2o A Short History of Astronomy [CH. I., 18 



be illustrated in modern times by the eclipses of the sun 

 which took place on July i8th, 1860, on July 29th, 1878, 

 and on August pth, 1896 ; but the first was visible in 

 Southern Europe, the second in North America, and the 

 third in Northern Europe and Asia. 



1 8. To the Chaldaeans may be assigned also the doubtful 

 honour of having been among the first to develop astrology, 

 the false science which has professed to ascertain the in- 

 fluence of the stars on human affairs, to predict by celestial 

 observations wars, famines, and pestilences, and to discover 

 the fate of individuals from the positions of the stars at 

 their birth. A belief in some form of astrology has always 

 prevailed in oriental countries ; it flourished at times among 

 the Greeks and the Romans ; it formed an important part 

 of the thought of the Middle Ages, and is not even quite 

 extinct among ourselves at the present day.* It should, 

 however, be remembered that if the history of astrology is 

 a painful one, owing to the numerous illustrations which 

 it affords of human credulity and knavery, the belief in 

 it has undoubtedly been a powerful stimulus to genuine 

 astronomical study (cf. chapter in., 56, and chapter v., 

 99> I00 )- 



*. See, for example, Old Moore's or Zadkiels Almanack. 



