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In looking at hands, the fingers os some will impress you as unusually long (58). Others will seem about to balance the rest of the hand, and some fingers will appear decidedly short. These are called respectively, long, normal and short fingers, and to make a test in this matter of length, have the client close their fingers over the palm and note how far toward the wrist they reach. In thus closing the hand, the finger of Jupiter will be shortest, Saturn, even though the longest finger next, and Apollo, by virtue of its position, will appear to be the longest finger of all. This is due to the way they arrange themselves over the Mount of Venus. it has been generally believed that the fingers closing thus should reach to the wrist or be as long as the palm, yet this is seldom the case. as the prominence of the Mounts under the fingers will make quite a difference in the distance the fingers reach toward the wrist, I consider the plan of relying entirely on the closing of fingers as likely to lead to false deductions. The longest hand I have ever seen was sent me from Little Rock, Arkansas, about five years ago, and measured, from finger-tip to rascette, ten inches.

In this hand the finger of Saturn extends nearly to the first rascette (59). This would be classed as of the extremely long-fingered type. When the measurement taken extends anywhere between a little blow the centre of Venus and the rascette, class the fingers as long.

In this examination you should reason that the longer the fingers the more pronounced the long-fingered qualities, and be careful not to apply a full measure of these qualities to fingers only a little over normal length. Long hands are found in which the palm, as well as the fingers are exceedingly long, though the fingers themselves may be only a trifle over normal length in proportion to the palm. These long hands show the slow-going, slow-talking person, who, in speaking, enunciates each syllable of every word, and who while they do not drawl, still is slow in forming and speaking their words. Anyone who is quick in though knows, after the first few words just what they will say, and wishes they would hurry and finish. The long hands indicate slow-acting minds, consequently these people are slow in movement, dignified, and lack the rushing, dashing way of short-handed persons. These long hands must always be considered together with long fingers. It makes a great difference in long fingers whether they are thin or thick. The thin fingers accentuate long-fingered qualities, and lead you perhaps to form a more disagreeable estimate. The animal vitality belonging to thick finger of any kind makes those having thick, long fingers less given to pushing long-fingered qualities to excess than tot seeking pleasure, so they will indicate few of the disagreeable qualities then thin, long fingers. To form a correct judgment is not at all difficult if you follow the rule of measurements given above, but be exceedingly careful in making hour classifications, relying always on measurements until practice enables you to judge off-hand without error.

The long-fingered person is peculiar. Their is the mind which goes into the minutiae of everything, seeks every detail, and accepts nothing as a whole until first separated into its parts. They are particular, especially about small things.
They will engage themselves with some small detail and allow a large one to escape them. They are suspicious and do not feel quite sure that seeming friends are true. In dealing with these people be most punctilious in your behavior, as well as in your apparent regard, for they are easily offended, and little things, not thought worthy of any consideration by others, would be construed by them into intended insults. They are careful about everything. In dress they are net, and while they may not be in fashion, yet there is an evident effort to put the best foot forward. They are exceedingly sensitive, easily wounded, and hold in their breasts smoldering animosities, which have been aroused by fancied or real slights. They see the little things, the minutiae, the details, and, if you have short fingers, your outspoken quickness may embroil you with them. Long fingers must not be set down as of little account, for they are eminently useful and necessary. People having them being possessed of good memory, and fond of looking after details, make good book keepers or office men, where the performance of accurate and careful work is required.
- If the fingers are at once long and square-tipped, the regularity and detail will make these people almost infallible as accountants. They will check accounts for a month to discover a penny which has destroyed their balance. Long fingers are slow. If they are smooth it will not take them so long to grasp an idea, but if the fingers are knotty it means love of detail and minutiae (long fingers), with analysis (knotty joints), and this class will always be very slow. Plodders they always are, not achieving success by brilliancy or quick spurts, but by slowly and carefully laboring to keep abreast of the times. Patient they are, for they seen many pass them on the roadway of life, and it requires patience to see oneself outstripped and not get moody.

As musicians they achieve success from carefulness and close observance of detail. They do not depart from the composer's conception, but adhere strictly to every notation and mark of expression. In conversation they are apt to be tiresome, for in telling a story or describing anything, they go into every detail with wearisome accuracy. In literature they are exact, and didactic in style. They tend to give too much attention to detail, and run into long and tiresome descriptions. Their work in literature, as everywhere else, has the stamp of painstaking carefulness. Send them to describe natural scenery and not a tree nor leaf will escape them, as as reporters they will see and describe every little thing. Their love of detail leads them to be "long-winded" writers and the blue pencil is in constant demand.

