The Mount of Mercury is found under the base of the fourth finger (Plate VI., Part II.). On a good hand it is a favourable Mount to have, but on a hand shewing evil tendencies, especially mental, it increases the bad indications.
It seems to relate more to the mind than anything else. It gives quickness of brain, wit, thought, eloquence. It also relates to adaptability in science and commerce, but if evilly afflicted, it denotes mental excitability, nervousness, lack of concentration, trickiness in business, and everything that is unreliable in character.
This Mount should always be considered with the kind of Line of Head found on the hand.
With a Line of Head long and well marked, it increases all the promise of mental aptitude and success, but with a weak, badly marked, or irregular Head Line, it augments all its weak or bad indications.
This Mount can be considered positive when the subject is found to be born between the dates of May 21st and June 20th, and until the 27th of that month, but during the last seven days its influence is considered dying out and not so strong.
People born in this period are represented in the Zodiac by the symbolism of the twins. It is a curious fact that all persons born in this part of the year are singularly dual in character and temperament. One side of their nature may, in fact, be described as perpetually pulling against the other, and although nearly always possessed with unusual intelligence, they often spoil their lives by lack of continuity in their plans and in their purpose.
They seldom seem to have a fixed idea of what they really want. They change their plans or their occupations at a moment's notice, and unless they chance to be very happily married, they are just as uncertain in marriage.
They are the most difficult of all classes to understand. In temperament they are hot and cold in the same moment, they may love passionately with one side of their nature and just as quickly dislike with the other.
They are very critical, and especially notice small faults or mannerisms in others, and they can express their views with a sarcasm that is as cutting as it is clever.
In all business dealings or affairs where a subtle, keen mentality is useful, they can out-distance all rivals, provided they are sufficiently interested to enter into the competition.
They are excellent in diplomacy and are gifted talkers, but they usually leave their listeners at the end of their conversation no wiser than they were at the beginning.
If taken as they are and with their moods, they are the most delightful people imaginable, but one must never expect them to be the same to-day that they were yesterday.
They believe that they are the most truthful persons in the world, and so they may be at the moment they are telling the story, but to them moments seem entire lives, and so in a day or a week the same story may have a totally different colouring.
None of these people will probably admit this to be true of his character, but a little study will convince anyone that it is a fairly accurate description of this subject's chief characteristics.
Mental work, especially the class of mental work that requires quickness of wit and change, appeals to them more than any other. They make clever actors, barristers, and a certain class of public speakers, also diplomatists, stock brokers, company promoters, or inventors of new methods in business. In all careers that require keenness of brain, they can attain success, provided they have developed a sufficient amount of will power and continuity of purpose to stick long enough to any one thing.
Everything that can affect the nerves and the nervous system especially, afflicts these people.
Indigestion caused by nervous worry or anxiety, catalepsy, paralysis, afflictions of the tongue, stammering, insomnia, vivid dreams; to all such things they are specially liable. They are also inclined towards delicacy of the throat and bronchial tubes, and particularly to trouble with the nose and eyes.
This Mount may be considered negative when the persons are born between August 21st and September20th, and until the 27th, but these last seven days of this period are not so marked, but take more from the characteristics of the incoming sign.
People belonging to this negative type of the Mount of Mercury have all the good points of the positive class, and even some added in their favour. For example, they stick longer and with more continuity to whatever study or career they adopt. They have hardly the quickness or the brilliancy of the first type, but they have a more solid, plodding course of action, and as a general rule they make more out of their lives.
They are also more materialistic and practical in their views of life, but they analyse and reason everything from their own way of thinking outwards towards others. If they see a thing is right, it is right to them, and for this reason they are often found doing exactly the opposite from what one would expect.
Women born in this period are especially curious puzzles. They are either extremely virtuous or the direct opposite, either extremely truthful and conventional or the reverse; but whether good or bad, they are all a law unto themselves, and in all things they usually think of themselves first.
People born in this period often abandon their husbands or their children just because they think they ought to do so. They also are liable to change their religious views half way through life, or from the most conventional suddenly become the reverse. In the same way women who have commenced their career by leading unconventional lives, may just as suddenly become religious and enter some extremely severe order or community.
Again, as in the positive type, it is the Line of Headthat must be carefully considered if one should endeavour to form an estimate of what they will eventually become.
If it be clear and straight, their best qualities will, as a rule, come to their rescue; but if weak or poorly marked, it is more than likely, especially with this class, that the evil side of the nature will in the end predominate.
These people are more open to mental suggestion as far as health is concerned than any other class.
If they think they are ill it is quite sufficient that they are so, and they can become cured in exactly the same manner.
