Inaccordancewiththeplanlaiddownintheintroductiontothisvolume，weproceedtotheconsiderationofthefolliesintowhichmenhavebeenledbytheireagerdesiretopiercethethickdarknessoffuturity。Godhimself，forhisownwisepurposes，hasmorethanonceundrawntheimpenetrableveilwhichshroudsthoseawfulsecrets；and，forpurposesjustaswise，hehasdecreedthat，exceptintheseinstances，ignoranceshallbeourlotforever。Itishappyformanthathedoesnotknowwhatthemorrowistobringforth；but，unawareofthisgreatblessing，hehas，inallagesoftheworld，presumptuouslyendeavouredtotracetheeventsofunborncenturies，andanticipatethemarchoftime。Hehasreducedthispresumptionintoastudy。Hehasdivideditintosciencesandsystemswithoutnumber，employinghiswholelifeinthevainpursuit。Uponnosubjecthasitbeensoeasytodeceivetheworldasuponthis。Ineverybreastthecuriosityexistsinagreaterorlessdegree，andcanonlybeconqueredbyalongcourseofself-examination，andafirmreliancethatthefuturewouldnotbehiddenfromoursight，ifitwererightthatweshouldbeacquaintedwithit。
　　Anundueopinionofourownimportanceinthescaleofcreationisatthebottomofallourunwarrantablenotionsinthisrespect。Howflatteringtotheprideofmantothinkthatthestarsintheircourseswatchoverhim，andtypify，bytheirmovementsandaspects，thejoysorthesorrowsthatawaithim！He，lessinproportiontotheuniversethantheallbutinvisibleinsectsthatfeedinmyriadsonasummer’sleaf，aretothisgreatglobeitself，fondlyimaginesthateternalworldswerechieflycreatedtoprognosticatehisfate。Howweshouldpitythearroganceofthewormthatcrawlsatourfeet，ifweknewthatitalsodesiredtoknowthesecretsoffuturity，andimaginedthatmeteorsshotathwarttheskytowarnitthatatom-titwashoveringneartogobbleitup；thatstormsandearthquakes，therevolutionsofempires，orthefallofmightymonarchs，onlyhappenedto，predictitsbirth，itsprogress，anditsdecay！Notawhitlesspresuminghasmanshownhimself；notawhitlessarrogantarethesciences，socalled，ofastrology，augury，necromancy，geomancy，palmistry，anddivinationofeverykind。
　　Leavingoutofviewtheoraclesofpaganantiquityandreligiouspredictionsingeneral，andconfiningourselvessolelytothepersonswho，inmoderntimes，havemadethemselvesmostconspicuousinforetellingthefuture，weshallfindthatthesixteenthandseventeenthcenturieswerethegoldenageoftheseimpostors。Manyofthemhavebeenalreadymentionedintheircharacterofalchymists。Theunionofthetwopretensionsisnotatallsurprising。Itwastobeexpectedthatthosewhoassumedapowersopreposterousasthatofprolongingthelifeofmanforseveralcenturies，shouldpretend，atthesametime，toforetelltheeventswhichweretomarkthatpreternaturalspanofexistence。Theworldwouldasreadilybelievethattheyhaddiscoveredallsecrets，asthattheyhadonlydiscoveredone。ThemostcelebratedastrologersofEurope，threecenturiesago，werealchymists。Agrippa，Paracelsus，Dr。Dee，andtheRosicrucians，alllaidasmuchstressupontheirknowledgeofthedaystocome，asupontheirpretendedpossessionofthephilosopher’sstoneandtheelixiroflife。Intheirtime，ideasofthewonderful，thediabolical，andthesupernatural，wereriferthanevertheywerebefore。Thedevilorthestarswereuniversallybelievedtomeddleconstantlyintheaffairsofmen；andbothweretobeconsultedwithproperceremonies。
　　Thosewhowereofamelancholyandgloomytemperamentbetookthemselvestonecromancyandsorcery；thosemorecheerfulandaspiring，devotedthemselvestoastrology。Thelattersciencewasencouragedbyallthemonarchsandgovernmentsofthatage。InEngland，fromthetimeofElizabethtothatofWilliamandMary，judicialastrologywasinhighrepute。DuringthatperiodflourishedDrs。Dee，Lamb，andForman；withLilly，Booker，Gadbury，Evans，andscoresofnamelessimpostorsineveryconsiderabletownandvillageinthecountry，whomadeittheirbusinesstocastnativities，aidintherecoveryofstolengoods，prognosticatehappyorunhappymarriages，predictwhetherjourneyswouldbeprosperous，andnoteluckymomentsforthecommencementofanyenterprise，fromthesettingupofacobler’sshoptothemarchingofanarmy。Menwho，tousethewordsofButler，did“DealinDestiny’sdarkcounsel，Andsageopinionofthemoonsell；
