94 Of ^^^^ Advancement of Learning. Lib. IIL 



changeable courfe of days moft manifeftly it appears 5 when in the be- 

 ginning of the day immediately fucceeding, the fourth Planet from the 

 Planet of the fitft day, enters upon his Government , by reafon of the 

 three fupernumerary hours, whereof we have (poken. 



& Again we are confident to reje6f, as an idle fi&ion^ the do&rine of 

 Cenethliacal PoJItures of the heavens, to precife points of tinte ^ with the 

 Dijiribution of the Houfcs , thofe fame darlings in Aftrology, which have 

 made fuch mad work in the Heavens 5 nor can I fufficiently wonder that 

 many excellent men5and for Aftrology of Principal note, fliould ground 

 themfelves upon fo flight reafons, to avouch fuch opinions. For they 

 lay, feeing that experience it felfdifcovers as much, that soljiices,^- 

 quino&ials, new Adoons, full Moons, and the like^re^^er revolutions of 

 ftars, do manifeftly and notably work upon natural Bodies 5 it muft 

 needs be, that the more exadt, and fubtile a(ped and pofture of the 

 ftars, ftiould produce efFefts more exquifite and occult. But they fliould 

 firft except the Suns operations by manifeft heat; and likewife, the 

 magnetick influence of the Moon, upon the increafe of Tides every half 

 Moon ("for the daily Flux and Reflux of the Sea is another thing :) But 

 thefe fet afide; the other power of the Planets upon natural bodies 

 (fo far as they are confirmed by experience) is flender and weak , and, 

 which they fliall find, latent in l\i<z greater Revolutions , Wherefore they 

 fliould rather argue the other way, namely, that feeing thofe greater 

 i?ez/tf/«/7^»j5 have fo fmall influence, thofe exaB and minute differences 

 ofPofttwes have no force at all. 



§ Thirdly, Thofe Fatalities, that the hour of Nativity or conception go^ 

 verns the Birth-, The hour of inception, the fortune of the thing began ^ 

 the hour of ^ejiion, the fortune of the thing enquired j and, in a word, 

 ihefcience of Nativities, EleBionr, ^ejiions, and fuch li^e levities ; in 

 our judgment, have no certainty or folidity in them ; and may by natural 

 reafons be plainly redargued and evinced. The point to be fpoken of ra- 

 ther, is, what that is which we retain and allow of hi Aftrology 5 and 

 in that which we do allow, what is deficient ? for, for this end, that is,' 

 for the obfervation of Deficients, we undertook this work; not intend- 

 ing (as we have often faid) matter of cenfure. And indeed amongft 

 the xtctw'd-^zxisoi: Aerology, theDoftrines oi Revolutions Vfe]\xdgc 

 to have more foundnefs in them, than the reft. But it may be to good 

 purpofe,to let down and prefcribe certain Rules, by the fcale and fquare 

 whereof, Afirological Obfervations may be examined ; that what is 

 fruitful may be retain'd , what is frivolous rejefted. 



§ Thefirfi: Precept may be that whereof we have admoniflit already ; 

 let the greater Revolutions be retained ; the leffer Horofcopes and Houfes ca' 

 fijiered, Thofe,like Great Ordnance may difcharge their influences, at 

 a fpacious remotenefs 5 thefe like fmall Bows, are for a ftiort diftance, 

 and carry not their forces far. Thefecond rule is ; That the operationof 

 the Heavens workes not on all bodies but only upon the more tender and 

 penetrable ; fuch as are Humours,Air, Spirits : but here we except the 

 Operations of the heat of the Sun, and of the Heavens, which without 

 Gueftion pierce even to Mettals, and many fubterraneous Bodies. The 

 third rule is, that the Operation of the Heavens extends rather to the AfaJ? 

 tf things and Nature ingrofij than unto individual effences, and parti- 

 cularities':, yet obliquely it reacheth to many Individuals, namely, 



thofe 



