins or ascends upward with the Line of Sun, it promises that its possessor will marry some one of great wealth or distinction (6, Plate XVIII.).

When this above-mentioned line bends downward and cuts the Line of Sun, it denotes that the person on whose hand it is found will lose his position by the marriage he will make.

When any line from the top of the Mount of Mercury falls down into the Marriage Line, it shows that there will be great obstacles to overcome in whatever marriage the subject enters, but if the Line of Marriage is a good one, then such obstacles will be overcome.

When there is another line much slighter in appearance lying close to the upper side of the Marriage Line, it foretells some influence that will come into the subject's life after marriage.

All lines that cross the hand from the Mount of Mars (6, Plate XVII.), and rise up towards the Line of Marriage denote the interference of people with the marriage. These lines give the date of the interference when they cross the Line of Destiny; they cause quarrels when they come from Mars; from Venus they also denote annoyances, but not of such a vindictive nature (7, Plate XVII.).

INFLUENCE LINES TO THE FATE LINE ON THE MOUNT OF VENUS, AND OTHER SIGNS WHICH ALSO HAVE A MEANING IN CONNECTION WITH MARRIAGE The student may also get very great help in ascertaining details about the likely marriage of the person whose hands he is examining by the following: Fine Influence Lines seen joining the Line of Fate (7, Plate XVIII.), relate to persons who come into and affect the Destiny.

If the Line of Influence is very strong where it joins the Fate Line, and if at about the same date a clear Marriage Line is seen on the Mount of Mercury, the date of marriage may be more accurately predicted by the place on the Fate Line where the Influence Line joins it.

A great wealth of detail may also be made out from observing these Influence Lines to the Destiny: Coming over from the Mount of the Moon, there is always something romantic about the union. The person on whose hand this Line appears will as a rule meet his affinity when travelling or away from his home.

If the Influence Line has an "island" marked on it, the influence will then be a bad one, or, at least, the person will have had some scandal connected with his or her past life (8, Plate XVIII.). If the Line of Fate looks weaker or more uncertain after the union is marked, then such a marriage has not brought good or success to the subject. If, on the contrary, the Line of Fate looks better or stronger after the Influence Line has joined it, then this union will prove of advantage to the person whose hand is being examined.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XVIII.

MARRIAGE LINES AND INFLUENCE LINES WHICH FURTHER HELP IN DENOTING MARRIAGE.]

This increase of wealth or power is still more accentuated if at the same time it is observed that a Sun Line has made its appearance.

If the Influence Line should cut through the Fate Line, and appear on the thumb side of it, the affection will seldom last as long, or be so happy (7, Plate XVIII.). If a still wider separation of the Influence Line and the Fate Line appear as these two lines ascend the hand together, the separation of interests and destiny of the two persons will be still more marked as the years proceed.

If an Influence Line approaches close to the Line of Fate, and runs parallel with it for some time but does not join it, some great obstacle will prevent a marriage ever taking place (see also page 57).

If an Influence Line terminates in an "island," the influence itself will itself get into trouble, generally disgrace of some character (10, Plate XVIII.).[5]

[5] For further particulars refer back to chapter on the Line of Destiny, where these Influence Lines are also referred to (page 57).

INFLUENCE LINES ON THE MOUNT OF VENUS.

These are fine lines that run parallel with the Line of Life (11-11, Plate XVIII.), but they must not be confounded with the Line of Mars, or "Sister Life Line," which commences higher up nearer the Mount of Mars.

These Venus Influence Lines are more often found with those persons who have what is called the "Venus temperament," or who are intensely emotional and pa.s.sionate.

When many of such lines are seen, the subject cannot live without love, and will have many "affairs" at the same time.

As such an Influence Line runs parallel with the Life Line, or turns away from it, so it can be judged how long such an influence will last, and with fair accuracy the date when it will occur (for dates see page 113).

These Influence Lines, however, never have the same importance or meaning as those previously ascribed to the Line of Fate.

In my large work on this subject, Cheiro's Language of the Hand, I have been able to go into still greater detail with regard to all these Influence Lines.

CHAPTER IX.

LINES DENOTING CHILDREN, THEIR s.e.x, AND OTHER MATTERS CONCERNING THEM.

The Lines relating to children are those finely marked upright lines found immediately above the Line of Marriage (12, Plate XVIII.). A very good plan, in trying to see these Lines, is to press this portion of the hand with the tips of the fingers, and then note which of these small lines stand out the most clearly.

