[126] On this passage, Whalley remarks that “Ptolemy teacheth, from the child’s nativity, to erect schemes for the father and mother, and thence to give judgment, as if it were their proper nativities; the rule is this: If the nativity be diurnal, for the father, observe the degree the Sun is in, in the child’s nativity; and make that the degree ascending for the father; and conformable to that, order the cusps of all the other houses. If for the mother, use Venus. But if the nativity be nocturnal, for the father, take the place of Saturn; and for the mother, that of the Moon.” Whalley adds, that what in this chapter hath relation to the parents, is what shall happen to them _after_ the nativity, and not _before_. In these and in all other cases, the mode, in which the influences are commixed, must be carefully kept in view; and it must be observed whether any particular stars possess, in themselves alone, the operative cause, or whether others share dominion with them; and it is then to be seen which among them all are more powerful, and which of them take the lead in establishing the event: so that due inference may be drawn agreeably to their several natures. And should the several stars, which may happen to be combined in dominion, be also equal in power, the diversity of their several natures, and the admixture of qualities thence arising, must then be taken into consideration; and, by fairly weighing this various admixture, the nature and quality of the future event may be apprehended. Stars, posited separately or at a distance from each other, distribute, at their appropriate times and periods, the events operated by each: thus the earlier events are brought about by stars which are more oriental than others, and the latter events by those which are more occidental. For it is indispensably requisite that the star, under the influence of which some particular event is expected to happen, should be originally[127] connected with the place to which the inquiry, concerning that event, is allotted; and, if such connection should not have existed, no effect of any importance can possibly be produced; because a star does not exercise a vigorous influence, unless it was fully in communication at the beginning. But, however, the time, at which the effect will take place, is further regulated by the relative distance of the star, governing the effect, from the Sun and the angles of the world, as well as by its primary position of dominion. [127] Or, at the actual time of nativity. CHAPTER VI BROTHERS AND SISTERS Under this head of inquiry, a general and cursory investigation, only, can be performed; and an attempt to dive into minute particulars would be fruitless, and would prove to be merely a vain search after things not open to discovery.[128]