THE TRUTH ABOUT PALMISTRY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 11, 12 March 1892, Page 257

THE TRUTH ABOUT PALMISTRY.

BY MRS JOHN WHITE.

AVithor of ‘ Shall I Tell You Y’our Fortune, My Pretty Maid!'

HAT is Palmistry ? is a question that is often asked, and replied to with one word—‘ Humbug!’ If you ask, ‘ Why ?’ the response is YwtnrliKtßr not infrequently like this : ‘ It must be all “stuff.” Fancy telling the fortune, character, and probable future from the jffii’n lines of the hand, just like the gipsies do. How can you find facts and ideas in lines ?’ ‘ Just so, gentle reader ; but why do you say - /j •’ on first seeing a person, ‘ I like him,’ or ‘ I like him not ?’ as the case may be. ‘ From the expression,’you reply. ‘From the lines of the face,’ I say. Certain lines about the mouth are produced by certain traits of character, and these indices to the soul show on the face. You know and admit that persons with dropped corners in their mouths are of a melancholy disposition. With raised corners they are merry and so on ; you don’t dispute that. Now, have you ever watched the play of the hands that accompanies speech? The clasped, prayerful hands, the beckoning finger, the angry, clenched" fist, the horrified, frightened, stretched-out hand ? Did it never occur to you that these ‘ emotions,’ and hundreds of other emotions might leave their traces on the hands as passions do on the faces ? If you open your hand and look in the palm you will see the lines form a sort of written capital M. The nearer perfection this letter is, the more perfect the moral tendencies. Supposing the M is a little broken, do not despair, or suppose that the owner of the hand is a thief or a murderer. Nothing of the sort; it may be but a curious twist in the character, that may make all ‘ tarradiddles ’ appear very venial. Should it be a serious break, however, it means great want of morality in life. The top line of all, stretching from under first finger across the hand to under little finger, is the Heart Line. If this is deep it means an affectionate, impulsive nature, fond of home, of near relatives, a loving, kind disposition. If not deep it denotes a love of travelling, fresh faces, and new scenes. If chained at the end it shows flirtation and a certain amount of insincerity; should the line run round the back of the hand jealousy is denoted. Little troubles are shown by small strokes across the line. Death of those we love by little tiny ‘ pits ’ on the line (about the size of a pin’s point); capability for making few but dearest friendships is shown by the tributary lines running from the heart line to below. Very many and short tributary lines show numerous acquaintances but few friends. Just above the heart line and under the little finger is sometimes (but very rarely) seen a line above, and sloping down towards the middle of the heart line ; this denotes influence over others. As one is brought into contact with the world and influence increases, this line actually grows. I have seen this line come in the hands of a man in the space of two years, when circumstances have brought him into contact with a large number of people, and his influence was felt. No doubt very many public men have this line ; if not used it fades away and influence goes. The next line is immediately below and parallel with the heart line ; it is called the head line. If long, deep, and straight it denotes great brain power. If broken in the middle, an accident to the brain or head is shown. If curved slightly, originality is shown. If curved rather more acutely, eccentricity is denoted. Should it run up to the heart line, the possessor of such a line is not infrequently a candidate for Colney Hatch. Sometimes yon will observe the heart line terminate in a fork ; this is always a good sign, as the upper prong denotes common sense, the lower one impulse These lines (the fork)in proper proportion form a lovable, good character. Without the common sense prong there is too much impulse, and we all know into what awkward positions an impulsive character may get. On the other hand, if there is only the higher prong (common sense), it produces a cold, calculating, unattractive character—good, but uninteresting. The line of Fate. —The line generally starts from the wrist, and runs more or less clearly (according to the life) up to between the first and second finger. Should it slant from the ‘south-east’ corner of the hand, it denotes singular circumstances at the birth of the subject, possibly wealth gained or lost, the death of the mother, or being in a place other than the home of the parents. If it rises deep and straight about one inch, it shows nothing particular has occurred for the first fourteen years of life. Breaks after that (before reaching the head line)

