THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN, AND THE BRACELETS
These marks are classed among the minor lines of the hands, but they
often have a significance that is of the greatest importance.
The Girdle of Venus is that broken or sometimes unbroken kind of
semi-circular line that is found rising from the base of the first finger
to the base of the fourth (1-1, Plate XX.).
I have not in my experience found this mark to indicate the gross
sensuality that is so often ascribed to it by other writers. It should be
remembered that the hand is divided by the Line of Head, as it were,
_into two hemispheres, the lower and the upper_.
The lower relates to the physical or more animal side of the nature, and
the upper to the intellectual. Following this arrangement, it is only
reasonable to assume that this mark under consideration, viz., the Girdle
of Venus, relates more to the mental side of the symbolism of the Venus
nature.
I have found that persons with this sign are more mentally sensual than
physically so. They love to read or write books on the subject of the
"sex problem," but they are not inclined to put their theories and ideas
into practice, at least with their own lives.
The qualities, however, that this mark represents are much more active
and dangerous when this Girdle forms itself from the Mount of Saturn to
that of Mercury. The imaginings of such people are then morbid and
unhealthy.
[Illustration: PLATE XX.
THE GIRDLE OF VENUS, THE RING OF SATURN, THE THREE BRACELETS, THE LINE OF
INTUITION AND THE VIA LASCIVA.]
To those who study Astrology, the inference that I draw from the
connection of these two parts of the hand will become clear and
reasonable.
When broken or made up of little pieces, the Girdle of Venus has little
meaning except to show a hysterical temperament, with a leaning towards
the tendencies I have mentioned above.
These persons in all cases suffer enormously from moods, they are very
difficult to live with, and when the Girdle of Venus runs off the side of
the hand and passes out through the Marriage Lines, their moody,
changeable natures generally make marriage for them an unusually unhappy
experience.
THE RING OF SATURN
What is called the Ring of Saturn (2, Plate XX.) is very seldom found,
and it is by no means a good sign to have. It is also a semi-circular
line, but found lying across the Mount of Saturn.
In all my experience I have never been able to come across any person
with this mark who succeeded in life or was able to carry any one of his
plans to a successful termination.
These people seem cut off from their fellow beings in some peculiar and
extraordinary way. They are isolated and alone, and they appear to
realise their lonely position keenly. They are gloomy, morbid, and
Saturnine in character. They seldom marry, and when they do it is always
a ghastly failure.
They are terribly obstinate and headstrong in all their actions, they
resent the least advice or interference in their plans. Their lives
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.