CHAPTER X
THE MOUNT OF MERCURY AND ITS MEANING
The Mount of Mercury is found under the base of the fourth finger (Plate VI., Part II.). On a good hand it is a favourable Mount to have, but on a hand shewing evil tendencies, especially mental, it increases the bad indications.
It seems to relate more to the mind than anything else. It gives quickness of brain, wit, thought, eloquence. It also relates to adaptability in science and commerce, but if evilly afflicted, it denotes mental excitability, nervousness, lack of concentration, trickiness in business, and everything that is unreliable in character.
This Mount should always be considered with the kind of Line of Head found on the hand.
With a Line of Head long and well marked, it increases all the promise of mental aptitude and success, but with a weak, badly marked, or irregular Head Line, it augments all its weak or bad indications.
THE MOUNT OF MERCURY (POSITIVE)
This Mount can be considered positive when the subject is found to be born between the dates of May 21st and June 20th, and until the 27th of that month, but during the last seven days its influence is considered dying out and not so strong. People born in this period are represented in the Zodiac by the symbolism of the twins. It is a curious fact that all persons born in this part of the year are singularly dual in character and temperament. One side of their nature may, in fact, be described as perpetually pulling against the other, and although nearly always possessed with unusual intelligence, they often spoil their lives by lack of continuity in their plans and in their purpose.
They seldom seem to have a fixed idea of what they really want. They change their plans or their occupations at a moment's notice, and unless they chance to be very happily married, they are just as uncertain in marriage.
They are the most difficult of all classes to understand. In temperament they are hot and cold in the same moment, they may love passionately with one side of their nature and just as quickly dislike with the other.
They are very critical, and especially notice small faults or mannerisms in others, and they can express their views with a sarcasm that is as cutting as it is clever.
In all business dealings or affairs where a subtle, keen mentality is useful, they can out-distance all rivals, provided they are sufficiently interested to enter into the competition.
They are excellent in diplomacy and are gifted talkers, but they usually leave their listeners at the end of their conversation no wiser than they were at the beginning.
If taken as they are and with their moods, they are the most delightful people imaginable, but one must never expect them to be the same to-day that they were yesterday. They believe that they are the most truthful persons in the world, and so they may be at the moment they are telling the story, but to them moments seem entire lives, and so in a day or a week the same story may have a totally different colouring.
None of these people will probably admit this to be true of his character, but a little study will convince anyone that it is a fairly accurate description of this subject's chief characteristics.
Mental work, especially the class of mental work that requires quickness of wit and change, appeals to them more than any other. They make clever actors, barristers, and a certain class of public speakers, also diplomatists, stock brokers, company promoters, or inventors of new methods in business. In all careers that require keenness of brain, they can attain success, provided they have developed a sufficient amount of will power and continuity of purpose to stick long enough to any one thing.
HEALTH
Everything that can affect the nerves and the nervous system especially, afflicts these people.
Indigestion caused by nervous worry or anxiety, catalepsy, paralysis, afflictions of the tongue, stammering, insomnia, vivid dreams; to all such things they are specially liable. They are also inclined towards delicacy of the throat and bronchial tubes, and particularly to trouble with the nose and eyes.
THE MOUNT OF MERCURY (NEGATIVE)
This Mount may be considered negative when the persons are born between August 21st and September 20th, and until the 27th, but these last seven days of this period are not so marked, but take more from the characteristics of the incoming sign.
People belonging to this negative type of the Mount of Mercury have all the good points of the positive class, and even some added in their favour. For example, they stick longer and with more continuity to whatever study or career they adopt. They have hardly the quickness or the brilliancy of the first type, but they have a more solid, plodding course of action, and as a general rule they make more out of their lives.
They are also more materialistic and practical in their views of life, but they analyse and reason everything from their own way of thinking outwards towards others. If they see a thing is right, it is right to them, and for this reason they are often found doing exactly the opposite from what one would expect.
Women born in this period are especially curious puzzles. They are either extremely virtuous or the direct opposite, either extremely truthful and conventional or the reverse; but whether good or bad, they are all a law unto themselves, and in all things they usually think of themselves first.
People born in this period often abandon their husbands or their children just because they think they ought to do so. They also are liable to change their religious views half way through life, or from the most conventional suddenly become the reverse. In the same way women who have commenced their career by leading unconventional lives, may just as suddenly become religious and enter some extremely severe order or community.
Again, as in the positive type, it is the Line of Head that must be carefully considered if one should endeavour to form an estimate of what they will eventually become.
If it be clear and straight, their best qualities will, as a rule, come to their rescue; but if weak or poorly marked, it is more than likely, especially with this class, that the evil side of the nature will in the end predominate.
HEALTH
These people are more open to mental suggestion as far as health is concerned than any other class.
If they think they are ill it is quite sufficient that they are so, and they can become cured in exactly the same manner.
In reality they have excellent constitutions, except when they are ruined by taking drugs and medicines.
As they always imagine that they have something the matter, they are invariably the willing prey of quack doctors and every new cure that is advertised.
They can hardly pass a chemist's shop without buying something, and if they sit next to a doctor at a dinner table, they are certain to walk off with some prescription.
Their greatest fault is that they will persist in talking to everyone of their supposed ailments or afflictions, for the slightest ache, pain, or anything that concerns them, has the most exaggerated importance in their mind.
On the contrary, Nature can do more for these people than for any other class of humanity. Peace of mind, a country life, and plenty of fresh air will banish all their ills and ailments into oblivion.
But, if badly mated, or living in unhappy surroundings, their health quickly breaks up, and if they cannot make a change into happier conditions, then no medicine in all the world can help them.
