Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-01-21
chiromancy.
PEERISa INTO THE MYSTERIES OF FATE
THE CHARM or SUPERSTITION.

chiromancy.
PEERI,;a ISro THE MYSTERIES OF FATE
THE CHARM or SUPERSTITION.
The element of fate is strong one Ill
humanity. There Is n lingering charm
III superstIticns, Ill s,arreadings, IN
omeHs, and all that goes to make up de-
monologv. Chiromancy, or palmistry, Is
one of the Oldest OF the black arts, and
its occult mysteries have held strong
fascination even among those who hold 1t
cheap delusion Among the ancients it
held place somewhat more honorable.
The origin OF palmistry is unknown. 1t
has been traced by fanciful writers to
Hermes. The mystic lines inscribed ON
the palm OF the hand hold their own mys-
terry, and their Interpretation has often
seemed matter of reliable history and
prophecy of the individual. Homer
wrote treatise entitled son the Lines of
the Hand, and among the Greeks hand
reading was esteemed an art. The mod
ern apostles of chiromancy are two
Frenchmen, Prof. Desbarrolles and Cap
tain D'Arpentigney The latter is a man
of scholarly tastes, who pursues palms
try in an amateur wav for amusement.
The former makes of it profession. for
earning money, and he believes in the
astrological theory of the planetary IN
fiuence on humanity rs traced In the
lines of the hand He supposes that the
sun, moon and the planets each exercise
their influence on all particulars of feel
ing, thought and action. He claims that
the Astral light is composed of seven diff
ferent fluids, rs ray OF light Is compos-
ed Of seven different colors. These fluids
from the planets are modified by the sun
and the moon. and these, separately and
cunjointly, determine mans life and re
cord his fortune and his character on the
hand. There is ny, however, blind
fatality in the prophecies of the hand,
but there are indicated tendencies, only,
which may be accepted AS warnings.
The lines OF the hand may be changed
and developed by spiritual force4 working
from within.
The chiromanist considers the hand as
an index of character. Montague, in
paving tribute to the hand, says
With the hand We require, promise,
call, pray, dismiss, threaten, supplicate,
deny, refuse, admire, lnterrogate, num-
Der, confess, repent express fear, con-
fusion, confidence, doubt. Instruct,
command, incite, encourage, swear, tes-
tify, accuse, condemn, absolve, abuse,
despise, defy, provoke, ilatter, applaud,
bless, submit, mock, reconcile. recon-
mend, exact, entertain, congratulate,
complain, despair, grieve, wonder, ex-
claim, and-what not. And all this with
variety and multiplication elnulating
speech. With the hand We invite, wei
come, honor, demand, rejoice, reject, Ia
ment, caress, rebuke. give the lie. III
quirc, accuse, threaten.
THE INFINITE VARIETIES
Of hands are well known, and become
more clear after study. No two hands,
not even those OF the same person, were
ever precisely alike. The hand-reader
asserts that the left hand reveals the orig
inal character, while the lines of the right
show the character as it is modified by
experience and circumstances. The chr
omaalist divides the hand into three divis-
ions, palm, the thumb and the fin
ger. each indicative Of essential clements
IL life.
The palm records the physical strength.
endurance, activity and temperament 1t
shows tenderness, desires and impulses.
If the size Of the palm predominates over
the fingers; ii denotes preponderance OF
the physical nature If unduly small, 1t
shows a lack Of proper physical strength.
If extremely soft, 1t indicates great I'M
pressibility, temperament of genius.
The thick palm denotes strength, and Its
breadth endurance.
The lower part Of the palm near the
wrist. is the page which records the phys
ical strength AMI powers the middle
shows the intellectual and nervous nature,
while that near the fingers records the
emotional nature Large hands are those
which execute, and which materialize all
mental convictions. They indicate firm
mastery over an enterprise undertaken,
but they are not the hands OF Il wide
range eli abilities The long hands indi-
cate lover of details and Il natural taste
for the inu'in OF matters, while the
small hands indicate the person Of theo-
ries and plans rather than deeds. lndi-
vidunls with small hands comprehend the
| grand whole Of any project, but these
cannot trlly act lis parts. James B.
| Eads. who planned the wonderful steel
h.rl., over the Mississippi, ut St. Louis
| has npticcubly small hands. Redonte
| Inc 4 I'h'u HoNti i'iilut'i, "h''9S "'' IA &c
celebrated for its exquisite finish, has
very large, bony hands, while Corot's
hands are very small and delicate.
The hard hand Is the hand Of activity
the elastic hand, that of energy. Fol
activity is by no means synonymous witt
energy. 4 person may be very active
and never during his life accomplish any
thing, while the person Of energy may b'
quiet, gentle in movement and still ope
rate WIth great force.
The ELASTIC HAND
mas energy without great endurance, an,
its puSscssor IN liable to become suddeul,
and utterly exhausted without warning
This ia the haud..of the student and th'
person capable OF profound thought.
The thumb signifies the intellectual
force Of the character. long thmmi
shows pcrsistemcy III any project, and 1t
size indicates will power and tenacity o
purpose The movement Of the thumb
If very soft, Indicates the dilcttantc /
elastic, energy and purpose.
The fingers indicate luchnntions am
abilities. If very smooth, they are Tia
ntuitionul fingers If knotted, they slIoN
the reasoning powers IN the nscendancy
Short fingers characterize power L
,..,. the whole and Ignore the details
while the long fingers belong to one win
is exact, careful III finish and fine III pei
ccption. The pointed fingers have httl
, order with square ends they always ne,
Just things to right angles. The smooth
. tnpering fingers belong To the hand OF m
sIirntinm to the poet, the artist, and
with deficient breadth of palm, to th
mere dreamer Small, soft hands, wit
, smooth, pointed fingers, nre apt to 8iv
3 tic world now ideas. and large. slnnr