Shrewdness
Industry
Scientific
Business
Quickness

The fourth Mount type is the Mercurian, who is identified by the Mount and Finger of Mercury. They are always pronounced in their characteristics, and has great power as on orator, a scientist, a physician, or a lawyer, and is also very successful in business. The first aim, with every subject of this type, should be to discover which of the several phases is strongest, and whether the good or bad side is dominant, for of all the types, none gives way to dishonesty with more ease than the Mercurian. On its good side, it is one of the best and most successful of all of the types, but no greater liars, swindlers, or cheats can be found than bad Mercurians. For this reason the fourth type requires careful consideration, for in this type are combined more different elements than in any of the others. The Mercurian is generally successful, primarily because of their shrewdness and the fact that this subject is a wonderful judge of human nature, and secondarily on account of skill with his their hands and their tireless energy. In the professions of law and medicine they are in their element, since, in the former especially, natural shrewdness and facility of expression help them greatly. The Mercurians are fine writers and shrewd business people achieving the greatest success in both lines.

As single signs, or in combination, the star, triangle, circle, single vertical line, trident or square strengthen a Mount of Mercury. The cross-bar, grille, cross, island or dot, show defects of the Mount, either of health or character, nails, color, etc, will determine which (105).

When the Mount of Mercury is well developed, finger long and large, and apex of the Mount centrally located, you have a Mercurian subject (106).

In stature the Mercurian is small, averaging about five feet six inches, compactly built, trim in appearance, tidy looking and with a strong, forceful expression of countenance. Their face is oval in shape, feature inclined to be regular, and the expression changes rapidly, showing the quick play of their mind. The skin is smooth, fine, and transparent, tending to be olive in color, and shows the passing of the blood current underneath, by easily turning alternately red or white when excited, embarrassed, or in fear. The forehead is high and bulging, the hair is chestnut or black and inclined to be curly on the ends. The Mercurian men can grow a beard easily, which covers the face well, and generally a little darker than the hair, if it be any color other than black, and like to wear their beard trimmed closely and running to a point on the chin, Vandyke fashion. The eyebrows are not thick but are regular in outline, running to fine points at the ends, and sometimes meeting over the nose. The latter growth is rare, however, belonging more distinctively to the Saturnian. The eyes are dark or quite black, restless and sharp in expression. They look right at and seemingly through you and sometimes produce the disagreeable but correct conviction that you are being estimated by one will able to do it. The nose is thin and straight, somewhat fleshy on the end; the lips are thin, evenly set and often a trifle pale or bluish in color. The whites of the eye frequently have a trace of yellow, as the Mercurian is of a nervous and slightly bilious type. Their nervousness makes them breathe quickly and often through their mouth. The chin is long and sharp, sometimes turning up slightly at the end, completing the oval contour of his face. The neck is strong and muscular, connecting the head with shapely
shoulders lithe and sinewy and graceful in outline. The chest is large for the stature, well muscled and containing big lungs. The voice of the Mercurian is not full and loud, nor weak and thin, but is of medium timbre and possesses good "carrying" quality. The limbs are graceful, giving them agility and the quickness of movement for which they are noted, as well as a power of endurance coming from muscular strength. Their teeth are white, small in size, and set evenly in the gums which are medium pink in color. Altogether the Mercurian impresses you as well knit, agile, and strong, not always beautiful, but shapely and well proportioned.
The Mercurian is the quickest and most active of all the types, and this activity is not confined to his physical agility but applies to the mental as well. They are like a flash in their intuitive faculty, and enjoys everything which puts his quickness to either a mental or physical test. They are the personification of grace in their movements and is skilful in everything they undertakes. In all games they are proficient, and they play with their head as well as their hands, winning because they plan their plays, and shrewdly estimates the ability of their opponent. In all athletic sports where dexterity and skill, rather than brute strength are needed, they are the victor. In argument they are at home, for no one has greater facility of expression than this subject. This, added to the quickness with which they can grasp and turn an opportunity to their account, brings them out ahead, if their side of the question has even a semblance of probability. They are especially fond of oratory, and eloquence in any line strongly moves them. With his keenness and the power of expressing themselves well, they are very tactful and adroit, thus making many friends by saying the right thing at the right time. As an after-dinner speaker they are a success, and in a battle of words or badinage is an opponent hard to overcome.