In reality they have excellent constitutions, except when they are ruined by taking drugs and medicines.
As they always imagine that they have something the matter, they are invariably the willing prey of quack doctors and every new cure that is advertised.
They can hardly pass a chemist's shop without buying something, and if they sit next to a doctor at a dinner table, they are certain to walk off with some prescription.
Their greatest fault is that they will persist in talking to everyone of their supposed ailments or afflictions, for the slightest ache, pain, or anything that concerns them, has the most exaggerated importance in their mind.
On the contrary, Nature can do more for these people than for any other class of humanity. Peace of mind, a country life, and plenty of fresh air will banish all their ills and ailments into oblivion.
But, if badly mated, or living in unhappy surroundings, their health quickly breaks up, and if they cannot make a change into happier conditions, then no medicine in all the world can help them.
The Mount of the Moon, or as it is also called the Mount of Luna, is found on the base of the hand under the end of the Line of Head (Plate VI., Part II.).
This Mount relates to everything that has to do with the imaginative faculties, the emotional artistic temperament, romance, ideality, poetry, change of scenery, travel, and such like.
This Mount may be considered positive when it looks high or well-developed, and also when the subject is found to be born between the dates of June 21st and July 20th, and until July 27th.
People who belong to this positive class are gifted with strong imagination which tinges everything they do or say. They are intensely romantic, but idealistic in their desires, and have not that passionate or sensual nature that is given by the Mount of Venus on the opposite side of the palm.
As a rule they have the inventive faculties well developed, and succeed in inventions and in all new ideas in whatever careers they may have entered.
Even business people born in this period are remarkable for their originality, and the inventive manner in which they will tackle the most practical affair.
They are, however, inclined to speculate or gamble even with their chances, also in stocks, business or, in fact, anything in which they are engaged.
Although their imagination is large, they often achieve great success and make money in business. Some great financiers and heads of large organisations have been born in this period and have also had the Mount of Luna very highly developed on their hands.
It has been said "that what one sees in one's dreams one shall gain in reality," but the fact remains that imaginative people have been found among the most successful of all classes. Imagination may be another name for Inspiration.
People born in this period are seldom hide-bound by any rule of thumb or set convention. They love what is new in everything, and perhaps for this reason they love travel and change, and generally see the greater part of this planet before they voyage over the last river of all.
Change in every way affects their careers as it also does their lives. Even the successful members of this period have more ups and downs than almost any other class.
They rarely, however, give in to the blows of Fate. Their imagination probably helps them through, and they seldom remain down or down-hearted for long.
Inventors, a large number of artists, musicians, and composers are found among people of this type, but almost without exception they have a love of mystic and occult things, and their dreams and visions are tangible and clear.
These Children of the Moon owe much to the influence of their planet that they are even more magnetic and successful when the Moon appears in the heavens.Even their health appears to change and become better under her benign influence, and they should always be advised to commence their plans or operations when their planet is to be seen illuminating the skies.
That the Moon plays an important rôle in the affairs of this earth cannot for a moment be doubted. Recent discoveries are every day revealing more and more that her strange magnetic influence has a power almost beyond belief in its effect upon the growth of vegetables, and even inanimate things.
There are other thinkers besides those interested in occult subjects who have noticed the effect of this planet on mundane things. If the Moon can affect vegetables, eggs, and the growth of chickens, as it is proved to do, how much more easily and wonderfully it must affect the grey matter of the human brain, which is the most subtle and mysterious essence of all.
People born in the period I have mentioned should be most careful of those with whom they associate, because they are extraordinarily sensitive to the magnetism of others.
They should, if possible, avoid marrying early in life unless they are absolutely sure they have met their affinity. These natures both change and develop rapidly, and they have a strong tendency to "grow away" from those with whom they associate in early life. It is the same with partners in business; they should be as much as possible "on their own" or, if partnerships are made, they should not be of a binding or restricting order, and provision should always be made for the partnership to be dissolved when it has become irksome.
These Children of the Moon are chiefly inclined towards all watery ailments and inflammatory diseases. In early life they are prone towards having water on the brain, gastric and dysentery attacks, and later in life, inflammation of the lungs and chest, pleurisy, and dropsy.
This Mount is considered negative when it appears very flat on the hand, and it may also be taken as negative when people are found to be born between the dates of January 21st and February 20th, and in a minor degree, until about February 27th.
People born between these dates have good mental powers, but their imaginative faculties are seldom as much in evidence as is so strongly the case with the positive period.
