thrown down the gauntlets with a terrific defiance, inviting me to the combat.

Now Sir, though I admire a proper spirit on a proper occasion as much as any one can, yet I equally despise that foolish temerity which disregards consequences because it is destitute of sensibility, and indifferent, alike to truth or falsehood. Such bravado as this, in the defence of spurious principles and absurd opinions, arising from that indistinct. contemplation which emanates from the middle state between waking reality, and dreaming existence, is generally best treated by silence. But there are occasions which imperatively claim our active atten-. tion and animadversion, such as where the slanderer of true science in its present unprotected state, endeavors to effect its entire extermination by creating divisions amongst its admirers. Such an occasion as this demands. instant notice, and only from such a motive would I condescend to notice such a mass of error as Lilly, junr's.. letter. He may assure himself that it is of little importance, what he thinks, to those who are well grounded in the Ptolemean astrology, and that tucked as he is between the leaves of a ledger, or having his head in such, a tumult by the bare glance at the infant Marr's nativity, he is not likely to throw any very strong light upon the principles of the science in question.

But let me analise his letter. He says nothing regarding existing circumstances, but the amazing direction of the Sun to the midheaven could have raised Napo-. leon to such dominion. Now this is really so truly ridiculous that I am at a loss to comprehend how a man so profoundly unacquainted with astrology as he is, could have the hardihood to declare an opinion on the subject. I should think Sir, you have few scientific readers, who if called upon to investigate a nativity, that would pre

dict from directions without considering what the positions at birth portended generally. Sir, it is not the directions that shew the degree of good fortune; advancement is only to be known by an accurate observation of the scheme of birth, directions themselves having no quality, save good or bad in the general, but what they derive from the horoscope, and abstractedly considered relating to time only.

I have very little doubt but that there are some paupers in this metropolis, who have had such sympathetic configuration to their midheaven, without any extraordinary amelioration of their condition, and it is possible that even Lilly, jun. "while the powers of vitality and strength rush vigorously through his veins," may have such direction without acquiring one jot of dignity to his character, and still remaining in danger of his being crushed amid "his pile of papers in London."

The fact is, no man can advance to grandeur without fortunate positions, and to look for an elucidation from any other source is absurd.

I therefore do not scruple to say, that, following the immortal Ptolemy, who in his Chapter of Dignities bids us particularly regard the situation of the conditionary luminary, (the light of time) that if we can imagine for a moment Saturn in the tenth house of the figure, it effectually according to his rules will banish altogether, at any time, the possession of imperial power and sovereignty, totally preventing advancement, and reducing the native from the sphere of birth rather than anything else.

But what does Lilly, jun. mean by all the planets rising to angles? does he really know what is meant by a planet's rising to an angle? the truth is that of all the heavenly bodies, only two under his position would be so

placed, and then Saturn and Luna, more curious still, Luna is not the conditionary luminary, and Saturn is extremely weak and malevolent.

Planets are not said to rise to angles unless they are comprehended in the sphere of that angle, that is from the tenth to the eleventh, from the first to the second, As well might he say the instant one planet has passed the imum cæli or the eastern horizon that it is rising to the preceding angle.

His observation about cardinal signs on the angles is equally erroneous. Cardinal signs of themselves do nothing, it is the strength of the planets by being placed on their thrones, or aspecting the angles in the world, that elevates a man from poverty to glory. Let your correspondent read Ptolemy and he will find, as to dignities, nothing said about cardinal signs.

(To be continued.)

To the Editor of the Monthly Correspondent.

SIR,

As I consider the gentleman's nativity, Oct: 31st, 1787, as published in your last number, to be correct, from the agreement between the directions and the long train of events given for its rectification, I shall venture to make a few remarks upon it, though I have no doubt the gentleman possesses ability to judge for himself, from the correct manner in which he has set the figure; however, as I am sensible it is difficult to be impartial to ourselves, I shall in answer to his queries first observe, that the Moon in conjunction with Mars, and nearly in mundane sesquiquadrate to Mercury and Saturn, who are nearly in mundane and zodiacal square to each other, and the latter being lord of the 7th and 8th houses; and partly

of the 6th, and posited in the 8th, and the ascendant vitiated by the presence of the Georgian planet, and not assisted by any benefic rays, denotes but an indifferent state of bodily health, and I fear rather a short life, and it is one of those nativities which instead of requiring powerful directions to produce illness, requires good directions to preserve health, as it denotes a weak or afflicted viscera; and if the Moon had not been so strong in her own house and disposing of Mars, and the Sun in conjunction with Venus, I should have judged the native would have died in infancy, and as it is the 30th and 31st years will be extremely dangerous from the ascendant then coming by direction to the opposition of Saturn, and to the quartile of the Sun; and should the native survive 31 or 32 he will again have illness in his 35th and 36th years; but it is extremely difficult in many cases to determine how much affliction a person's constitution will bear before the vital spark is extinguished, though I should suppose if the native gets over 32, he cannot surmount the configurations in his 48th and 49th years.

As to the second question in respect to matrimony, there is nothing in this nativity to deny marriage, but it is one that promises but very little domestic comfort,. though the midheaven to the sextile of the Moon in the 27th year, followed by the Moon to the conjunction of Jupiter converse in the 28th year, will make those two years tolerably healthy, happy, and prosperous, and are likely to produce marriage followed by an offspring, as there is nothing to deny children; yet some enmity or discord may be expected just about twenty-seven and a half, from the Sun to the sesquiquadrate of Mars in the Zodiac, but it will be of short duration and not of a domestic nature, yet between 28 and 29 some family broils and discord or sickness will happen from the Moon No. VII. Dd

to the semiquartile to Jupiter, and the square of Venus in the Zodiac, and I thiuk upon the whole the nativity is not likely to produce much domestic harmony after that age.

In respect to the third query of what pursuit or profession the native had best follow, I would certainly recommend any active employ of trust or superintendence, or trust or management of any concern for others, or as a clerk, &c. instead of being in business on his own account, as it is not one of the most fortunate nativities I have seen, and the directions of the midheaven to the opposition of the Sun, and the ascendant to the same aspect to Saturn, would ruin the native in any business on his own account in the 30th or 31st years; therefore I should advise the native to prefer some situation as clerk or manager of any concern at least till after the above age.

I am, &c.

MERCURIUS.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Monthly Correspondent.

AGREEABLE to the request of your correspondent Lilly, Junr. I have sent you the nativity of Mrs. Marr, which will clearly prove the power and malevolence of the sesquiquadrate aspect, as the moon, the light of the time, it being a nocturnal geniture, is found exactly or within a quarter of a degree of the sesquiquadrate of Saturn, and the Sun is precisely the same distance from Mars, who is lord of the 8th, or house of death, and is also applying within three degrees of the sesquiquadrate of the Georgian planet, who is in conjunction with Mars, and both of them retrograde, and, in my opinion, it shews