BY
MRS. J. B. DALE.
PLATE I.—THE REFERENCE HAND.
Cheiromancy, the art of foretelling the events of life by the lineaments of the hand, derived its name from the Greek word cheiros, the palm, and manteia, to foretell, whence it has been vulgarly called Palmistry—as it is named in a recent Act of Parliament to forbid its practice for gain or reward. In Coleman's Mythology of the Hindoos, p. 202, it is written: "On the Buddha's foot is the mark called the 'chakravarti,' wheel or discus, which should have been on the palm of the hand, by which the sages at his birth divined that he would rise to considerable eminence." He says (p. 19): "Various data have been assigned to the period of Buddha's existence. The most correct seems to be about 550 B.C., whence, as the sages practised cheiromancy at Buddha's birth, its existence must have been much earlier known among the Indians." "In the year 1652," writes Zadkiel, "the celebrated astrologer, Geo. Wharton, Esq., published a translation of 'a matchless piece' as he terms it, on the subject, written in Latin by Dr. J. Rothman." Since that period the art of cheiromancy has gradually fallen into disuse, chiefly from the extensive nonsense published by recent writers. One of the writers makes a shallow attempt to disprove the connection which exists between astrology and palmistry, while another says it is based on the principles of the Kabalah, the latter being nothing more than a mnemonical system of astrology. From the writings of Dr. J. Rothman and Geo. Wharton, Esq., I propose now to give, together with some of the choicest of those of the East, the principal matter, and to explain in the ordinary language used by palmisters such points as may require elucidation. Mr. Wharton, a careful student in these subjects, clearly proves that palmistry can only act in accordance with astrology, and that the art of cheiromancy cannot be relied upon beyond the period of from one to two years at most, for he observes in his preface, "What more convincing than if, by inspection made into the hand of any man, I truly pronounce this or that planet essentially dignified or angular in his geniture, or in such or such a position with other planets or stars, another unfortunate, afflicted or defected? Or if, on the contrary, by looking first into the geniture and considering therein the several positions of the planets and their configurations one to another and with other stars, I tell him, and that distinctly and truly, the lines and signatures engraven upon his head or hand—what, I say, is or can be more satisfactory than this to rational men, as touching the power and influence of the planets and stars upon these inferiors, and consequently of the lawful use and truth of the science called astrology, cheiromancy and metoposcopia, between which three sciences there appear to be such a secret coherence and harmony?"
It is also written in the Book of Job, xxxvii. 7: "In the hand of all men he shall put a mark that everyone may know his own work"; but in our translation of the Bible it is written as follows: "In the hand of all men he putteth a mark that every man may know his own work." This alone proves that Job believed in this science.
The author does not claim that there is anything new in this work, although the method of translating and setting may be original.
Name.—Mount of Jupiter.
Location.—Root of forefinger.
Interpretation.—When very fully shown denotes pride, tyranny; when deficient in size denotes idleness and vulgarity; when there are concentric circles shown by the pores of the skin, here they indicate sure success in religion, marriage and monetary matters, ambition; broken circles or elongated, slightly less powerful; entirely void, no success thereby.
Name.—Mount of Saturn.
Location.—Root of middle finger.
Interpretation.—When fully marked denotes wisdom, prudence; when very full, taciturnity, sadness; when concentric circles are placed here success in all Saturnian affairs; when absent or elongated the person will never make much headway with such things and persons.
Name.—Mount of the Sun, "Apollo."
Location.—Root of ring finger.
Interpretation.—When prominent it gives art, genius, intelligence; when very full, denotes a greedy and untruthful disposition; when flat or small, then it causes the person to be dull; when concentric circles appear here, the person will be very powerful, have riches and honour by the state, or marry a high-born person; elongated or none, shows the person will have mean preferment, or none, as the case may be.
Name.—Mount of Mercury.
Location.—Root of little finger.
Interpretation.—When prominent and full, and with concentric circles thereon, it denotes science, inventiveness, wit and success in all Mercurial matters, as writings, professions, especially church and law, and journeys; when very large and with elongated circles, it denotes theft, lying, cunning; when flat or none, it shows a negative life, and unfortunate in all above.
Name.—Girdle of Venus.
Location.—A curved line from root of forefinger to root of little finger.