Chapter I. Knowledge may be acquired by Astronomy to a certain Extent（续 3）

Thus, when any opinion ts given by the astrologer with respect to the various accidents liable to happen, it should be understood that he advances nothing more than this proposition ; wiz. that, by the property inberent in the Ambient, any conformation of it, suitable to a particular temperament, being varied more or less, will produce ia that temperament some particular affection.. And it is alee to be understood that he ventures this opinion. with the same degree of confidence, as that with which a physician may declare that a certain wound will increase or grow putrid; or a man acquainted with metals say that the magnet * will attract iron. For neither the increase ner putrefaction of the wound, nor the magnet’s attraction of iron, is ordained by any inevitable law, although these consequences must necessarily fallow, in due obedience to the first principles of the existing order of nature, when no means of prevestion can be

* Whalley, in translating this chapter, makes the following remark —_ - on this mention of the magnet: “ However nach later it was that “* the loadstone became known & Europe, what is mentioned of it “ {fn this chaptermakes it evident that it was knewa in Egypt, where “ Ptolemy lived, in his time.”—That worthy translator forgot (if indeed he ever knew) that the loadstene’s property of aftracting iron ‘was known to Thales, and commented on &y Plato and Ansiodle,

all of whom fived some centuries, more or less, before Ptolemy. Ji is its polarity that was not knewn ent” the dith or 12th cemtory; © and the French say that the earliest notice of that polsity is found in a ‘poem of Guyot of Prevence, whe was at the Emperer Frederick’s Court at Mentz in 1181.—Sce the French Hacyolopadia, ke. .

found and applied. But, however, neither of these-consequences will take place, when. such antidotes shall be presented as will naturally prevent them :—and a similar consideration should be given to the predictions of the astrologer :—because, if garlick be rubbed on the magnet, iron - will experience no attraction.*; and if proper.medicines be applied to the wound, it will cease to increase or to putrefy. And therefore all events which happen to mankind take

* Respecting the effect here asserted to be produced on the mag-. net by garlick, I have found the following mention in a book called «“ The Gardener’s Labyrinth,” printed at London in 1586... “‘ Here “ also I thought not to ouerpasse the maruellous discord of the ada- “ mantestone and garlike, which the Greekes name to be an Anti- “‘ patheia or naturall contrarietie betweene them; for such is the “ hatred or contrarietie between these two bodies, (lacking both ‘“¢ hearing and feeling) that the adamant rather putteth away,: than ‘‘ draweth to it, iron, if the same afore be tubbed with garlike; as. “ Plutarchus hath noted, and, .after him, Claudius Ptolemzus. “‘ Which matter, examined by diuers learned, and founde the con- “ trarie, caused them to judge, that those skilful men (especially “ Ptolemie) ment the same to be done with the Egyptian Garlike ; “« which Dioscerides wrote to be small garlike, and the same sweete “‘ in taste, possessing a bewtifull head, tending unto a purple colour. '« There be which attribute the same to Ophioscoridon, which «* Antonius Microphonius Biturix, a singular learned man, and wel “‘ practised in sundry skilles, uttered this approoued secrete to a ‘“¢ friend whom he loued.”

In the same book, the “Ophioscoridon” is thus spoken of: ‘¢ There is another wild garlike which the Greekes name Ophioscori- “ don;.in English, Ramsies; growing of the owne accord in the “ fallow fieldes.”

Cornelius Agrippa (according to the English translation) has stated that the presence of the diamond also neutralizes the attractive power of the magnet. But as that great magician was somewhat inclined to quibbling, it is not impossible that by the word he uses for ‘“ diamond” (viz. adamas) he may mean the adamant or loadstone ; which would reduce his assertion merely to this, that one magnet will counteract another. .

. place also in the regular course of nature, when no impediments thereto are found or known: but again, on the other _ hand, if any impediments or obstructions be found in the way of events which may be predicted by the regular course

_ Of nature to happen; such events will either not take place

at all, or, if they should take place, will be much diminished in their force and extent.

The same order and consequence exist in all cases, whether the events have a general or only a particular operation; _and it may therefore well be demanded, why prescience is believed to be possible as far as it regards general events, and why it is allowed to be serviceable in preparing for

their approach; while in particular instances its power and use are altogether denied. That the weather and the seasons, and the indications of the fixed stars, as well as the configurations of the Moon, afford means of prognostication, many persons admit; and they exercise this foreknowledge for their own preservation and comfort, adapting their — constitutions to the expected temperature, by cooling and refreshing things for the summer, and by warm things for the winter. They also watch the significations of the fixed stars, to avoid dangerous weather, in making voyages by — sea; and they notice the aspects of the Moon, when at the — ' full, in order to direct the copulation of their herds and flocks, and the setting of plants or sowing of seeds: and there is not an individual who considers these general precautions as impossible or unprofitable. Still, however - .these same persons withhold their assent to the possibility of applying prescience to particular cases; such, for 10- stance, as any particular excess or diminution of cold or heat, whether arising out of the peculiar temperament producing the original cold or heat, or from the combination of other properties; nor do they admit that there are any means of guarding against many of these particular circumstances. — And yet, if it be clear that persons, who prepare themselves ©

by cooling things, are less affected by any general heat of the weather, there seems no reason for supposing that-a similar preparation would not.be equally effectual against any particular conjuncture oppressed by immoderate heat. It appears, however, that this idea, of the impracticability of attaining foreknowledge of particular circumstances, .must originate solely in the mere difficulty of the acquirement; which difficulty -is certainly rendered peculiarly arduous by the necessity of conducting the enquiry with the greatest accuracy and precision: and to this it must.be added, . that, as there is rarely found a person capable of arranging the whole subject so perfectly that no part of the opposing influence can escape his attention, it frequently happens that predictions are. not properly regulated by due consideration

‘of that opposing influence, and that the effects are at once _considered fully liable to be brought to pass, agreeably to

the primary agency and without any intervention. This defect, of not sufficiently considering the opposing: influence, has -naturally induced an opinion that.all future events .are entirely unalterable and inevitable. . But, since the foreknowledge of particular circumstances, although it may not wholly claim infallibility,. seems yet : so far practicable as'to merit consideration, so the precaution it affords, in. particular circumstances, deserves in.Jike manher to be attended to; and, if it be not of universal advantage, but useful in few instances only, it is still most worthy of estimation, and to be considered of no..moderate value. .. Of this, the Aigyptians seem to have been well aware; their discoveries of the great faculties of this science have exceeded those of other nations, and they have in.all cases combined the medical art with astronomical prognostication. And, had they been of opinion that all expected

“ events are unalterable and not to be averted, they. never