Key to palmistry
Date: 2026-07-28T00:00:00+00:00

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Title: Key to palmistry

Author: Louis Williams

Release date: July 28, 2026 [eBook #79203]

Language: English

Original publication: Seattle: International Institute of Science, 1902

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/79203

Credits: Tim Miller, Sam Lamb and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEY TO PALMISTRY ***

Key
To
Palmistry

Louis Williams, Ph. D.

Copyright, 1902,
by
Louis Williams, Ph. D.

International Institute of Science,
Publishers,
Seattle, Wash., U. S. A.

DEDICATION.

Each gift contained is thine,
With open hands receive,
Life’s unseen deeds divine,
Like memories to thee cleave;
Reach forth; the law of love
Comes like the breath of spring,
And truths are thoughts of God
That through our being wing.

The Author.

CONTENTS.

| Page.
The Hand of Man | 5
The Palm | 7
The Fingers | 8
The First Finger | 10
The Middle Finger | 11
The Third Finger | 12
The Little Finger | 13
Religion of Fingers by Ancestry | 14
The Thumb | 15
The Lines of the Hand | 16
The Life Line of Action | 17
The Heart Line | 18
The Line of Thought | 19
Other and Minor Lines | 20
Symbols | 21
To be a True Palmist | 22
A Few Symbols to Aid You | 23
The Bracelets and Finger Nails | 26
Color Quality in Hands | 27
The Higher Course in Palmistry | 29-30
Phrenological Charts | 32

THE HAND OF MAN.

The Hand of Man.

The human hand is the symbol of the mind, and in many ways reveals the inmost thoughts of its possessor. Unconsciously, fear and hatred, as well as love and affection, finds its expression there. Often when the eye is calm and the voice is hushed a twitch of the fingers or a motion of the hand is the tell-tale of our heart’s secrets. It is therefore more difficult to control than any other part of our human anatomy.

The hand is the servant of the brain, and faithfully executes every faculty of the mind in the works of art and skill, in the gathering of knowledge; the brain sends its thought currents down constantly, each nerve current leaving some trace of its passage, however small. These currents are necessarily charged with moulding and directing forces of thought, feeling and will. This vital connection with the brain determines the development of the hand and renders each portion significant of some mental faculty, or of its modes of action. The hand for that reason corresponds with that of the head. A beautiful and well-formed hand indicates a well-balanced head and character. Broad hands go with a broad character, narrow hands with a narrow head, yet, if long, indicate insight and depth. Large hands belong to people who do the real work of life and the world; they do not shrink from carrying out the plans of their owner; they take hold and do things without gloves.

Small hands belong to those who plan great things, but employ others to carry the plans into execution; they dislike to submit to exact rules and minute details; their owner uses general terms rather than precise statements.

Hard hands have active power; soft hands, passive endurance.

Warm hands, large, with well developed palm, belong to the magnetic type, with tendencies celestial. Cold hands are electric with tendencies terrestrial.

THE PALM represents the physical organization.

THE FINGERS indicate the mental capacity.

THE THUMB, motive and managing ability.

YOUR FATE IS IN YOUR HAND

The Palm.

If the palm is in every way well developed it shows the owner’s good physical organization; if thick and red, vitality sufficient and to spare.

If palm is firm and square, denotes the builder and mechanic; if soft and square, the magnetic healer and life builder.

If the palm is thin, yet square, it denotes the intellectual builder; associated with well developed fingers, is proof positive.

If palm is round, thick and proportionately large, indicates the voluptuous nature, full of animal desires.

If palm be thin and round, lacks physical energy and belongs to the dreamer; with large fingers, indicates the stoic; with small thumb, will not resist interference nor overcome opposition.

If palm is small, yet showing activity in lines, with thumb and fingers well developed, indicates the organizer, planner, and one who will engage others to carry his plans into execution; with thick thumb, will go to any extent to succeed.

The small palm, with well developed fingers, especially the third finger will seek to gain power over others; with lower part of thumb out of proportion and the end of thumb thick, will be tyrannical.

The Fingers.

The fingers represent the intellectual capacity of their owner. Large, broad, well developed fingers indicate a corresponding head; mechanical ability, artistic skill, eloquence, diplomacy, versatility, commercial superiority and genius are all written there; also application and system in the pursuits of the various accomplishments.

Size of fingers indicate capacity; length of fingers, depth and insight into things, which, however, is fully shown by each particular finger.