　　TowhomallpeoplefarandnearOndeepimportancedidrepair，Whenbrassandpewterpotsdidstray，Andlinenslunkoutoftheway。“
　　InLilly’sMemoirsofhisLifeandTimes，therearemanynoticesoftheinferiorquackswhothenabounded，anduponwhomhepretendedtolookdownwithsupremecontempt；notbecausetheywereastrologers，butbecausetheydebasedthatnobleartbytakingfeesfortherecoveryofstolenproperty。FromButler’sHudibrasanditscuriousnotes，wemaylearnwhatimmensenumbersofthesefellowsliveduponthecredulityofmankindinthatageofwitchcraftanddiablerie。Eveninourdayhowgreatisthereputationenjoyedbythealmanac-makers，whoassumethenameofFrancisMoore。ButinthetimeofCharlesI。
　　andtheCommonwealth，themostlearned，themostnoble，andthemostconspicuouscharactersdidnothesitatetoconsultastrologersinthemostopenmanner。Lilly，whomButlerhasimmortalizedunderthenameofSydrophel，relates，thatheproposedtowriteaworkcalled“AnIntroductiontoAstrology，“inwhichhewouldsatisfythewholekingdomofthelawfulnessofthatart。Manyofthesoldierswereforit，hesays，andmanyoftheIndependentparty，andabundanceofworthymenintheHouseofCommons，hisassuredfriends，andabletotakehispartagainstthePresbyterians，whowouldhavesilencedhispredictionsiftheycould。Heafterwardscarriedhisplanintoexecution，andwhenhisbookwaspublished，wentwithanotherastrologernamedBookertotheheadquartersoftheparliamentaryarmyatWindsor，wheretheywerewelcomedandfeastedinthegardenwhereGeneralFairfaxlodged。Theywereafterwardsintroducedtothegeneral，whoreceivedthemverykindly，andmadeallusiontosomeoftheirpredictions。HehopedtheirartwaslawfulandagreeabletoGod’sword；buthedidnotunderstandithimself。Hedidnotdoubt，however，thatthetwoastrologersfearedGod，andthereforehehadagoodopinionofthem。LillyassuredhimthattheartofastrologywasquiteconsonanttotheScriptures；andconfidentlypredictedfromhisknowledgeofthestars，thattheparliamentaryarmywouldoverthrowallitsenemies。InOliver’sProtectorate，thisquackinformsusthathewrotefreelyenough。HebecameanIndependent，andallthesoldierywerehisfriends。WhenhewenttoScotland，hesawasoldierstandinginfrontofthearmy，withabookofpropheciesinhishand，exclaimingtotheseveralcompaniesastheypassedbyhim，“Lo！hearwhatLillysaith:youareinthismonthpromisedvictory！Fightitout，braveboys！andthenreadthatmonth’sprediction！“
　　AfterthegreatfireofLondon，whichLillysaidhehadforetold，hewassentforbythecommitteeoftheHouseofCommonsappointedtoinquireintothecausesofthecalamity。Inhis“MonarchyornoMonarchy，“publishedin1651，hehadinsertedanhieroglyphicalplate，representingononesidepersonsinwindingsheetsdigginggraves；andontheotheralargecityinflames。AfterthegreatfiresomesapientmemberofthelegislaturebethoughthimofLilly’sbook，andhavingmentioneditinthehouse，itwasagreedthattheastrologershouldbesummoned。Lillyattendedaccordingly，whenSirRobertBrooketoldhimthereasonofhissummons，andcalleduponhimtodeclarewhatheknew。Thiswasarareopportunityforthevain-gloriousLillytovaunthisabilities；andhebeganalongspeechinpraiseofhimselfandhispretendedscience。Hesaid，thataftertheexecutionofCharlesI，hewasextremelydesiroustoknowwhatmightfromthattimeforthhappentotheparliamentandtothenationingeneral。He，therefore，consultedthestarsandsatisfiedhimself。Theresultofhisjudgmentheputintoemblemsandhieroglyphics，withoutanycommentary，sothatthetruemeaningmightbeconcealedfromthevulgar，andmademanifestonlytothewise；imitatinginthistheexampleofmanywisephilosopherswhohaddonethelike。
