Indian Palmistry/The Lines
The Lines.
(1) The line of Life, which ought to be called the line of the Heart, embraces the root of the thumb.
(2) The Liver or natural mean runs straight through the middle of the hand.
(3) The line of the Head or Brain rises before the line of Life and extends towards the mount of
PLATE III.—THE LINES AND MOUNTS ON THE HAND.
Mercury, forming a triangular figure in the palm of the hand—the great sign of success and brilliancy.
(4) The line of Fortune or Title line, which begins under the root of the little finger and extends towards the forefinger.
(5) The Bracelet lines at the root of the hand, stretch across the wrist, and may be single, double or treble, etc.
(6) The Sun line, called for clearness Via Solis, is a right line which begins at the mount of Apollo and stretches into the hollow of the hand after curving towards the mount of the Moon.
(7) The line of the Moon, called the Via Lactea, runs upwards from the line of Saturn, through the mount of the Moon.
(8) The line of Fortune or Saturn begins at the wrist lines, extends through the hollow of the hand to the mount of the middle finger. If this line be cut or severed it is called the Via Combusta; when this line assumes a double line in the middle of the palm it is said that you do more good to others than yourself.
The Mounts.
These are the fleshy or prominent parts under the fingers, called:
(1) The mount of Venus, in the root of the thumb.
(2) The mount of Jupiter, in the root of the forefinger.
(3) The mount of Saturn, in the root of the middle finger.
(4) The mount of Sun (Apollo), in the root of the ring finger.
(5) The mount of Mercury, in the root of the little finger.
The Line of Life.
This line, broad, uniform, lively colour and a good length, denotes the party to be long lived and subject to few diseases. This line slender, short, cut or broken, or with obscure little lines, or pale, or blackish colour, denotes feebleness of body, sickness, short life. This line sloping nicely to the Liver line and forming a nice angle with parallel or little crosses at the juncture, shows good wit and even temper, a sharp quick person and business man.
Little branches in the upper part branching towards the Liver line signify riches and honour. These little lines running the opposite way towards the wrist denote poverty, deceit, unfaithful servants. Little confused hair lines in this line signify diseases.
Time of Events.
Should they be found in the lower part of the hand the good or bad will be in early age. In the middle of the hand towards the hollow, in the middle age. If towards the Liver line, in declining age.
Danger of death is threatened if this line be broken.
To find the exact age this line may be divided 
PLATE IV.—THE LINE OF LIFE.
into seventy parts, each part counting one year of life.
The character ⊙ in this line shows loss of an eye. This character double denotes the loss of both eyes.
A line ascending from the line of Life (beneath the angle formed by the line of Life and the Liver line) to the line of Saturn, denotes an envious man, and shows also a perilous disease in that part wherein it touches the vital. So much the worse if it cut the line of Life or severs the mount.
A line passing from the line of Life to the ring finger promises honours to follow by means of a lady of rank, or gain through favour.
The line of Life thicker than ordinary at the end under the forefinger shows a laborious old age.
The Liver Line.
This line being straight and not dissected by obscure little lines, denotes a healthy body.
If it be short or broken and does not reach beyond the hollow of the hand, it denotes diseases and a short life.
The longer this line, the greater may the life be warranted.
If cut at the end by a small intervening line, it threatens poverty in old age.
When this line is very close to the line of Life, it denotes diseases of the heart, as palpitation, syncope, etc.
If the space between the line of Life and the Liver line, especially of the space between the Liver line and the line of Fortune, be broad, it shows prodigality.
If the Liver line turn and wind several ways, unequal, of a different colour and dissected, it bodes disease or obstruction in the liver, and hence the disease arising from its weakness. It also denotes covetousness and depravity of nature and wit; more especially if from under the region of the middle finger it extends towards the line of Life, thus making a short or narrow triangle. Where it is well drawn and of a good clear colour, it is a sign of a cheerful and ingenious disposition.
If this line have a sister line it promises inheritances.
If continued with some little hard knots, it forebodes manslaughter either perpetrated or to be perpetrated, according to the number of those knots.
If a cross be found therein, under the region of the middle finger, it promises death at hand.
If it ends with a fork towards the mount of the Moon, it is a sign of hypocrisy and evil manners.
When it bends towards the Mensal it is a token of a slanderous tongue and envy.
When it projects a remarkable branch through the line of Life unto the mount of Venus, and cuts or touches the line of Mars, especially if the line be of a ruddy colour, it warns to be guarded against thieves and intimates, fraud and deceit of enemies. This same branch shows also great heat of the liver, coming from Mars, whereby life is endangered.
The Line of the Head and Brain.
If this line (ascending from its place with uniform proportion) connect the line of the Liver and Life in a triangular form, having a lively colour and not intersected, it declares a person of admirable prudence, and of a manly wit and fair fortune. The more perfect this triangle, the better shall the temper, wit and courage be. But if it be obtuse, it argues an evil disposed nature and a rude man. If there be no triangle, much worse, a fool, a prodigal and a liar, and frequently a short life.
The nearer it approaches a right angle, and not acute, the better the person. But when the angle formed be very acute, especially when the lines of Liver and Life touch under the region of the middle finger, it argues covetousness. If not under the middle finger, it shows a keen, sharp and powerful wit, also a clever business person.
The left angle (male hand), if it be made upon the natural mean in the mount of the Moon, and be a right angle by the line passing to the mount of Mercury, confirms goodness, and quality of the intellect.