If the root of the finger is well set into the palm shows stability; with large knuckles, have great activity. If foundation of fingers is narrow and weak, shows uncertainty and a vacillating disposition, in the branch represented; if small finger is deficient in development it indicates lack of self reliance. If knuckles are deficient, shows inactivity of owner, and with long fingers and small developed little finger, the dreamer. If middle joints are large, shows active ingenuity and skill to materialize the ideas and plans of the owner.

If finger points are square, shows physical, intellectual and mechanical activity; if round, mental and intellectual ability; with first phalange of thumb large, are good managers and carry their ability into use; with large third finger, with profit to themselves.

Large joints, long, square fingers, especially the spatulate pointed finger, shows the genius in art, music and mechanics; but to enable them to give full expression, the little finger should be large and well developed, the thumb spatulate.

Long fingers give capacity for minute, delicate and finished work, especially with large joints and square points; they succeed in detail and accomplish most in a variety of work of skill and art.

Slender, delicate and tapering fingers are too weak for varied and efficient work; they prefer the ideal and sensuous to the practical and laborious; with small fingers, are theoretical.

Short and broad fingers choose strong and general work, prefer to deal with masses; they admire magnitude more than finish; they dislike long and careful labors, and lack in the ideal and spiritual—yet indicate, if otherwise, harmoniously developed, the practical nature, who believes in one world at a time and prefers the present, to the past or future, and whose religion consists in practical and useful efforts; are narrow and bigoted, with small, straight thumbs.

YOUR FATE IS IN YOUR HAND

The First Finger.

The first finger is the most important. Employed constantly in directing everything we do, for no one would think of pointing the second or third finger, nor even the thumb. The first finger is used in guiding and directing the tools used in many of the most skillful and delicate manipulations of various arts; for that purpose the nerve currents flow constantly from the brain to the forefinger. It becomes, therefore, an index of the possessor’s intellect more than any other.

The first phalange represents by its length, breadth and development, capacity for detail, direction and perceptive capacity. Thickness gives it depth of comprehension and logic—the breadth at the joint shows system; the second joint shows capacity for work; and breadth of the middle joint, order in work. Length of the third or lower phalange represents intellectual pursuits; if larger than the second, prefer intellectual to physical work; if broad and upon a good foundation, indicates a philosophic mind; with broad knuckles, practice what they preach; with square fingers and well developed thumb, seek to carry out reforms; with short fingers are practical; with long fingers and tapering, are theoretical.

If first finger is very long, indicates excellent ability to direct. If it reaches the height of the middle finger or nearly, indicates social success, honor or fame.

Note the difference between left and right hand. If longer on left, has the quality by birth; if on right hand, will succeed through their own power and energy.

A very short first finger indicates continuous struggle; first finger level with third, should succeed in business.

The Middle Finger.

The second or middle finger represents the social element; power to combine and organize the social elements, so that they may harmoniously work together. It is the pivotal finger, toward this, all the other fingers should lean for unity and strength. For this reason it represents our religious aspirations, the highest of which is love—its length and breadth thus indicates capacity to combine men and means; the faculty of putting plans into feasible shape, so as to carry them into effect. The first phalange represents by its length and thickness love and religious tendencies; by its squareness at the joint exactness, by its width integrity, and by the development of the joint utility and practice. If points spatulate, genius. The development of the second phalange denotes ability to organize, length giving insight, breadth comprehension and thickness force and energy. The development of the joint there shows practice and activity; the lower phalange shows by its length love of association, by its breadth unity and friendship; its thickness shows natural magnetism; a large knuckle shows activity; width of lines inside of joints, system; a well and harmoniously developed middle finger with large thumb development indicates the social leader, and statesman.

If, however, the middle finger is abnormally developed, will evidence a morbid temperament for the supernatural, occultism and mysticism. If finger is very pointed, lack comprehension and are inclined to be fatalistic.

The Third Finger.

The third finger deals with wealth, industry, art, commerce, ambition and travel. Its relative length and breadth shows the owner’s ability in those directions. The first phalange indicates by its length ambition, by its breadth display, by its thickness success. The second phalange shows by its length ability to transact business, by its breadth and thickness, industry; by the development of joint and its breadth, art. The third phalange represents commerce and travel; with knuckles large indicate great activity in the lines most prominently shown.

