Each planet has a special influence over certain parts of the body. Jupiter governs the head and lungs; Saturn, the spleen and ears; the Sun, heart, eyes and arms; Mercury, the liver and legs; Mars, the head and throat; the Moon and Venus, the lower parts of the body. Any excess in the length or size of the fingers or mounts argues a tendency to disease in the organs represented by that finger or mount. When a mount is--instead of being high--broad and full, it gives the same indications as if it were high; if much covered with lines it shows an overabundance of the quality of the mount, and is equal to an excess of height. _One_ deep perpendicular line upon a mount is a fortunate sign; _two_ show danger of too great force of the quality; and _three_ give misfortune arising from excess of the qualities of the mount. Crossway lines on the mount always denote obstacles. Some old Italian writers affirm that fine cross lines on a mount signify wounds to that part of the body over which the mount on which they are seen has influence. The mounts are often irregularly placed. If one should lean towards the other, it absorbs some of the qualities of the mount which it invades. [Illustration: _To face Chapter XVII._] CHAPTER XVII. THE LINE OF LIFE The ancient Chiromancists divided the Line of Life into ten compartments (see plate), each representing ten years of life, and thus they were enabled to prognosticate at what date in the life the illnesses or dangers indicated by the form or colour of the line would be likely to happen. This plate is copied from one in the Sieur de Peruchio's interesting work, _La Chiromance_, published in Paris in 1657.