These persons, on the contrary, are good and quiet reasoners-out of problems and matters relating to the organisation of business, and are also excellent in all forms of government work. They make splendid heads of departments and rise to any responsibility very quickly and easily.
They are high-minded and have very decided views on love, duty, and social life. They make great efforts to do good to others, but as a rule their best work is done towards helping the masses more than individuals.
They are extremely kind-hearted and love to give a helping hand when they can, but at the same time they have an unfortunate knack of making many bitter enemies, and when holding government positions they are most bitterly attacked by the opposition press.Their work seldom receives its proper recognition and reward until they have passed from their sphere of influence, or have left this world of mistrust and ingratitude.
They generally make excellent speakers, but more from "plain speaking," in a particular way of their own.
As a rule they espouse the unpopular cause and take the part of the under dog in the fight.
They make devoted and loyal friends once their friendship is aroused, but at the same time they are extremely sensitive and easily wounded by those they care for.
They are strongly inclined to be religious and generally bring their religious views into all they do. They are in danger of becoming too fanatical, and when opposed, they become extremely obstinate, dogmatic, and hard to manage.
Heavy responsibility for others suits them best of all, especially if such responsibility lies in the form of government work, or in some position of management.
These people usually worry themselves into bad health. They overwork themselves and bring on nervous breakdowns, palpitation and weakness of the heart, and often paralysis. They suffer with the nerves of the stomach, acidity of the blood, rheumatism, liver complaints, and gout. They are particularly liable to meet with accidents to the feet, ankles, and limbs.
They should be very guarded when travelling by water, for they seldom get through life without sooner or later experiencing grave danger of drowning.
The portion of the palm under the base of the Thumb and inside the Line of Life is called the Mount of Venus (Plate VI., Part II.).
When well-formed and not too large, it denotes a desire for love and companionship, the desire to please, worship of beauty in every form, the artistic and emotional temperament, and it is usually very prominent in the hands of all artists, singers, and musicians.
This Mount, the science of Physiology teaches, covers one of the most important blood vessels in the palm, viz., the "Great Palmer Arch." If this loop or arch is large, it indicates a plentiful supply of blood and strong active circulation; consequently, the health is more robust. It is found that persons possessing this Mount well developed, being in active strong health, are naturally more full of passion than those individuals in poor health, and who, in consequence, have this portion of the hand either flat or poorly developed. Hence, when this Mount is large it has been considered to show passion and larger sensuality than when flat, flabby, or non-developed.
This Mount is therefore called Positive when high or large, and Negative when small or flat.
With the rest of the hand normal, this Mount well shaped is an excellent sign to have, as it denotes magnetism and attraction of one sex to the other, but if found together with vicious or abnormal signs in the hand, it increases those tendencies.
When considered with the birth date, as alluded to in the former chapters, it helps to throw considerable light on characteristics that might otherwise be overlooked.
The student may consider it Positive when the subject is born between April 20th and May 20th, and in a minor way until May 27th, the chief characteristics of this period being as follows:
These persons have a curious dominating power over others, and are found rather inclined to be too dogmatic in their opinions, and also often too unyielding and tyrannical. They are considered stiff-necked and obstinate, but the strange thing is that when they love they become the most abject slaves of all to the object of their devotion, and they will consider no sacrifice too great for that one being who holds or attracts their affection.
They are hospitable and generous, and especially love to entertain their friends. They make wonderfully good hosts, have great taste about food, and love to give excellent dinners.
They dress with great taste, and are generally considered richer than they really are, and they can make a good show on very little.
They are impulsive in their likes and dislikes, rather too frank and outspoken, quick in temper, and when their blood is up they have no restraint on what they say.
Their passion or temper is, however, quickly over,and when the storm is passed they are most regretful for the wounds their temper may have caused.
These types are most easily influenced by their surroundings, and become morbid and depressed when they are forced to live in gloomy and uncongenial conditions.
Neither the man nor woman born in this period should marry early, for their first attempt is usually a mistake. They are so independent in character that, especially if they marry early and find their mistake, they lead unconventional lives and get severely criticised in consequence.
They are inclined to be very jealous when their affections are roused, especially if the peace of the home is in any way disturbed.
People born in this period have usually short or round-shaped nails which indicate a tendency to suffer with complaints of the throat and nose.[8]They also suffer, as a rule, with pains in the head and ears, swellings in the neck, and have a tendency towards tumours, appendicitis, and other internal troubles, chiefly relating to the intestines.
[8]SeeChapter on Nails, page136.
[8]SeeChapter on Nails, page136.
This Mount may be considered Negative when the subject is born between the dates of September 21st and October 20th, and in a minor way until October 27th, and with people born in this period it is seldom found so prominent. The fact is, that the affections thesesubjects possess may be just as intense, but more mental than physical.
