In attempting to reduce astrology to the form of a science, there can be little doubt that the inductive me thod was never followed. A few insulated observations of casual coincidences of events with signs in the hea vens, might perhaps be collected before the attempt was made ; but, in general the interpretations were either quite arbitrary, or the result of fanciful associa tions. A name which had been given to a planet at random, was enough to serve as a perpetual index to the efficiency which it excited. Who could doubt that Venus was the patroness of love, and that Mars pre sided over arms ? But what is there in the motions of Venus or Mars that indicates the ferocious attributes ascribed to the one, or the graces and endearments pos sessed by the other ? The early history of astrology is involved in great obscurity. Aristotle ascribes the invention to the Egyp tians and Babylonians. Ptolemy asserts the same thing, and assigns very plausible reasons for the superiority of his countrymen, the Egyptians, in all the branches of astrological knowledge. Cicero has derived the art from the same origin. Lucian says, that both these na tions, as well as the Lybians, borrowed it from the Ethio pians, the original discoverers ; and that the Greeks did not even owe the hint to any one of their predeces sors, but to the poet Orpheus. The more common opi nion is, that Eudoxus carried the knowledge of all the branches of astronomy into Greece. And we are in formed by Vitruvius, that the study of genethlialogy, or the doctrine of nativities, was transferred into that country by Berosus, who was instructed in it by his compatriots the Chaldmans. He established a school in the island of Cous, and acquired such honour by his predictions, that (if we are not misled by Pliny) the Athenians erected a statue to his memory; a distinction which was conferred only on the greatest benefactors of the state.
It is probable, however, that it is still more ancient in India. All the astronomical knowledge of the Bra mins has, from time immemorial, been valued chiefly on account of its subserviency to the formation of alma nacks, and the calculation of nativities. The astrology of the Chinese also appears to be coeval with their history.
Among the Romans, astrology was held , in much higher estimation than astronomy itself. Cicero indeed derides it ; but there is some cause to question his sin cerity, when we recollect, that he numbered among his most intimate friends L. Taruntius Firmanus, who cal culated a retrograde horoscope for the birth of Romu lus and the foundation of Rome; and P. Nigidius Figu lus, one of the most famous diviners of any age. Ac cording to Bailly, (Hist. de l'Astron. Mod.), Geminus •had the merit of distinguishing more clearly than any of his predecessors, between the fallacies of astrology and the solid truths of astronomy. See Gemini Ura Notwithstanding the great deference which the peo ple paid to the practitioners of astrology, many severe laws were enacted against them by the emperors : they were often banished the state ; but so rooted was the credulity of the people, that numbers of them were sheltered in defiance of these imperial edicts. The his
torians of those times speak of them with the greatest repugnance, applying to them the names by which they were most generally known, as Chalthei, Genethliaci, Horosccin, and Matheinatici ; the last of which desig nations fell into disrepute from the moment when it was usurped by these impostors. They were never effec tually banished from Rome, till Christianity was esta blished in the empire. Their arts wN-e condemned by many of the fathers and councils, as idolatrous inven tions suggested by the devil. But Origcn.contributed in some degree to revive the credit of these predic tions. • Of all the astrologers in the world, the Arabians have probably been the most extravagant. The sole object of all their observations was to qualify them to dive into the abyss of futurity. They were not satisfied with calculating the fates of individuals : They foretold the precise period when they believed the faith of Christ and of Mahomet would be abolished ; and the duration to which the world itself would be extended, Such were the reveries of Albumasar, the most cele brated of them all.
The celebrated Roger Bacon, though a believer in the influences of the stars, contributed to bring astrolo gy into discredit. He insisted, that no predictions can be true, except those which are general, and that no rules can afford more than a probability. His specula tions on the subject furnish an excellent illustration of the sources from which the errors of astrology have been derived. They contain all that is rational in the foundations of the art, and something more.
During the middle ages it was a very common thing to foretell a general deluge, or the final destruction of the world These predictions had the effect of exciting universal consternation, particularly among the lower orders. But their failure had no sensible influence in putting an end to the delusion. The mistake was never attributed to the defects of the art, but to the fallibility of the artist, There was always an abundant store of marvellous events, which corresponded in their imagi nations with certain antecedent signs. It was constantly believed, therefore, that these signs had prefigured the events ; and if the astrologers had neglected to publish them before they happened, this was an omission which proved that they were capable of overlooking what was perfectly obvious, but could not demonstrate the futility of the science, any more than an error committed by an accountant, in a long calculation, would convince any man of reflection, that no dependence is to be placed in the rules of arithmetic.
Tycho Brahe was a strenuous defender of astrology, and attempted to chew its consistency with reason and religion. He was misled by his erroneous system of the world. Conceiving the earth to be the centre of all the planets and other luminous bodies, he concluded., that the most remote parts of nature were only appen dages of this globe, created for the use of man. His reasonings, proceeding on this and other unfounded principles, abound in puerilities, and scarcely deserve a serious refutation.