The science of the stars / by Alfred J. Pearce.

  • Pearce, James Alfred, 1805-1862.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The science of the stars / by Alfred J. Pearce. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    truth in an ostrologia sana; it was the result of the corruption of astrology by the mediaeval astrologers who degraded it into a system of mere fortune-telling; and the astonishing advance of other sciences opening up lucrative pursuits for clever men, astrology was aban- doned to the illiterate. Nevertheless, it is on record that the first astronomer-royal, Flamstead, practised and believed in astrology, for he selected an auspicious moment for the laying of the foundation-stone of Green- wich Observatory (when Jupiter, “the greater fortune,” was rising), and a map of the heavens drawn by his own hand may be seen among his MSS., carefully pre- served at the Royal Observatory.2 Some learned astronomer, in evident ignorance of its meaning, has pencilled in the words “ risum teneatis amici” It is also on record that Newton became attracted to the study of mathematics and astronomy by the contem- plation of an astrological figure of the heavens. The astronomers of the present day appear to know little or nothing of astrology. The late Sir David Brewster said that—“ In attempting to reduce astrology to the form of a science, there can be little doubt that the inductive method was never followed.” Mr. Proctor has expressed his impression that the ancient astrologers “ guessed the influences of special planets from colour, appearance, motion, etc., and having no real knowledge to check them, they formulated what they supposed to be a system.” These utterly mistaken notions are com- pletely refuted by the disclosures of the cuneiform in- scriptions, which prove that the phenomena of the weather were observed and recorded together with the 'l A fac simile of this map is given in « The Text-Book of Astrology,” vol i., p. 20. B2