A very long third finger indicates the speculator; unusual length and width show the scientist and explorer; with large joints, the artistic.

Such people have good form and excellent taste in arrangement and color, are very ambitious, and with first finger equal or nearly as long as the third, will be very successful in all undertakings represented by those fingers.

A very short third finger shows incompetency in the above lines.

The Little Finger.

The little finger well developed indicates versatility of talent; to make much of little; the power to manifest character; to illustrate and externalize; it enables its owner to make others see and feel what he feels himself; it is the basis of conversational talent. The first, second and third fingers are moved by a common muscle to them all; the little finger is moved independently. The first phalange of the little finger, long, shows mind, and its breadth shows philosophy. The second phalange indicates by its length and breadth business versatility; the third phalange, by its fullness, social life and its requirements; width of lines in the joints indicate system, and development of knuckles, activity.

If the little finger is unusually large, its owner shows ability to scheme, over-running with theories. If long and square, the natural lawyer; with short first phalange, the criminal lawyer; with first phalange very long and square, the philosopher and judge; associate with large first phalange in second finger denotes the sage, seer and prophet.

A short, thin little finger shows lack of ability to externalize; such people are unable to express what they feel.

Religion of Fingers by Ancestry.

Thick, straight, medium long fingers, somewhat pointed, indicate the Catholic or Episcopal ancestry. Broad at base and pointing, medium long, the Methodist. Straight, with joints projecting, Presbyterians and Congregationalists. Thin, with bulge at lower joints, Lutherans. Medium fingers, broad at base, bulge at lower joints, Baptists. Medium or broad at base, with gradual taper, large first joints, then gradual taper to square or slightly rounded point, medium long or long, Unitarians, Universalists, and Spiritualists. Short, little fingers, twisted, are inclined to Atheism.

Smooth fingers, unmarked, indicate characters governed by intuition rather than reason. They are persons with direct perceptions who choose statements rather than arguments, and who decide at once, rather than deliberate.

When the first three fingers are nearly equal in length they show great success in any undertaking. Club fingers show recklessness in life, and with club thumb, are murderers.

The closeness of the fingers indicate concerted action; spreading of the fingers indicate that their possessor is scattering and lacks concentration and unity of life and purpose.

The Thumb.

The thumb is the grand fulcrum of the hand and carries out the plans and desires of its owner, by the various combinations possible with the fingers. It is opposable to them all and can thus co-operate with them all.

The thumb represents the will and the executive power of the owner. Man alone, of all creation, has a true thumb, therefore man alone exhibits the immense power of associate effort in the great achievements of organized industry and national life. A large thumb is essential to a powerful and efficient character; the first phalange being large indicates great executive ability, determination and will, which is indicated by its width, comprehension by its thickness, and power by its large foundation. If thumb over the nail is straight, have stability and tenacity. Length of second phalange indicates organizing power. If long and thin, use diplomacy and expediency in their dealings with others; if short and thick, are arbitrary and stubborn; with very thick first phalange, tyrannical; the first joint well developed and broad shows a critical nature, of the opposite sex, especially with the little finger large. Breadth of the second joint indicates action; thickness of the third phalange indicates power to make and keep money by speculation, but prefer the sure way. If third phalange is very large and out of proportion, have immense power, but are apt to be tyrannical, with such development and the club thumb will murder to control and succeed.

The Lines of the Hand.

As the steady drop hollows the stone and the currents carry away meadows and mountains, carving into the solid rock their passage, so the currents of thought and nerve force from the brain as well as the opening and shutting of the hand, the movements of the muscles all combine to cover the inside of the hand with lines more or less decided, prominent of which are the lines of action, thought and affection. The child, too, shows definite lines, and therefore life’s energies and possibilities are written there. Who is there to-day to declare scientifically the extent of parental influence in shaping a life’s destiny? The true scientist limits possibilities to the facts established, yet the constant adding to his fund of positive knowledge leaves the investigator wonderful scope. The acorn holds the great oak in its silent chamber, and our dreams often reveal future results. We educate the young with a view of possibilities. Is there then a record somewhere where these possibilities are recorded? The hand contains lines that only nerve currents extraordinary can produce and they have a meaning as much so as the delicate tendril that peeps above the ground and holds the possibilities of the oak or a century plant, with its blossoms and fruit in its tender fold.

