c mind predictions of earthly events would surely seem no more miraculous than correct predictions as to the future movements of the sun； moon； and stars。 When astronomy had reached a stage of development so that such things as eclipses could be predicted with anything like accuracy； the occult knowledge of the astronomer would be unquestioned。 Turning this apparently occult knowledge to account in a mercenary way would then be the inevitable result； although it cannot be doubted that many of the astrologers； in all ages； were sincere in their beliefs。 Later； as the business of astrology became a profitable one； sincere astronomers would find it expedient to practise astrology as a means of gaining a livelihood。 Such a philosopher as Kepler freely admitted that he practised astrology 〃to keep from starving；〃 although he confessed no faith in such predictions。 〃Ye otherwise philosophers；〃 he said； 〃ye censure this daughter of astronomy beyond her deserts； know ye not that she must support her mother by her charms。〃 Once astrology had become an established practice； any considerable knowledge of astronomy was unnecessary； for as it was at best but a system of good guessing as to future events； clever impostors could thrive equally well without troubling to study astronomy。 The celebrated astrologers； however； were usually astronomers as well； and undoubtedly based many of their predictions on the position and movements of the heavenly bodies。 Thus； the casting of a horoscope that is； the methods by which the astrologers ascertained the relative position of the heavenly bodies at the time of a birthwas a simple but fairly exact procedure。 Its basis was the zodiac； or the path traced by the sun in his yearly course through certain constellations。 At the moment of the birth of a child； the first care of the astrologer was to note the particular part of the zodiac that appeared on the horizon。 The zodiac was then divided into 〃houses〃that is； into twelve spaceson a chart。 In these houses were inserted the places of the planets； sun； and moon； with reference to the zodiac。 When this chart was completed it made a fairly correct diagram of the heavens and the position of the heavenly bodies as they would appear to a person standing at the place of birth at a certain time。 Up to this point the process was a simple one of astronomy。 But the next stepthe really important onethat of interpreting this chart； was the one which called forth the skill and imagination of the astrologer。 In this interpretation； not in his mere observations； lay the secret of his success。 Nor did his task cease with simply foretelling future events that were to happen in the life of the newly born infant。 He must not only point out the dangers； but show the means whereby they could be averted； and his prophylactic measures； like his predictions； were alleged to be based on his reading of the stars。 But casting a horoscope at the time of births was； of course； only a small part of the astrologer's duty。 His offices were sought by persons of all ages for predictions as to their futures； the movements of an enemy； where to find stolen goods； and a host of everyday occurrences。 In such cases it is more than probable that the astrologers did very little consulting of the stars in making their predictions。 They became expert physiognomists and excellent judges of human nature； and were thus able to foretell futures with the same shrewdness and by the same methods as the modern 〃mediums；〃 palmists； and fortune…tellers。 To strengthen belief in their powers； it became a common thing for some supposedly lost document of the astrologer to be mysteriously discovered after an important event； this document purporting to foretell this very event。 It was also a common practice with astrologers to retain； or have access to； their original charts； cleverly altering them from time to time to fit conditions。 The dangers attendant upon astrology were of such a nature that the lot of the astrologer was likely to prove anything but an enviable one。 As in the case of the alchemist； the greater the reputation of an astrologer the greater dangers he was likely to fall into。 If he became so famous that he was employed by kings or noblemen； his too true or too false prophecies were likely to bring him into disreputeeven to endanger his life。 Throughout the dark age the astrologers flourished； but the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were the golden age of these impostors。 A skilful astrologer was as much an essential to the government as the highest official； and it would have been a bold monarch； indeed； who would undertake any expedition of importance unless sanctioned by the governing stars as interpreted by these officials。 It should not be understood； however； that belief in astrology died with the advent of the Copernican doctrine。 It did become separated from astronomy very shortly after； to be sure； and undoubtedly among the scientists it lost much of its prestige。 But it cannot be considered as entirely passed away； even to…day； and even if we leave out of consideration street…corner 〃astrologers〃 and fortune…tellers； whose signs may be seen in every large city； there still remains quite a large class of relatively intelligent people who believe in what they call 〃the science of astrology。〃 Needless to say； such people are not found among the scientific thinkers； but it is significant that scarcely a year passes that some book or pamphlet is not published by some ardent believer in astrology； attempting to prove by the illogical dogmas characteristic of unscientific thinkers that astrology is a science。 The arguments contained in these pamphlets are very much the same as those of the astrologers three hundred years ago； except that they lack the quaint form of wording which is one of the features that lends interest to the older documents。 These pamphlets need not be taken seriously； but they are interesting as exemplifying how difficult it is； even in an age of science； to entirely stamp out firmly established superstitions。 Here are some of the arguments advanced in defence of astrology； taken from a little brochure entitled 〃Astrology Vindicated；〃 published in 1898： It will be found that a person born when the Sun is in twenty degrees Scorpio has the left ear as his exceptional feature and the nose （Sagittarius） bent towards the left ear。 A person born when the Sun is in any of the latter degrees of Taurus； say the twenty…fifth degree； will have a small； sharp； weak chin； curved up towards Gemini； the two vertical lines on the upper lip。〃＇4＇ The time was when science went out of its way to prove that such statements were untrue； but that time is past； and such writers are usually classed among those energetic but misguided persons who are unable to distinguish between logic and sophistry。
In England； from the time of Elizabeth to the reign of William and Mary； judicial astrology was at its height。 After the great London fire； in 1666； a committee of the House of Commons publicly summoned the famous astrologer； Lilly； to come before Parliament and report to them on his alleged prediction of the calamity that had befallen the city。 Lilly； for some reason best known to himself； denied having made such a prediction； being； as he explained； 〃more interested in determining affairs of much more importance to the future welfare of the country。〃 Some of the explanations of his interpretations will suffice to show their absurdities； which； however； were by no means regarded as absurdities at that time； for Lilly was one of the greatest astrologers of his day。 He said that in 1588 a prophecy had been printed in Greek characters which foretold exactly the troubles of England between the years 1641。 and 1660。 〃And after him shall come a dreadful dead man；〃 ran the prophecy； 〃and with him a royal G of the best blood in the world； and he shall have the crown and shall set England on the right way and put out all heresies。 His interpretation of this was that； 〃Monkery being extinguished above eighty or ninety years； and the Lord General's name being Monk； is the dead man。 The royal G or C （it is gamma in the Greek； intending C in the Latin； being the third letter in the alphabet） is Charles II。； who； for his extraction； may be said to be of the best blood of the world。〃＇5＇ This may be taken as a fair sample of Lilly's interpretations of astrological prophesies； but many of his own writings； while somewhat more definite and direct； are still left sufficiently vague to allow his skilful interpretations to set right an apparent mistake。 One of his famous documents was 〃The Starry Messenger；〃 a little pamphlet purporting to explain the phenomenon of a 〃strange apparition of three suns〃 that were seen in London on November 19； 1644…the anniversary of the birth of Charles I。； then the reigning monarch。 This phenomenon caused a great stir among the English astrologers； coming； as it did； at a time of great political disturbance。 Prophecies were numerous； and Lilly's brochure is only one of many that appeared at that time； most of which； however； have been lost。 Lilly； in his preface； says： 〃If there be any of so prevaricate a judgment as to think that the apparition of these three Suns doth intimate no Nov