'A Young Woman, who had a Person pretended Love to her for many Years; I told her, she would find him False and Deceitful to her, and that he never design'd to Marry her, which was a great Trouble to her to hear, by reason she had plac'd her Affection on him, but she found it True, for shortly after he Marryed another: Soon after she had several Sweethearts at a Time, and came to me again for Advice; I told her, there was but one of those she could be happy with, and describ'd him to her; she took my Advice and Marryed him, and they prove a very Happy Couple. 'I have prevented the Ruin of Hundreds of Young _Men_ and _Women_, by advising them to whom to dispose of themselves in Marriage. 'Another who had been many Years Plagued with a Bad Husband, I told her very few Months she'd Bury him and Marry again very happily, which she found True,' &c., &c.[154] [Footnote 154: _Harl. MSS._ 5931, 233.] The next is much shorter: 'Noble, or Ignoble, you may be foretold anything that may happen to your Elementary Life: as at what time you may expect prosperity: or, if in Adversity, the end thereof: Or when you may be so happy as to enjoy the Thing desired. Also young Men may foresee their fortunes, as in a Glass, and pretty Maids their Husbands, in this Noble, yea, Heavenly Art of ASTROLOGIE. At the Sign of the _Parrot_ opposite to _Ludgate_ Church within _Black Fryars_ Gateway.'[155] [Footnote 155: _Ibid._ 5931, 236.] Ward,[156] with his keen observation, naturally attacked these gentry, lashed them unmercifully, and at great length. A short extract must suffice for our purpose, and will sufficiently show the estimation in which these astrologers were held by persons of common sense. [Footnote 156: _The London Spy._] 'No common _Errours_, _Frauds_, or _Fallacies_, in the World, have so far subdued the Weaker, and Consequently the Greater part of Mankind, as the _Juggles_ and _Deceits_ practicable in a parcel of pretending _Astrologers_; who undertake to resolve all manner of Lawful Questions, by Jumbling together those distant Bodies, in whose Nature or Influence they have just as much Knowledge, as a Country _Ale Woman_ has of _Witchcraft_, or a _German Juggler_ of _Necromancy_. In the first place, I have had an opportunity of examining several Nativities Calculated by those who have had the Reputation of being the best Artists of this Age; wherein I have observ'd Sickness, Length of Days, and all other Fortunate and Unfortunate Contingencies assign'd the Natives, have been as directly opposite to what has happen'd thro' the whole Course of their Lives, as if the Fumbling _Star Groper_ had rather, thro' an Aversion to _Truth_, study'd the _Rule_ of _Contraries_, that he might always be found in the _Wrong on't_. [Illustration: An Astrologer.]