Therefore we deem it more than probable that the human soul’s desires are written there as well. Let us learn to read nature’s language, for thus truthfully does she write each creature’s destiny; and every seed, however small, will somehow burst into noonday with blossoms and fruit, for good or evil, to its possessor.

The Life Line of Action.

The action of the thumb and the development of the muscles of the thumb produce a well marked and curved line around its base. This line indicates the extent and regularity with which a person’s will power has succeeded in attaining the objects of life; for that reason its general course indicates the duration and intensity of a person’s life. Commencing near the edge of the palm, the length of life as shown by chart is indicated by the number of years as subdivided. When the life line is clear, well marked and unbroken, it signifies good health and a vigorous constitution. If the line is slender and broken by cross lines, it tells of defective health and low vitality. If accompanied by a curved echo line, running parallel with the life line, shows increased vigor and health; if accompanied by a straight line crossing or joining at both ends, the life line indicates disease and weakness.

If the beginning of the life line is from the base of the first finger, the source of the person’s life is subject to outside and varying influences. If close to the thumb, the person’s life is too narrow and contracted. Half way between the first finger and thumb is best.

When the social or heart line connects closely with the life line it indicates that the person’s affections are intense and part of life. If the line of the intellect or thought draws close to these lines it indicates a person having unison of action, feeling and conduct, all tending to one common end. Such persons will make their doctrines the guide of their lives; their religion will not be one of mere profession or belief in the hereafter. If lines are widely separated at the commencement, they foreshadow a discordant and inconsistent course of life. Such a person will think and feel one thing but actually do another.

The Heart Line.

The social or heart line holds the central position in the palm. Strange to say, the ancient palmisters, as well as some of the modern school, confounded this line with the thought line. As the heart, the symbol of affection, is found practically in the center of the body, so this line, symbolizing the heart and social element in our nature is found there. It gets its further location by reason of certain well founded physiological laws of the human brain, governing the center of the hand. If full, clear and strong it indicates activity and strength in the social life of the individual; the fullness of the palm on each side of this line shows the good condition and development of the nutritive organs in the body. A hollow and thin palm shows a defective state of the nutritive system.

Note the length, breadth, depth and regularity; also lines crossing the heart line, which show disturbances, heartaches, disappointments or strong attachments in business, social or political life further outlined and established by cross lines and symbols.

The Line of Thought.

The line of thought is the third of these important lines of the hand. It represents the intellect and evidences the activity of our intellectual and practical life. This line is the direct result of the motion and action of the fingers, all of which represent intellectual ability, thought and mind. The positive knowledge of the location of the organs in the brain representing intellectual abilities, have located this line definitely and scientifically correct.

The old notion about the relations of different planets to the parts of the hand, have also in the light of modern science been corrected. The length of this line, its breadth and depth shows the activity of its possessor; to the third finger shows commercial ability; to the middle finger, shows social activity, and to the first finger, scientific attainment.

The correct reading of this line must be governed largely by the interference of cross lines, depth, intensity, and its curve toward whichever finger it may lean; all of which will aid in its delineation.

Other and Minor Lines.

Many other and minor lines cross the hand, all of which are supposed to be based upon established laws of physical and mental life.

Some of the lines are fully mentioned in the accompanying chart, entitled “The Human Hand.”

If the life line is broken, it means death; if connected by a thread, illness and gradual improvement; if crossed by many lines, health disturbing influences and minor illnesses.

If the heart line is crossed or broken it indicates broken engagements, heart aches, social disturbances, that may be further and more definitely verified by quarrels with friends, wife, children or lovers, as the case may be; also financial disasters may cause the same effects and can be traced in the hand.

If the thought line is broken, may indicate mental disturbances caused by business, social or political disasters, all of which can be positively verified by other signs.

Other lines mark their courses through the hand, all valuable in palm reading. The line of materialism, familism, nutrition, fortune, science, social or political force, the line of the speculator, the girdle of Venus, marriage and divorce, all of which are set out in the chart, as well as the smaller lines of children, friends, relatives, melancholia, quarrels, and many more, not indicated, as a greater number would only confuse the mind of the novice, but sufficient is given here, together with some hints at symbolism to enable the student to read any ordinary hand scientifically correct.

Symbols.

Nature’s language is one of symbols. The sunset tells the story of departing day; the woodland and the prairie evidence the truth of my statements; the murky river as well as the clear stream leaves its trail well marked. Each shape of leaf has a different meaning; circles, squares, triangles, oblong figures, all represent one of nature’s many ways of imparting knowledge, and he who runs may read, but the one who listens intently to nature’s more quiet moods may read more correctly.

