Chapter VIII. HEALTH AND THE Hytec. Lencty or LIFE AND THE APHETA（续 2）

position and aspects are therefore far more important in the horoscope of a woman than in that of a man. It is also alleged to exercise considerable influence with very young children of both sexes, probably for the first seven vears of life.

3. The centre indicated by the Ptolemaic rule given above is always fmportant, whether it be exclusively hyleg or not.

The Aphela is an Arabic word used to signifiy that which supports life. Generally speaking any planet is aphetical that is in good aspect to the hyleg ; but aspects from planets in the first, fifth, ninth and tenth houses or from the lords of these, are especially to be desired. Jupiter and Mars impart energy and exuberant vitality when in good aspect to the hyleg, and indicate that vital force is rapidly generated. This not only causes a quick recovery after any exhausting labour or illness, but also tends to keep even infectious diseases at bay, and carries the native

through dangers that would prostrate or-kill other people. The good aspects of Saturn (and probably Uranus also) are extremely important to people who have passed middle age, as they regulate and harmonise the flow of the vital fluid, and, other things being equal, help greatly in carrying on the life into old age; but it is thought that they are less important with children. ‘The same remarks apply to a well-aspected hyleg in the Saturnian signs, Capricorn and Aquarius.

The Anarefa is that which takes away life. Generally speaking any planet is anaretic that afflicts the hyleg; but evil aspects from planets in the fourth, sixth, eighth and twelfth, or lords of these, are particularly bad for health. In this case the afflicting planets reverse the qualities that are indicated by good aspects. Mars and Jupiter in affliction of the hyleg increase heat in the system and give liability to diseases arising from fever, plethora, excesses; and this is worse in the case of the Sun than of the Moon, because the former body is naturally hot whereas the latter is cool. Saturn, and probably Uranus also, when afflicting deplete the system, lower the vitality, and lead to diseases arising from cold and from enfeebled constitution; they destroy that unity of action, that cooperation of functions, upon which the well-being of the body depends. Rheumatism, consumption, ague, cancer, paralysis, etc., have been known to be produced by them. They are worse when afflicting the Moon than when in bad aspect to the Sun, because the natural heat of the latter body can hold out against their action longer than the former.

In all these cases any planet in its own sign or house or in one in which it is well placed, has its malice very greatly lessened and its good aspects much increased in value.

The question of the probable length of life must also be considered here. It is impossible to judge this solely by directions, because if the constitution .is strong the native will live through evil periods that would kill one with a weak hyleg. A general inspection must therefore be made of the hylegiacal point or points in the horoscope of birth before the astrologer takes the question of directions into account at all. In fact this careful review of the birth map should have first consideration, not only when dealing with health but with all the other subjects with which the astrologer is called upon to deal, such as marriage, wealth, etc. Directions are always of secondary importance to radical indications; and it is highly probable that a fuller knowledge of the subject

may enable us to judge not merely the events of the life but also the K

times of their occurrence from the birth map alone, without needing to have recourse to any of the present-day systems of directing.

In dealing with this question of the probable length of life, it is convenient to divide natives, roughly speaking, into three classes: those that die young, in infancy or childhood; those that live to middle age; and those that endure to old age. ‘These are only intended as rough approximations for the convenience of the student, and not as scientific divisions. If the three points, Sun, Moon, and Ascendant, are all well aspected and free from affliction, or if that one of them which is ascertained to be hyleg is in this fortunate condition, old age may fairly be regarded as highly probable, and any evil directions in early life, although they may cause temporary illness, will not kill. If the reverse positions are found, however, and afflictions by far outnumber the good aspects, then death in early life will certainly result. But when the position and aspects of the hyleg are neither wholly evil nor wholly good; when the affliction is not so serious as to indicate death in infancy, and yet the hyleg is not so strong as to point to old age, the life may be conveniently regarded as likely to terminate in middle age. Considerable experience is necessary to enable the student to balance up the various indications in the way that is desirable here, for no book can possibly cover all the combinations and great variety of positions and aspects that are actually found in horoscopes. ‘The astrologer, too, will be wise to be extremely cautious in positively predicting death; not merely because the subject is a difficult one, but also because such a prediction is not a little alarming to most people; for the average person has not yet evolved to the point of regarding ‘peaceful and soothing death’ as a friend, and the announcement of his approach is likely to prove very unsettling, to diminish the vitality, and to increase the power of disease.

Since the first edition of this book was published we have often been asked what is the difference between the influence of houses in comparison with that of the szgms: for instance, say in one horoscope Saturn, afflicted, is in the second house; in another horoscope Saturn, similarly afflicted, is in Taurus: what is the similarity and what is the difference; will both natives suffer from disease of the throat, or only ene: and if both, which will be the greater sufferer? And we have been asked to give a series of delineations of the effects of each planet in

each one of the twelve houses (similar to those given in the next book of this series, where the influence of each planet in every sign is described), so that the reader can be in nodoubt. Now, in the first place, considerations of space preclude the adoption of this course, and secondly, it is not quite certain whether such a series would be of much practical help after all. This for a reason which we will try to make clear.

The relationship between signs and houses, as has been repeatedly stated, is that of ‘correspondence,’ or analogy, being similar to the relationship of one octave to another on the pianoforte—each house corresponds to each sign only because it is, in a kind of way, ‘the same thing only different ’—that is, the xoumenon behind each is identical, and only the plane of manifestation varies. That being soit is easy to see that one influence can be exalted or degraded to the other; just as personal interests may be expanded so as to serve the community, or public needs may be sacrificed to benefit an individual—these things we see around us in daily life. Consequently, it depends very much upon the individual how the influence will work out; thus, Saturn in Taurus may operate in one case exactly as would Saturn in the second house ; and, vice versa, Saturn in the second house may in some cases act just as would Saturn in Taurus with the majority of people.

To take another instance, Mars in Aries or in the Ascendant. Both these positions incline to impulsiveness, rashness and ardour, also to enterprise and activity—the former as arule more individual, the latter more personal. But a strong character who has the latter position may, by living up to the best that is in him, refine this position till it corresponds more to the former, and instead of throwing away his strength in fruitless anger or passion, or in fitful impulse, may spiritualise it and exalt it into energy, enterprise and activity, turned into the direction of intellectual pursuits. On the other hand, one with Mars in Aries might, by constantly yielding to the lower impulses signified by this position, gradually reduce himself to the condition usually described by Mars in the Ascendant, fitful, passionate, egotistical and foolishly self-sufficient. These two cases are only chosen for the purpose of illustrating the principle involved, of course ; but it is true in actual life, and will be well understood by any who have made a continued study of a few characters, strong and weak, whose horoscopes are well known to them.