Sometimes they are extremely deeply marked, and as a rule much more so on a woman's hand than on a man's. In many cases it is necessary to employ a magnifying gla.s.s in order to see them.

Broad and deep lines denote male children, fine and narrow lines, females.

When they appear as straight lines they denote strong healthy children, but when very faint or crooked, the children indicated are always delicate.

When the first part of the little line (taking it upward from the Line of Marriage) is marked with a small "island," such a child will be very delicate in its early life, but if the line appears well marked when the "island" is pa.s.sed, the probability is that it will grow up strong and healthy. When ending or broken at the "island" the child will never grow up.

When one line stands out very clear and distinct among the others, the child the mark indicates will be more to the parent, and will be more successful than any of the others.

To know the number of children anyone will have, it is necessary to count these lines from the outside of the hand in towards the palm.

A person with the Mount of Venus very flat on the hand, and very poorly developed, is not likely to have any children at all, and this is all the more certain if the first Bracelet is found rising up like an arch into or towards the palm (see page 91).

CHAPTER X.

THE LINE OF HEALTH OR THE HEPATICA.

There has been very considerable discussion among students of this subject as to the part of the hand on which the Line of Health (1-1, Plate XIX.) commences.

My own theory, and one that I have proved by over twenty-five years' experience and also watching its growth on the hands of children, is, that it rises at the base of or on the face of the Mount of Mercury, and as it grows across the hand and attacks the Line of Life, it foreshadows the development of illness or germ of disease, which, at the date of its coming in contact with the Line of Life, will reach the climax of its attack.

The Line of Life, it must be remembered, merely relates to the promised length of life from heredity and natural causes, but the Line of Health denotes the effect of the cla.s.s of life the subject has led. Where these two lines come together, if one is of equal strength to the other, will be the date of death, even though the Line of Life should pa.s.s this point and appear to be a much greater length (2, Plate XIX.).

The Line of Mercury, or of Health, relating as it does to the nervous system, and also to the mind (Mercury), lends itself to the supposition that the all-knowing subconscious brain is cognisant, even at an early age, of the force of resistance in the nervous system. It may know how long this force will last, when it will be exhausted, and consequently may mark the hand long years in advance.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XIX.

THE LINE OF HEALTH.]

The Line of Health is one of the lines of the hand most subject to changes. It is the thermometer of the life showing its "rise and fall" as the case may be. I have seen this mysterious line look deep and threatening during the early years of a life, and completely fade away as greater health and strength took possession of the body.

Again, I have often seen it look deeper and more ominous as the wear and tear, especially of the nervous system, began to make itself manifest, or when the subject over-taxed his mental strength.

Further, it is an excellent sign to be without this line altogether. Its absence denotes an extremely robust, strong const.i.tution, and a healthy state of the nervous system.

If a hand has the Line of Health, the best position for it is to lie straight down the hand, and not approach or touch the Line of Life (3-3, Plate XIX.). When found crossing the hand, and touching or throwing branches across to the Line of Life, it foretells that there is some illness at work which is undermining the health.

If it rises and seems like a branch from the Heart Line, especially if both these lines are broad in appearance and with the Health Line running down the palm coming in contact with the Line of Life, it is a certain indication of weakness or disease of the heart.

The student should always observe the kind of nails there are on the hand when thinking out the diseases indicated by the Line of Health.[6]

[6] See Chapter on Nails, page 136.

When the finger nails are short, without moons, and round, and the Line of Health is strongly marked, he may be sure that nervous weak action of the heart is decidedly threatened.

When the nails are long and almond-shaped, there is danger of weakness and delicacy of the lungs. With the same shape of nails, and with islands in the upper part of the Health Line (4, Plate XIX.), consumption of the lungs and tuberculosis will make itself manifest.

When the nails are very flat, and especially sh.e.l.l-shaped (see Plate V., Part II.), and the Line of Health is deeply marked, paralysis and the

worst forms of nerve diseases are threatening the subject.

When this line is very red in small spots, especially when pressed, rheumatic fever is indicated.

When twisted, irregular, and yellowish in colour, the subject will suffer from biliousness and liver complaints.

When found heavily marked, and only joining the Heart and Head Lines together, it foreshadows brain-fever, especially when any islands are marked on the Line of Head.

The Line of Health, running straight down the hand but not touching the Line of Life, indicates that though the const.i.tution may not be robust, it is wiry, and there is great reserve resistance to disease.