It is useless to attempt to systematize for the purpose of reading the human hand, the symbols to be found therein. Each hand differs from the other, and even the left hand differs from the right hand of the same person. The left hand, for a general rule is the hand of nature, the right hand, of our desires.

Seek for symbols in the hand and interpret their meaning; the respective location and various designations given in the chart will be helpful to the student.

It has been the author’s purpose to make as plain as possible to the ordinary reader the mysterious science of palmistry. Deeper insight can only be gained by practice or special instructions, fortified by many positive illustrations. (Note Special Instructions in Palmistry in the back of this publication.) It needs not only a careful observer to make a successful palmist, but also a philosophical reasoner, as well as a scientist.

The average scientist is too firmly grounded in established laws, limited by his more or less narrow experience, and often overlooks for that reason the modification that every law of nature is subjected to as well. Either all is law or all is chance—which horn of the dilemma will you take?

To be a True Palmist.

First be true to yourself; do not attempt to exaggerate. Confine yourself to what you know, but be wide awake, and search for new discoveries, new meanings, new interpretations of the symbols shown in the hand; note each particular location and thus discover by association and modification the final result.

The process of construction and growth involves successive steps, taken in definite order, as for instance the seed, the plumule and radicle; the stem, branches, buds, leaves, flowers and fruit. In building the foundation, frame work, walls, floor and roof.

Destructive methods do not require regularity and system; we may burn, cut down, destroy, tear down or let things perish by natural decay.

This great law governing growth and decay, constructive and destructive process, must apply fully to prophetic symbolism. The Bibles of the world of Christian or Pagan origin are full of symbolism endeavoring to illustrate, where ordinary language is inadequate.

When we speak of the harmony of colors, the light of a community, the beast in man, fortune in a star, vast as the sea, wise as serpents, and numerous similar expressions, convey more than the simple word in ordinary use. Words cannot describe the heartfelt yearnings of a mother for her child, nor the beauty of a sunset, nor the fragrance and beauty of a rose, but symbolism approaches it, and whenever man will turn to nature and study her language, her symbolism expressed in all her moods, in all creation, in life and death as well, then will he become master of her secrets.

As nature writes her story in the rocks, along the shores of time, in the eternal seas of the vast universe of worlds, so does she write indelibly into the hand the inmost thoughts of the human soul. He who has attained the science of reading symbolism there is indeed a master.

A Few Symbols to Aid You.

A cross means the coming together of two forces: it is the sign of life, not of death, as is popularly supposed.

A star is the sign of a revelation, good or bad, according to its location.

A dagger means enmity; a sword, defense, governed by the principle or affection represented near whatever location found.

A branch without leaves means barrenness, disappointment.

A branch with leaves, renewal of life, joy, peace, happy greeting. If growing toward your wrist, entering your life; if toward the fingers, leaving or slipping away from you.

A snake means an enemy, a disappointment in a friend, also temptation.

A crescent, a return of mental vision, clearer seeing, brightness out of darkness, reflections of the past and possibilities in the future.

A chain contains continuous trouble, sickness, joy, business success or honor according to its location, length and development.

A circle means completeness; if over life line, of severe attack of some disease; if at other point relates to an undertaking or complete interference.

A semi-circle, incomplete, an attack of sickness, or partial success, as the case may be, according to location.

The triangle means scientific, intellectual or commercial attainment and success and overcoming of obstacles.

A square may mean interruption, interference, obstacles, or difficulties to overcome.

A cross in a circle means interference with condition and environments that curtail and interrupt free action and success in the undertaking represented by its location.

Neptune’s fork means success, domination, control and triumph.

A lamp means light and wisdom.

A crown means a king, a ruler, supreme.

A tiara, to rule and control, great power.

Cross and crown, the master builder and mystic.

A torch, the light of science and guidance.

A coffin means death; a scattering flower, as well as scattering lines represents disappointments.

A spiral is the sign of danger; if much twisted, loss of life, if over head line loss of mind, if over heart line loss of lover, child, parent or friend, the nearer the center of the hand, the nearer the relative or friend. If above the life line, loss of health or life, according to its effect or intensity.

The zigzag lines represent disturbing influences, dangerous, according to location.

