The text discusses the proportions of fingers, detailing how their widths compare to their lengths and how they vary between different fingers. It explains how the hand is structured, noting how the thumb and the inner part of the hand align, and provides measurements for dividing the hand's sections. Additionally, it mentions how palm readers often ascribe specific names to lines in the palm, with the 'Life Line' being one such example.
Measurements and Functions of
The Longest Finger is, at the bottom, as wide as one fifth of its length; and narrows at the top to one fourth of its width. The forefinger is the same width as the middle finger at the bottom, but slightly narrower at the top. The ring finger and the pinky have widths of one fifth of their lengths, narrowing at the top to one fourth of the width. The thumb should be well proportioned, having, in its middle joint, a width of one third of its length, narrowing at the top by one fourth. Fingers generally get thicker towards the back, yet differ from each other, with no two fingers being completely identical. In extension, the three longest fingers rise upwards by the pinky, which is not noticeable in any fingers except for the one at the back, and even that only slightly. Overall, the fingers are as thick as they are wide.
Since the hand is slightly hollow inward, and because the thumb and the heel of the hand with the pinky incline inward, the hands appear less thick than they actually are. If the entire hand is divided from the joint of the arm into 19 equal parts, 5 of these can be designated for the thickness of the hand in the forearm; however, at the back knuckle of the thumb, it takes half of the hand's width in the same position.
The deceitful fortune tellers and palm readers have applied some varnish to their deceptive art, giving notable and distinguished names to all the significant lines found in the palm: the oblique line coming from the heel of the hand is called the Life Line.