Line of Mentality is long and sloping, but if found
straight or level it indicates a mental development of the logical and
practical qualities which might not be expected in such a class or type.

The same rules hold good with the Conic and Psychic, but with what is
called the Mixed type, the best Line of Head to find would be one, long
straight and level-looking, because this class, being a mixture as it
were of all the others, would require a practical or level-headed
mentality to hold its own amid the mixture of tendencies which the last
type personifies.

CHAPTER III

THE LINE OF LIFE AND ITS VARIATIONS

The Line of Life is that line which runs round the base of the thumb and
lies directly over a large blood-vessel called the great Palmer Arch
(1-1, Plate VIII.). This blood-vessel is more directly connected with the
heart, stomach, and vital organs which may have given use to its term
"The Vital," as used by the ancients.

It is reasonable to assume that it is this intimate connection with the
vital organs of the body which enables it to foretell the length of life
from _natural causes_.

If the student will bear this in mind it will make clear and plain to him
many difficulties in connection with predictions as to health and
disease, and he will follow more easily the following explanations.

The first rules to master are, that to be normal the Line of Life should
be long, clearly marked, and without any irregularities or breaks of any
kind. Such a formation would indicate length of life, vitality, freedom
from illness, and strength of constitution (1-1, Plate VIII.).

Bearing the first observation in mind it will be noticed that as the Line
of Life represents the stomach and the vital organs, when well marked
the stomach and digestion must necessarily be in a good condition.

[Illustration: PLATE VIII.

THE LINE OF LIFE AND SECTIONS OF INFLUENCES FROM THE MOUNTS.]

When made up of little pieces or linked like a chain, it is a certain
sign of poor health, weak stomach and lack of vitality.

At this point I must ask the most careful attention to the following
rules--which no other book on the subject contains, and which I have not
published in any of my other writings, viz.: as the Line of Life seems
in every sense to be the representative on the hand of the body or trunk
of the man--so the position of these breaks, marks, links, or islands
denotes the portion of the body most affected.

Befo