They have a sense of justice and great self-control. Stiffthumbed people are a quiet, cautious, economical, practical, reliable set, who do not attract as do more brilliant and versatile natures, yet who possess many qualities which command respect. If the stiff thumb is coarse and common it will lower the quality of all its attributes, and make a mean, stingy, hard-hearted subject. In estimating all stiff thumbs, note most carefully the quality of the subject, so you may not err by placing the stiff-thumb qualities in the wrong class. A fine grade of stiff thumb should be given a fine grade of stiff-thumb qualities; a coarse stiff thumb must be given a coarse grade of stiff-thumb qualities.

No. 86. STIFF THUMB (No amount of pressure will bend this thumb farther back).

In noting all thumbs take full account of consistency. See if energy or laziness is directing will and reason. A weak thumb with energy behind it is better than a strong thumb on a flabby hand. Consistency will make or mar the operation of all thumbs, so always see whether there is energy or laziness back of whatever kind you see. Good thumbs on soft hands would like to exert themselves, but are "too tired."

Examine color with the thumb, see if coldness, ardor, normal health, or biliousness is to influence the operation of will and the reasoning qualities of the brain. A healthy subject will do more with a weak will than one who is ill or by nature cold. Biliousness clogs the brain, so yellow color will spoil or impair even a strong second phalanx.

Examine the Mounts with the thumb in order to determine what effect the possession of determination, or lack of it, good reasoning, or lack of it, will have upon the qualities of the Mounts. The ambition, pride, honor, and religion of a Jupiterian will be much more surely brought to some account by a good thumb. Ambition is good, but does not produce its full measure of success unless backed by a reasoning will. The Jupiterian qualities will be correspondingly weakened by a small or pointed thumb. Always think what they stand for in looking at good Mounts, what qualities they indicate, and then by the strong or weak thumb, see whether will and reason in strength or weakness is behind the Mount qualities. The wisdom of Saturn will be made firm and strong by a good thumb, weak and vacillating by a weak one. The brilliant Apollonian with a strong thumb will be the man of business; with a small, pointed one, he will be possessed of pure artistic feeling, which will be more practical if the thumb tip be square. The shrewd and quick Mer-curian, if he have a large thumb, will be firm and strong in whichever of his many sides he may be developed, but with a weak thumb, will be weak in the operation of his qualities, especially if the tip be conic, more practical if square.

Lower Mars, full of aggression, will be determined also with a strong thumb, especially if spatulate or square, but will lose much of his force if possessed of a small thumb, particularly so if pointed or conic. Upper Mars, showing resistance, will be cool and undaunted with a large thumb, and more liable to discouragement with a small one. The Moon will have more practical fancies with a strong thumb, especially if square or spatulate, and will be more imaginative with a small thumb, which quality will be increased if tips be pointed. Venus, with a strong thumb, will be firm and practical in love and sympathy, and inconstant with a small one, especially if pointed. Large thumbs will add determination to critical nails and make them more critical. A strong thumb will make stronger every type of nail, a weak thumb will make them weaker. Large thumbs will add persistence to the analytical propensities of knotty fingers, and make them more painstaking in search for truth. Small thumbs will decrease their operation, and allow many things to be taken for granted.

Large thumbs strengthen smooth fingers, small thumbs make them act more by impulse and lend added artistic conic qualities. Large thumbs push square and spatulate tips to greater activity, and along practical lines. Small thumbs make these tips talkers not doers. Large thumbs decrease the artistic qualities of conic and pointed tips by making them more practical and more likely to accomplish something and to exert themselves. Small thumbs make these tips dreamers and averse to effort. Large thumbs make the short-fingered qualities quicker and more determined; short thumbs leave the quickness, the inspiration, but take away the force and practical application of these qualities. Large thumbs make long fingers more determined in the application of their peculiar qualities. These subjects, always great lovers of detail, will, with large thumbs, carry out these details. A small thumb with long fingers will still love detail, but will not trouble to secure it. Hands with smooth fingers, conic or pointed tips, and a small thumb, indicate artistic and poetic feeling.

Large bands, knotty joints, square or spatulate tips with large thumbs, are scientific, mechanical, and practical hands. The woman with a small thumb marries for love, and does not stop to think whether her lover can support her or not. She will brave poverty, and will marry a drunkard, thinking she can reform him. These women are ruled by heart and sentiment. The woman with a large thumb loves as truly as any, but has regard for the bread-and-butter supply as well. The man she marries must be able to support her; if adversity comes she makes the best of it, will put on a brave front, and help to overcome the difficulty. She is ruled by head and is strong.

In the beginning of this chapter the statement was made that many palmists rely on the thumb for their entire work. You can see that a good reading could be given from the thumb alone, by bringing its qualities to bear on the various forces which make up a human life. I earnestly commend to you a careful and thorough understanding of this chapter before proceeding farther. All the various thumbs are illustrated, and there should be no difficulty in gaining a proper understanding of the subject.