ut 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 true--in 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 timely warning and so elude the conspirators.

The cause of the decline of astrology was the growing prevalence of the
new spirit of experimental science. Doubtless the most direct blow was
dealt by the Copernican theory. So soon as this was established, the
recognition of the earth's subordinate place in the universe must
have made it difficult for astronomers to be longer deceived by such
coincidences as had sufficed to convince the observers of a more
credulous generation. Tycho Brahe was, perhaps, the last astronomer
of prominence who was a conscientious practiser of the art of the
astrologer.

VII. FROM PARACELSUS TO HARVEY

PARACELSUS

In the year 1526 there appeared a new lecturer on the platform at the
University at Basel--a small, beardless, effeminate-looking person--who
had already inflamed all Christendom with his peculiar philosophy, his
revolutionary meth