One of the chief elements of the Mercurian's success, is their ability to judge human nature and character. They mentally estimate everyone whom they meet, and use their quick mind and tactful way to make a friend and accomplish what they wishes. This subject is adroit, crafty, and a constant schemer, using all their powers of shrewdness, intuition, and oratory to get himself through the world. They are a dangerous person, you say. Verily they are, for not one of all the other types is for a moment their equal in diplomacy, craftiness, tact, persuasiveness shrewdness, or adroit methods of approach. This power makes them influential and if they are bad, much to be feared. They are a clever manager and well knows how to keep in the background and push forward some puppet to do their bidding. Their power over men comes largely from the shrewdness with which they lay plans, and the clever way in which they get someone else to carry them out if necessary. They understand humanity thoroughly, and use their knowledge to their own advantage. They are not lazy; one of their prime elements is industry, consequently they lose no opportunities through napping but turn every hour to account.

They have a love for study, especially along line of scientific investigation. They are a born mathematician, and no problem is so intricate that they cannot solve it. They are, of all the types, the most successful as a physician, and in my observation of the medical profession, the men who have succeeded in attaining fame, and with it a lucrative practice, are Mercurian in their leading type, with the Jupiterian type second. The reverse is also a good combination, provided the Mercurian qualities are very strong.

Medical Stigmata
Numerous small vertical lines on the Mount of Mercury, with the Mercury finger longer than normal, or with the second phalanx long, will be a strong indication of talent for medical studies. This marking is to be found on the hands of prominent and successful doctors-. It is called the "Medical Stigmata"(107). On the hand of a woman it shows great ability as a nurse. Energy, studiousness, scientific aptitude, combined with keenness in judging human nature, make the Mercurian an excellent diagnostician and practitioner. They are also talented as an occult scientist, being able, with their shrewdness and keenness of perception, to master all the intricacies of the intangible sciences. Thus the Mercurian is well adapted to these occult studies, but, as they are fond of money making, and bad Mercurians are conscienceless, we find the humbug clairvoyants and fortune-tellers all belonging to this type.
Having met a number of alleged palmists who claim to tell your name from the hand, and the names of friends, I have found them all specimens of the bad Mercurian type, and they have often admitted to me that they knew little about Palmistry, but resorted to sleight-of-hand tricks, together with their ability to judge human nature, in order to fool the public and get money from them.
These bad Mercurians, and the superficial knowledge of amateur palmists are responsible for the disfavor which in the minds of some people rests today on Palmistry.

The Mercurian is a lover of that which is near to nature, consequently they admire horses, dogs, pictures of real life, natural scenery, or portraits. They are fond of reading, but it is not romance that attracts them so much as books which are true to life, nature, and humanity. Dickens and, as a latter-day author Kipling, are favorites with Mercurians.

Of all the type none is stronger in the business world than the Mercurian (108). They have shrewdness, diplomacy, tact, management, influence over people, judgment of human nature, energy, and power of expressing themselves, all of which are the very strongest elements one could have for a successful business career. No better illustration of the success of the Mercurian in the business world can be given than to point to the standing of the Hebrew race in mercantile circles today, and to state that a very large percentage of this people are Mercurians. They are ingenious in their ways of planning new schemes to make money, and original in their manner of putting them into operation. Mercurians are great imitators, and so clever that they can steal some other man's idea and pass it as their own. They make good actors and their powers of mimicry and study of nature enable them to create on the stage lifelike and realistic characters. They make excellent lawyers, having the keenness, the faculty of seeing a question from its many sides, as well as a knowledge of the failings of humanity. To this add oratory, and it completes an excellent combination for a lawyer. They are excellent teachers, for their grasp of scientific knowledge, backed by an ability to say what they mean gives them a mastering in this field, and being judges of human nature, they know how best to reach each and every pupil. The Mercurian, on his good side, is not vicious and criminal, they are only shrewd and keen. They are even tempered, love children dearly, is devoted to their family and makes a constant friend. They are not in any degree a sensualist. Their pleasures are largely mental and, while they are fond of beauty and women, they are not an amorous type. They are nervous and restless, their mind is active and they like to travel, for changing scenery gives them the recreation and diversity that they need. They are fond of nature, which appeal to them more strongly than anything artificial.