signify influences brought to bear on the life of the individual, and various events happening. Should the line then continue without break in a male hand, through head and heart line, up to the division between the first and middle finger, it shows a profession or occupation chosen with the full consent of the judgment and the liking attended with success. Such lines in a female hand show a happy, successful marriage, where judgment and liking are combined. Supposing there are three distinct lines (small) running up to the line of head, but not crossing it, such linesshow in a male hand that an ideaof two other professions other than the one chosen, has been in the mind of the friends of the subject ; possibly the subject has even tried two callings or professions before settling down to the present one. These three small lines (continuation of fate line) in the hand of a woman, show she has had three dear friendships (possibly with the other sex), these ‘ friendships ’ (at least two of them) have ended as abruptly as the lines have, but terminating on the head line shows the offers or opportunities have been good, in a worldly sense. After the fate line has crossed the head line, it may break on the line of heart; this means in a male hand dislike of profession ; should it have two little lines at the side of the fate line, terminating abruptly on the heart line, this means dislike to two previous professions other than the one now engaged in. If these breaks on the heart line occur in a female hand it denotes (according to the number) disappointments in the affections. If a line continues up to the division between first and second finger, it denotes a happy marriage, if the line is faint— to come, if deep, already made. The Line of Fortune or Professional Line.—\seivteen the third and fourth finger you will find generally a deep line, about three-quarters of an inch, running downward to the heart line ; this I call the talent indication. We are all born with a talent, however small; if we bury it, our talent diesout, if we use it, it deepens, growsdown into the fate line; should the bottom part of the professional line be broken, it shows talents cultivated by fits and starts ; if the line is crossed by small lines, it shows many difficulties to be overcome ; if it has little pits in it, it denotes that the death of some dear friend has very much hindered the talent being used as much as it should. Supposing the line at the top of the talent line has two accompanying lines, and arranged like a plough share, it denotes success. In a male hand success in business, or profession and attendant fame ; in a woman it shows success attending the right use of her talents, whatever it may be. I think the indications of these lines are about the most encouraging in the whole of the hand, for by that we can judge the amount of our success in life. The Life Line comes next: it starts between the finger and thumb, running round the base of the thumb. If broken and charred at the commencement— i.e., the top—it means many childish diseases. After this, a break in any part denotes disease and illness at a certain age (according to the part where the break occurs) ; should it run right round the thumb, great age is denoted, and according to where the line leaves off, so we can judge of the duration of life. Should this line be deep, robust health is shown ; if thin, health is poor. The Temper Line. This runs from under the little finger down to the wrist. If ‘scratchy,’ a scratchy temperament is denoted ; if long and even, an even good temper ; if wide and broken, a brutal character. A certain amount of temper line is necessary to give the required amount of courage to assert one’s self, and to say ‘ No ’ at proper times.

Business Capacity.— This is shown by the puffiness under the little finger. By business capacity I mean capacity for managing one’s own affairs, whatever shape they may take, well. If you send some people for change of a sovereign, they will come back with nineteen and elevenpence—that is not business capacity. Others may come back with a little more—that is not capacity, it is sharpness ; the individual who comes back with the right change shows business capacity of the right kind. Social Capacity.— This is shown by the amount of puffiness under the first finger. Some people show a lot of flabbiness there ; this denotes love of society, but no opportunities. We can also judge of the amount of love for ordinary society or if there is an unusual craving for gaiety. Possibly the puffiness may be altogether absent; if this should be the case we should put down the subject as a society hater. The Ball of the Thumb.— On this there are often an unusual number of lines, those running parallel with the line of life denote long journeys ; small lines crossing the journey lines denote short trips. By the length of the thumb we can also tell if the subject is obstinate, persevering, or weak as water. The thumb of a persevering man should reach exactly half way between the root of first finger anti joint of the same ; if it should reach to first joint it denotes obstinacy, and should be guarded against ; if the thumb is so short as only to reach to root of first finger great weakness of character is denoted, and conscientious perseverance should be cultivated in order to counteract a natural and deplorable defect. The Magic Bracelet.— You will probably find these lines running round the wrist. The first line, if unbroken, deep, and even, denotes a good constitution ; the second, with the same qualification, denotes wealth. Very often this line commences in the middle of the wrist, and runs to the part of the wrist under the little finger ; this shows wealth acquired in middle life and kept. The third line denotes happiness : if broken, uncertain happiness ; if composed of many small strokes—happiness drawn from many sources. On the male hand, a perfect line of happiness is an indication of a very happy marriage. Light between the Fingers.— Should this he seen very slightly when held up to the light, susceptibility to cold is shown ; if light is shown through large spaces, it shows lung disease.

I have been often asked : ‘ How do you know all this ?' My reply is : ‘By observation.’ If you examine the hands of your most intimate friends who are unfortunately possessed of a temper, you will find in each case the tempei line identical. Supposing you number amongst the members of your family several warm-hearted, affectionate people, you will find in all cases the heart line is deep and long in this way, i.e., by examining the hands of those whose characters are well-known to you, you will be able to satisfy yourself as to the truth or falsity of the indications of Palmistry. Having thus satisfied yourself, you should take every opportunity of studying the hands of strangers. After telling them what you see in their hands relative to their lives, ask them to say if the reading is correct. I venture to predict that in many of these cases you will be, like myself, astonished at the exactitude of Palmistry. The whole science is so simple, interesting, and useful as an indication of what we are and may be, also as to the amount of happiness and prosperity we may reach, that it seems ten thousand pities it should be surrounded by so much absurdity, falsity, and guesswork, such ‘ attributes ’ making it appear, in the eyes of many intellectual and really good people, positively ridiculous, instead of being what it is an unerring and intelligible guide to the future, fame, and character of all.— Gentlewoman.