The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-12-03
ON HAND.
The Mysteries Of Palmistry Made Clear.
An Interesting Volume On a Lost Art -Mys-
terfes of the Hand.
[st. Louis Post-Dispateh !

lSt. Louis Post Dispatch
Mr.. Robert Allen Campbell of this city
has written book, and, unlike the generali-
ty of books written in st. Louis, it is reada-
BILE, reasonable and scholarly He has
chosen reconcile, an occult subject. but one
which he understands thoroughly and treats
lovingly and knowingly. His theme is
palmistry. Not such palmistry as the gypsies
practice, but a. chiromancy, remarkably like
physiognomy, means of telling the present
character, rather than the future fate,
Fortune-telling by the inspection of the
hand is universally practiced by the gypsy
women of our day, among whom it is at once
a traditional and an exact art. While it is
true that these wanderers, like other mortals
less traduced, will often "let dollar blind
the eye or quicken the sight" and so read
"bonny fortune" to warm the heart and
thus open the purse of their victim, it is still
undoubtedly true that two or more expert
enced gypses-when there is no object in de-
ception-will, without any consultation with
each other. read substantially the same for
tune from the same hand. Notice / am not
claiming for them any ability to
but simply that they work by uniform and
well defined rules, which enables any number
Inexperienced gypsies, though separated and
accommodating, to see in any certain
hand the same peculiarities, and to read from
it substantially the same fortune and fate.
That is, their art is, when fully understood,
an exact one. Whether it is u truthful one
or whether it has in it any elements of truth,
as foundation, is entirely another question.
In the beginning of his argument, which
is strictly pari, the author notes some COM
mon condolences of inward thought and out
ward form, which he introduces as follows
The body hath the features Of the mind,
Because the mind hath veiled itself therein:
The outward and the inward worlds like,
As like any act Is to its thought
As like as matter can to spirit be-
They correspond in truth as words to
thoughts. The soul is constantly developing
its body of flesh. Every outline and pecu-
liarity, not the result of some objective op-
position or injuring accident, is the result of
the character and development of the inner
man. The color and contour of the cheek
the texture and luster of the hair, the depth
and light of the eye, every expression of the
face, each and all correspond to the features
of the soul. and this is true because they are
each the incarnation OF some affection or
thought
The innocent smile of the child's mouth,
the restless wanderings of the eye, the curl of
cherry lip, the pure and peaceful face of age,
the flushed countenance, the agitated air, all
have their meanings, and are each the ex-
preston Of some inner character or expe-
rience.
Like great many other sciences, palms.
try will meet some logical objections, and
while the course of reasoning adopted by
Mr.. Campbell is from the theory to the facts,
rather than from the facts to the theory, the
author has at least the a pari satisfaction of
knowing that many of the greatest truths we
know were stated long before they were
demonstrated. He says himself:
Just here the proper and pertinent question
may be asked, as there any reason why the
hand should index the mind?" The simple
answer is, there is no known priori reason
why the hand should index the mind, any
more than there is a reason why the sense of
touch should be connected with nerves rather
than with the blood vessels. 1t is only
known as fact, learned from observation
and experience. Having the statement of
this indexing once made, however, we find
innumerabls facts and abundant illustrations
to confirm the truth.
There is one thing very certain, that if
there is anything in chirmancy, one strong
manifestation of it is exhibited in shaking
hands
Every one of ordinary perception has been
more or less interested In noticing the differ
ent ways in which people shake hands. There
is more of individuality exhibited in the per-
Torrance of this common ceremony of social
courtesy than in any other unstudied action
of ordinay life. All have experienced the
numberless and divers sensations which are
received through this customary method of
greeting. Comparatively few, perhaps, have
fully analysed or connected them clearly
with the subtle sources.
One in this salutation seizes the hand with
hard, cruel grip, and losses it off with a
spasm of turbulent energy that leaves the
discounted. Another lazily extends an
inert palm, and with weak, listless touch
makes pretense of conforming to the conven-
tional requirements of the occasion, but
with a dead apathy and carelessness
which at once disappoints and exasperates a
more earnest nature. What happens when
two such persons meet is not known, perhaps
because neither have the sensations to feel,
the perception to notice, or the energy to re-
cord the negative nature of the impression.
A not uncommon character is the selfshly
receptive absorbant, who holds out willing
hand, expectantly still, to receive whatever
greeting is bestowed, but which never once
offers generous pressure or responds to a
hearty clasp. Then there is the affected reach
ing out of the finger tips, as if to say, gra-
ciously condescend 10 common customer
to an inferior person-but touch is all be-
stow or allow After meetingthese, or any one
of numerous other repellant types, how gladly
the noble nature meets the firm, hearty clasp
of morally magnetic hand, all sensitive OF
reception, and bounding in generous strength
of health and heart which inparts thrill
of kindly kinship and instantly puts the two
en- rapport with the best characteristics OF
each other, and so brings them into comrade-
ship with the rich personality of all. that
is noblest in humanity.