that he was honest, but at the
same time contentious, fond of law, and void of devotion. A forehead
pointed at the temples, signified shallow capacity, vanity, and want
of courage.

Those with hanging eyebrows were thought to be fraudulent, bold, and
unmerciful. A person with a depressed forehead was put down as
servile, cowardly, and fearful. Of the lines of the forehead, those
which were straight or bent towards the nose foretold good fortune. If
they were very crooked or approaching the form of a semicircle, they
foreboded evil. Simple and straight lines were the signs of
simplicity, honesty, and truth. Many lines signified changes in life,
and the fewness of lines spoke of evenness and simplicity. When the
lines increased or decreased, they gave warning of approaching changes
in person and fortune. If the lines on the forehead near the hair of
the head were broad, long, and not winding, they denoted eventful
changes in the person's life; for it was believed that the first line
next the hair referred to Saturn, that below it to Jupiter, and the
next below it to Mars. If the third line mentioned was longer than the
others, and not broken or discontinued, and having a cross upon it,
the person was looked upon as one courageous and ambitious, and who
would be fortunate in war; but if the line was broken or discontinued,
or had a semicircular form, dangers and misfortunes were supposed to
be threatened. If there were no more than three lines that bended at
the extremities, the person was marked to be a prattler; and if the
individual was a woman, she was put down as a scold or abusive person.
Hairy people were among those on whom fortune smiled; whereas
smooth-faced, beardless men were numbered among the despicable and
despised ones.

Fortune-telling by means of the finger nails was not uncommon. The
ancient practice was to rub the nails with oil and soot or wax, and to
hold up the nails, thus prepared, against the sun; and upon the
transparent horny substance were supposed to appear figures or
characters, which gave the answer required. In more recent times,
people have been found predicting by means of nails of the hand, and
telling the disposition of persons with certain descriptions of nails.
However absurd it may appear, we shall give examples of this
superstition:--A person with broad nails is of gentle nature, timid,
and bashful. Those whose nails grow into the flesh at the points or
sides are given to luxury.