For the benefit of those who object that there is too great a leaning to what they would call "the dangerous doctrine of fatalism" in these old-world beliefs, it may be well to quote a few reassuring words from a very able and voluminous writer on these subjects, Dr. Richard Saunders, who modestly styles himself on the title-page of his learned work (published in 1671) student in astrology and physic. "The stars," he says, "have such an influential power over us that we act by them and, though _they are but second causes_, their influences do so necessitate us that we cannot avoid their fatality, _unless_ we have recourse to the First Cause which governs this all." In other words, though the stars influence us, God rules the stars. CHAPTER II. THE ALPHABET OF ASTROLOGY The Science of Astrology consists of four branches, namely, _Mundane Astrology_, which is the art of foreseeing, by the aspect of the stars, at certain periods, the events likely to happen to nations, such as pestilences, wars, inundations and earthquakes; _Atmospherical Astrology_, which is the art of foreseeing, by the positions of the heavenly bodies, the quality of the weather at any particular time or place; _the Casting of Nativities_, or the art of foretelling, from the position of the stars at the moment of birth, the fate and character of the native; and _Horary Astrology_, or the art of foreseeing, by the positions of the heavens at the moment, the result of any business or circumstance. As the two former branches are treated in the astrological almanacks issued every year by Zadkiel, Raphael, Orion, and others, it is needless to go into them; but as the casting of nativities and the answering of horary questions require individual treatment, the working of these two branches of astrology (_after the ancient methods_) shall be described as clearly as possible. Before the student can do anything in astrology he must master its alphabet--that is, he must make himself thoroughly acquainted with the symbols used to represent the planets, the signs of the zodiac and the aspects. The planets recognised by the ancient astrologers are, as we have seen, seven in number, and are as follows, with their symbols:--Saturn, [symbol]; Jupiter, [symbol]; Mars, [symbol]; Sol, [symbol]; Venus, [symbol]; Mercury, [symbol]; Luna, [symbol]. There are also the Dragon's Head, thus symbolised, [symbol]; and the Dragon's Tail, [symbol]. These are neither planets nor signs of the zodiac, nor constellations, but are only the nodes or points where the ecliptic is crossed by the Moon. One of these points looks northward, where the Moon begins her northern latitude, and the other points southward, where she commences her south latitude. The head of the Dragon is considered of a benevolent nature; the tail of the Dragon is of evil tendency. There are also the twelve signs of the zodiac, which are as follows, with their symbols:-- NORTHERN. SOUTHERN.