REMARKS

ON THE REMAINING PART OF

LIEUTENANT MORRISON'S

SECOND

Astrologico-Theological Letter,

&c. &c.

IN resuming my notice of the productions of this disciple of the Chaldean sages, my thoughts have reverted to the period when Zadkiel* first became a suitor to Lady Luna. What was the cause that metamorphosed an officer of the royal navy into a consulting astrologer?-I have no distinct information on this point-Zadkiel himself has not given a hint upon the subject; no, not even in his own nativity in the Horoscope-however, the following conjectures may not be far from the truth: Charmed with the success

* Zadkiel is the name given by magicians and astrologer's to Jupiter's angel.

of Raphael, who was then a very popular author, and also scorning the limits which superstitious bigotry had prescribed to human investigation, and considering that groundless scruples had too long

Repressed his noble rage,

And froze the genial current of his soul,"

he determined to bound into futurity, regardless of the frowns of the clergy and the sneers of laughing philosophers, resolved to bear the "odium astrologium," not doubting that he should ultimately rival even the ancient astrologers of Babylon. Fame seemed to beckon him to her temple. The milkyway invited his foot-steps; and the solar walk had more attractions than the troubled waters of the ocean. The wild and imposing theories of departed mystics fascinated his mind; the golden prospects of perspective wealth riveted his attention; and certainly, there was more music in the ringing of a sovereign on the table, than in the whizzing of a cannon ball on the high seas. Zadkiel, of course, sets a figure to ascertain from the heavens themselves, the probabilities of success. His significator is found in good aspect, and the ninth house well inhabited; the testimonies of the second house were quite favourable to wealth; Jupiter and Venus being in perihelion, are swift in motion, and in good aspect

with the Sun, Moon, and Mercury, which are also well posited and not afflicted.-The matter is therefore settled, and his imagination now sparkles with the anticipation of abundant riches and lasting fame. Under these circumstances are we to be surprised if his dreams frequently conducted him to the warm climes of the east; and that, perhaps, like the famous astrologer, Dr. Dee, he was haunted with the belief that he positively had "an intercourse of a supramundane character." The sacred soil of those oriental countries, hallowed by recollections of the midnight studies of ancient astrologers, would be trodden by the new artist, with awe and veneration. There, during the unbroken stillness of an eastern sky, traversing in imagination the mooned plains of Egypt, he would view the prophetic lustre of the orbs above, reflected from the dark waters of the Nile, proclaiming the doom of mortals, the ruin of nations, and the wreck of empires. By some mysterious sympathy, under the agency of Morpheus, the soul of Zadkiel might seem assimilated with the departed spirits of the ancient sages of Chaldea; and rapt in prophetic vision, his mind would dart through a long series of events connected with unborn generations. The relentless stars, louring upon our world, fill it with slaughter; they seem to resound with the din of arms, and to re-echo political war cries, and with an unseen in

fluence to hurry on the villains of society to dark and nameless deeds. Presently, other objects of the physical world may engross his contemplation. The storm rages with fearful violence; the hurricane with appalling fury sweeps away the herbage of the field, deracinating shrubs and trees; and, at last an earthquake terribly assaults the nerves of the new astrologer, and rouses him from ignoble slumber. Poor Zadkiel rubs his eyes, opens his mouth, broods over the portentious omens of his future destiny, and the moon at this moment emerging from a dark cloud, and casting her pale lustre through the curtains of his apartment, seems, by a peculiar radiance, to court him from his bed of down to heavenly studies, and celestial pursuits. He at once surrenders up all the faculties of his mighty mind to the dominion of the enchanting goddess, and embarking all his energies in her service, becomes henceforth and for ever a valiant knight of the stars, ever ready to battle for lunar influence, even to the last moment of existence (Zadkiel's Lilly, page ix.); saying, to all who consult him, on every sublunary difficulty," Me duce tutus eris," or "With me thou shalt be in safeguard."See 1 Samuel xxii. 23.

Is this an overcharged portraiture? I think not; but believe that a mere faint representation has been given of those phantoms which frequently haunt the