g any man: thus, by catching him alone
and swearing Naboth spake evil against God and the King. Therefore (!) I
admit no strangers to a personal conference without a prepayment of 20s.
each. Had you attended to my former notice you would have received twice as
much: neglect this and you will lose all."

ON MODERN ASTROLOGY.

Zadkiel's Almanac for 1849. Nineteenth number.

Raphael's Prophetic Almanac for 1849. Twenty-ninth number.

Reasons for belief in judicial astrology, and remarks on the dangerous
character of popish priestcraft. London, 1849, 12mo.

Astronomy in a nutshell: or the leading problems of the solar system
solved by simple proportion only, on the theory of magnetic attraction.
By Lieut. Morrison,[85] N. N. London (_s. a._) 12mo.

{44}

Lieut. Morrison is Zadkiel Tao Sze, and declares himself in real earnest an
astrologer. There are a great many books on astrology, but I have not felt
interest enough to preserve many of them which have come in my way. If
anything ever had a fair trial, it was astrology. The idea itself is
natural enough. A human being, set down on this earth, without any
tradition, would probably suspect that the heavenly bodies had something to
do with the guidance of affairs. I think that any one who tries will
ascertain that the planets do not prophesy: but if he should find to the
contrary, he will of course go on asking. A great many persons class
together belief in astrology and belief in apparitions: the two things
differ in precisely the way in which a science of observation differs from
a science of experiment. Many make the mistake which M. le Marquis made
when he came too late, and hoped M. Cassini[86] would do the eclipse over
again for his ladies. The apparition chooses its own time, and comes as
seldom or as often as it pleases, be it departed spirit, nervous
derangement, or imposition. Consequently it can only be observed, and not
experimented upon. But the heavens, if astrology be true, are prophesying
away day and night all the year round, and about every body. Experiments
can be made, then, except only on rare phenomena, such as eclipses: anybody
may choose his time and his question. This is the great difference: and
experiments were made, century after century. If astrology had been true,
it must have lasted in an ever-improving state. If it be true, it is a
truth, and a useful truth, which had experience and prejudice both in its
f