Astrology, which Mr. [G. O.] Fisher defines as "the Science of the Stars," is generally accepted as meaning the art of foretelling future events from the aspects and conjunctions of the heavenly bodies; and it is tolerably ancient, if there is truth in the tradition that Adam was the first who practised it. Josephus tells us that Seth, having learned from his parent that everything on earth should perish either by fire or water, engraved this knowledge on a column of stone, which both Josephus and his predecessor Manetho declare to have existed in their own days. Josephus further states that the art was taught by Enoch and Noah, who preserved it to the days of Abraham, by whom it was imparted to the Chaldæans and Egyptians. When Alexander the Great took Babylon, he is said to have found there astronomical calculations for 1,903 years, that is, reaching back to within 115 years of the Deluge. Sir Isaac Newton informs us that, when astronomy had been applied to the purposes of navigation, and the Egyptians had learned by it to determine the length of the solar year, an African prince, with the aid of a priest from Egypt, laid the foundation of astrological science, "basing it not only on the positions but also on the peculiar appearances of the planets." When the Ethiopians subsequently invaded Egypt, and the people of that country fled in large numbers to Babylon, they carried along with them this knowledge, which they imparted to the Babylonians.

Among the Magi of Persia astrology was cultivated to the highest degree of perfection, and it is said that an astrologer of that country named Al Hakim, or "the Wise," five centuries before the Christian era, foretold the birth of the Messiah and of Mahomet, and the end of the Magian religion. The modern Persians are most devoted followers of the astral sciences, though they have only one term to denote astronomy and astrology. In China the study of the stars has been pursued from the earliest times; and the Indians, the Buddhists, and the people of Siam, have always been devoted to it.

Philostratus tells us that it was practised in Greece as early as B.C. 1184, and Diodorus Siculus declares that it was introduced into that country by Hercules. Plutarch asserts that Hesiod was a student of the art; and among its later students and professors were Thales, Democritus, Pythagoras, Plato, Porphyry, Aristotle, and Proclus. Of Thales we are told by Aristotle, in the first book of his "Politics," a story which may illustrate the above assertion. Being scoffed at for the profitless character of his philosophy, he turned his attention to the study of the heavens, when he found that the next summer was destined to be marked by an abundant crop of olives. Accordingly, he hired beforehand at a cheap rate all the shops and depositories for the making of oil, and, having got them into his hands, made a large fortune when the season for gathering olives came round. Having thus turned the tables on the scoffers, he gave away all the money that he had made to the poor. This was indeed to turn astrological science to a good practical account. And on this ground Hippocrates, whose works Galen says are almost inspired, used to say that the man who despised this art was more of a fool than of a physician.

Among the Romans, astrology was early known and practised; but Augustus, on coming to the throne, banished its professors from the imperial city. Tiberius, however, studied it deeply, and prophesied to Galba, the consul, that he should one day wear the purple. Virgil, Cicero, and Horace all mention astrological practices with more or less of approval; and Manilius, towards the end of the reign of Augustus, wrote in praise of it his "Astronomicon," in five books. Under Nero, Vitellius, and Domitian, the edict of Augustus was revived, those emperors doubtless considering that it was pleasanter for guilty consciences to live on in ignorance of "the book of fate." Vespasian, however, cultivated the art, and foretold the assassination of Domitian; and Suetonius tells us that the year, day, and hour of that event were predicted by the astrologers. Hadrian was "profoundly skilled in the occult arts," and in his reign Claudius Ptolemy wrote in his "Tetrabiplos," or "Four Books on the Stars," a complete digest of the science. Under Antoninus the study still flourished, and a little later Censorinus wrote his treatise "De Die Natali," a work of which Vossius speaks in the highest terms of praise.

Passing to Africa, we find that astrology and magic have always found a congenial home, and Eastern tales invariably speak of the African tribes as more powerful and more malevolent in these arts than other nations. The Ethiopians are said to have obtained, or, at all events, improved their knowledge of the art from the Sheban Queen of the South, who visited Solomon at his court for the purpose, as we are told, of "listening to his wisdom." The Arabians, too, cultivated astral science eagerly, and various works on that subject by Arabian writers are even now in existence. When the Moors passed into Spain, they took with them the knowledge of the occult sciences; and before the expulsion of the Moors from that country, Alfonso the Wise, King of Castile, obtained great fame through his scientific research. "He sent," writes Mr. Fisher, "for Christian and Jewish professors from all parts of Europe to arrange the astronomical tables known by his name; he is said to have expended 400,000 ducats in arranging and correcting the observations of Ptolemy; and two cabalistic volumes in cypher yet remaining in the Royal Library at Madrid are believed to have been written by his own hand."

