a history of science-2-第34章

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〃scientific〃　reading　of　the　stars。　Wharton's　predictions　are　much　less　verbose　than　Lilly's；　much　more　explicit；　and；　incidentally；　much　more　incorrect　in　this　particular　instance。　〃The　Moon　Lady　of　the　12；〃　he　wrote；　〃and　moving　betwixt　the　8　degree；　34　min。；　and　21　degree；　26　min。　of　Aquarius；　gives　us　to　understand　that　His　Majesty　shall　receive　much　contentment　by　certain　Messages　brought　him　from　foreign　parts；　and　that　he　shall　receive　some　sudden　and　unexpected　supply　of　。　。　。　by　the　means　of　some　that　assimilate　the　condition　of　his　Enemies：　And　withal　this　comfort；　that　His　Majesty　shall　be　exceeding　successful　in　Besieging　Towns；　Castles；　or　Forts；　and　in　persuing　the　enemy。　〃Mars　his　Sextile　to　the　Sun；　Lord　of　the　Ascendant　（which　happeneth　the　18　day　of　May）　will　encourage　our　Soldiers　to　advance　with　much　alacrity　and　cheerfulness　of　spirit；　to　show　themselves　gallant　in　the　most　dangerous　attempt。。。。　And　now　to　sum　up　all：　It　is　most　apparent　to　every　impartial　and　ingenuous　judgment；　That　although　His　Majesty　cannot　expect　to　be　secured　from　every　trivial　disaster　that　may　befall　his　army；　either　by　the　too　much　Presumption；　Ignorance；　or　Negligence　of　some　particular　Persons　（which　is　frequently　incident　and　unavoidable　in　the　best　of　Armies）；　yet　the　several　positions　of　the　Heavens　duly　considered　and　compared　among　themselves；　as　well　in　the　prefixed　Scheme　as　at　the　Quarterly　Ingresses；　do　generally　render　His　Majesty　and　his　whole　Army　unexpectedly　victorious　and　successful　in　all　his　designs；　Believe　it　（London）；　thy　Miseries　approach；　they　are　like　to　be　many；　great；　and　grievous；　and　not　to　be　diverted；　unless　thou　seasonably　crave　Pardon　of　God　for　being　Nurse　to　this　present　Rebellion；　and　speedily　submit　to　thy　Prince's　Mercy；　Which　shall　be　the　daily　Prayer　of　Geo。　Wharton。〃＇7＇　In　the　light　of　after　events；　it　is　probable　that　Wharton's　stock　as　an　astrologer　was　not　greatly　enhanced　by　this　document；　at　least　among　members　of　the　Royal　family。　Lilly's　book；　on　the　other　hand；　became　a　favorite　with　the　Parliamentary　army。　After　the　downfall　and　death　of　Napoleon　there　were　unearthed　many　alleged　authentic　astrological　documents　foretelling　his　ruin。　And　on　the　death　of　George　IV。；　in　1830；　there　appeared　a　document　（unknown；　as　usual；　until　that　time）　purporting　to　foretell　the　death　of　the　monarch　to　the　day；　and　this　without　the　astrologer　knowing　that　his　horoscope　was　being　cast　for　a　monarch。　A　full　account　of　this　prophecy　is　told；　with　full　belief；　by　Roback；　a　nineteenth…century　astrologer。　He　says：　〃In　the　year　1828；　a　stranger　of　noble　mien；　advanced　in　life；　but　possessing　the　most　bland　manners；　arrived　at　the　abode　of　a　celebrated　astrologer　in　London；〃　asking　that　the　learned　man　foretell　his　future。　〃The　astrologer　complied　with　the　request　of　the　mysterious　visitor；　drew　forth　his　tables；　consulted　his　ephemeris；　and　cast　the　horoscope　or　celestial　map　for　the　hour　and　the　moment　of　the　inquiry；　according　to　the　established　rules　of　his　art。　〃The　elements　of　his　calculation　were　adverse；　and　a　feeling　of　gloom　cast　a　shade　of　serious　thought；　if　not　dejection；　over　his　countenance。　〃　'You　are　of　high　rank；'　said　the　astrologer；　as　he　calculated　and　looked　on　the　stranger；　'and　of　illustrious　title。'　The　stranger　made　a　graceful　inclination　of　the　head　in　token　of　acknowledgment　of　the　complimentary　remarks；　and　the　astrologer　proceeded　with　his　mission。　〃The　celestial　signs　were　ominous　of　calamity　to　the　stranger；　who；　probably　observing　a　sudden　change　in　the　countenance　of　the　astrologer；　eagerly　inquired　what　evil　or　good　fortune　had　been　assigned　him　by　the　celestial　orbs。　