Mercury, normal, should reach the first joint of the finger of Apollo. Shorter than that it is not a leading finger. Longer than this, the Mercurian type is predominant. If the finger of Jupiter is of normal length, normal Jupiterian qualities are shown; in excess, excessive Jupiterian qualities are present; if deficient, the Jupiterian qualities will be deficient. This rule must be followed with Saturn. Apollo, and Mercury. The Mounts of Mars, Moon, and Venus have no finger, and all judgment of them must be from the Mounts alone.

Examine the individual phalanges of the fingers, counting first, second, third, from the tip down. Here, again, we find the three worlds of Palmistry, mental, abstract, and material, represented by the first, second, and third phalanges of the fingers. This is a very important matter to understand thoroughly, for it will tell whether the qualities of the Mount types will be expended in the mental, the practical, or the baser worlds. If the first phalanx of any finger is the longest and largest, the mental will rule, and the qualities of the type will be expended in that direction. If the second phalanx is longest and largest, the business side of the type will prevail, and the efforts will be expended in pushing the commercial side of the type. If the third phalanx be strongest, the material qualities will prevail, and either coarseness or brutishness in the attributes of the type will be the moving force, in proportion as this phalanx is thick or narrow. The longer the first phalanx (46), the more will mental matters absorb the attention, and if this phalanx is found short (47), it will tell that the enjoyment of mental occupations is lacking, and that qualities more material absorb the attention. If the second phalanx is thick and long (48), the money-making side is uppermost.

If the third phalanx is very long and very thick, it will show that sensualism and the gratification of appetite and luxury are the pleasures which the subject seeks (49). The extreme thickness of the third phalanx shows a great love for eating and drinking. If with this subject the first phalanx is short, the second normal, and the third very thick, he will not care for mental pursuits at all, but only cares to make money and to have plenty to eat and drink. It is not the sexual sensualism that is shown by the thick third phalanx, but the sensuous gratification of appetite and a love of luxury and comfort. The more pronounced the thickness, the more these traits are strengthened.

LONG FIRST PHALANGES

No. 46. LONG FIRST PHALANGES.

SHORT FIRST PHALANGES

No. 47. SHORT FIRST PHALANGES.

LONG SECOND PHALANGES

No. 48. LONG SECOND PHALANGES.

If the third phalanx is moderately developed, then there is only a fair degree of these desires. Love of seusual pleasures will always be shown by the thickening of these third phalanges, and the degree of strength will be graded by the degree of thickness. This indication will have added force in different types, for the Jupiterian, being naturally a large eater (as is also the Martian), will be much more so if the third phalanx be thick. Length of the phalanges shows strength of the qualities, thickness shows coarseness and liability to excess. When the third phalanx, instead of being thick, is narrow and waist-like in shape (50), it shows that the subject eats to live and does not live to eat. He is one who expends his strength in cither the mental or business worlds, not in the sensual. He does not care for money except for what it will buy and the pleasure it can bring. It slips through his fingers for whatever suits his fancy. He has an inquiring mind, as shown.by the chinks between the fingers. If the fingers are very long and the chinks very wide, the subject becomes, not an investigator, but one who is merely curious. He pries into the affairs of everyone from innate curiosity.

I have reasoned that as this phalanx, when thick, shows gluttony, and as a gorged stomach produces an inactive brain, the subject with a thick third phalanx is too busy digesting to be an investigator. If the phalanx is waist-like, the subject is only a slight eater, and his brain, instead of being clogged and heavy, has force to expand, and does it through its faculty of investigation. This waist-like indication, so estimated, is very accurate in its results, and may be used freely as showing little care for money, an absence of gluttony, and the inquiring, even curious, mind.

THICK THIRD PHALANGES

No. 49. THICK THIRD PHALANGES.

WAIST LIKE THIRD PHALANGES

No. 50. WAIST-LIKE THIRD PHALANGES.

In the study of individual phalanges, take account of the tips. On each finger the long first phalanx represents the mental attribute of the qualities of the finger, which are those of its Mount. Conic or pointed tips will show the idealism of these qualities; square tips will show the practical application; spatulate tips will show active and original mental application. The long second phalanx shows the business side of the type; conic and pointed tips give an artistic, impulsive turn; square tips a practical, common-sense application; spatulate tips an active and original method in business matters. The third phalanges indicate the sensualism of the finger qualities; conic tips make them more pronounced, square tips less liable to excess, and spatulate tips active and original in devising ways for expending their efforts. With every finger, the phalanx which is in excess shows which is the strongest side of its qualities, and the tips show whether these qualities are idealized by conic tips, made practical by square tips, or active by spatulate.

This system of thoroughly analyzing each finger by its phalanges and tips gives the ability to minutely dissect a subject, and in the attempt to estimate his future success, these things cannot be overlooked.