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CHAPTER II.

Click to enlarge
Fig. 1.

EXPLANATION.--In the above figure the ANGLES and the succeedent and cadent houses appear at one view. The 1st house embraces 24° of longitude in the zodiac, viz. from ♎ 0° 0' to ♎ 24°; the 2nd house contains 30°, viz. from ♎ 24° to ♏ 240; the 3d house contains 36°, viz. from ♏ 24° to

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[paragraph continues] ♑ 0° 0', being 6° of ♏ and the whole of ♐; the 4th house contains 36°, viz. the whole of ♑ and 6° of ♒; the 5th house contains 30°, viz. from ♒ 6° to ♓ 6°; and the 6th house contains 24°, viz. from ♓ 6° to the end of that sign, or ♈ 0° 0'.--N.B. The other six houses will be found to embrace exactly the same number of degrees of the opposite signs of the zodiac; the 7th being opposite to the 1st, the 8th to the 2d, &c. If the student look for ♋ 0° 0' on the 10th house in the table of houses for London, he will find the longitude of the six eastern houses, as here noted; and, of course, the six opposite or western houses have the same degrees of the opposite signs on their cusps.

OF ERECTING A FIGURE OF THE HEAVENS.

THIS is merely a map to represent the heavens at any particular moment, such as when a child is born, or a question asked, &c. In the first place, draw three circles, as in figure 1; and then draw lines to represent the horizon, and others, at right angles with them, to represent the meridian: thus will be shewn, the natural divisions formed by the rising and setting of the Sun, and by his passing the meridian at noon and midnight. Each of these quarters or quadrants is to be again divided into three equal parts, forming

The Twelve Houses.

These are marked from No. 1 to No. 12; and it will be observed, that the double lines 1 and 7, which represent the eastern and western horizons, and those marked 4 and 10, which represent the meridians below and above the Earth, are the cusps or commencement of the angles. Those lines numbered 2, 5, 8, and 1l, are the cusps of the succeedents, so called because they follow or succeed to the angles. These houses are next in power to the angles. Those lines marked 3, 6, 9, and 12, are the cusps or beginnings of the cadent 

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houses; so called because they are cadent, that is, falling from the angles: these are the weakest of all the houses.

Thus the student will perceive, that if a planet, &c. be in one of the angles, it is powerful; if in a succeedent house, it is less powerful; and if in a cadent house, it is weak and in capable of effecting much either good or evil.

Rule to erect the Figure of the Heavens at any Time.

1. Learn in an ephemeris 1 for the year what was the right ascension of ☉ at the noon previous to the required time, in hours, minutes, and seconds. To this right ascension add the number of hours and minutes which have elapsed since that noon: 2 the sum will be the right ascension in time of the meridian above the Earth (the mid-heaven) at the required time.

2. Find the longitude answering to this right ascension, in the column marked 10th house in the Table of Houses, which longitude is to be marked over the line which denotes the mid-heaven or 10th house.

3. In a line with this will be found the longitude on the cusps of the 11th, 12th, 1st, 2d, and 3d houses; which copy out from the table, and enter over the lines which denote those respective houses.

4. Having thus completed the six eastern houses, find the signs and degrees exactly opposite to each of them, and enter it over the cusps of the opposite or western houses, in the following order:--

5. Having thus completed the figure, as far as regards the signs of the zodiac, it now remains to place in the planets as they may be situated. The most distant from the ☉ is ♅, whose longitude is generally given in the ephemeris for each ten days, and if the time of the figure fall between it, it must be found by proportion. When his longitude is found, write it in the figure, thus, ♅ 13° 19', just by the cusp of the house, which falls in the same sign. in which ♅ is found. If the cusp be farther on than the planet in the sign, place the planet outside the cusp; but if the planet be the farthest advanced in the sign, place it inside the cusp. After having entered ♅, enter in the same way ♄, then ♃, ♂, ☉, ♀ and the ☽. To find the exact longitude of these seven, which is usually given for the noon of each day, find the distance they travel in longitude between the two noons preceding and succeeding the time of erecting the figure; and then take the proportional part for the time after the previous noon, and add it to, (or if the planet be retrograde subtract it from), the planet's longitude for the previous noon.

6. Find the longitude of ☊ in the same manner, and enter it accordingly, and place ☋ in the sign and degree and minute exactly opposite thereto.

7. If it be a horary question, calculate the place of ⊕, and enter it accordingly; when the figure of heaven will be complete. But if it be a nativity, you must calculate the ⊕ according to the rule given, first having prepared a Speculum, or Table of Data, as taught in Chap. 9 of the Grammar of Astrology.

Footnotes

22:1 Ephemeris signifies a journal or Almanac, in which the places of the planets, &c. for each day are registered. For all years before 1834, White's is the best.

22:2 This time must first be corrected for the error of the clock, by, adding what the clock is too slow, or subtracting what it is too fast.