CHAPTER I

THE TIME-MEASURE The planets, in their motions after birth, come into certain relations with the planets in the horoscope of birth, and also form aspects among themselves owing to the diversities of their motions in the Zodiac. In Astrological science there are two separate means of calculating the time of events, but both methods consist of bringing the body of one planet to the body or aspect of another, which process is called “Directing,” and the arc described by the moving body is called an “Arc of Direction.” The first of these methods is the discovery of Claudius Ptolemy, the famous mathematician and geographer, the author of the Syntaxis, as set forth in his work the Tetrabiblos, or Four Books on the influence of the Stars. This method had the support and confirmation of the great Kepler. It has respect to the rising, setting, and meridian passage of the planets after birth, whereby they are brought to the places or aspects of the planets in the Radix (the Root), which is the horoscope of birth. The limits and nature of this work do not permit of a thorough exposition of this method, which entails some little knowledge of spherical trigonometry, but the reader who desires to perfect himself therein is referred to the author’s work, entitled “Prognostic Astronomy.” A facile application of the method is here given, by which any one may, by the aid of the Tables of Houses, make certain of the more important calculations by rule of thumb, and predict thence the times of remarkable events. The principle involved is this: The number of degrees which pass over the meridian between the moment of birth and the rising or culminating of a planet, will equal the number of years which must elapse from birth until the influence of that planet becomes dominant. Thus, if Jupiter at birth is coming to the meridian, that is to say, if it be in the 10th, 11th, or 12th House, count the number of degrees between the meridian and Jupiter, and in so many years from the time of birth there will be an access of good fortune. Similarly, if Saturn or other of the malefic planets be coming to the meridian, the number of degrees between it and the Midheaven will indicate the age at which troubles will abound. Also, when the planets have passed the meridian, the measure is made in the same way, by bringing the Midheaven to the place of the planet, counting the degrees between the planet and Midheaven for the number of years at which it will operate. But the same and other planets may be directed to the horizon, by taking the Table of Houses for the latitude of the birthplace (Sect. I., chap. iii.) and finding therein under the column marked “Ascen.” (Ascendant) the longitude held by any of the planets. Observe then what degree is on the Midheaven in the column marked 10 (10th House), and count the number of degrees between this Midheaven and the Midheaven at birth. The result will give the age at which the effects of such planets will be experienced. Thus, for a person born in or near Liverpool or in the same latitude, suppose the Midheaven at birth to be in Scorpio 0, and Saturn to be in the 2nd House in Aquarius 8 degrees. I wish to bring Saturn to the horizon. In the Table of Houses I find that Aquarius 8 is on the Ascendant when Sagittarius 9 is on the Midheaven, and I therefore count from Scorpio 0 to Sagittarius 9. This gives the age of 39 years, and as Saturn is in the 2nd House at birth, I say that at 39 years of age the Subject would experience financial disaster, and because Saturn comes then to the Ascendant, I also say there would be serious illness and depression of spirits. When planets are setting at birth they are brought to the opposition of the Ascendant in a similar manner, only the opposite point of the zodiac must be found in the Tables under the Ascendant. Thus, if Mars were in the 7th House at birth in the 11th degree of Cancer, I find the opposite point (Capricornus 11) under the column of the Ascendant, and I note that Scorpio 19 is then on the Midheaven, so that from Scorpio 0 to Scorpio 19 gives 19 years, at which age the Subject would have a serious illness due to inflammatory action in the stomach and probably produced by overwork and worry, as indicated by the sign Cancer and the planet Mars, or if there be indications of an accident, then an accident by scalding with hot water or acids would be predicted. Planets are brought to the opposition of the Midheaven by counting the degrees which intervene between the longitude on the lower meridian at birth and that held by the planet. In all such directions the conjunctions of benefic planets are advantageous when directed to the Midheaven or Ascendant, and the conjunctions of the malefics are indicated of periods of bad fortune. The oppositions are uniformly evil, whether the planet involved in the direction be a benefic or malefic. (Sect. I., chap. iv.) These are the directions of the planets to the two Significators, the Midheaven and Ascendant. The Midheaven appertains to honours