Very many factors conspire to the production of those astral conditions which favour the expression of individual character of a high order. Much depends on the sphere of life in which the purpose of evolution requires that they shall function. We have such examples of marked men in all spheres of life. But wherever they appear they are easily discernible by their horoscopes. Nature is not so profligate as some people imagine, for in the long run it is seen that her ways and means are those which invariably secure the end in view. If she is apparently careless of the mass she is at all events jealously careful in regard to such as have specialized, and we find by practical experience that she adapts environment to purpose with infinite care and foresight. If we take the astral conditions obtaining over any particular period of a year and consider them in relation to the number of births occurring in any particular area, we shall find that so far as the cosmic relations of the planets are concerned they will remain practically undisturbed for a considerable time. Thus Neptune will be in the same sign for about 14 years, Uranus for 7 years, Saturn for 2½ years, Jupiter for one year, and Mars for nearly two months, Venus and Mercury changing signs within the month. So that, from a cosmical point of view, quite a large number of births will take place under similar conditions, for even the Moon, which represents the element of variability, will continue in the same sign for about 2½ days, and in a thickly populated area such as the City of London, where the average birth-rate is 14 per hour, we may have as many as 840 births under exactly the same zodiacal conditions.