If we take the astral conditions obtaining over any particular period of a year and consider them in relation to the number of births occurring in any particular area, we shall find that so far as the cosmic relations of the planets are concerned they will remain practically undisturbed for a considerable time. Thus Neptune will be in the same sign for about 14 years, Uranus for 7 years, Saturn for 2½ years, Jupiter for one year, and Mars for nearly two months, Venus and Mercury changing signs within the month. So that, from a cosmical point of view, quite a large number of births will take place under similar conditions, for even the Moon, which represents the element of variability, will continue in the same sign for about 2½ days, and in a thickly populated area such as the City of London, where the average birth-rate is 14 per hour, we may have as many as 840 births under exactly the same zodiacal conditions.
But it happens that the ancient astrologers thought out this problem somewhat fully, and consequently they directed their attention to the conditions obtaining in regard to a given locality. In other words, they paid more attention to the rising, culmination and setting of the planets than to their zodiacal positions. Now a simple calculation will show that as 1° of the zodiac passes the meridian every four minutes, and 15° every hour, there is enough and to spare for the fourteen births which take place on an average in the most densely populated centre of the world, so that each of them may be born under a separate degree. But the fact probably is, and necessarily I am theorizing on the point, that people are born in batches, for where special conditions are not required the common experiences of life will serve for all the evolutional needs of a large majority of those born into the world. Moreover, as I have already said, the planets affect us in terms of ourselves, so that the same planetary conditions will be variously interpreted by individuals born at the same time, according to their degree of evolution. Consequently I do not see any astrological objection to any number of persons being born under the same stellar conditions, and it is indeed probable that the horoscopes of all our kings and leaders will find duplicates all over the country. All that we note in such circumstances is that the events of their lives have a certain set parallelism from birth until death, while so long as these individual souls are under the sway of those stellar conditions, they interpret them according to their own natures and in terms of their sphere of life. A notable case, but by no means the only one that could be cited is that of John Hemmings and King George III. Both were born on the same day and at the same hour in the same parish of St. Martins-le-Fields, in London. When George II died John Hemmings’ father died. George III succeeded to the throne and John Hemmings to his father’s business, which was that of an ironmonger. They were married on the same day, had the same number of children of the same sexes, and died on the same day and at nearly the same hour. The Webbs, the Cloughs and the Morells are famous cases of twins whose lives were at all points similar, and this, not because they were born of the same parents but because they were born under exactly the same astral conditions.
The mundane factor as distinguished from the zodiacal, that is to say, the positions of the planets in the prime vertical as distinguished from their positions in the zodiac, is that which makes for individual expression. Three hundred and sixty persons could be born in a single day in any one locality and each of these could have a horoscope that is distinct and individual. The highest record does not reach this number.
With this factor of variation in the expression of human character and destiny, it is possible to understand how the Arch-arbiter of our destinies may, for the ultimate purposes of our spiritual evolution, determine the application of the individual psychoplasm to the physical centres of life at times when the cosmical and mundane conditions are harmonious to the end designed. From an astrological point of view there is room and to spare for the expression of every phase of human character and development, and that is the same as saying that the One Life is capable of an infinite variety of manifestations in the process of time. This doubtless was the thought animating Shelley’s oft-quoted phrase—
Life, like a dome of many-coloured glass,
Stains the white radiance of Eternity.
CHAPTER XXVI
CHARACTER AND ENVIRONMENT
Sir Francis Galton in his Enquiry into Human Faculty has laid it down as an axiom for the study of Eugenists that “Nature is stronger than Nurture.” His researches and tabulated statistics undoubtedly point this conclusion. We have therefore to regard life in terms of this fact.
In the making of destiny Character is the prime factor, and the modifying factor is Environment. Reform that has an eye only to externals will never be finally effective. Only that which makes for the upbuilding of individual character will secure permanent results. Without doubt character demands for its full expression the most effective instrument that can be placed at its disposal, and this is the whole case for Eugenics. How that efficiency of instrument is to be secured for the majority is another matter. Certainly it will never be found along the lines of stock. We have before us hundreds of examples of thoroughly fit persons of both sexes whose children are weaklings or mentally defective. I have cited two cases of women simultaneously bearing children in the same hospital. One child dies and the other lives. Why? They were born under the same stellar conditions. They had equal care from their births onwards. The reason is that in one instance the mother’s horoscope shows success in progeny from the presence of Jupiter in the 5th House, and the other shows no success at all from the presence of Saturn in that part of the heavens. Both mothers were perfectly fit in themselves and in the same station of life. Obviously there is here imported a factor that is of immense importance to those who have a mind for improving the race. Seed, Season and Soil are all essential to the production of healthy offspring. Our Eugenists leave out of consideration the factor of Season. They imagine that, given healthy parents, you are bound to have healthy children. Nothing is further from the truth, if we regard children as composite beings and not merely as animals. We may frankly admit that the personality determines the final expression of character as the coloured glass through which the ray of intelligence finally strikes upon us, but to confound character with environment—and there is no environment which presses a man more nearly than his physical body—would be to negative the whole effort of reform. Character is inherent and is imported to the physical environment. It is not derived from it. It is no by-product, but a thing as essential to Soul as shape is to matter. Beyond the fact of physical heredity, which counts for a great deal where bodies are concerned, there is the yet more important factor of psychic tradition. The importation of this factor into the problem is of the utmost significance, and I venture to say that apart from a thorough sounding of modern Psychology and Occultism, and a due consideration of all the factors that go to the making of a man, there will be no satisfactory solution of the problem modern Eugenists have before them.
In the analysis of personal efficiency we find three factors in co-operation: faculty, function and instrument. All faculty is strengthened and increased by use or function. Function it is that adapts environment to its needs, as a force pressing towards expression in matter. For the expression of faculty, therefore, we need functional integrity, adaptation of environment, and efficiency of instrument. It has been said that, given an instrument that is out of tune there would not be much difference in expression of faculty between an impresario and a man entirely ignorant of music. This is true only in time and as regards the immediate effort of each. But one can very well see that there are essential differences which will very soon be made manifest. The musician would know that the instrument was defective, while the other would not. In a short while the musician would get that instrument into tune so that he could express his faculty. The man ignorant of music could not attempt the business. Character counts for more than environment, and faculty than instrument.