CURRENT TOPICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12589, 26 August 1901, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

Palmistry is no longer SSf art; it has been elevated t(

PALMISTRY.

the rank of a science of alii most arbitrary elements. Mr Alfred 1 Then mas, writing in the “South African Re? view,” utters an. almost pathetic plea fos a belief in the palmist and all his works* He admits the unholy odour of unsancblty which surrounds the science and its mystic formulae; he admits that its methods are often theatrical and unreal; he admits that its professors are too often mere charlatan* and word-quibblers, and: having thus disc armed all criticisms he announces his dmte pldoifc faith in the general inference of palmistry. It is from the fingers that the palmist draws his deductions as to the character and fate of his subject. The ancients divided the fingers into seven classes,, but for the uses of modern palmistry three are found to bs sufficient—the, the Spatuia-te, and the Square. The conical fingers are those of the artistic temperament ; they denote a love of beauty, and excessive imagination ; with a good thumb, the owner of such a hand might be expected to make a great artist, or othe.'rfisa notch his name in the world of art. Unfortunately, good thumbs are rare, hence the comparative scarcity of artists. People with conical finger-tips are usually toe idealistic to be practical. The square fingers denote a love of order and good reasoning powers, the style of hand generally found belonging to preachers, politicians,; and public speakers. The spatulate fingers are those of the workers of the world, active, energetic, and practical, the hardworking, go-ahead men and women of tho Empire. thumb is the most important member of the whole hand, as it denotes the will, and gives thus the keynote to the whole character. A good, well-de-veloped thumb can do much to redeem an otherwise bad hand by bringing the modifying power of personal wilt to bear,, upon inherited tendencies; making the idle energetic from the conviction that labour is the highest good, or the. self-indulgent temperate because reason shows the healthful result of abstinence. A study of the hand, Mr Thomas holds, will often disclose an imminent peril which may be partially or wholly avoided. If tho science m really all that he claims for it, “destiny” need no longer win the cynical definition of the witty- Frenchman who described it as “a sinister burst of laughter.”

rEAIfIIERS AND FASHIONS.

The Humanitarian League i has again s-t out to rouse i public opinion in Great Britain on the subject of

cruelty to biids. It is proprosed now to introduce a Bill into Parliamen to prohibit the sale of the plumage of certain birds for the ■ decoration of ladies’ bonnets, and to make it a finable offence for any. person to wear or to sell an articks cf dress attached to which is the “pluSSfc age, skin, or body ” of any of these bhA The schedule includes egret or female whif® | heron (osprey), bird of paradise, humming bird, impeyan pheasant, tern, kittiwaks, and kingfisher, many cf them English birds. pt The “ Daily Chronicle ” says that a precedent for legislation against “ murderous millinery,’’ exists in New York, where the feather' trade cf the United .States has. its centre. There no wild birds ether than certain specie? named by statute, mil birds for which lh:re is r.n open, season. can be taken ox- possessed at any

time, dead or alive, except under the authority of .a certificate, and' no part of the plumage, skin, or body of amy protected bird can be sold or had in possession for «U The measure promoted by the Humanitarian League ■will have a poor chance of success -when it comes before Parliament, but the discussion ought to result in good. It is sometimes urged that the agitation against ospreys and plumes, like the condemnations of lark-eating, is illogical, when the agitators tolerate the slaughter of the harmless necessary hen of commerce. But there is no real lack of logic, for the destruction of plumage birds is purely wanton. It is surely coarseness of taste that leads so many women to decorate their heads with the life-like corpses of little birds. There is at least some defence to be offered! for the eating of hens; the wearing of egrets and ospreys admits of 'none. Moreover, it is sheer thoughtlessness, rather than intentional cruelty, that leads to the slaughter of the innocent little plumage birds. There was a disposition on the part of society a few years ago to avoid Leather millinery, but the fashion seems to have grown as strong as ever, and the protest of the Humanitarian League is certainly needed.

the king’s TITLE.

The proposal to include in the King’s title seme reference to the over-sea portions of the Empire seems

, to have created; a great deal more interest at Home than in the colonies. Sir David Tennant, Agent-General for Cape Colony, declared that the proposed alteration, “synchronising with the accession of a newl Sovereign and an extension of the Empire, was most opportune.” “lb would secure,” he continued, “ a greater cohesion on the part of the colonies, andl prove a worthy recognition of the valour displayed by the colonial sons of the Empire, and bring sovereign and subjects into closer union. Agents-General have strange fancies at times. Some of the suggestions borderon the insane. A correspondent of the “St James’s Gazette” proposes “King of Engledom.” The “democratic conditions ” - 'of the colonies are* supposed to he considered in “Of the Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Federated States of South Africa., Lord High Protector,” New Zealand being apparently unworthy of a place in catalogue. The “Free Lance” wants t&> Imperial Government to offer a prize of £IOOO for the best suggestion. The “Chronicle” remarks wisely that the best title is hinted at in the current coinage. There one finds “Victoria Dei Gratia, Britaamaar. Beg., Fid. Dei,” or “Britt. Eegina,” the second “t ” obviously standing for the plural which is sometimes spelt in full as “ Britanniarum Regina,” or “ Queen of the Bri- ' tains.” With “Czar of all the Rnssias” as an analogy one need hardly look further, , unless “ King of the Britons ” is adopted;. It is interesting, in this connection, to read that Mr Copeland did not omit Now Zealand when he proposed that the Duke of (York’s sons should be styled Prince of Canada and Prince of Australia respectively. Princess Victoria was to ho created “Princess of New Zealand,” while in due time the infant York might become ** Prince of Federated South Africa.” No ione seems to have seen the humour in these strange searchings for a name, and apparently the last function of an AgentGeneral is to express the true opinion, or the true indifference, of the people he is supposed to represent.