Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 02.djvu/202

ASTROLOGY. edge of the stars.' but was at length restricted to the science of predicting future events, especially the fortunes of men, from the positions of the heavenly bodies. This was considered the higher, the real science; while the mere knowledge of the stars themselves, their places and motions (as- tronomy), was, till a very recent period, culti- vated mostly with a view to (judicial) astrology. Astrology is one of the most ancient forms of superstition, and is found prevailing among the nations of the East (Egyptians, Chaldeans, Hindus, Chinese) at the very dawn of history. The Jews became much addicted to it after the Captivity. It spread into the West and to Rome about the beginning of the Christian era. As- trologers played an important part at Rome, where they were called Chaldeans and 'mathema- ticians': and though often banished by the Senate and emperors under pain of death, and otherwise persecuted, they continued to hold their ground. The Roman poet, Manilius. author of an astro- nomical poem still extant, was addicted to as- trology; and even Ptolemy, the astronomer, did not escape the infection, which in his time had beconie universal. It accords well with the pre- destinarian doctrines of Mohammedanism, and was therefore cultivated with great ardor by the Arabs from the Seventh to the Thirteenth Century. Some of the early Christian Fathers argued against the doctrines of the earlier as- trology, while others received them in a modi- fied form; and indeed it formed part of the basis of their religion in the Gospel narrative of the visit to Bethlehem of the Wise Men from the East, who were Chaldean magi or astrologers. In its public capacity, the Church several times condemned the study as tending to fatalism, superstition, and unlawful prying into the fu- ture; but many zealous Catholics — even church- men — have cultivated it. The Fourteenth and Fifteenth centuries were the palmy days of the science: chairs for its teaching were founded in the two oldest universities, — those of Bologna and Padua, — and no prince's court was complete without its official astrologer. After the Renais- sance the study was vigorously opposed from diametrically opposite points of view — such as those of Savonarola and Pico della Mirandola. But for centuries the most learned men still re- mained devoted to its teachings, including among astronomers Cardan, Tycho Brahe, and Kepler; Wallenstein absolutely, and Napoleon partly, be- lieved in it, though the frequent references of the latter to his 'star' seem to have been made largely for effect. Bacon maintained the reality of an underlying basis of truth at least, while discrediting the practitioners of his day. Bur- ton and Sir Thomas Browne also retained a belief in its possibilities. William Lilly (q.v.) was the last astrologer in England who had any great public influence; he asserted and partly proved his wonderful success in foretelling both public and private events. But the acceptance of the Copernican system and new fashions in science tended to destroy the older beliefs; and by the following century the study had so far lost its hold that the merciless ridicule of Swift, applied to the unfortunate almanac maker Part- ridge, was sufficient to discredit it. But believ- ers in it are still found, even among educated men. In Germany J. M. Pfaff published a nota- ble treatise in its favor entitled Astrologie

(Bamberg, 1816. The natural tendency of the ignorant and credulous to seek for insight into the future has allowed a multitude of quacks to trade upon the name of astrology, and to give the impression that it is beneath contempt. It is well to point out, however, that the predictions of the better class of astrologers are not mere haphazard guesses, as is frequently supposed, but are based upon rigidly scientific determination from observed phenomena, according to definite rules of interpretation: and also that astrology lays no claim to absolute prediction of future events, undertaking merely to point out the direction which affairs are likely to take, other things being equal — according to the old saying: "Astra regunt homines; sed regit astra Deus."

The ordinary method of applying judicial, or, as it is sometimes called, mundane, astrology to the decision of a question was to calculate the positions of the heavenly bodies either at the moment when the question was asked or at the birth of the 'querent.' Then the circle of the heavens was divided into twelve equal parts, six above and six below the horizon. These are the twelve 'houses,' through which the planets pass in their regular movements. The first house, that which lay in the east from 5° above the horizon to 2.5° below, called the ascendant, was considered of the most importance, as it contained that part of the heavens which was about to rise. The planet which was 'lord' of this house was usually taken as the 'significator' of the 'querent.' Each house, however, had one of the heavenly bodies as its lord, who was considered to be strongest in his own house. The first was called the house of life; the second, that of fortune or riches; the third, of brethren; the fourth, of relations; the fifth, of children; the sixth, of health; the seventh, of marriage; the eighth, of death; the ninth, of religion; the tenth, of dignities; the eleventh, of friends and benefactors; the twelfth, of enemies or of captivity. Besides the positions of the planets in the different houses, it was necessary to consider their position in relation to each other — in conjunction, in opposition, and so on through a variety of technical descriptions. Each planet was supposed to rule some special part of the world and of the human body, so that according to its position it might bring on certain conditions for the countries under its influence, and cause or avert certain diseases. Persons born under particular planets were believed to be endowed with temperamental characteristics corresponding to the nature of the planet. From this belief the epithets mercurial, jovial, saturnine have passed into common speech; in fact, a larger number of expressions than would be generally supposed come from astrology. Disastrous and its Saxon equivalent ill-starred, ascendancy, consider, are examples of words which are relics of this once universal belief; and many passages in our older writers are unintelligible without some knowledge of it.

The accompanying figure shows the positions of the planets at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. According to astrological interpretation, the newly formed nation was destined to enjoy success in war and to develop an extensive commerce with every