In art they paint the pictures that show every detail of their study. They are not impressionists but artists who paint the individual hairs of their subjects. They do not paint meadows by drawing at one stroke a broad bush across the canvas, but they pain in every blade of grass. Every leaf on the trees, every feather on the birds, every button on the coat, is depicted with accuracy in their pictures.

In ordinary, every-day life they are the ones who look after all the little comforts of home. They do not forget the slippers, the chair at fireside, the paper, or the thousand and one little things that make home bright. They are thoughtful, watchful, careful, patient, and in looking after the minutiae of life they fill a very useful place. They have, by reason of their care of the details of everything, inquiring minds. They are not, as are those with knotty fringes, trying to analyze, but they are watchful that even the little things shall not be overlooked or forgotten. While the carefulness and watchfulness indicated by long fingers might make it appear that they were about the same as knotty fingers, still they are not. The motive which actuate each one will show you the difference between the two. They of the knotty fingers are trying to pick things to pieces and to analyze them, they of the long fingers are trying to avoid overlooking even small matters. In one case it is analysis, in the other looking after detail.

Long fingers indicate faults, among which are slowness and tediousness. These people are often bores, and worse than this they are frequently selfish. This comes from the fact that their suspicious way of looking at things causes them to draw within themselves, and they do not push out among people, nor do they love to mingle with others. In this way they acquire habits of selfishness which grow with years. Thin fingers and critical nails will accentuate this quality, and in dealing with long fingers, always view their possessors as inclined to be a selfish class; if they lack either the the Mount of Venus or Apollo, they surely are.
- If they have the Mount of Moon strong, it is trebly sure. Long fingers are cold-blooded, to a large extent lack sympathy, and when generous it is often because they do not want to appear mean, rather than because they have real generosity. They are a class who do not grant favors readily, and incline strongly to stinginess except in matters which give pleasure to themselves.

They are not bold and fearless, but incline to be cowardly and, consequently, servile; this applies particularly to lean, long fingers unless spatulate tips, and a large thumb, added to Mount of Mars, give them strength. They are willing to receive a favor, but do not go out of their way to grant one.

Long-fingered friends are not always true to you. They are suspicious, often nurse feelings of resentment, and become hypocritical. This is especially the case if the fingers be long and lean. They of thick long fingers will be truer.
In considering long fingers, the tips must be carefully noted, to learn in what direction the long-fingered love of investigation, minutiae, and detail will expend itself.
- If they have square tips; regularity, practical matters, business, or common-sense duties will attract.
- If spatulate tips, activity and originality are their moving force, making them most remarkable inventors, careful explorers, and adding spatulate qualities to long-fingers detail and minutiae. This is the best combination to indicate originality.
- The square tip is too much bowed down by routine and custom to be original.
- With conic tips, long fingers will turn to art and love of the beautiful. In this case conic qualities must be added to long-fingered ones. Long fingers will be found on various classes of people, and in all walks of life. They will be seen on ignorant person, but each will have the faculty of looking after the trifles and the little things in their lives. Ignorant people may have long fingers with conic tips. To these must not be ascribed creative artistic talent, but they do love beauty: perhaps not the things you might think beautiful, but that which appeals to their grade of intelligence.

Long-fingered hands are the ones which do the finer work in the mechanical world. These long-fingered people often are the fine engravers, and whose who can chase the most delicate lines and tracery on jewelry. They can handle little parts of machinery, and in general they do the minute and fine little things in mechanics and mechanical art.

Long fingers will be found on hostler and nobleman, on housemaid and on mistress. In each case they will not stand for the same grade of fineness, but will tell of the irresistible propensity for detail, of dealing with minutiae, of observing little and trifling things, of a tinge of suspicion, and, if the shape bears it out, of selfishness and hypocrisy.

References
The Laws of Scientific Hand Reading- A practical Treatise on the Art Commonly called Palmistry 1946 Benham, William. Printed and published by R. J. Taraporevala for D. B. Tarporevala Sons & Co. Bombay