　　“Didyouforeseetheyearofthefire？“saidamember。“No！“quothLilly，“norwasIdesirous:ofthatImadenoscrutiny。“Aftersomefurtherparleythehousefoundtheycouldmakenothingoftheastrologer，anddismissedhimwithgreatcivility。
　　OnespecimenoftheexplanationofaprophecygivenbyLilly，andrelatedbyhimwithmuchcomplacency，willbesufficienttoshowthesortoftrashbywhichheimposeduponthemillion。“Intheyear1588，“sayshe，“therewasaprophecyprintedinGreekcharacters，exactlydecipheringthelongtroublesoftheEnglishnationfrom1641
　　to1660；“anditendedthus:——“Andafterhimshallcomeadreadfuldeadman，andwithhimaroyalG，ofthebestbloodintheworld，andheshallhavethecrown，andshallsetEnglandontherightway，andputoutallheresies。“Thefollowingistheexplanationofthisoracularabsurdity:——
　　“Monkerybeingextinguishedaboveeightyorninetyyears，andtheLordGeneral’snamebeingMonk，isthedeadman。TheroyalG。orC，[itisgammaintheGreek，intendingC。intheLatin，beingthethirdletterintheAlphabet]isCharlesII，whoforhisextractionmaybesaidtobeofthebestbloodoftheworld。“
　　InFranceandGermanyastrologersmetevenmoreencouragementthantheyreceivedinEngland。Inveryearlyages，Charlemagneandhissuccessorsfulminatedtheirwrathagainstthemincommonwithsorcerers。LouisXI，thatmostsuperstitiousofmen，entertainedgreatnumbersofthemathiscourt；andCatherinedeMedicis，thatmostsuperstitiousofwomen，hardlyevertookanyaffairofimportancewithoutconsultingthem。Shechieflyfavouredherowncountrymen；andduringthetimeshegovernedFrance，thelandwasoverrunbyItalianconjurors，necromancers，andfortune-tellersofeverykind。Butthechiefastrologerofthatday，beyondalldoubt，wasthecelebratedNostradamus，physiciantoherhusband，KingHenryII。Hewasbornin1503，atthetownofSt。Remi，inProvence，wherehisfatherwasanotary。Hedidnotacquiremuchfametillhewaspasthisfiftiethyear，whenhisfamous“Centuries，“acollectionofverses，writteninobscureandalmostunintelligiblelanguage，begantoexciteattention。
　　Theyweresomuchspokenofin1556，thatHenryII。resolvedtoattachsoskilfulamantohisservice，andappointedhimhisphysician。Inabiographicalnoticeofhimprefixedtotheeditionofhis“VraiesCenturies，“publishedatAmsterdamin1668，weareinformedthatheoftendiscoursedwithhisroyalmasteronthesecretsoffuturity，andreceivedmanygreatpresentsashisreward，besideshisusualallowanceformedicalattendance。AfterthedeathofHenry，heretiredtohisnativeplace，whereCharlesIX。paidhimavisitin1564，andwassoimpressedwithvenerationforhiswondrousknowledgeofthethingsthatweretobe，notinFranceonly，butinthewholeworldforhundredsofyearstocome，thathemadehimacounsellorofstate，andhisownphysician，besidestreatinghiminothermatterswitharoyalliberality。“Infine，“continueshisbiographer，“IshouldbetooprolixwereItotellallthehonoursconferreduponhim，andallthegreatnoblesandlearnedmenthatarrivedathishouse，fromtheveryendsoftheearth，toseeandconversewithhimasifhehadbeenanoracle。Manystrangers，infact，cametoFrancefornootherpurposethantoconsulthim。“
　　ThepropheciesofNostradamusconsistofupwardsofathousandstanzas，eachoffourlines，andaretothefullasobscureastheoraclesofTheytakesogreatalatitude，bothastotimeandspace，thattheyarealmostsuretobefulfilledsomewhereorotherinthecourseofafewcenturies；AlittleingenuitylikethatevincedbyLilly，inhisexplanationaboutGeneralMonkandthedreadfuldeadman，mighteasilymakeeventstofitsomeofthem。
　　Letustry。Inhissecondcentury，prediction66，hesays，——’
　　“Fromgreatdangersthecaptiveisescaped。
　　Alittletime，greatfortunechanged。
　　Inthepalacethepeoplearecaught。
　　Bygoodaugurythecityisbesieged。“
　　“Whatisthis，“abelievermightexclaim，“buttheescapeofNapoleonfromElba——hischangedfortune，andtheoccupationofParisbythealliedarmies？“——Letustryagain。Inhisthirdcentury，prediction98，hesays，——
　　“Tworoyalbrotherswillmakefiercewaroneachother；