Europe; and many marvellous legends are on record of his profound knowledge of the stars. He is even said to have predicted the very day and hour of the death of a highly celebrated hero of those times. However, be it as it will, he was the first mathematician of the age. He died in 1535. Some of his works evince admirable skill, and are filled with proofs of his extraordinary genius. The most celebrated of these, in Latin, is his treatise of “ Occult Philosophy;" a rare work, and calculated to hand this author's name down to the latest posterity.

1 A FAMOUS FRENCH ASTROLOGER.

JOHN BAPTIST MORINUS, a celebrated French astrologer, often mentioned by English writers, was a native of Villa Franca, and received his diploma for the practice of physic, at Avignon, in the Pope's territories, in 1614. His ardent desire to understand the progress and secret laws of nature, led him into many dangers, many of which had nearly proved fatal.

While he was in Hungary, he met with a peasant, who, like our countryman, Jedediah Buxton, had made great progress in numerical calculations, without knowing how to make a figure; and applying these calculations to the revolutions of the planets and signs, inspired Morinus with such a taste for astrological calculations, that upon his return to Paris, he gave himself entirely up to the siderial art. Accordingly, in 1617, finding by his calculations, that his friend and neighbour the Bishop of Boulogne, would soon be imprisoned, he went and

informed him ; but that prelate, though an artist also, laughed at his prediction; the event, however, proved the truth of Morinus' art in a short time. The Duke of Luxemburgh, brother to the Constable de Luines, took him under his protection, where he remained for nearly nine years: but foretelling to that nobleman a fever, which threatened him within two years' time, he was discarded, and the Duke died within the time predicted.

As a lasting proof how highly his astrological abilities were accounted in those times, it may be stated, that Cardinal Mazarine consulted him, and Cardinal Richlieu granted him a pension of two thousand livres, and procured him the mathematical chair in the Royal College. The Count de Chavigny, Secretary of State, regulated all his motions by Morinus' advice; who, at that time, gained great credit by foretelling the death of the great Gustavus Adolphus ; and whose daughter, the famous Christina, was a great admirer and benefactress of his.

Ainong other authenticated statements of his wonderful skill in physiognomy and genethliacai astrology, it is upon record, that he foresaw almost every state occurrence of importance that afterwards befel the nation. Upon sight of a portra of the famous Cinq Mars (who was beheaded for treason) before he knew who he was, he declared he would lose his head. Within sixteen days' time, he hit the event of the Constable Lesdiguin's death ; and in six, that of Lewis XIII., by inspection of their nativities. He was the most considerable writer upon mathematical subjects in his time, as his disputes with the celebrated Gassen

dus, upon the subject of the Copernican System, testify. Cardinal Richlieu was his friend to his death, which happened in 1656, aged 73 years. All his works, which mostly consist of small, curious tracts, are extremely rare, and indeed, now difficult to be procured at any price. His principal piece is his “ Astrologica Gallica,” in Latin, 4to., Paris, 1657, which is a most learned work, but little known, it is true, in England, yet well worthy the astrological student's attention. Lilly, Gadbury, and their numerous followers, have very much availed themselves of his siderial labours.

However,

A NEAPOLITAN ASTROLOGER.

Thomas CAMPANELLA was a native of Stilo, in Calabria, and at a very early age became a Dominican. His taste for singularity, induced him to oppose in a public dispute, a mataphysical syllogist; who, out of envy upon being overcome by a youth, insidiously accused him, to the staté, of conspiring against the kingdom of Naples. This affair became serious; and he in consequence bore twenty-seven years' imprisonment; during which, he suffered the torture called the question, ordinary and extraordinary, seven times, and did not obtain his liberty, but at the intercession of Pope Urban VIII.; after which he came to Paris, where he was protected by Cardinal Richlieu and Lewis XIII., and died there in 1639, aged 71 years.

During the time of his imprisonment, he transated Ptolemy's Mathematics, from the Greek, and composed his Astrological Predictions and Judy

ment on Nativities, agreeably to the doctrine of Ptolemy, in Latin. This work, which is not known in English, is much celebrated in France ; and has been translated into French by the Abbé Deschamps, in 3 vols. 8vo. His other works are merely polemical; and entirely in the disputa-. tive style of the age he lived in. His “Atheism Triumphatus” gained him most notice; and such was his astrological skill, that the ministers of state constantly consulted him upon the affairs of Italy.

A FRENCH MATHEMATICIAN AND

ASTROLOGER.

James OZANAM, an eminent mathematician, was born in 1640. He was the youngest son of a very opulent family, and designed for the church by his father, who had given him an excellent education. He studied divinity four years, rather out of obedience than inclination ; but upon his father's death, he quitted that study, and applied himself wholly to the mathematics, for which he had a singular genius. He afterwards taught that science at Lyons, and was, for his generosity to two foreigners, his scholars, by them recommended to Mr. Dagenesseau (father of the Chancellor) who sent for him to Paris, with a promise to assist him to the utmost of his power. Our anthor, therefore, came and settled at Paris, where he abandoned his inclination to gaming, to which he had been very much addicted, and devoted himself himself entirely to the mathematics. He met with pretty good encouragement at Paris, till the war (which was occasioned soon after the year 1701,

by the Spanish succession) deprived him of all his scholars, and reduced him to a very melancholy, state. It was at that time, he was admitted in the Royal Academy of Sciences, in quality of an Eleve. The singular knowledge he obtained in the doctrine of nativities, may be gathered from the fact, that having cast his horoscope and brought up the anaretical direction, he was so firmly persuaded of his death, (as seen therein,) that although he was without any sickness either of body or mind, he refused to accept of some foreign noblemen for scholars, alleging that he should soon die, as his nativity foretold; which he actually did, April 3, 1717, of an apoplexy, in less than two hours, being then 77 years old.

It is not without reason, that his contemporaries have ascribed to him considerable knowledge in the starry science, seeing the foreknowledge of his own death is a confirmation thereof; although, like Dryden, the poet, he chose not to affect any scientific display. His name, as a mathematician, was equally as famous as for his other pursuits; his works, which are very numerous, have met with the approbation of the learned of all countries, particularly his “ Mathematical Recreations,” which remain an incontrovertible proof of his great ingenuity. Mons. Gurpt has made much use of this work, though neither him, nor Dr. Hooper, his translator, have had the candour to acknowledge it.