Page images
PDF
EPUB

transverse lines in its hands." Paddon, no doubt, was one of the old school.

Mr. Editor, I dare not trespass farther on your columns, and am therefore compelled to postpone my remarks on the Lieutenant's second theological letter, till next week, when I shall take leave of the subject.

With my best thanks for your kind indulgence,

I am, Sir, &c.

T. H. MOODY.

LETTER X.

SIR.

WHEN the written challenge of Lieutenant Morrison, to discuss the truth or falsehood of astrology, was some months ago presented to me, I received it as coming from a gentleman and a man of science, and gave him credit for sincerity of sentiment; surprised, however, that in these philosophic days, a man of letters should be found dabbling in the absurdities of astrology-having then no idea that he was a regular professor of the art; but my subsequent knowlege of the Lieutenant has greatly altered my opinion respecting him. For some time he fought at a distance, not daring to meet my leading arguments against astrology, and which, therefore, remain unanswered; but at last, the shades thickening around his beloved idol, and its dark portraiture being strongly set forth from the scriptures of truth, aroused his covetousness; and I can imagine him addressing his brethren of the

stars in the language of Demetrius, "Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth" (Acts xix. 25); and this craft being in danger, the Lieutenant wound himself up for argument, and in two successive letters, endeavoured to prove concord between Christ and Belial; but his reasoning powers being paralized by such an answer as he little expected, he commences his last poor effort with a petition to the public to excuse him from replying to this communication, because of the "violent invective," which he says it contains. Is the practice of astrology then not to be inveighed against? Is the character of the artist not to be scrutinized? And when the Lieutenant has been awfully perverting that book which all the Christian world holds sacred, does he expect soft words from his opponent? In his preceding letter, the Lieut. was chuckling over his own dexterity, and trifling with the solemn truths of revelation; and now that his impiety has received that castigation it merits, and which it ought to have for the good of the public at large, he quails under what, if properly received, might be beneficial to him. But it is right for me here to observe, that I have given the Lieutenant no "gross abuse," no "vulgar insults;" I have employed no such language against him as he has against me. I have not used the expressions "cold-blooded slander," a 66 very base trick," &c.

No; but I have characterised the art as it is, and the professors as they deserve; and if I had failed in either of these points, I should not have discharged my duty to the public, and should have been greatly criminal in the sight of that Glorious Being, of whose cause I am the unworthy advocate. If the Lieutenant had received with some degree of moderation what was intended for his benefit, as well as that of the public, the mists which have long obscured his intellectual vision might have begun to disperse; but "The love of money is the root of all evil.” (1 Tim. vi. 10.) I am not surprised at some of his observations on the anecdote respecting my late father; they are such as I expected, but I have an answer for him. With my father, astrology was merely the amusement of a literary man, but with the Lieutenant it is a TRADE. My father declared it to be false, when he found it to be so; but the Lieutenant insists upon its truth, when I am certain that he has had abundant evidence of its falsehood. Mr. Wilson, in his Dictionary of Astrology (page 167), speaking of some rules by which the artist endeavours to ascertain if a horary question be radical, says

"For my own part, having never made a trade of astrology, I can say nothing to all this, but must leave it to the student's experience." [And at page 260,] "It is superfluous, I hope, to advise him [the student] to avoid all strangers, and above all things, not to do any thing of the kind FOR GAIN. 1 cannot speak

with certainty, but there is much cause to suspect, that those who do such things for profit, LOSE THEIR DIVINING FACULTY and can foretel nothing. The chord of sympathy is very fine, and may be easily broken, when the mind is attentive to a different object. Perhaps this is one reason why they so often meet with the punishment they deserve; at all events it is a proof that they are somehow or another MISERABLY DEFICIENT." [Also at page 162,] On account of the world's dread laugh, few venture to profess it [astrology], and of these few, the greater part are either ignorant pretenders or GROSS IMPOSTORS, who practise for gain, and are so far from understanding astrology, that they do not believe it themselves."

[ocr errors]

These are the sentiments of a man thoroughly acquainted with the art, and whose reading upon the subject is evidently very extensive. I shall now give the Lieutenant's opinion of Mr. Wilson and his Dictionary:

"I respect Mr.Wilson as a friend of truth; but I think that in treating on astrology, he has, in some few instances thought too much of reason, and too little of experience."-Gram. page 74.

However, his work exhibits a degree of candour upon the subject that I have not met with in any other. Mr. Wilson has rejected so many things which the Lieutenant holds sacred, and has exposed the absurdity with such pointed satire, that I am surprised he did not renounce the whole system. It is important here to observe, that this gentleman, in my second quotation from his Dictionary, recog

« PreviousContinue »