What is called the Line of Marriage is that mark or marks, as the case may be, found on the side of the Mount under the fourth finger (1, Plate XVII.).

I will first proceed to give all the details possible about these lines, and then call my reader's attention to the other marks on the hand that qualify these Lines of Marriage, and further add a wealth of information regarding them.

The Line, or Lines, of Marriage may be found as very short marks almost on the very side of the hand, or they may appear as quite long lines rising from the side of the hand into the face of the Mount of Mercury, or, in some cases, going farther still into the hand itself.

Only the clearly formed lines relate to marriage, the short ones to deep affection, or marriage contemplated, but never entered into (2, Plate XVII.).

When the deep line is found lying close to the line of Heart, the marriage will take place early in life, but the other marks I am going to explain later will give more accurate dates as to when the event will occur.

For a happy marriage the lines on the Mount of Mercury should be straight and clear, without breaks or irregularities of any kind (1, Plate XVII.).

When the Line of Marriage curves or droops downwards (3, Plate XVII.), the person on whose hand this appears will outlive the other.

When the line turns upward in the reverse direction, the possessor is not likely ever to marry (4, Plate XVII.).

When the line is clear and distinct, but has a lot of little lines dropping from it, it foreshadows trouble and anxiety in the marriage, but brought on by the delicacy and ill-health of the partner (5, Plate XVII.).

When the line has a curve at the end, and if a cross or line be found cutting into this curve (2, Plate XVIII.), the partner will die by accident or a sudden illness of some kind. But when the Marriage Line ends in a long, gradual curve into the Heart Line, the death of the partner will come about by gradual ill-health or illness of a very long duration.

When the line has an "island" at the beginning, then the marriage will be for a long time delayed, and the two persons will be much separated at the commencement of their married life.

When the "island" is found about the middle of the Marriage Line, some great trouble and separation will take place about the middle of the married life (3, Plate XVIII.).

When the "island" is found towards the end of the line, the marriage will most probably end in trouble and separation one from the other.

When the Line of Marriage divides into the form of a fork (4, Plate XVIII.), the two people will live apart from one another, but when the fork turns downwards towards the Line of Heart a legal separation may be anticipated (5, Plate XVIII.).

When this fork is more accentuated, and turns down more into the hand, divorce may be expected, and especially so if one end of this fork stretches across the hand in the direction of the Plain of Mars, or the Mount of Mars (5, Plate XVIII.).

In many cases a fine line may be found crossing the entire palm, from the Marriage Line, and in such a case the greatest animosity and bitterness will enter into the fight for freedom and divorce. In such an example there is never any hope of reconciliation.

When the Line of Marriage is full of little islands, or linked like the loops of a chain, the subject should be warned not to marry at any time, as such a union would be full of the greatest unhappiness and continual separations.

When the line, which is otherwise well marked, appears about the centre to break in two, it foreshadows a fatality or break-up in an otherwise happy married life.

When the Line of Marriage itself, or an offshoot from it, goes into the hand, and joins or ascends upward with the Line of Sun, it promises that its possessor will marry some one of great wealth or distinction (6, Plate XVIII.).

When this above-mentioned line bends downward and cuts the Line of Sun, it denotes that the person on whose hand it is found will lose his position by the marriage he will make.

When any line from the top of the Mount of Mercury falls down into the Marriage Line, it shows that there will be great obstacles to overcome in whatever marriage the subject enters, but if the Line of Marriage is a good one, then such obstacles will be overcome.

When there is another line much slighter in appearance lying close to the upper side of the Marriage Line, it foretells some influence that will come into the subject's life after marriage.

All lines that cross the hand from the Mount of Mars (6, Plate XVII.), and rise up towards the Line of Marriage denote the interference of people with the marriage. These lines give the date of the interference when they cross the Line of Destiny; they cause quarrels when they come from Mars; from Venus they also denote annoyances, but not of such a vindictive nature (7, Plate XVII.).

INFLUENCE LINES TO THE FATE LINE ON THE MOUNT OF VENUS, AND OTHER SIGNS WHICH ALSO HAVE A MEANING IN CONNECTION WITH MARRIAGE

The student may also get very great help in ascertaining details about the likely marriage of the person whose hands he is examining by the following:

Fine Influence Lines seen joining the Line of Fate (7, Plate XVIII.), relate to persons who come into and affect the Destiny.

If the Line of Influence is very strong where it joins the Fate Line, and if at about the same date a clear Marriage Line is seen on the Mount of Mercury, the date of marriage may be more accurately predicted by the place on the Fate Line where the Influence Line joins it.

A great wealth of detail may also be made out from observing these Influence Lines to the Destiny:

Coming over from the Mount of the Moon, there is always something romantic about the union. The person on whose hand this Line appears will as a rule meet his affinity when travelling or away from his home.

If the Influence Line has an "island" marked on it, the influence will then be a bad one, or, at least, the person will have had some scandal connected with his or her past life (8, Plate XVIII.). If the Line of Fate looks weaker or more uncertain after the union is marked, then such a marriage has not brought good or success to the subject. If, on the contrary, the Line of Fate looks better or stronger after the Influence Line has joined it, then this union will prove of advantage to the person whose hand is being examined.

This increase of wealth or power is still more accentuated if at the same time it is observed that a Sun Line has made its appearance.

If the Influence Line should cut through the Fate Line, and appear on the thumb side of it, the affection will seldom last as long, or be so happy (7, Plate XVIII.). If a still wider separation of the Influence Line and the Fate Line appear as these two lines ascend the hand together, the separation of interests and destiny of the two persons will be still more marked as the years proceed.

If an Influence Line approaches close to the Line of Fate, and runs parallel with it for some time but does not join it, some great obstacle will prevent a marriage ever taking place (see also page 57).

If an Influence Line terminates in an "island," the influence itself will itself get into trouble, generally disgrace of some character (10, Plate XVIII.).[5]

INFLUENCE LINES ON THE MOUNT OF VENUS

These are fine lines that run parallel with the Line of Life (11-11, Plate XVIII.), but they must not be confounded with the Line of Mars, or "Sister Life Line," which commences higher up nearer the Mount of Mars.

These Venus Influence Lines are more often found with those persons who have what is called the "Venus temperament," or who are intensely emotional and passionate.

When many of such lines are seen, the subject cannot live without love, and will have many "affairs" at the same time.

As such an Influence Line runs parallel with the Life Line, or turns away from it, so it can be judged how long such an influence will last, and with fair accuracy the date when it will occur (for dates see page 113).

These Influence Lines, however, never have the same importance or meaning as those previously ascribed to the Line of Fate.

In my large work on this subject, Cheiro's Language of the Hand, I have been able to go into still greater detail with regard to all these Influence Lines.