Kepler denied almost all the common doctrines with regard to the influences of the stars ; but still he believ ed that the great conjunctions of the planets are capa ble of producing an effect on sublunary affairs. Lord Bacon admits, that astrology is so crowded. with super stitious notions, that scarcely any solidity is discernible in it ; but still he thinks the science requires rather to be purged from its errors, than to he altogether reject ed. He thinks there may be a sound astrology, which may be safely used in prediction, though in forming elections it requires to be very cautiously applied. He thinks the stars may predict not only changes in the atmosphere, but pestilential and epidemical diseases, famines, wars, seditious, heresies, emigrations, and every kind of civil or political revolution of considerable extent ; but changes affecting individuals add small so cieties, are not capable of being foretold with equal cer tainty. (De Augm. Scient. lib. iii. cap. 4.) This is a very ancient opinion on the subject. It is with reluc tance that we expose the weaknesses of a man so highly revered ; but we must add farther, that his lordship ap pears to have spoken on this matter, as on some others, very much at random. In one place he considers the calculation of nativities as altogether superstitious, (lib. vi. cap. 3.) ; and elsewhere he says, that astrological knowledge gives us some apt distinctions of men's dis positions, according to the predominance of the planets. (Lib. vii. cap. 3.) Some curious facts are recorded with regard to the delusions which astrologers have practised on them selves, and the stratagems which they have contrived to maintain their credit among their dupes. Cardan, who dealt very extensively in horoscopes, was very sel dom fortunate in his conjectures ; but in one instance he used a very effectual precaution to secure himself against being detected in a mistake. Having foretold the clay of his own death, he abstained from food, we are told; till he died of hunger, that he might not fal sify his own prediction. A similar story is told of Bur ton, the author of the Anatomy of Melancholy. Other instances are related, in which astrological predictions have produced fatal effects, not through the influence of the stars, but through the less equivocal influence of error.
We have not adverted to the herd of vulgar astro mancers, who infested the English nation during the seventeenth century,—the Heydons, the Lillys, the Raniesays, and Whartons, some of them men of learn ing and of consideration in the commonwealth, but all infected to an extreme degree with this irrational pro pensity to decypher the language of the stars. Their
works, which are very easily procured, contain their own refutation.
We think it unnecessary also to reply to those who pretend to quote the sacred writings, in support of the opinion, that a foundation is laid for astrology in the constitution of the natural world, and that it is some times referred to as an art which leads to certain con clusions. The signs and influences which are spoken of, relate to no other mysteries than the economy of external nature ; and, with regard to the " star in the east," no person doubts that it was a supernatural ap pearance.
It would be very easy to give an account of the dif ferent systems by which astrologers professed to be regulated. But the task would be equally unprofit able to our readers, and irksome to us. All the sys tems, as we have already hinted, proceed upon arbitrary principles ; and all of them, chimerical as they are, would require much greater labour, in the acquisition, than is necessary, in order to gain an acquaintance with the solid and sublime discoveries of astronomy.
The history of astrology is one of the most singular portions of the history of human knowledge, and might give rise to a variety of interesting reflections. Some curious information is to be found in Sextus Empiricus Adversus Mathemat. and in Ptolem. Centilog. Many in genious remarks are also contained in Bailly's Hist. de l'Astron. Ancienne et Moderne. Pererius, Erastus, Picus Mirandala, Gassendi, and many eminent authors, havg written against astrology.
Those who wish for additional information, may con sult Manilii Astronomicon. Diodor. Sicztl. Fabricii Bibl. Griec. Voss. de Theolog. Gent. Pontan. de rebus crel. Eschiridi Summa Asir. jzidic. Phinella de .1Vatztrali Phi sion. Plan. Baptista Porta Phisiogn. Ccel.—Snecztlzinz Astrologice. Giuntius, Tract. judicandi revol. Natty. Campanella ?'strol. The Works of Lilly, Sibley, Rame say, Gadbury, Dariot, sir George Wharton, and sir C. Heydon. Agni Purana, presented to the Royal Society of London, by lady Jones. (A)*