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towards the middle finger. When the line is broad, strong, and well marked, it shows the person to be of a sound constitution, peaceable, and contented mind; if it is broken it shows for every break, a violent interruption to happiness; if these breaks happen towards the part next the wrist, the person will be crossed in love, and either be disappointed in the person he has fixed his affections on, or be saddled with a person of a disobliging temper, and a most audacious and abusive tongue.
The Girdle of Venus takes its course from the extremity of the innermost joint of the little finger, and forming a curve, terminates between the fore and middle fingers. When it goes on fair and well marked it shows that the person will be prosperous in love, fair in his dealings with the fair sex, and be sincerely beloved; he will obtain a sweet tempered, faithful, and affectionate partner for life, with a fortune equal to his own; but, if it be interrupted at its beginning near the little finger, he will meet with early disappointments in love; if towards the middle of the line, he will ruin his health and injure his fortune by lasciviousness; if near the end, he will be foolishly amorous in his old age, still expecting to gain the heart of a woman, but never obtain it.
The Line of Fortune strikes from behind the ball or mount of the fore finger, across the palm and Line of Life, and loses itself in or near the fleshy part of the hand on the little finger side. By its approach to the girdle of Venus, shows that there is a great kindred between them, and their distance from the extremities clearly point out that love is inconsistent with childhood and old age; yet, in those where the cross lines approach from the one to the other, near the ends, prove that the person was, or will be, susceptible of love in childhood or old age.
If the hollow palm of the hand, which some call the Plain of Mars, is full of cross lines running into each other, the person will be of a humoursome, uneven, and testy temper, jealous and hasty, quarrelsome and fighting, and endeavouring to set others by the ears; he will meet with very frequent misfortunes, and bear them very uneasily; whereas, if the hollow or palm of the hand has none but the unavoidable lines; that