Small spots—either in cluster or scattering indicate blood disorders. If on the life line, sickness from measles, smallpox or kindred diseases.

A circle with one or more lines through the center indicate an operation.

Blotches or discolorations in circles or oblongs indicate tumors.

A heart with an arrow, heartache, disappointment in love and affections. A heart with spots, heart disease; with lines crossing, heart troubles.

A Maltese cross, a duty to perform; a sacrifice; a question of honor to be settled.

Scattering lines from a star or point means light or brightness—according to which object in the hand or toward which lines they point.

Faces are imprinted into the hand by lines or discolorations; by strong impressions of love or hatred; of friends or enemies in business, political or social life, or on the field of honor. Look for them, whenever your mind awakens to their presence you will readily discover them. All have a meaning to the scientist who traces their presence, location and direction, they will help to unravel many an apparent secret, and interpret nature’s records.

We do not desire to depreciate psychic power, but in the reading of hands it should only be exercised by masters in the science. I would recommend the student to confine himself entirely to the positively clear symbols, lines and developments, for nothing is gained for the science of palmistry, the reader, nor the client by an attempt to imagine possibilities.

The student should be at all times in position when questioned in regard to a statement made to place his finger upon the discovery, and thus prove the truthfulness of his statement. Then will the intelligent recognize palmistry and its position will become assured among the sciences of the world.

Bracelets and Finger Nails.

The bracelets shown as indicated on the chart, health, wealth, honor, fame, are governed by the width, depth and length of lines.

If lines are broken, they show disturbed conditions. If they encircle the wrist, or come to the top of wrist, show great results and certainty.

Dot on the thumb nail, friend chosen with good judgment.

Dots on first finger nail—a foe; can be avoided if on the side; if in the middle, prepare for the meeting.

Dot on the second finger nail—gifts—if in the center, sure to come, if on the side, apt to be lost by carelessness or lack of appreciation.

Dots on the third finger nails designate amours and affections, governed by the same rule; if in the center, are certain; if to one side, are not lasting.

Dots on the little finger nails, journeys; upon the side, short; in center, far from home.

If dots on finger nail are discovered near the top, they are near at hand; if low, some distance.

Pale nails, show, weak heart action; narrow cylindrical shaped nails, show an ambitious and quarrelsome disposition; broad, flat nails belong to gentle and forgiving people, small round nails, to the jealous and exacting; brittle nails show nervous exhaustion and biliousness; thick, coarse nails show a corresponding nature; ridges on nails evidence energy and determination.

Color Quality in Hands.

The white, satiny hand is the cold, electric type, made to rule; cold, selfish and unrelenting.

The white, soft hand, without the glossy appearance, is the etherial, spiritual hand, too fair for this world and its contentions.

The yellow hand, yet satiny, is the evilly disposed, the selfish, that takes advantage of the world and its weaknesses by its magic power; the natural hypnotist.

The yellow soft hand, without the satiny appearance, is the hot-blooded temperament, full of intense desires, fervent, but lacking in constancy. They are natural psychics and mystics, the gypsy.

The red hand has animal propensities predominant. With large pores are coarse and brutal; with small pores and soft, full of life, very sentimental, and inclined to superstition.

The blue type is the bilious, fault-finding, dissatisfied; lack balance, are narrow, bigoted and fatalistic.

The soft, pink hand lacks energy; is the childish hand; the hand of the butterfly, not knowing much of life and its duties.

The delicate, rose-colored firm hand is the perfect physical, intellectual and religious type, every other condition being fairly well developed; they have warmth without effusion, religious fervor without bigotry, intellect without conceit, poetic, musical and harmonious; they are the life builders of the world, the salt of the earth, those that keep the light of heaven burning in their hearts and in their hands.

Yet in reading the color quality in the hand the student must modify the effect by the respective development of each hand and each part of the hand enters fully into such modification.

We purposely omit from this treatise examples, as they would only be misleading; for as each cloud differs from the other, and each sunset or sunrise presents different hues foretelling the coming day’s brightness, and in the last ray’s farewell each eve recalls the sad or happy day just spent, so each hand must be read separately, as each life differs from the other, leaving the effect of its sunrise and sunset there to be interpreted by the masters in palmistry.

Sufficient is herein contained to enable any student to read character correctly, and when he has mastered the within, he is prepared for the higher course of study of life’s mysterious sweep in the human hand.

