It is no wonder that so few persons find their true vocations in the world, when it is remembered the random, haphazard way in which children are brought up—educated for the most part in some scholastic mill that grinds down all to the same dead level of mediocrity, and then turns them into the Army, the Church, or into trade.

If, on the contrary, all these studies that teach the understanding of character were more encouraged, parents would have less excuse for the supreme ignorance they now show as to the real nature of those children who hold them responsible for their entry into the battlefield of existence.

These same parents would lift up their voices in righteous indignation if soldiers were sent into battle untrained, without their proper equipment, and yet these same parents have never, in the whole course of their lives, made the simplest study of any one of those many subjects by which they could in knowing the nature of their child, have strengthened weak points in the fortress of character, or by developing some talent or gift, doubly armed him for his entry into the battle of life.

It is from this standpoint that I earnestly hope this study of hands may some day be taken up. It was from this standpoint that I interested such men as Gladstone, Professor Max Muller, of Oxford, Lord Russell, when he was Lord Chief Justice, King Edward VII., and many others too numerous to mention; and lastly, it is from the same standpoint that I have now written this book, which under the title of Palmistry for All, will, I hope, appeal to all classes, and cause such an interest in the Study of Character that, instead of such an art being left in the hands of a few, it will, on the contrary, become universally used for the benefit of all.

Cheiro

Note.—Cheiro retired from all professional work some time ago, and the public is therefore warned against persons pretending that they are the real "Cheiro," and endeavouring to pass themselves off as the author of his well-known works.

CONTENTS

PAGE
Preface[iii]
Introduction[xv]
PART I
PALMISTRY OR CHEIROMANCY
CHAPTER
I.A Brief Résumé of the History of the Study of Hands Through the Centuries To The Present Day[1]
II.The Line of Head or the Indications of Mentality[8]
The Line of Head and its Variations[10]
The Line of Head joined to the Line of Life[16]
The Line of Head separated from the Line of Life[19]
The Line of Head and its Secondary Signs[22]
Changes in the Line of Head[26]
Crosses and Squares in connection with the Line of Head[30]
Double Lines of Head[31]
The Line of Head on the Seven Types of Hands[33]
III.The Line of Life and Its Variations[36]
IV.The Line of Mars Or Inner Life Line[44]
V.The Line of Destiny Or Fate[47]
From the Line of Life[50]
From the Wrist[50]
From the Mount of the Moon[51]
From the Middle of the Palm[55]
Influence Lines to the Line of Fate[57]
Double Lines of Fate[57]
VI.The Line of the Sun or Success[61]
From the Line of Life[63]
From the Line of Fate[63]
From the Plain of Mars[63]
From the Mount of the Moon[63]
From the Line of Head[63]
From the Line of Heart[63]
VII.The Line of Heart as indicating the Affectionate and Emotional Nature[67]
VIII.Signs Relating to Marriage[73]
The Line of Marriage:
At the Base of the Fourth Finger[73]
Influence Lines to the Fate Line[77]
Influence Lines on Venus[79]
IX.Lines denoting Children, their Sex, and Other Matters concerning Them[81]
X.The Line of Health or Hepatica[83]
XI.The Girdle of Venus[88]
The Ring of Saturn[90]
The Bracelets[91]
XII.The Line of Intuition[92]
The Via Lasciva[93]
XIII.La Croix Mystique[95]
The Ring of Solomon[96]
XIV.Travels, Voyages and Accidents[97]
XV.The Island, the Circle, the Spot and the Grille[101]
XVI.The Star, the Cross, the Square[104]
XVII.Different Classes of Lines and Right and Left Hands[107]
XVIII.The Great Triangle and the Quadrangle[110]
XIX.How to tell Time and Dates of the Principal Events in the Life[112]
PART II
CHEIROGNOMY—OR THE SHAPES OF THE HANDS AND FINGERS
I.The Study of the Shape of the Hands[117]
The Seven Types of Hands:
The Elementary[119]
The Square[119]
The Spatulate[121]
The Philosophic[122]
The Conic[124]
The Psychic[125]
The Mixed[126]
II.The Thumb[127]
The Supple Jointed[128]
The Firm Jointed[128]
The First, Second and Third Phalange[131]
III.The Fingers[133]
Length of Fingers to one another[133]
Smooth Jointed[135]
Knotty Jointed[135]
IV.The Nails[136]
Long Nails[136]
Short Nails[137]
Flat Nails[138]
Their Indications of Disease[139]
V.The Mounts of the Hand[140]
VI.The Mount of Mars[144]
VII.The Mount of Jupiter[150]
VIII.The Mount of Saturn[154]
IX.The Mount of the Sun[158]
X.The Mount of Mercury[162]
XI.The Mount of The Moon[168]
XII.The Mount of Venus[173]
XIII.Advice to The Student: the Best Means to make Casts or take Impressions of the Hands[178]