Having, in my last, given some Account of my intended Summer Library, it
cannot appear strange, if I should already have anticipated a Part of my
Pleasure, and dipped into some of the promising Authors I mentioned. The
witty _Quevedo_, in one of his visionary Prospects of Hell, fancies, he
sees an _Astrologer_ creeping upon all Four; with a pair of Compasses
betwixt his Teeth; his Spheres, and Globes about him; his _Jacob's_ Staff
before him; and his Eyes fixed upon the Stars, as if he were taking a
Height, or making an Observation. The Student, after gazing awhile, started
up of a sudden, and wringing his Hands, _Good Lord_! says he, _what an
unlucky Dog was I! If I had come into the World but one_ Half Quarter _of
an_ Hour _sooner, I had beene saved: for just then_ Saturn _shifted, and_
Mars _was lodged in the_ House of Life. Another Proficient in the same
Art, who was very loth to go to Hell before his Time, had his Tormentors be
sure he was dead: _for_, says he, _I am a little doubtful of it my self; in
Regard that I had_ Jupiter _for my_ Ascendant, _and_ Venus _in the_ House
of Life, _and no_ malevolent Aspect _to cross me. So that by the Rules of_
Astrology, _I was to live, precisely_, a Hundred and one Years, two Months,
six Days, four Hours, and three Minutes.

It is plain from such Instances, and many more of equal Demonstration, had
I Leisure to collect them, that the Stars dispose of us as they please, and
have an Influence on every Action of our Lives. They are particularly busy
in the Affairs of Women, and She that, by a too great Love of Society, has
been kind to others besides her own Husband, might have been an Example of
Discretion and Modesty, had she been born a Minute sooner, or later, and
had a more _continent_ Planet for her _Ascendent_. I hope, this will be
sufficient to vindicate the Science from all Suspicions of Imposture. I can
assure my Readers, that I my self saw a _Prophecy_ about _two_ Months
_after_ the Battle of _Hockstadt_, which exactly described that great Event