era in which we live, are we without our Astrologers, as well as its admirers and advocates; for though they may not have all pursued and adopted the same technical method, still it is certain, that whoever pretends to discover future events by other means than through the light of Divine revelation, may be properly classed under the species of judicial Astrologers.

Astrological Schemes, &c.

Those who pretend to reduce the practice of Astrology to a system, present the world with certain schemes formed upon the ASPECTS of the planets, and attribute certain qualities or powers to each sign. Thus, to discover the influence of the heavens over the life of a person, they erect a THEME, at the given time of the moment the person was born, by which the Astrologers pretend to discover the star that presided, or in what part of the hemisphere it was placed, when the individual came into the world. The erection of this THEME they perform, or at least pretend to reform, with the assistance of the celestial globe, or planisphere, with regard to the fixed stars; but with respect to the planets, they do it with Astronomical tables. To accomplish these, they have recourse to a semi-circle, which they call POSITION, by which they represent the six great circles passing through the intersection of the Meridian and Horizon, and dividing the Equator into twelve equal parts. The spaces included between these circles, are what they call the twelve HOUSES; which they refer to the twelve triangles marked in their

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theme; placing six of those HOUSES above and six underneath the horizon.

The first of the HOUSES under the horizon toward the East, they call the HOROSCOPE, or HOUSE OF LIFE; the second, the HOUSE OF WEALTH; the third, the HOUSE OF BROTHERS; the fourth, the HOUSE OF PARENTS, &c.; as is clearly expressed in the following lines:

Vita, lucrum, fratres, genitor, natique Valetud,
Uxor, Mors, pietas, et munia, amici inimici.

Which, translated by some English students in
Astrology, runs thus:

The first house shews life, the second wealth doth give;
The third how brethren, fourth how parents live ;

Issue the fifth; the sixth diseases bring;

The seventh wedlock, and the eighth death's sting;
The ninth religion; the tenth honour shews;
Friendship the eleventh, and twelfth our woes.

Table of the Twelve Houses.

Astrologers draw their table of the TWELVE HOUSES into a triple quadrangle prepared for the purpose, of which there are four principal angleės, two of them falling equally upon the horizon, and the other two upon the meridian, which angles are sudivided into 12 triangles for the 12 houses, in which they place the 12 signs of the Zodiac, to each of which is attributed a particular quality,

viz.

1.-ARIES, denoted by the sign Y, is, in their extravagant opinion, a masculine, diurnal, cardinal, equinoctial, easterly sign, hot and dry, the day house of Mars.

2. TAURUS, Ŏ, is a feminine, nocturnal, melancholy, bestial, furious sign-cold and dry. 3. GEMINI, II, is a masculine sign, hot and moist, diurnal, ærial, human, double-bodied, &c.

4.-CANCER,, is a feminine, nocturnal, phlegmatic sign, by nature cold and moist, the only house of Luna.

5.-LEO, N, is a sign, masculine, diurnal, bestial, choleric and barren; a commanding, kingly sign-hot and dry, the only house of the sun.

6.-VIRGO, m, is a feminine, nocturnal, melancholy, and barren sign.

7.—LIBRA, ~, is a sign masculine, cardinal, equinoctial, diurnal, sanguine and human, hot and moist.

8.-SCORPIO, m, is a feminine, nocturnal, cold and phlegmatic northern sign.

9.-SAGITTARIUS, ↑, is a sign masculine, choleric, and diurnal, by nature hot and dry.

10.-CAPRICORN, w, is a feminine, nocturnal, melancholy, solstitial, moveable, cardinal, and southern sign.

11.-AQUARIUS,, is a masculine, diurnal, fixed, sanguine, and human sign.

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12.-PISCES, X, is a feminine, nocturnal, phleg

matic, northerly double-bodied sign, the last of the twelve.

Having thus housed their signs and directed them in their operations, they afterwards come to enquire of their tenants, what planet and fixed stars they have for LODGERS, at the moment of the nativity of such person; from whence they draw conclusions with regard to the future incident of that person's life. For if at the time of that person's nativity they find Mercury in 27° 52 min. of Aquarius, and in the sextile aspect of the horoscope, they pretend to foretel that that infant will be a person of great sagacity, genius, and understanding; and therefore capable of learning the most sublime sciences.

Astrologers have also imagined, for the same ridiculous purpose, to be in the same houses different positions of the signs and planets, and from their different aspects, opposition and conjunction, and according to the rules and axioms they have prescribed to themselves and invented, have the sacrilegious presumption to judge, in dernier resort, of the fate of mankind, though their pretended art or science is quite barren either of proofs or demonstrations.

Signs to the Houses of the Planets.

The planets have allowed themselves each, except SOL and LUNA, two signs for their houses; to SATURN, Capricorn and Aquarius ; to JUPITER, Sagittarius and Pisces; to Mars, Aries and Scorpio; to SOL, Leo; to VENUS, Taurus and Libra; to MERCURY, Gemini and Virgo; and to LUNA, Cancer.

Angles or Aspects of the Planets.

By their continual mutations among the twelve signs, the planets make several angles or aspects; the most remarkable of which are the five following, viz.

d CONJUNCTION.-A TRINE. QUADRATE.- SEXTILE.-8 OPPOSITION.

A CONJUNCTION is when two planets are in one and the same degree and minute of a sign; and this, according to Astrological cant, either good or bad, as the planets are either friends or

enemies.

A TRINE is when two planets are four signs, or 120 degrees distant, as MARS in twelve degrees of ARIES, and SOL in twelve degrees of LEO. Here SOL and MARS are said to be in Trine Aspect. And this is an aspect of perfect love and friendship.

A QUADRATE ASPECT is when two planets are three signs, or 90 degrees distant, as MARS in 10 degrees, and VENUS in 10 degrees of LEO. This particular aspect is of imperfect enmity, and Astrologers say, that persons thereby signified, may have jars at some time, but of such a nature as may be perfectly reconciled.

A SEXTILE ASPECT, is when two planets are two signs, or 60 degrees distant, as JUPITER in 15 degrees of Aries; and SATURN in 15 degrees of Gemini; here JUPITER is in a sextile aspect to SATURN. This is an aspect of friendship.

An OPPOSITION is, when two planets are diametrically opposite, which happens when they are