ives
generally close in suffering, poverty, or by some sinister tragedy or
fatality.

It is the most unfortunate mark ever to find.

THE BRACELETS

The Bracelets (3-3, Plate XX.) are of very little importance except to
throw light on certain points of health. There are supposed to be three
of these lines or bracelets at the wrist, which were called by the Greeks
the Bracelets of Health, Wealth, and Happiness.

It is certainly very seldom that they can be found together, for
experience in life does not give much hope that these three
much-sought-after possessions can ever be found together on this side of
the grave.

Delving back into the ancient legends of Greece, we find one very
significant point in reference to the first bracelet, the one nearest the
palm, which represents Health.

It appears that at one period of the ancient Greek civilisation all women
had to come to the priest at their Temple to have their hands examined
before they were allowed to marry. If the priest found this first
Bracelet out of its place and rising up into the hand in the shape of an
arch (4, Plate XX.), he would not allow the woman possessing this sign to
be married under any circumstance, the idea being that it represented
some internal malformation that would prevent her bringing children into
the world. In such cases these women were made Vestal Virgins in the
temples. Perhaps the old Greek Priest was right in his idea, for if this
first Bracelet is found rising into the hand in the form of an arch, both
men and women possessing it are delicate internally, and especially so in
matters relating to sex.

CHAPTER XII

THE LINE OF INTUITION AND THE VIA LASCIVA

The Line of Intuition (5, Plate XX.) is seldom found on other types of
hand than those of the Philosophic, the Conic, and the Psychic, but it is
sometimes found on the Spatulate.

It takes more or less the formation of a semi-circle from the face of the
Mount of Mercury to that of the Mount of the Moon, or may be found on the
Mount of the Moon alone. It must not be confounded with the Hepatica, or
Line of Health, but is found as a distinct mark in itself.

It denotes an extra highly-strung sensitive temperament, also
presentiments, inspiration, clairvoyance of the highest kind, clear vivid
dreams which often come to pass, intuition as to how things should be
done, and very often manifests itself in inspired speaking and writing of
the loftiest character.

I