Their love is spiritual rather than sensual, and they crave more for soul companionship than for that of the physical senses.
Of course there are exceptions to all rules, but these exceptions can be easily seen by watching if the Mount of Venus is large with people born in this period.
All mental characteristics rule, however, very strongly. Those born in this latter period have keen intuition and a mental balance of all things not given to the other class. They have presentiments and psychic experiences, dreams, clairvoyance, and such like, which they often spoil by their reasoning faculties, and they endeavour to answer all problems through the medium of their mind or mental faculties.
In love they are nearly always unhappy. They cannot "let themselves go," like the Positive Venus type. They hesitate and miss their opportunities whilst they think or reason, and so love goes by and often leaves them nothing but regret. They should be advised to act more on their first impressions and intuition, and take the opportunities that Fate throws in their way.
They occupy themselves very much with all mental questions concerning their fellow beings. They are often found studying Law, but more with the desire of improving it for others than for their own personal advantage.
They have a great desire for knowledge, and often spend their lives in studying abstruse subjects, but always weighing and balancing each point in the most conscientious manner. They make excellent doctors, judges, lawyers, but more as masters of someparticular branch than that of gaining worldly advantage.
The people born in this period are inclined to suffer from lack of physical strength, exhaustion of the nerves, depression of spirits, melancholia, intense feeling of loneliness, and such like. Also severe headaches, pains in the back, loins, and kidneys; just as in the case of those of the other period of this Venus sign they have a great tendency, especially the women, to suffer from internal ailments, and often undergo severe operations.
I would strongly advise students of this subject to make casts of hands in plaster of Paris, wax, or any other suitable material, in order to make a library or collection, both for their own private study, and also as a valuable record of their work.
Before I read any hands professionally, I had some thousands of casts, impressions on paper, and photographs of hands in my possession, and I found that I derived the most valuable aid from being able to analyse and study their shapes and markings at my leisure.
In making casts I would advise the very finest plaster of Paris to be used. When the plaster is worked up to the proper consistency, it is necessary to rub a fine oil into the hand before bringing it into contact with the plaster, as otherwise the hair may stick and so cause trouble and annoyance.
Dental wax heated in hot water and made very soft is also an excellent material to make moulds from, especially as it does not make a mess, and is very little trouble to employ.
The great disadvantage of making a collection of casts arises from the large space that such a collectionwill eventually occupy. To avoid this the student can also make a library of impressions of hands on paper, and keep them marked and numbered in a series of albums or scrap-books that may easily be obtained at any stationer's.
The best means of taking these impressions is to obtain a small gelatine roller used by printers for fine work, such as die stamping, a tube of printer's ink, and a small sheet of glass to roll the ink out until it covers the surface of the roller in an even way.
The roller may then be passed over the surface of the palm, the hand pressed firmly down on a smooth sheet of white paper, and with a little practice, most excellent impressions can easily be obtained.
When the impression is dry it can be dated, numbered, and placed in an album for reference.
In order to remove the black ink from the hand, powdered washing soap, well brushed into the hand with a nail brush, and a little hot water is all that will be found necessary.
These impressions taken with printer's ink are far better than those taken by smoking a sheet of paper by camphor, or by a candle, or any other means.
The best time for examining hands is during the day, first because the light is better and, above all, because the circulation of the blood does not redden the entire palm as it does at night, and the finer lines can consequently easily be detected.
As I described earlier in these pages, the right and left hands should be examined together to note what difference there may be in the shape and position of the lines, but the markings on the right hand are the only ones to be relied on.
Lastly, do not be for ever on the lookout for faultsand failings in the subject whose hands you may be examining, remember no one is perfect, and that faults and failings may in the end be as stepping stones "by which we rise from our dead selves to higher things."
Transcriber's notesP(ix) d'Arpentigny corrected to D'ArpentignyP10dveloped corrected to developed.P76forshadows corected to foreshadowsP63Removed extraneous comma.P130Period added at the end of a paragraph.P132Added "is called the Finger of" instead of " to clarify.P135Period added before a capital The.P142decribed corrected to described.P158Extra opening parenthesis removed.
Transcriber's notes
P(ix) d'Arpentigny corrected to D'ArpentignyP10dveloped corrected to developed.P76forshadows corected to foreshadowsP63Removed extraneous comma.P130Period added at the end of a paragraph.P132Added "is called the Finger of" instead of " to clarify.P135Period added before a capital The.P142decribed corrected to described.P158Extra opening parenthesis removed.