Marriage
In the marriage relation the Mercurian is a match maker. They enjoy the society of their fellows, marries early in life, chooses one of their own age, and very often one of their type. They love trim, neat, stylish partners, full of fire and life, and no type furnishes these elements so well as their own. They are proud of their partner, likes to see them well dressed and makes a good partner, provided they represent the good side of the type.

Health
In health the Mercurian is nervous; their quickness and energy speak in unmistakable terms of electric current which is coursing through their nervous system, stimulating it to great activity. This nervous energy prevents them from being lazy, makes them love to travel, and this energy sometimes becomes excessive, so that you will find many Mercurian hands with fluted nails more or less pronounced in development.
Be on the lookout with this type for nervous trouble, which interferes with their liver so that they becomes bilious. Their liver trouble differs from that of the Saturnian, for it disappears when the nervous trouble is relieved, as it is not structural difficulty as with the Saturnian. Their olive complexion shows a tinge of bile; and stomach trouble, dyspepsia, and kindred disorders are often met. Their activity tends to drive away these difficulties, and their system quickly responds to treatment for them. If they have paralytic trouble it most often attacks his arms and upper extremities.

Line of Mercury
It is often helpful to note the Line of Mercury with this type, for by its wavy or broken course it shows the extent of bilious and stomach trouble. The Mercurian is a healthy type, so we do not look first for illness with them, but for peculiar mental characteristics. They have their disorders, however, so be always on your guard that you do not overlook them.

I wish it were possible to say that all Mercurians were good, but unfortunately this cannot be done. This second bilious type (Saturn being the first) produces members of the criminal fraternity which will be found in many penitentiaries and penal institutions, condemned for all manner of crimes. It also produces a class who have not yet reached the prisons, but who deserve to, even more than many of those who have been convicted. There is very often an almost imperceptible line which marks the place where shrewdness in business ends and actual dishonesty begins, and the Mercurian seems ever near the line. His natural shrewdness makes it easy for them to outwit their fellowmen, and the the temptation for the subject to do so is great, often so great that they cannot resist it. The invisible line once crossed and the conscience being quieted, a second slip is easily made. Thus inch by inch even a good Mercurian often degenerates from a sharp business person to a criminal, a liar, and a thief (109). When this class in engaged in bond speculations, or stock-jobbing enterprises, they are not often made to pay for their knavery by imprisonment; for they are keen enough always to have a loophole ready through which to crawl. When they are merchants, they simply cheat their customers with ease and facility, and talk so glibly that the customer does not realize it. These high-toned thieves have fine hands, but crooked fingers of Mercury, grilled Mount, or bars on the Mount, cold Head lines, narrow quadrangles, and will often hide the hands form view, or will them in the Uriah Heep fashion.

When a crooked finger of Mercury is seen on any hand (110) the thought of unusual shrewdness should at once come to the mind, and you should be on your guard and search for everything that will tell whether actual dishonesty exists or not. Having located a Mercurian subject, and finding a crooked finger of Mercury, be on your guard to investigate at once for actual dishonesty. This applies to whatever station in life your subject may occupy. It their position be high, you know that the temptation to overstep the line of honesty has often been great even though it has been resisted. With this crooked finger and other bad signs, feel sure that he will not resist very stubbornly.

The criminal type of mercurians are quick, sharp individuals small in stature with dark complexion, shifting, restless eyes that either cannot face you squarely, or else look at you with a forced brazen stare. The hair is straight and stiff, seeming to lack vitality. They are vile and criminal wretches. Gypsies are Mercurians, and usually of the dishonest class who stop at nothing These bad types have crooked, warped fingers, twisted and bent
inward, crooked, claw-like nails, grilled Mount, twisted finger of Mercury, bad or absent Heart line, cold Head line, narrow quadrangle, high, stiff thumb, and often the first knot of the Mercury finger developed. These are the band robbers pickpockets (see 109), sneak thieves, confidence sharps, and dishonest gamblers, who run to all kinds of crime and are criminals pure and simple.
These people are intensely superstitious.

