As for the lines of the wrist being fair, they denote good fortune; but if crossed and broken, the contrary.
CHAPTER V.
Judgments according to Physiognomy, drawn from the different parts of the Body, from the Hands to the Feet.
A large and full breast shows a man valiant and courageous, but withal proud and hard to deal with, quickly angry, and very apprehensive of an injury: he whose breast is narrow, and which riseth a little in the middle of it, is, by the best rules of physiognomy, of a clear spirit, of a great understanding, good in counsel, very faithful, clean both in mind and body, yet as an enemy to this, he is soon angry, inclined long to keep it. He whose breast is somewhat hairy is very luxurious, and serviceable to another. He who hath no hair upon his breast, is a man weak by nature, of a slender capacity, and very timorous, but of a laudable life and conversation, inclined to peace, and much retired to himself.
The back of the chine bone, if the flesh be any thing hairy and lean, and higher than any other part that is behind, signifies a man shameless, beastly, and withal malicious. He whose back is large, big, and fat, is thereby denoted to be a strong and stout man, but of a heavy disposition, vain, slow, and full of deceit.
He or she whose belly is soft all over the body, is weak, lustful, and fearful upon little or no occasion, of a good understanding, and an excellent invention, but a little eater, faithful, but of various fortune, and meets with more adversity that prosperity. He whose flesh is rough and hard, is a man of strong constitution, and very bold, but vain, proud, and of a cruel temper. A person whose skin is smooth, fat, and white, is curious, vain-glorious, timorous, shame-faced, malicious, false, and too wise to believe all he hears.
The legs of both men and women have a fleshy substance behind, which are called calves, which nature hath given them (as in our book of living creatures we have observed) in lieu of those long tails which most other creatures have pendent behind. Now a great calf, and he whose legs are of a great bone, and hairy withal, denotes the person to be strong, bold, secure, dull in understanding, and slow in business, inclined to procreation, and for the most part fortunate in his undertakings. Little legs, and but little hair on them, show the person to be weak, fearful, of a quick understanding, and neither luxurious at bed nor board.
The feet of either men or women, if broad and thick with flesh, and long in figure, especially if the skin feels hard, they are by nature of a strong constitution, and gross nutriment, but of a weak intellect, which renders the understanding vain. But feet that are thin and lean, and of a soft skin, show the person to be weak of body, but of a strong understanding, and of an excellent wit.
The soles of the feet do administer plain and evident signs, whereby the disposition and constitution of men and women may be known, as do the palms of their hands, as being full of lines, by which lines all the fortunes or the misfortunes of men and women may be known, and their manners and inclinations made plainly to appear. But this in general we may take notice, as that many long lines and strokes do presage great affliction, and a very troublesome life, attended with much grief and toil, care, poverty, and misery; but short lines, if they are thick and full of cross lines, are yet worse in every degree. Those, the skin of whose soles are very thick and gross, are for the most part able, strong, and venturous. Whereas, on the contrary, those, the skin of whose soles of their feet is thin, are generally weak and timorous.
I shall now, before I conclude, (having given an account of what judgments may be made by observing the several parts of the body, from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet) give an account of what judgments may be drawn by the rule of physiognomy from things extraneous which are found upon many, and which indeed to them are parts of the body, but are so far from being necessary parts that they are the deformity and burden of it and speak of the habits of the body, as they distinguished persons.