The Higher Course in Palmistry.

This course is based on the latest scientific compilations of positive knowledge in palmistry, gathered from modern and ancient sources, including:

An exhaustive chart of Symbolism.

Key to palmistry.

How to read character in the hand.

How to read the past, present and future scientifically correct.

Interpretations of symbols in the hand.

How to obtain the largest fees. Other instructions and advice to the palmist.

Prepared at great expense and fully protected by copyright.

The higher course is sold at $25.00 upon the express condition that its secrets shall not be revealed except to the immediate members of the family of the student, or for a fee. It has cost the author thousands of dollars and many years of diligent work and study, and the low price at which the course is sold should not depreciate its value.

The course comes in typewritten form, fully illustrated showing all the ordinary as well as the extreme types of hands, together with physiological illustration and astrological effects shown in the hand, so that each student may become a practical, scientific palmist, capable to read the many apparent mysteries correctly and with profit to himself and others.

Palmistry has become the fad all over the world and everyone is anxious to know more of it. A new and lucrative field in this science has opened for the conscientious reader, student and palmist.

The higher course offered by the International Institute of Science is complete and should fit any one with ordinary intelligence to read correctly. Nor is there any profession more in demand than that of the scientific palmist. The rich pay fabulous prices and as high as $50 has been paid the author for a single reading. If you want to make money quickly, professionally and conscientiously, send for this course. If not for the purpose of adopting the same for a profession, it will assist you as a layman and student in a thousand ways. It will teach you how to avoid conditions detrimental to your health, life, property, social and intellectual interests.

Opportunity is a swift steed; he who mounts will ride to success and fortune.

Palmistry will enable you to read the secrets of others and make you master of life’s mysterious sweep as shown in the human hand.

Address for the higher course,

LOUIS WILLIAMS, PH. D.,
Pres. International Institute of Science,
Seattle, Wash., U. S. A.

Diploma of
Character

PHRENOLOGICAL CHART.

Phrenological Charts.

Our Phrenological Charts are as valuable to you in every day life, as the Seaman’s Charts in an Ocean voyage.

Our chart is $5.00 for a full and complete delineation, typewritten, including latest chart.

Send latest photo of person to be examined, together with the following measurements:

1st. Measure with tape around the head, over eyebrows and above the ear.

2d. Measure from top of opening of ear over top of head.

3rd. From opening of ear across the forehead over eyebrows.

4th. Send sample of hair of person and give age.

We shall furnish correct reading of 43 faculties and mention their strength or weakness; how to make the most of your natural talent; how to increase weak faculties quickly; which profession or business you should choose; whom to select in marriage; how to manage and influence others; why you fail and how to succeed.

You may also include in your application for reading, such questions as are pertinent to you or the one whose character is sent for delineation.

All consultation and correspondence strictly confidential.

Address, LOUIS WILLIAMS,
President International Institute of Science,
Seattle, Wash., U. S. A.

Transcriber’s Note:

New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.

“Phrenological Charts” was not present in the table of contents of the original text. Headings in the text were changed to match the table of contents.

Spelling was retained as in the original except for the following changes:

Page 19: “aid in its deleneation” | to | “aid in its delineation”
Page 27: “satiny, is the evily” | to | “satiny, is the evilly”
Page 27: “the bilious, fault-finding, disatisfied” | to | “the bilious, fault-finding, dissatisfied”
Page 27: “is the perfect phyiscal” | to | “is the perfect physical”
Page 29: “Au exhaustive chart of” | to | “An exhaustive chart of”
Page 29: “express condition that it” | to | “express condition that its”

*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KEY TO PALMISTRY ***

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Table of Contents

- Key To Palmistry

- DEDICATION.

- CONTENTS.

- The Hand of Man.

- The Palm.

- The Fingers.

- The First Finger.

- The Middle Finger.

- The Third Finger.

- The Little Finger.

- Religion of Fingers by Ancestry.

- The Thumb.

- The Lines of the Hand.

- The Life Line of Action.

- The Heart Line.

- The Line of Thought.

- Other and Minor Lines.

- Symbols.

- To be a True Palmist.

- A Few Symbols to Aid You.

- Bracelets and Finger Nails.

- Color Quality in Hands.

- The Higher Course in Palmistry.

- Phrenological Charts.

- Transcriber’s Note:

- THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG™ LICENSE