proceeds from "the god of this world," and not from the God of the Bible. The Lieutenant would gladly bring me from the Chronicle to the Athenæum: but I mean, with the blessing of Heaven, to fulfil the pledge I have given, and not to leave the subject, till I have fully unmasked THIS MONSTER, ASTROLOGY— till I have exhibited its hideous deformity, and furnished honest minds with plain arguments, by which they may be preserved from this "pestilence which walketh in darkness" (Psalm xci.)

I have thought it right to make allusion to certain works, published by Lieutenant Morrison, under the name of Zadkiel, and in this, have violated no pledge given to that gentleman.* The Grammar of Astrology is his own acknowledged production; and at the commencement of the discussion, he spoke of Zadkiel's astrological tables as his performance; he declared himself an enemy to common fortune-telling, and added that he had recently burnt a pack of cards used in his own kitchen for that purpose. In answer to this, I read from the "Horoscope," the following anecdote :

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"ANECDOTE OF A LIVERPOOL FORTUNE TELLER.-The following occurrence took place within these few months, and, as we happened to know more than one of the parties, we can vouch

*The Lieut. remarks in his second letter, that "private conversation is not public property.".

for its authenticity.-A sailor was about to be married to a young woman in Liverpool, of whose true character he had no certain knowledge. She had gained his affections, and had so far prevailed on him as to induce him to promise to place all his money in her hands, which he was about to do on the following day, when they were to be married. But an acquaintance of the sailor happening to have heard something against the girl's character, told him what he had heard the night previous to the intended wedding, and as it was then too late to make other enquiries, farther than of the girl herself, who strenuously denied all that was said, the sailor and his friend agreed to consult a fortune teller on the subject. They went immediately to one, and she told them that the young woman had had a child; and, in short, confirmed all the accusations against her, and described her person accurately. The sailor delayed the marriage, and went to sea. On his return, he found that the fortune teller had been quite correct; and he was thus saved the misery and injury he would otherwise have suffered. The girl, however, learned the cause of her disappointment, and vowed to be revenged on the old woman. And, as the fortune teller has since been sent to prison, we have no doubt that she kept her vow. Thus, the old woman has met that punishment which too often follows on doing good deeds; for it will hardly be denied that she did the sailor a service, and that her art therein was the means of checking vice."-109.

I do not wish to trouble my readers with more quotations than necessary, but I think the following advertisement at the end of the Grammar of Astrology demands attention:

"Raphael's Royal Book of Fate; Queen Elizabeth's Oracle of Future Events!!!-A work of the greatest interest, illustrated with a large plate, containing sixty four quaint, antique, and musical emblems, relating to love, marriage, happiness, dreams fore

told, and all subjects of fate, chance, and mortal destiny. With five thousand correct answers to the most important questions of human life, performed in a simple pleasing manner, by the art of sortilogy, by cards, and by lots, or points, &c. &c. Third edition, to which is added Raphael's Nativity-[by whom reader?]-by ZADKIEL THE SEER, author of the Grammar of Astrology."

I now leave the public to judge whether Zadkiel the Seer be an enemy or a friend to common fortunetelling. In future I do not intend to reply to any thing Lieutenant Morrison may bring forward, unless it be direct argument connected with his favourite pursuit. I will not be diverted from my subject, nor will I attempt to interest the public mind with petty circumstances respecting myself. I have undertaken to refute astrology, and now proceed with my arguments against it.

The third chapter of the grammar relates to "The nature of the planets."-Here it is affirmed that persons whose minds are influenced by Herschel are unsettled in life, and very romantic, &c.; that those who are born under Saturn " are nervous, fearful, bashful, cowardly, melancholy, and given to shed tears their dispositions are thoughtful, malicious," &c.; that they who are born under Jupiter are cheerful and jovial; Mars is said to be "a very evil planet," and those born under him are of “ a rash and angry disposition." Venus is described as giving "a strong inclination for pleasure," so much so that

"the native often injures his health in its pursuit ;" and it is said that Mercury in the ascendant, " causes great restlessness and desire of change." The Sun's influence is affirmed to be similar to that of Mars, and if he be in the ascendant, he "causes a degree of pride;" and the sensual faculties are declared to depend wholly on the Moon.-It is written (Psalm xix.) that "The heavens declare the glory of God," and I therefore scruple not to assert that the man whọ dares to ascribe to the SUPREME BEING the creation of such influences as these, is guilty of blasphemy; and let him who will thus impiously speak and write concerning the works of God, not complain, if hereafter he find his Maker to be a consuming fire. "For he who will be cheated to the last, Delusions, strong as hell, shall bind him fast.”

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Where

But whence arose this visionary fabric? must we look for its original projectors? I answer, to the ancient heathens, who transferred the names and qualities of their principal deities to those beautiful orbs that roll through the immensity of space, round the centre of our system; and their imaginary influences over mundane affairs of course soon followed; and successive astrologers, bringing to these assumptions the reveries of a daring speculation, and reasoning upon planetary influence from some wild. supposed analogies, at last framed a system, which

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became a pest to the world, and the derision of the enlightened in succeeding ages. The rapid movement of the nearest planet to the Sun suggested the name of Mercury, the messenger of the gods; the fair splendour of the other interior planet, that of Venus, their frail and beautiful goddess; and from the red colour of Mars, they supposed he must preside over wars, and gave him the name of their martial god; and the next body, from his majestic appearance, and his describing so magnificent an orbit, must certainly be his father Jupiter; and, from the slow movement and pale lustre of the other remote planet, it was concluded he must be Jupiter's father-old cruel decrepid Saturn. We learn from Plutarch that Chrysippus and Cleanthes taught that the heavens, the earth, the air, and the sun were full of gods; and in conformity with this system, the Stoics taught that "the sun and stars are animated divinities, capable of foreseeing future events, and foretelling them to man." And even in these days of splendour, though illumined by the glories of science and religion, men, calling themselves Christians, not discerning the light around them, cling to the errors of the ancient pagans, and endeavour to support their unchristian cause, by principles brought from inaccessible regions, to grope their dark way to the counsels of the Deity, and fathom the purposes of