In connection with the examination of the Line of Health, the student must always look for other indications to the rest of the lines of the hand, more especially to the Line of Life and Line of Head. For instance, when the Line of Life looks very chained and weak, the Health Line on a hand will naturally increase the danger of delicate health; and when found with a Line of Head full of little islands, or like a chain, such a Health Line more clearly foreshadows brain disease, severe headaches, etc.

By a study of this line the most valuable warnings may be given of approaching ill-health. Whether persons will follow the warnings or not is a question. My experience is that they do not and will not, and therefore, whatever is indicated will most probably come to pa.s.s.

Providence places many signposts and warnings in our paths, but human nature is either too blind or too self-confident to notice them until it is too late.

CHAPTER XI.

THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN, AND THE BRACELETS.

These marks are cla.s.sed among the minor lines of the hands, but they often have a significance that is of the greatest importance.

The Girdle of Venus is that broken or sometimes unbroken kind of semi-circular line that is found rising from the base of the first finger to the base of the fourth (1-1, Plate XX.).

I have not in my experience found this mark to indicate the gross sensuality that is so often ascribed to it by other writers. It should be remembered that the hand is divided by the Line of Head, as it were, into two hemispheres, the lower and the upper.

The lower relates to the physical or more animal side of the nature, and the upper to the intellectual. Following this arrangement, it is only reasonable to a.s.sume that this mark under consideration, viz., the Girdle of Venus, relates more to the mental side of the symbolism of the Venus nature.

I have found that persons with this sign are more mentally sensual than physically so. They love to read or write books on the subject of the "s.e.x problem," but they are not inclined to put their theories and ideas into practice, at least with their own lives.

The qualities, however, that this mark represents are much more active and dangerous when this Girdle forms itself from the Mount of Saturn to that of Mercury. The imaginings of such people are then morbid and unhealthy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PLATE XX.

THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN, THE THREE BRACELETS, THE LINE OF INTUITION AND THE VIA LASCIVA.]

To those who study Astrology, the inference that I draw from the connection of these two parts of the hand will become clear and reasonable.

When broken or made up of little pieces, the Girdle of Venus has little meaning except to show a hysterical temperament, with a leaning towards the tendencies I have mentioned above.

These persons in all cases suffer enormously from moods, they are very difficult to live with, and when the Girdle of Venus runs off the side of the hand and pa.s.ses out through the Marriage Lines, their moody, changeable natures generally make marriage for them an unusually unhappy experience.

THE RING OF SATURN.

What is called the Ring of Saturn (2, Plate XX.) is very seldom found, and it is by no means a good sign to have. It is also a semi-circular line, but found lying across the Mount of Saturn.

In all my experience I have never been able to come across any person with this mark who succeeded in life or was able to carry any one of his plans to a successful termination.

These people seem cut off from their fellow beings in some peculiar and extraordinary way. They are isolated and alone, and they appear to realise their lonely position keenly. They are gloomy, morbid, and Saturnine in character. They seldom marry, and when they do it is always a ghastly failure.

They are terribly obstinate and headstrong in all their actions, they resent the least advice or interference in their plans. Their lives generally close in suffering, poverty, or by some sinister tragedy or fatality.

It is the most unfortunate mark ever to find.

THE BRACELETS.

The Bracelets (3-3, Plate XX.) are of very little importance except to throw light on certain points of health. There are supposed to be three of these lines or bracelets at the wrist, which were called by the Greeks the Bracelets of Health, Wealth, and Happiness.

It is certainly very seldom that they can be found together, for experience in life does not give much hope that these three much-sought-after possessions can ever be found together on this side of the grave.

Delving back into the ancient legends of Greece, we find one very significant point in reference to the first bracelet, the one nearest the palm, which represents Health.

It appears that at one period of the ancient Greek civilisation all women had to come to the priest at their Temple to have their hands examined before they were allowed to marry. If the priest found this first Bracelet out of its place and rising up into the hand in the shape of an arch (4, Plate XX.), he would not allow the woman possessing this sign to be married under any circ.u.mstance, the idea being that it represented some internal malformation that would prevent her bringing children into the world. In such cases these women were made Vestal Virgins in the temples. Perhaps the old Greek Priest was right in his idea, for if this first Bracelet is found rising into the hand in the form of an arch, both men and women possessing it are delicate internally, and especially so in matters relating to s.e.x.