Thus you will see the great diversity of the Mercurian type, - how good or how intensely evil they may be. The first thing to do on finding a Mercurian subject is to decide to which class or grade they belong, and what underlying forces they have. Then apply this knowledge to the side of type present, whether it be the oratorical, the scientific, the professional, business, or the criminal.

With this type note especially the pose of the hands; he they hide them, deceitfulness is indicated.

Texture of skin
The texture of the skin tells of refinement of coarseness. If you see bad signs do not be misled by a fine texture of skin, for you must remember that there are villains who wear fine clothing as well as rags. It will tell that, if villainy be present, it will be consummate in its skill, and so keen and fine in operation that a subject can go for a lifetime and never be found out. If it is the scientist, the lawyer, the physician, or the business man that is before you, fine texture of skin will tell of a refined nature that will operate in its special vocation with refinement back of it. Coarse- textured skin tells that coarseness will operate, and no such perfection is possible as with fine texture. Expect coarse textured skin in low criminals.
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Consistency of hand
The consistency of the hand will show the amount of energy, whether laziness and inertia or elastic vigor and intelligence are present.
Flabby hands will ruin all hope of brilliant attainments, and fortunately these are not often found.
Soft hands will indicate that there is something abnormal about your subject, for energy is a leading characteristic of the Mercurian type. To find any degree of laziness is unusual, and must be given full weight, as it will ruin the chances of success, whether the subject be lawyer, doctor, scientist, business man, or thief.
Elastic consistency shows the normal condition and that the qualities of the subject will be highly developed in whatever direction they may lead them.
Hard hand will show a tendency toward coarsening the type. and the keenness natural to it will be lessened, as the brain back of the hard hand does not work so rapidly.

Flexibility
Flexibility of the hands must ne noted, for it shows an additional elasticity of the mind which makes these people brilliant subjects. Flexibility will make the doctor keener in his power of diagnosis, more ready to keep up with new remedies, and gives the intuitive faculty which aids so powerfully in estimating his patient. Flexible hands on a lawyer make them unusually shrewd, brilliant, and able to devise many avenues of escape for his clients; and to discover loopholes that a hard-handed lawyer could not see. The flexible hand on a business man makes them brilliant and keen, but likely to be an extremist and extravagant in conducting their business. The stiff hand will take away much of the dash and brilliancy of the type, and is not often found on the best developed specimens. Old fashioned ways and notions and stingy habits are present when you find the stiff hand.

Color
The color of the hands will tell much about health and temperament.
White is not often seen, for the Mercurian is not by nature cold. When whiteness is found, coldness added to his keenness and shrewd tendencies makes them very likely to be bad and cold hearted whatever their business.
Pink color gives health, warmth, and vigor, which added to their keenness makes this subject a brilliant person.
Red color when present will add its pushing qualities to their already quick nature, making them a great worker and a strong force in the community.
Yellow color is often seen, for the Mercurian inclines to be bilious. When found it will show a spoiled temper and that the subject will more easily become bad and dishonest, their stomach will likely be out of order, and they will be at cross purposes with their fellows.

Nails
The nails must be examined, for if fluted they show that the nervousness which belongs to the type is making rapid headway.
- If brittle and bending back, the subject must be warned to use their vital energy sparingly.
Blue nails will tell of defective circulation, and yellow that the irritating bile is poisoning their blood.
Pink nails will tell of a sharp and healthy subject who is a match for most people, and who acts with real quickness and shrewdness.
Short nails will show a critical turn of mind, and in argument or debate no point will be overlooked by this subject in their effort to advance their side of the case.
Broad nails will show a strong constitution, narrow nails delicacy, the medium being most often found.