and credit, while the Ascendant has relation to the personal and bodily welfare and the general fortunes. To direct the Midheaven or Ascendant to the other aspects of the planets, such as the sextile, trine, semisquare or square, it is only necessary to note the degrees in which these aspects fall and bring them to the Midheaven or Ascendant as if the body of the planet were itself there, and in the manner already indicated. The Sun is directed after birth by its motion in the zodiac, which can be found in the Ephemeris for the year of birth, and the aspects it forms to the planets in the horoscope and in the daily progress should be tabulated. In most Ephemerides they are already calculated, so that the labour is considerably lightened. Each day after birth will represent one year of life, the mean motion of the Sun being about 1 degree per day. All that is necessary, therefore, is to count the number of days from birth to the date when the Sun forms an aspect, and that will give the age at which the planet aspected will produce its effects. As the Sun goes through the zodiac the other bodies make progress along with it, in which course they form aspects to the Midheaven, Ascendant, the Sun and Moon in the horoscope of birth. These are called “Secondary” directions, and in connection with the Sun’s aspects after birth, constituted the system in use among the Arabian astrologers. Minor periods of good and bad fortune, subsidiary to the above periodic influences, are taken from the Moon’s progress after birth, in which one day equals one year of life, and two hours equal one month. These directions of the Moon afford a monthly prognosis of the course of events, and are useful in the conduct of minor affairs in life. When they are contrary to the general trend and import of the periodic directions made to the Midheaven, Ascendant and Sun, they act indifferently, and frequently produce only passing benefits or annoyances; but when they are in agreement with the Primary Directions cited above, then they accentuate and define the nature and time of events. As if the Primaries be good and the Lunar directions evil, then there will be a predominance of good fortune with some current disturbances; but both being good there will be abundant success and satisfaction; while if the Primaries be evil and the Lunar directions good, the latter will serve only to moderate the effects for the time being of the Primary evil indications. An intelligent apercu of the principles of directing will greatly enhance the value of any prognostications made from the horoscope of birth, as it will enable the student to select those periods in the life when the effects due to any planet are most likely to eventuate. Thus, if Saturn be in the 2nd House at birth, it may be said that there would follow some periods of great financial stress, and the rising of Saturn by direction after birth would show the time when one, at all events, of such periods would be experienced. And here is the great fact upon which astrologers the world over are prepared to stand or fall. If the planets have no effect in the lives of men, their directions to the angles of the horoscope can have no effect; but never was it found that a man had evil fortunes at the period when the planet Jupiter was directed to the Midheaven or Ascendant, or anything but bad fortune when Saturn was similarly directed. The fact is there, and we cannot get away from it. The only question is as to how far we can intelligently carry our investigations beyond that point, and intelligibly convey our discoveries to the world by their application to the affairs of daily life. The reader may judge for himself from a perusal of these pages. The directions being calculated and tabulated in order of their occurrence, the time and general nature of the influences operating in successive periods of the life will stand revealed. The particular nature of the events indicated by the several directions may be known from (_a_) the House in which the directed planet is situated; (_b_) the Sign it occupies; and (_c_) the aspect it forms, considered in relation to the nature of the planet. For example: If Uranus at birth were in the 9th House and the sign Gemini, its direction to the Midheaven would be the index of litigation in connection with writings, publications, or means of transit; because the 9th House, among other things, has relation to litigation and legal affairs, and Gemini (the 3rd House sign) to communications, writings, &c., while Uranus denotes sudden and unexpected events, ruptures, alienations, and complexities. So if Saturn were in the 6th House in the sign Aquarius, its direction to the opposition of the Ascendant would indicate chills to the blood, anemia, &c., constituting a serious illness with probability of low fever; because the 6th House rules sickness, and Aquarius rules the blood, while Saturn is the cause of chills, paucity, and impediments. Thus the time and nature of events may be known with great certainty.