author
Rosa Baughan
A prolific Victorian writer of palmistry, astrology, and handwriting analysis, she brought occult and popular self-help traditions together for a wide readership. Her books offer a vivid glimpse into the spiritual curiosities of the late 19th century.
1 Audiobook
The influence of the stars : a book of old world lore
by Rosa Baughan
About the author
Born in 1829 and remembered as a Victorian spiritualist writer, Rosa Baughan published extensively on subjects that sat between popular science, mysticism, and fortune-telling. Sources available here consistently associate her with palmistry, physiognomy, graphology, and astrology, and place her death in 1911.
Her best-known works include The Handbook of Palmistry, Character Indicated by Handwriting, The Handbook of Physiognomy, and The Influence of the Stars. Listings from library and public-domain sources also show a wider range of books, including practical and travel writing such as The Leather Work Book and Winter Havens in the Sunny South, which suggests a notably varied career.
Today, Baughan is mainly remembered for making esoteric ideas accessible to general readers. Her surviving books remain of interest both to readers curious about occult traditions and to anyone exploring the culture of Victorian popular publishing.