Hair
Hair on the hands will tell of the iron is their constitution. Black hair is most often to be seen, and is plentifully found on the hands of many Mercurians. It tells of the fire and vigor of health and the strong tendencies of the type. With black hair there is the suspicion that these subjects have the keenness of the type in full measure, and the crooked finger is often seen. Light hair is not so often met with on this type, though sometimes seen. When found it makes them more phlegmatic and less volatile than with the black.
Red hair gives added electric force to the already great quickness, and would lead to excess. Chestnut hair, which is a medium color, is often found, and tells of an evenly distributed set of Mercurian qualities.

Hand as whole
The hand as a whole will tell in which world the subject is strongest, and with this type you nearly always find the middle or business world fully developed, for they are always a good money getter whether they be orator, doctor, lawyer, or business man. Note carefully if the apex of the Mount lies in the centre or it displaced.
- If it is at the outside of the hand, toward the percussion, the subject will employ their aptitudes for his own advantage and be selfishly inclined.
- If the apex lies in the center of the Mount you have the normal development, and the subject will have true Mercurian ideas in whatever sphere in life they are placed.
- If the Mount leans toward Apollo, the love of art and beauty will be great, and he will give up part of his Mercurian qualities in order to enjoy them, Their life will be less dominated by the shrewdness of the type, and more given over to the Apollo instincts.
- If the apex is in the centre and the apices of the other Mount are pulled toward Mercury, you will have a very strong Mercurian, a "dyed in the wool" kind, who will be typical in whatever they do.

Mercury finger
The finger must be carefully noted. First, is it longer than the first knot of the finger of Apollo (111)? If so, the subject is strongly Mercurian; shorter than this is deficiency, in whatever degree the Mount and finger is lacking (112); if it should be crooked in addition to being long, the type becomes more pronounced, and you must look to grilles, Head line, Heart line, and quadrangle, and see if dishonesty has taken hold of the subject. If the finger is long, note which phalanx is the longest, for the three would are most marked in the Mercurian finger.

- If the first phalanx is very long the subject will have great powers of expression, amounting even to eloquence and oratorical ability. This will enable them to give expression to their ideas in writing, and thus it becomes a fine indication for a public speaker or writer.
- If the second phalanx phalanx is long it shows that the scientific side is strong, and they will make a good doctor, lawyer, or scientist.
If the third phalanx is long the commercial side is prominent, and they will be an excellent merchant or business person in any capacity. In judging the fried of labor in which the subject will best succeed, there phalanges must be your guide.

Note which world of the secondary type is strongest, as this shows the backing the Mercurian aptitudes will have. If the finger of Mercury is long, it may be found that two phalanges will be long and one short. This will show which worlds are strongest and which are deficient. As the Mercurian is a complex type, it will be only by this careful estimate of the finger that you can properly estimate your subject.

If the first phalanx of the Mercury finger be long, ability as a speaker is shown.
- If the tip be pointed, they will be able do draw on their imagination, will indulge flights of fancy, and charm by their oratorical idealism.
- If the tip be conic they will be artistic and eloquent, with plenty of word painting and mental pictures.
- If the tip be square they will talk on practical subjects; common sense and reason, facts and figures will be the forces they employ, and logic is their talisman, especially if the second phalanx of the thumb bears this out.
- If the tip be spatulate they will be the magnetic speaker whose fiery oratory moves the masses with its vigor, originality, and strength, and they fairly carry their audience off their feet.
- If the second phalanx be longest and the tip pointed, the idealism of this tip will permeate their scientific researches.
- If with the long second phalanx the tip be square, common sense and practical ideas will rule them, and if spatulate they will be active in their search for fresh discoveries in old sciences, and not satisfied to follow in the ruts made by others.
- If the third phalanx be longest and the tip conic or pointed, the idealism and love of the artistic belonging to this tip will be linked with Mercurian business ability.
- If the tip be square, then common sense and practical ideas along will operate, and the subject will be a true Mercurian business person who makes every dollar tell in their expense account, and who does not brook any foolishness in business matters.
- If the tip be spatulate, then great activity and energy will cause them to push business ventures without tiring, and the spatulate originality will enable them to devise new ways for making money. This is a very strong combination.

