the moment of his birth. As, of course, these calculations would continually deceive the calculators, it was very natural that endeavours should be made (overlooking the possibility that the system might be false from the beginning) to ascertain the cause of these failures. This was soon believed to arise from a want of correctness in the calculation of the planetary motions—a fact which would speedily be suspected and then ascertained. This produced the utmost exertion of human ingenuity, to discover the exact length of the periods of the planets: that is, in other words, to perfect the science of astronomy. In the course of these proceedings it was discovered, or believed to be discovered, that the motions of the planets were liable to certain aberrations, which it was thought would bring on ruin to the whole system, at some future day. Perhaps by reasoning on the character of the Deity they might be induced to believe this to be incorrect, or at least to doubt it, and this would at last be confirmed by the discovery that what appeared, in some instances, to be aberrations, were periodical; and this at last produced the knowledge, or the belief, that every aberration was periodical—that the idea of the system containing within itself the seeds of its own destruction was a mistake. Whether they arrived at the point of calculating the exact period of every apparent aberration may be doubtful; but it is very clear they believed that the nearer they got to this point, the nearer to the truth would be the calculation of nativities or of the fortunes of mankind, made from the planetary motions. Experience would teach them that they never could be certain they had discovered all the aberrations, and thus they never could be certain that they had calculated all the periods. They would also perceive that the longer they made their cycles or periods the nearer they came to the truth. For this reason it was, and it was a sensible reason, that they adopted the very long periods: for it was evident that, in every one of the lengthened periods, multiples of 600, the cycle of the Sun and Moon would be included, and with it would make a cycle. When our priests can discover, or suppose, no other reason for these lengthened periods than a wish to appear the most ancient of nations, I fear they estimate the understandings of those who discovered the Neros, by the measure of their own.
I do not pretend to shew how our modern astrologers tell their friends’ fortunes, (for, be it observed, these gentlemen never pretend to tell their own, from which defect they sometimes get hanged,) but the ancients proceeded, as Mons. Dupuis[1] has shewn, on a very ingenious plan, and, if their data had been true, a very certain one. Believing that all nature was cycloidal, or periodical, as Virgil says—every thing will be renewed—new Iliums, new Argonauts, &c.—they supposed that if they knew in what part of a planet’s cycle a thing had formerly happened, they could ascertain when it would happen again. And though this does not prove the truth of judicial astrology, it certainly removes much of its absurdity; for, though the reason is false, it is not foolish. Soon after the discovery of the last of the primary planets, an astrologer called on a friend of the author’s who was well known to be a skilful calculator, and requested him to calculate for him the periodical motions of the newly-discovered planet; observing, it was probable that the want of the knowledge and use of its motions was the cause that, in judicial astrology, the predictions so often failed. Here is a beautiful modern exemplification of the ancient reasoning which I have just given above.
I am always rejoiced when I find my theories supported by learned Christian dignitaries. I then flatter myself that they cannot be the produce of a too prurient imagination. Bishop Horsley could not help seeing the truth, that the fourth Eclogue of Virgil referred to the child to whom the kings of the Magi came to offer presents. In the second volume[2] of Sermons, he has undertaken to prove that this Eclogue is founded on old traditions respecting Jesus Christ, and that he
