It will also be seen that the planet Mars (although no finger is dedicated to it) is twice represented in the hand, along the side of the palm by the Mount of Mars, and in the palm, between the Line of Life and the Line of the Head, which is called the Plain of Mars.
The Moon is only represented by the Mount of the Moon, at the lower part of the palm on the opposite side of the hand to the thumb.
When these mounts are well in their places, and clearly but not too strongly defined, they give the qualities of the planet they represent; but when any mount is not well marked, or even, as frequently happens, is quite deficient, there is a want of the qualities shown to exist where the mount is clearly defined. If the mounts are not only ill-defined, but represented by a cavity, that cavity would indicate the existence of qualities which are the reverse of those indicated by the mount; whereas an exceeding development would denote an excess of the qualities given by the mount.
Thus the Mount of Jupiter, which is immediately under the index finger, when fairly developed, indicates noble ambition, will-power, love of nature, kindliness, generosity, religion and happy marriage. When in excess—that is, when the mount is so large as to invade that next it—the Mount of Saturn—it gives superstition, exaggerated pride and domineering self-assertion. The total absence of this mount (which is sometimes, but rarely, seen) indicates coldness, selfishness, irreligion and that want of dignity which is produced by the utter absence of self-respect.
The Mount of Saturn is found immediately beneath the second finger, which the ancients assigned to Saturn, the planet of Fatality. Saturn gives extreme misfortune, or extreme good fortune, according to the development of the mount and the signs and lines to be seen upon it, and the course of the Saturnian Line, or Line of Fate (of which we will speak further on), in the palm of the hand. This mount also denotes a tendency to occult science. Those born specially under the influence of Saturn are timid, lovers of solitude, and very seldom marry, but are very persistent in their affections when they do love.
Saturn, when well developed, gives prudence, wisdom and, to a certain extent, success; when in excess it gives sadness, taciturnity, asceticism, dread of the after-life and yet, sometimes, a predisposition to suicide. The total absence of the mount indicates an insignificant existence.
The Mount of the Sun is placed at the root of the third finger, which was sacred to the Sun; when this mount is well developed it indicates love of art and literature, which shows itself (according to temperament) in poetry, painting, sculpture, or music; it gives also religion of the æsthetic, tolerant sort, grace, riches and celebrity; in excess it gives love of show, frivolity and vaingloriousness. The total absence of the mount means a thoroughly material existence; absence of all taste for art—a life without colour, a day without sunlight.
The Mount of Mercury is found at the base of the fourth finger, and, when well defined, indicates intelligence, success in science and in occult studies, the love of work and activity, both of mind and body and eloquence; in excess it gives impudence, theft and falsehood: absence of the mount indicates no aptitude for science, no intellectuality—a negative existence. Of course, should the Mount of the Sun be well defined, the last quality would be overridden by the success which that indicates.
The Mount of Mars is at the side of the hand opposite the thumb, just below the Mount of Mercury, and, when well developed, indicates courage, ardour and resolution; in excess it gives cruelty, anger, revenge and tyranny: the absence of the mount gives cowardice and want of self-command.
The Mount of the Moon is found immediately below that of Mars, and, when well developed, gives imagination of the dreamy, sentimental order, gentle melancholy and love of solitude; in excess it gives morbid melancholy, caprice and fantastic imagination: the absence of the mount indicates want of poetry in the nature, positivism.