ASTROLOGY.

WE can scarcely turn away from the subject of the romance of planetary astronomy without alluding to the mysterious influence which those bodies of our system were for many ages supposed to exert on the affairs of men. The science of astrologyfor a science, and a most elaborate science it was— comprehended, of course, the other heavenly bodies as well as the planets. But although the sun and moon are far more important luminaries than the planets, and although the stars incomparably exceed them in number, yet the simple regularity of their movements rendered them far less interesting to the astrologer than the "wanderers" of the nightly sky. To the ancients, unfurnished with the master-key of Copernicus, the motions of the planets, with their fitful loops and backward sweeps, appeared altogether arbitrary and irregular, and these orbs were therefore naturally selected as those most fitted to represent the varying turns of Fortune's wheel, and to preside

over the changing lots of men, of nations, and of the human race.

The origin of astrology, or the fortelling of events from the configuration of the heavenly bodies, is lost in the mists of a remote antiquity, but it was. undoubtedly practised by the old Egyptian magi, before the time of Moses. The father of the written science was the illustrious Ptolemy, whose astronomical researches seem. to have been prosecuted mainly for astrological purposes, and whose elaborate work, the Tetrabiblos, is the text-book of all succeeding votaries of the science. According to him, the planet in the ascendant at the time of birth Iwas the chief ruler of the character and fortunes of the "native," as the entrant on this world's stage was technically called. Mercury presided over the mental faculties, and literary and scientific occupations. He caused a desire of change-though in this respect his influence was less than that of the moon-and a love of travelling. Venus was a benefic planet, styled the Lesser Fortune. She tended to produce a mild and benevolent disposition, with an inclination to pleasure and amusement; and her favouring influence brought good fortune to the native in his or her relations with the other sex. Mars, on the other hand, was the Lesser

Infortune.

His influence was not altogether evil, but he was decidedly risky, and needed to be well aspected by other planets to lead to any good. The man born under him was high-spirited, quarrelsome, and defiant of danger. The woman was probably a virago, or at the least what Ptolemy, if he had lived in a less favoured age, would have been familiar with as "strong-minded." Mars, of course, ruled over warlike pursuits, and also over such trades as were concerned with iron and steel.

Jupiter was regarded as far the most propitious of all the heavenly orbs, and styled the Greater Fortune. He ruled all high and dignified offices, especially the Church. The favoured mortal born under him might be expected to prove high-minded and honourable; charitable and devout; liberal, wise, just, and virtuous. Happy the kingdom ruled by a sovereign on whose birth he shone! English astrologers of the present day tell with pride that our gracious Queen was born when Jupiter rode high in the heavens, right upon the meridian. So, they say, was the Duke of Wellington; but as both the date and the place of his birth were uncertain, the astrologers must be as clever as Daniel-they can not only interpret the dream, but supply it when forgotten. The Greater Fortune smiled also,

though less brightly, on the birth of the Prince of Wales.

Next him we have the grim and ill-omened Saturn, the Greater Infortune; "and justly," says Lilly, "does he merit the title, being the cause, under Providence, of much misery." Those born under him are gloomy and reserved in character; faithful, indeed, in friendships, but bitter and unforgiving towards an enemy. Failure, disease, disgrace, and danger beset the steps of the child of Saturn with frequent and terrible pit-falls. The only pieces of good luck that appear to be attributable to him are the gloomy ones of legacies; while his special favourites are sextons, undertakers, and mutes. Of Uranus, of course, Ptolemy tells us nothing, but modern astrologers think him on the whole malefic. He causes eccentricity and abruptness of manners; and whether he brings good or evil, it is always of some peculiar and unexpected kind. We cannot find how Neptune is regarded by the astrologers: probably they have not yet made up their minds about him. But we may hope for his credit that Adams and Le Verrier, to whom he owes so much, are watched over by him with special favour.

Although the ascendant planet is the chief element to be considered in Genethlialogy, as Ptolemy styles

the science of nativities, its influence may be modified by its combination with other planets, or its position in the zodiac. Thus, while Mars in general begets military men, they must, if he be in the watery sign of Cancer or of Pisces, find vent for their fighting tastes in the navy. And so on, from the soldier and sailor, through the "tinker, tailor, ploughboy, and apothecary," down to the "thief," who is born under the moon, "afflicted by Mars." The tailor is the only one of the list we cannot trace. Probably, from his fractional character, he belongs to one of the asteroids.

The signs of the zodiac were supposed to have a good deal to do with personal appearance. Thus Pisces produced a short figure, pale and fleshy face, round shoulders, and a heavy gait; Taurus a wellset person, with broad face and thick neck; and so on. If parts of two signs occupied the ascendant together, a portion of the body would belong to one sign and the rest to another. Wild as the whole system of astrology is, it seems especially strange that the great philosophers of antiquity should have thought that human fortunes could be swayed, not merely by the constellations themselves, but by the arbitrary and fanciful names which men chose to assign to them.