When the line of the Head and Brain throws out unequal and incomposed branches towards the mount of the Moon, thereby making unusual characters, it denotes in men weakness of brain and dangerous sea voyages; but in a woman frequent sorrows of mind and difficulties in child-bearing. Equal lines thus projected presage the contrary in both sexes, viz., in men, a clear and well-composed brain and frequent voyages, and in women cheerfulness and felicity in child-bearing.
The line of the Head has this peculiarity; if it project a cleft or a manifest star upwards to the cavea martis, it signifies boldness and courage; but if it let fall the same downwards, thefts and deceitfulness.
When the line of the Head is joined to the line of the Dragon's Head it promises a prudent and pleasant old age. The same throwing a branch in the shape of a fork towards the place of the line of Fortune signifies subtlety in managing affairs and craftiness either to do good or evil.
If this character ⊕ appears in or near the fork it gives riches and honours by means of ingenuity and arts.
The Line of Fortune.
This line is also called the Table line. This line, when it is long enough and without incisures, argues a due strength in the principal members of man and denotes constancy. Judge the contrary if this line be short or crooked or is severed. When this line terminates under the mount of Saturn, it shows a vain and lying fellow.
If it projects small branches unto the mount of Jupiter, it produces honours. Should this be a simple line on the mount of Jupiter, and void of any good marks or branches, it is a sign of poverty and want.
If it severs the mount of Jupiter, cruelty of mind and excessive wrath.
If it throws a branch between the forefinger and the middle, it threatens to a man a wound in the head, but to a woman danger in child-bearing.
A small line running from the line of Fortune to the space between the middle and ring finger, denotes sorrow and labour.
A line passing from the Liver line to the line of Fortune, forming an acute angle, brings sorrow and labour.
Should there be no Liver line and the line of Fortune connected by a small line to the line of Life, it threatens a deadly wound.
The absence of the line of Fortune shows a malevolent, contentious, faithless, inconstant person and of base conditions.
Confused little lines in the line of Fortune denote sickness, and if under Mercury, in the first age; under the mount of the Sun in manhood; under the middle finger in old age.
When certain points are observed in this line they argue lust and vigour of body.
The Bracelets Line.
If this be double or treble and forming a right and continuous tract, it promises a good composure of body.
The line which is nearest to the thumb, of a good lively colour, and unbroken, promises riches. Should this line be broken in the middle, crooked and very pale, it denotes debility of body and a want of all things.
A cross or star placed here shows tranquillity of life in old age.
If there be a star single or double or any lines near the mount of the thumb, in women they denote misfortune and infamy.
A line passing from the Dragon line through the mount of Venus, presages adversities either by means of some kindred or a wife.
A line running from the Dragon line to the mount of the Moon shows adversities and private enemies; crooked or distorted it increases the evil and shows long servitude.
This line being clear and straight and extending as far as the region of the Moon, presages many journeys both by land and sea.
If this line continues to the mount of Mercury it argues that the man will live in a foreign country in great esteem. If it extends to the Liver line it shows an honest behaviour and a long life. If to the mount of the Sun, single or double, it denotes great good and enables the man to govern and rule in great affairs. If it pass to the mount of Mercury it betokens a man fit for many things. If it does not extend to the mount of Mercury, but is broken about the middle and ends beneath that mount, it denotes an untruthful, tittle-tattling, discontented person.
If this line ascends directly to the mount of Saturn, it denotes a good position of Saturn in the geniture; but if crooked and passes towards the Dragon line and the Liver line, it denotes a hard, covetous, and laborious man.
The Via Solis.
This line being straight and uniformly composed and well coloured, promises the favour of great men, and joyful honours; if dissected and uneven, judge the contrary, with various impediments and envy.
The Via Lactea.
This line being uniformly composed, proportionate and continued, denotes fortunate journeys both by sea and land; also a good brain, the favour of women (the mount of Venus being unafflicted), a composed and graceful speech. It it be cut or distorted it argues infelicity and lies; but if whole, ascending towards the little finger, it is a sign of great happiness.
The Line of Saturn.
This line being fully and wholly protracted to the middle finger is an argument of profound meditations, and of fortunate events in counsels and actions.
This line deficient is an evil sign portending many misfortunes, unless other positions favour it. If bending backward, into the hollow of the hand towards the mount of the Moon, after the form of a semi-circle, threatens imprisonment.
The line beginning from the line of Life and passing through the Liver line, to the mount of Saturn and if there it touch the Saturnia—threatens imprisonment.
Morality. The Girdle of Venus.
This line of itself, unless there be other testimony to counteract it, is sufficient to indicate fulness of nature to appreciate the opposite sex, while the want of it denotes (except in a measure given by the fulness of the mount of Venus, etc.) coldness, unnaturalness for the other sex, and usually a cold, insipid partner, a poor, neglectful mother or father. But if this line have a sister line, that is, a small line running parallel with the Girdle, it argues intemperance and lust in both sexes and baseness in sexual matters—a filthy person. If this line be divided or broken up by various lines it denotes losses and infamy by reason of these lusts.
The Line of Mars. Courage and Fortitude.
This line is sometimes called the sister line to the line of Life because it is often found running parallel with that line and denotes increased vital force—courage, because it strengthens the heart and thus the energy. When clear and well-defined it presages a long and active life, with little or no diseases. People with this line will suffer largely from gout, rheumatism and apoplexy if they take stimulants of any kind, inasmuch as the person will have sufficient energy of himself, and all stimulation which will increase the vascular action will only impede and retard the heart's action, like too much oil to a machine. This line strengthens all things denoted by the line of Life, and if clear and decidedly red it promises great success in war.