'To　the　first　part　of　your　inquiry；'　said　the　astrologer；　'I　can　readily　reply。　You　have　been　a　favorite　of　fortune；　her　smiles　on　you　have　been　abundant；　her　frowns　but　few；　you　have　had；　perhaps　now　possess；　wealth　and　power；　the　impossibility　of　their　accomplishment　is　the　only　limit　to　the　fulfilment　of　your　desires。'　〃　〃　'You　have　spoken　truly　of　the　past；'　said　the　stranger。　'I　have　full　faith　in　your　revelations　of　the　future：　what　say　you　of　my　pilgrimage　in　this　lifeis　it　short　or　long？'　〃　'I　regret；'　replied　the　astrologer；　in　answer　to　this　inquiry；　'to　be　the　herald　of　ill；　though　TRUE；　fortune；　your　sojourn　on　earth　will　be　short。'　〃　'How　short？'　eagerly　inquired　the　excited　and　anxious　stranger。　〃　'Give　me　a　momentary　truce；'　said　the　astrologer；　'I　will　consult　the　horoscope；　and　may　possibly　find　some　mitigating　circumstances。'　〃Having　cast　his　eyes　over　the　celestial　map；　and　paused　for　some　moments；　he　surveyed　the　countenance　of　the　stranger　with　great　sympathy；　and　said；　'I　am　sorry　that　I　can　find　no　planetary　influences　that　oppose　your　destinyyour　death　will　take　place　in　two　years。'　〃The　event　justified　the　astrologic　prediction：　George　IV。　died　on　May　18；　1830；　exactly　two　years　from　the　day　on　which　he　had　visited　the　astrologer。〃＇8＇　This　makes　a　very　pretty　story；　but　it　hardly　seems　like　occult　insight　that　an　astrologer　should　have　been　able　to　predict　an　early　death　of　a　man　nearly　seventy　years　old；　or　to　have　guessed　that　his　well…groomed　visitor　〃had；　perhaps　now　possesses；　wealth　and　power。〃　Here　again；　however；　the　point　of　view　of　each　individual　plays　the　governing　part　in　determining　the　importance　of　such　a　document。　To　the　scientist　it　proves　nothing；　to　the　believer　in　astrology；　everything。　The　significant　thing　is　that　it　appeared　shortly　AFTER　the　death　of　the　monarch。

On　the　Continent　astrologers　were　even　more　in　favor　than　in　England。　Charlemagne；　and　some　of　his　immediate　successors；　to　be　sure；　attempted　to　exterminate　them；　but　such　rulers　as　Louis　XI。　and　Catherine　de'　Medici　patronized　and　encouraged　them；　and　it　was　many　years　after　the　time　of　Copernicus　before　their　influence　was　entirely　stamped　out　even　in　official　life。　There　can　be　no　question　that　what　gave　the　color　of　truth　to　many　of　the　predictions　was　the　fact　that　so　many　of　the　prophecies　of　sudden　deaths　and　great　conflagrations　were　known　to　have　come　truein　many　instances　were　made　to　come　true　by　the　astrologer　himself。　And　so　it　happened　that　when　the　prediction　of　a　great　conflagration　at　a　certain　time　culminated　in　such　a　conflagration；　many　times　a　second　but　less…important　burning　took　place；　in　which　the　ambitious　astrologer；　or　his　followers；　took　a　central　part　about　a　stake；　being　convicted　of　incendiarism；　which　they　had　committed　in　order　that　their　prophecies　might　be　fulfilled。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　these　predictions　were　sometimes　turned　to　account　by　interested　friends　to　warn　certain　persons　of　approaching　dangers。　For　example；　a　certain　astrologer　foretold　the　death　of　Prince　Alexander　de'　Medici。　He　not　only　foretold　the　death；　but　described　so　minutely　the　circumstances　that　would　attend　it；　and　gave　such　a　correct　description　of　the　assassin　who　should　murder　the　prince；　that　he　was　at　once　suspected　of　having　a　hand　in　the　assassination。　It　developed　later；　however；　that　such　was　probably　not　the　case；　but　that　some　friend　of　Prince　Alexander；　knowing　of　the　plot　to　take　his　life；　had　induced　the　astrologer　to　foretell　the　event　in　order　that　the　prince　might　have　t