The Venerable Bede and Alcuin, in our Saxon days, pursued the science to some extent; and amongst other followers of it occur the well-known names of Cornelius Agrippa, Jerome Cardan, of Milan; Didacus Placidus de Tito, an Italian monk, author of the "Primum Mobile;" Kepler, Melancthon, Tycho Brahe, and Albrecht von Wallenstein, Duke of Friedland. Coming to our own country, we have among the English astrologers very many of the men of greatest note in the mathematical and philosophic world—Oliver of Malmesbury, Herbert of Lorraine, John of Hexham, Simeon of Durham, Sigidius of St. Albans, Roger Bacon of Oxford, John of Halifax, Michael Scot, Duns Scotus, King Richard II., who is said to have been the author of a MS. on the subject "still in His Majesty's Library at St. James's;" Richard of Wallingford, Abbot of St. Albans; William Rede, afterwards Bishop of Chichester; John Eschenden, John Somer, William of Wyrcester, Lewis Caerlyon, Geoffrey Chaucer, the "good" Duke of Gloucester, and Dr. John Dee, who died in 1572, &c.

In Scotland, the chief astrologer of the sixteenth century was James Bassantin, who is said by Sir James Melvill in his "Memoirs" to have foretold that it would be impossible to reconcile the two queens, Mary and Elizabeth, and that the Scottish queen would meet with "captivity and wreck" at the hands of her English cousin. The Scottish King James was no sooner seated on the throne of England as James I. than every class of occult science received a new stimulus. The King himself wrote a treatise on demonology; and in the time of his son and successor arose the celebrated William Lilly, whose works are still extant, and highly prized. He was "especially great," writes Mr. Fisher, "in the horary branch of astrology; and his prediction of the Great Plague and Fire of London, and his examination on the subject by a committee, are matters of history."

The following account of the proceedings taken by the House of Commons … will be especially interesting to my readers, so I give it in extenso:—

"Monday, 22nd October, 1666.—At the committee appointed to enquire after the causes of the late fires:—Ordered, that Mr. Lilly do attend this committee on Friday next, being the 25th of October, 1666, at two of the clock in the after-noon, in the Speaker's chamber, to answer such questions as shall be then and there asked him. Robert Brooke." In remarking on the circumstance he says: "I conceive there was never more civility used unto any than unto myself; and you know there was no small number of parliament men appeared when they heard I was to be there. Sir Robert Brooke spoke this purpose: 'Mr. Lilly, this committee thought fit to summon you to appear before them this day, to know if you can say anything as to the cause of the late fire, or whether there might be any design therein. You are called the rather hither because, in a book of yours long since printed, you hinted some such thing by one of your hieroglyphicks.' Unto which I replied, 'May it please your honours, after the beheading of the late king, considering that in the three subsequent years the parliament acted nothing which concerned the settlement of the nation's peace, and seeing the generality of the people dissatisfied, the citizens of London discontented, the soldiery prone to mutiny, I was desirous, according to the best knowledge God had given me, to make enquiry by the art I studied what might, from that time, happen unto the parliament and nation in general. At last, having satisfied myself as well as I could, and perfected my judgment therein, I thought it most convenient to signify my intentions and conceptions thereof in forms, shapes, types, hieroglyphicks, &c, without any commentary, that my judgment might be concealed from the vulgar, and made manifest only unto the wise; I herein imitating the examples of many wise philosophers who had done the like. Having found, sir, that the City of London should be sadly afflicted with a great plague, and not long after with an exorbitant fire, I framed these two hieroglyphicks, as represented in the book, which in effect have proved very true.' 'Did you foresee the year?' said one. 'I did not,' said I, 'or was desirous; of that I made no scrutiny.' I proceeded: 'Now, sir, whether there was any design of burning the city, or any employed to that purpose, I must deal ingenuously with you; that, since the fire, I have taken much pains in the search thereof, but cannot or could not give myself any the least satisfaction therein. I concluded that it was the finger of God only; but what instruments he used thereunto I am ignorant.' The committee seemed well pleased with what I spoke, and dismissed me with great civility."

Lilly was consulted by persons of every degree, from the king downwards, and it is very probable that, had Charles I. acted upon the advice which Lilly gave to him, instead of neglecting it, that the course of events then to occur would have been very different, and a great deal of what is now the history of England would never have been occasioned. Lilly, in January, 1649, was present at the trial of King Charles, "who spoke," says he, "excellently well." This remarkable man died on the 9th of June, 1681, "without any show of trouble or pangs." He was buried in the chancel of Walton Church, Surrey, his friend, Sir Elias Ashmole, assisting at the laying him in his grave, which was "on the left side of the communion table." I here give the inscription on his tomb:—

NE OBLIVIONE CONTERETUR URNA

GULIELMI LILLII

ASTROLOGI PERITISSIMI

QUI FATIS CESSIT

QUINTO IDUS JUNII ANNO CHRISTO JULIANO

MDCLXXXI

HOC ILLI POSUIT AMORIS MONUMENTUM

ELIAS ASHMOLE

ARMIGER.