ASTROLOGY.
The splendour of the sun by day, the glories of the firmament by night, together with the sublimity of all celestial phenomena, attract alike the attention of the most simple and the most intellectual among mankind. The distance, the magnitude, and the grandeur of the entire planetary system while exciting emotions of awe, reverence, and devotion among the mass of the human race, have at the same time been studied from the earliest period of man's history to the present time superstitiously by one class of observers, and scientifically by another.
As the telescope was not invented before the 17th century, it is evident that the study of Astronomy without that instrument must previously have been pursued under amazing difficulties; and we might have expected that when first used by Galileo at Venice in 1609, its introduction would have been hailed without a dissentient voice. Such, however, was not the fact, according to Sir David Brewster,[8] who says:—
"The principal Professor of Philosophy at Padua resisted Galileo's repeated and urgent entreaties to look at the moon and planets through his telescope; and he even laboured to convince Cosmo de Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, that the satellites of Jupiter could not possibly exist. Sizzi, an astronomer of Florence, maintained that as there were only seven apertures in the head—two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and one mouth—and as there were only seven metals, and seven days in the week, so there could only be seven planets. He seems (eventually), however, to have admitted the visibility of the four satellites through the telescope; but he argues, that as they are invisible to the naked eye, they can exercise no influence on the earth; and being useless they do not exist."
Such being the crude state of astronomical science in the 17th century, it must have been comparatively imperfect throughout all preceding centuries; and open to mystical appropriation and abuse by Egyptians, Chaldeans, Hindus, Chinese, and European and other ancient astrologers. Among that motley group the most learned were found strangely associated with ignorant impostors, and their activity in writing and travelling served to spread their different systems over the entire civilized world. It was not until late in the 17th century that Astrology could be absolutely declared to be in its decline. In England, William Lilly, the Sidrophel of Hudibras, and the most famous astrologer of his time, died in 1681, leaving behind him his Introduction to Astrology, together with many other works of the same character.
Astrology is merely a philosophism, being empirical, wholly visionary, a mere fanciful system compounded of incongruous mixtures of astronomical with human events, of mythology with theology, and of facts with pure fiction. It has been variously designated Judicial, Hororary, Atmospherical, and Mundane, Astrology. It has also many off-shoots subservient to Magic or the black art, Sorcery, Witchcraft, and other pretended mysticisms ostentatiously styled occult philosophy.
We may first observe that Astrology lays no claim to inspiration, but affects a very ancient unknown origin, tracing back to a dark, heathenish, and superstitious age, in the very infancy of traditional knowledge, when the boldest assertions of the seer were received as the authority of an oracle, no one daring to question their validity. Whatever is remotely possible the Astrologer accepts as a fact; while ignorant of much around him, he assumes with the utmost complacency an intimate acquaintance with the sun and planets thousands upon thousands of miles off; yea with the sun 969,272 miles in diameter, while he himself inhabits a globe only 7,916 miles in diameter; from which the moon is 237,000 miles distant, and the sun 400 times that distance.[9] And these immense bodies revolving millions on millions of miles away in immeasurable space are described by him as fashioning an infant's nose, directing the fortunes or misfortunes of lovers, ordering the property of traders, meting out diseases, and improving or deranging man's mental faculties. And as if such puerile influences were not sufficiently preposterous we are informed by the modern seer, Zadkiel, that the 12 signs of the Zodiac not only rule the several parts of the human frame, but also those of a ship, as Aries, the bows; Taurus, the cutwater; Gemini, the rudder; Cancer, the bottom; Leo, the upper works; Virgo, the hold; Libra, parts above the water's edge; Scorpio, the seamen's berths; Sagittarius, the seamen; Capricorn, the ends of the vessel; Aquarius, the Captain; Pisces, the oars in galleys, the wheels in steam vessels, and the sails in others; but these latter being above water, we are left in doubt about the ruler of the submerged screw propeller.
To show what a modicum of learning, and how trifling an acquaintance with matters of natural philosophy will serve the Astrologer, we will turn to a modern treatise published in the year 1801, by Francis Barrett, (styling himself a student of Natural and Occult Philosophy) a quarto volume of upwards of 370 pages, entitled, "The Magus, or Celestial Intelligencer," which affords a pretty clear insight into the nature of the superstitions which from an ancient period even to that date obtained credence and were popular with the multitude.
Treating of the wonders of Natural Magic previous to entering on the main topic of his treatise, he adduces a few of what he conceives to be ordinary matters of fact, assuring us that:—