Types of fingers
Knotty fingers will show that analysis and reason are strong in the subject.
- If the first knot alone be developed, it will show order and system in their ideas.
- If the second alone be developed, they will be neat in personal appearance and in everything about themselves. With both knots they will have the analysis of the philosopher added to the Mercurian quickness and shrewdness. If this subject be an orator they will write their own speeches and commit them; if they be a lawyer they reason out every case for their client. If a doctor they do not diagnose by intuition but by reasoning from cause to effect. If a business man they do everything by a system, and after careful thought.
Smooth fingers will add impulse and intuition to an already very quick subject, and with their ability to read human nature they are unusually keen and intuitive. Their estimates of those they meet are seldom wrong, and they should always trust to first impressions. They love beauty and is artistic in all of their ideas.

Long fingers show that the subject will go into the minutiae of everything. If they be a speaker they will describe every detail of any subject on which they are talking. If they be a lawyer they will hunt every bit of testimony that can bear on their case.
If they be a doctor they do not neglect a detail in the treatment of their patients, attends to diet, hygiene, air in the room, and is everything most careful. As a business man they are constantly going over everything in their place of business. Not a thing escapes them, and no detail is omitted that can add to the result they wish to accomplish, viz- money making. They add the suspicion of long fingers to Mercurian suspicion, and the long fingered neatness to Mercurian tidiness; thus they are a most pronounced specimen. If they be a talker they are very tiresome.

Short fingers add their quickness and action to a subject already remarkably quick, consequently knots are needed on these fingers to reduce the quickness if it is not to be a positive menace. Impulse, inspiration, intuition, and a train of kindred qualities encompass the short fingered Mercurian, and they are volatile and spontaneous in the highest degree. The orator relies on the spur of the moment for his material, the lawyer acts by inspiration and shrews ness, the doctor seems to diagnose by intuition, and does not always know why. They are correct in all these estimates, however, for which they must thank the Mercurian type. The short fingered business man at once makes up their mind as to the credit of a customer, the honesty of an employee, or whether his business cannot be improved by some change in methods. All of these quick ideas which flash into their mind they put into immediate execution. With short fingers note the tips. Added quickness will be given by conic tips, and reduced by square or spatulate. The tips will also tell whether conic, square, or spatulate qualities will operate.

Thumb
The thumb if low set, will tell of advanced mentality, if high set a decrease. By its size, whether head or heart will dominate, and by its shape whether a fine or coarse nature is present. The thumb of the Mercurian has a tendency to be stiff, for they love money, and while generous to their family and free to spend money for things that they enjoy, they do not do it with a lavish hand. The first phalanx, by its length, tells of the power of will in the subject, whether he will carry out their schemes or merely plan and let them drop. The conic first phalanx will show how impressionable they are, and square or spatulate that they are practical, original, and firm. The clubbed thumb on a Mercurian is a doubly bad indication. The second phalanx of the thumb will tell of the logic and reasoning faculty back of your subject, and whether it is stronger or weaker than the will which should carry it into operation. By its shape it will show whether commonness or refinement is present. This latter formation with a Mercurian is usually expected. In the largest number of cases the thumb will be found with a large first phalanx, square or paddle-shaped, a long second phalanx with a waist-like formation. This combination will tell of strong will and refined reason back of a very shrewd specimen of humanity.

It must now be apparent that the Mercurian is a many sided subject, and can be either the best or the worst of all. They are the type to which we look for shrewdness, keenness, diplomacy and skill, energy and success. But this type contains the polished villain, the bank wrecker, the hypocrite, the burglar, or the petty liar and thief. Use great care when you find one, that they may be put into the proper class. They are up to all possible tricks and schemes to fool the unwary, and will tax your skill as fully as any type you may have to handle. Take time in the examination of this type. do not be hurries, bring to bear everything upon them from the texture of their skin to their thumb, and you can accurately classify them, and determine their grad in the class. Some of the most honest men I have every seen are Mercurians, and the reverse is also true. The low thieves you will easily discover, the polished, hypocritical villain is harder to unmask.