Now in our Occultism we distinguish between that which is incidental, as faculty and character; and that which is accidental, as instrument and environment. It is recognized that the horoscope of birth is accidental in this sense, and represents the cosmical and mundane environment in which the character is required to express itself. It represents a composite of cosmic forces energizing through two great streams of heredity. But it is not essential to the man, as is character. It is not going to damn him for ever or confer on him the guerdon of a blessed immortality. It is merely an environment, and that but a temporary one.
Astrologers classify characters into three primary groups, representing stability, flexibility and incisiveness, or again, originality and independence, adaptability, and executiveness. These answer to the grouping of the planets in the several signs of the zodiac, namely, the Fixed, Common and Cardinal signs, otherwise known as the grave, circumflex and acute. These may be tabularized in the following manner—
| Sign. | Character. | Faculty. |
|---|---|---|
| Aries, Libra, | Incisive. | Executiveness. |
| Capricorn, Cancer. | ||
| Cardinal or Acute. | ||
| Taurus, Scorpio, | ||
| Leo, Aquarius. | Stable. | Originality. |
| Fixed or Grave. | ||
| Gemini, Sagittary, | ||
| Virgo, Pisces. | Flexible. | Adaptability. |
| Common or Circumflex. |
From this grouping we know at once what is the predominant mould of character and hence what environment is most suitable for the exercise and expression of that character. And as applied to eugenics, we are able thereby to make selection of suitable partners in life, setting off the stability of the one by the flexibility of the other, and so on. Take, for instance, the man who shows a predominant flexibility of character, wide sympathies, versatility, prolixity and diffuseness. He is apt to become a dabbler, never thorough, and aliquid in omnibus. Obviously his ambitions need pointing, his faculties concentrating, and his natural powers conserving. Bring him into relations with a woman who has a majority of the planets in cardinal signs, and he will find one who can be of the greatest use to him in the shaping of character and the directing of his ambitions and powers.
We might ring the changes and derive from these three types seven distinct characters, all mutually interdependent and capable of fulfilling some special function in the economy of life, but never wholly of service when working alone. It is from the interplay of human character in the ordinary course of life that the main purpose of human evolution is served.
It has already been shown that the lunar sphere is the last of those through which the incarnating entity passes when it proceeds towards mundane existence. It has been shown also that the Moon exercises a most important influence in human generation. It is to the Moon, therefore, that we look for the final determination of that personal colouring which is the prime environment of the Soul. Accordingly we find that the Moon’s position in a horoscope of birth is of the greatest importance.
Not only does the Sign occupied by the Moon give to the character a special colouring, but the decanate and even the degree that is held by it play their part in the final determination of the personal colouring. But inasmuch as there is an adaptation of means to end and of character to environment, we may go further and infer character as indicated by the lunar position. In this way the whole phenomenal world may be regarded as the reflex of the noumenal. The person, as phenomenon, assumes a cosmic and spiritual significance. He is one of the divine symbols.
To take a concrete instance. The Kaiser Wilhelm II was born with the Moon in the 28th degree of the sign Scorpio, which is ruled by the Sun, the sign being under the dominion of the planet Mars. The Moon is opposed by Uranus, which disposes to a wayward and autocratic disposition, some degree of eccentricity, a nature subject to impulses and precipitate actions. The Moon therefore takes the prime colouring of the planet Mars, because it is in the sign of Mars, Scorpio, and we accordingly find that Mars is a very prominent planet in the horoscope, being in the Mid-heaven and near the conjunction with Neptune. It is not, therefore, surprising that the Kaiser Wilhelm has received the name of “War Lord.” He represents the fighting principle which makes for conquest and freedom. Zeal, courage, enthusiasm, enterprise and frankness are among the martial attributes. To these attributes, the solar degrees held by the Moon will contribute a degree of pride, love of fame, glory and display.
Take another instance. Napoleon I was born with the Moon in the 28th degree of the sign Capricornus. The sign is ruled by Saturn, and we find Saturn in the most prominent position in the horoscope, being in the Mid-heaven in opposition to the Moon. Saturn is in the sign Cancer, and he died from the disease associated with this sign. The degree is ruled by the Sun. Here we have the Moon in the cardinal sign Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, the most powerful planet in the horoscope. It is altogether suitable to the “Man of Destiny.” The degree held by the Moon is ruled by the Sun, and this gives the desire for fame, honour, glory and rulership. The decanate of the sign occupied by the Moon is related to the sign Aries ruled by Mars, and here we have the military instinct. But the presiding influence in the horoscope is undoubtedly that of the planet Saturn, in whose sign the Moon is found at the moment of birth. Saturn had an ancient reputation of devouring his own children, which means that those whom he raises in the world he eventually despoils. It was thus in the case of Napoleons I and III, both of whom had the planet in the Mid-heaven of their horoscopes. But the tally of its victims is a lengthy one, and includes all grades of life. What sphere is likely to be occupied by the subject of this or any other horoscopical influence coming through the Moon, depends most of all upon the position of the planet governing the Moon-sign, that is, the Sign in which the Moon is placed at the birth. Thus I find that Rudyard Kipling has the Moon in Gemini, and this is ruled by Mercury, who is in the sign Sagittarius in conjunction with Venus. Mercury is pre-eminently the representative of literature and Venus that of poesy. But the Moon is also in the degree of Gemini that is ruled by Venus, and in that part of the sign which reflects the sign Aries, so that we have direct evidence of the military associations of his poetical genius. The poet Shelley was born with the Moon in Pisces, which is ruled by Jupiter, a powerful planet in his horoscope, and, conjoined with the planets Mars and Neptune, denoting the fearless and zealous nature allied to mysticism and inspiration. The Moon being in a degree that is ruled by itself, denotes that love of change and that restless inconsequence which characterized his life, while the Moon, being in the decanate which reflects the sign Cancer, adds that abiding love of maritime pursuits which eventually brought about his death, and once more accentuated the import of the phrase: “the ruling passion strong in death!”
Nelson was born with the Sun in the sign Leo, and the Sun, its ruler, in elevation. Shakespeare was born with the Moon in Taurus, with Venus its ruler in elevation. Thus we see that all those who have distinguished themselves in their sphere of life have the ruler of the Moon-sign in a prominent position in their horoscopes, and further that the exact position of the Moon as to decanate and degree gives us the particular setting of the character and the special faculty by which they are distinguished.