It is much easier "to correct a fault before it occurs," than to obliterate a habit thoroughly established. It is much easier for a child to learn what it loves and can understand, than for it to master studies for which its mind is not adapted. The child is an engine, and while you may by shifting belts, cogs, and wheels make a locomotive run a saw-mill, you have spoiled the twenty-thousand-dollar locomotive, which was a much finer machine when devoted to its proper uses than it is in its changed condition, and it does not run the saw-mill as well as a little upright engine would, which was built for the purpose at a cost of only about five hundred dollars. Thus, from a lack of knowledge about the human engine, millions of failures are seen of people who could successfully have done the things they were intended to do, but who have grown sour, discouraged, and unsuccessful when forced into vocations for which they were never created. Is this the fault of the Creator? Truly not, for the more one studies His handiwork the more comes the conviction that everthing has been provided for.

He made the human hand a reflector of the brain, and He wrote in it a language plain, simple, and easy to understand, which He intended that we should use for our benefit, for He put in human brains the key by which this language could be read. But man, all-important in his own wisdom, yet with ignorance as dense as night, has been blind to his own advantages and refused to decipher the story plainly written for his guidance. Some well-meaning folk have laughed and sneered at those investigations having for their object the solving of this great problem, the knowledge of character and aptitudes, and in addition have asked, "Is it not wrong to pry into the secrets of the Almighty?" Such a question, well-meaning in its intentions, is equal to the ignorance of the dark ages, and in no sense is it in touch with the progress of science in this century, when the secrets of the Almighty have been unfolded by those who have discovered and harnessed electricity, and liquid air, and who have made many useful additions to the sum-total of those gifts for which humanity should be grateful to its Creator. No one will say it is "prying into the secrets of the Almighty " for the botanist to study flowers ; he sees lines in the leaves which tell him a story and his work is scientific.

No one will say that it is prying "into the secrets of the Almighty" for the physician to study disease ; he looks at your tongue and tells you that your liver is torpid. The liver and tongue are connected through the alimentary canal, and the tongue reflects the liver. Why is it "prying into the secrets of the Almighty" for the palmist to look at your thumb, and tell you that your will-power is deficient? The centre of the brain is in direct connection with the thumb, and Will being a mental quality, why is it so ridiculous that the thumb should reflect this quality of the brain? It is not ; scientific Palmistry is perfectly logical, and all its deductions are reached from an estimate of the mental and physical condition of the subject. The time has arrived when the intelligence of the world should no longer permit the lives of children to be hampered, impeded, and ruined by the fact that they are forced into vocations in which they can never be successful, when by the conscientious use of our science they can be guided to their proper sphere in life.

Many who have reached adult years as failures have asked the question, "What right has the Creator to plunge me into this world without my consent, leave me ignorant of myself, give me no knowledge of the future, allow me to become wicked, careless, or corrupt, and then visit a judgment or punishment upon me?" The Creator has not done this ; He has written what you want to know in your hand, but human ignorance and folly have refused either to read it or to allow it to be read. Many have heard when it was too late what they might have been. The time to prevent the failure is before it occurs, by starting with the child.

Let us approach this study with minds filled with its seriousness, for in no other way can we fully receive its benefits; and let us put aside forever the idea that its whole object is to tell a gushing maiden of her lovers. The human being, then, is the human engine. The type will tell us for what purpose the engine was created. If this engine is to operate to the best advantage, it must be balanced in all its parts, no one portion so heavy that it overweighs the others. If such a state exists, the machine runs sideways or twisted, and the human being is out of proportion, narrow and warped. A perfect balance is what we seek, and when we find a perfectly balanced hand we find a balanced character and a person who succeeds by steadiness of manner and movement, and not through efforts put forth by fits and starts. It is very certain that brains and health are absolutely necessary to success. Health may sometimes be absent, but brains never. So, in our study of man, we are constantly trying to see how well balanced, how healthy, and how brainy he is. The first portion of our study will be given to Chirognomy, which does not relate to the lines in the hand; and this section must be thoroughly mastered before the lines can have any meaning for you.

For this reason, I ask that you will take each of the following chapters in succession, as this will lead you gradually to a thorough understanding of the fundamental matters which will enable you to appreciate the finishing chapters which treat exhaustively of the Mount types. As we shall refer at times to the lines in the hand before reaching their full consideration, I insert a map at this point showing the seven main lines (Plate B); the location, character, and general attributes of which should now be learned.

The Line of Heart will show the strength or weakness of the affections, and the physical strength of the heart. The clearer, more even, and better-colored the line is, the better is the heart's action, and the more constant the affections.

PLATE B.

The Line of Head will show the strength of the mental powers, and the physical strength of the brain. The clearer, more even, and better-colored it is, the better is the concentration of the mind, the self-control, and the less danger there is from brain disorders.

The Line of Life shows the strength of the constitution, the kind of strength, whether muscular robustness, or nervous energy, and, as physical strength is a great factor in human life, this line is most important.

The Line of Saturn accentuates the Mount of Saturn, and shows that the balancing qualities of that type are present. One who has these restraining elements is less liable to do foolish things, and the course through life is likely to be more even and smooth. The more even, clear, and straight this line is, the more even the course through life will probably be.

The Line of Apollo accentuates the Mount of Apollo, and brings out strongly the brilliant qualities of that type. The clearer, more even, and better-colored this line is, the more creative power in art, or productive money-making quality in business the subject has. The Lines of Saturn and Apollo do not show defects of health. The Line of Mercury, often called the Line of Health, shows distinctively health difficulties. It will be treated fully hereafter.

I insert this illustration, and these few general attributes of the lines at this point, only that you may have a general idea of them, which knowledge will be helpful with the Mount types. The lines will be minutely treated in Part II., and in the next chapter we shall take up the technical part of our work.