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The Conjuror’s Magazine, 2: 24 (July 1793) pp.516-19.

FRENCH AFFAIRS

astrological chart of the moment Gilbert received news about a battle at Nantes

A FRENCH emigrant, at the time noted in the annexed figure [E1], came into a company where I was, and asserted, that the news of the rebels being beaten from Nantz, as received from Paris was false; and had the impudence to propagate, that they had taken peaceable possession of that town, without a man lost on either side—he spoke in his own language, wherein I am not skilled. A lady asked me if I believed that the rebels had been driven from Nantz with the slaughter reported? I answered, ‘ Yes.’ [E2] ‘This man says the contrary,’ and repeated his story. ‘It is a lie; I never heard one of the reports of the Emigrants, though there is a fresh one whenever I come to your house, true.’ I then erected this figure; Mercury in partile, square Saturn is enough, and as Saturn is lord of the ascendant, I believe that, the person who uttered the lie, made it.

But, exclusive of the figure, he, unfortunately for him, found me on ground where I knew every inch, for the lady whom he visited I had been the instrument of fixing in that house, and she was from Nantz—and I well knew that the murderous power of her nominal friends (for she is a worthy woman herself) had been taken away at the period mentioned, and transferred, to those whom they had oppressed.

I also observed to the lady of the house, who understands astrology, that Sun very lately separated from trine Jupiter, he getting direct, and Moon from trine Venus and sextile Mercury rendering their beneficent light in a sign where they both had dignities to the new planet [E3], were incontrovertible and decisive signs that the patriots and saints had triumphed, and would triumph. The Moon just removing from, but yet on, the cusp of the 8th, shewed that the persons signified by the ascendant had been slaughtered, and would continue to be slaughtered. And the ascendant was not only the general significator of him who announced the business in question, but it was my own seventh, and open enemies [E4]; for, with W. E.’s permission, I will just state a factor two: I was going to him one day, very deeply impressed indeed, with intent to ask a question of the 7th house. His own ascendant is Aquarius 15 deg. He met me full butt opposite the clock of the Horse Guards, spoke first, and Aquarius 17 deg. ascended. [E5] Now, whether Leo 19 deg, and some minutes, be my ascendant or not; if I have met with one question of enemies on marriage, where Aquarius 19 deg. either ascended or had Mars or some distinguished planet on it, I aver, that I have met with fifty. Mine is the only birth where my father has put minutes down; he was curious in keeping time, for, exclusive of a stone dial affixed to the house, he kept a ring dial, whereby he often regulated; all my relations have given me the time rather earlier than later. [E6] The image ascending with the 20th of Leo is a messenger, and I am the common messenger of all my friends, and, during less than three years that I served in the navy, which I entered in February 1779, it was my lot to come home twice from America in a vessel with dispatches, once with the capture of Charlestown, and again with the news of Prince William’s arrival: who, with 18 deg. Leo ascending has followed me every where—into the navy, to New York, on board the Warwick, to Antigua, the place of my birth, to England again, and now to friendship with France. Besides this, he was always a favourite with me. [E7]

What W. E. said, had, however, great weight with me, because my person certainly met the description of Mars in Virgo and Mercury in Scorpio. I wished to myself to see some person unequivocally under Leo, and with nearly the same configuration. The next time that I called on W. E. he told me incidentally that a man had been with him nearly like me, who fancied he was born under Leo as well as I, but that he was palpably Virgo. I made no objection, as I saw it was a tender point; but it was very apropos to my wish, and to clear my scruple.

Lastly, how came W.E. to be my open enemy in this Magazine, both personally and as to France? [E8] Let him know and remember however, that he had Saturn lord of his ascendant in Cancer, without reception in the 8th, and Mars in Libra; Jupiter also was peregrine.


 

I.C.S. wishes to be informed by astrologers, why a planet is strong in cazimi, and weak in combustion? I will give him the reason; and, first, a universal canon in similar doubts, which is, compare things invisible, astral, or intellectual, with their known correspondents on earth, and the accidents and reasons of the one will be the accidents and reasons of the other. This applies in the present case thus: Sun is a monarch; and persons in the purlieus of a court, such as guards, &c. are in constant awe of majesty, are under vigilant discipline, and, if they can call their life and property their own, cannot call a moment of their time, nor, consequently, their own services their own. But he who is in the bosom of his Sovereign is ‘wonderous strong,’ and tinctures his government. [E9]


 

The allies will not continue to triumph till September; their neck is broken already. Revelations the 11th limits their prevalency against the French (whose late monarch was the head that had a wound by a sword, and did live, i.e. in his image a regent, and in the hearts of all anti-christ) to forty-two months. These I commence on January 14th, three years last January, and end them yesterday, being July 14.

I agree with Swedenborg’s canon for the Apocalypse, that it treats not of the history of the world since Christ, but of the consummation of the New and Eternal. He also observes, that though it be spiritual, those who choose to understand it naturally, may—I do choose to understand it in the sense of the letter, and, accordingly, in this instance, I take the usual calendar months of Europe. [E10]

P. S. I gave the Editor my paper, stating July 14th as the period when the victories and troubles of the allies were to cease, on the 15th instant. Accounts are now arrived of Marat’s having been on that day murdered. His death bears thus: the French have lost their Archangel but not their God—consequently, there is now no medium between them and their God, and they cease to be vincible. Marat was their chief; he was so steady, so fierce, and so enlightened a Republican, that if they had acted contrary to him, their revolution must have been subverted, and by acting subordinately to him, they would have made him King. It was then a proud and auspicious day for the Republic when he fell—for now, no individual among them, but yet the aggregate, possesses his zeal. The fire now has the benefit of diffusion without dissipation, and while it has lost locality retains its heat, and is, to its extremes, a furnace.

The allies are going to desperate war against each other—Austria against England.


 

GEORGEAN PLANET AND PLATINA. [E11]

As several astrologers have taken upon them to assert, that because the Georgean is small and distant he is insignificant nearly; they must excuse my imperiously telling them that he is Omnipotent.

Others have said he is of the nature of Saturn and Mars; but this will be better understood if they erect a figure for his first discovery at Bath, where they will find him in the 8th house, in opposition to Saturn and Mars, and in square to the Sun, viz. to kings, monks, and soldiers.

The new Metal Platina has, in like manner, been called the Devil of Metals, and the French Republicans Devils of Men. Honi soit qui mal y pense.

So, at a period when mankind looked for ‘the Redemption of the Body,’ they are given up to a new discovered devil in the celestial, human, and mineral worlds; I repeat Honi soit qui mal y pense. It is the Royal Anglo-Gallican motto, and that venerable character, an English royalist, cannot refuse bending his knee to it.

I will invite my friends to observe the reason, and the weight and bearing, of this imputation.

The reason why the Georgean is said to be malefic is, because he is in direct opposition to those that are, and kills them with their own weapons.

The reason why Platina is called the Devil, is, because, being of equal if not superior weight and purity to gold, superior lustre to silver, and superior hardness to iron and the best tempered steel; he does not dissolve with every vulgar menstruum, to please every puny blockhead, or impertinent experimenter.

The French will not let ‘great villains enjoy the world in state;’ [E12] they will ‘give soldiers blood to drink, for they are worthy;’ [E13] and they have desolated the houses and estates of those, who, by their immense estates in mortmain, their celibacy and their avarice, have left desolate, heirless, and without inhabitant, many houses, and many estates, great and fair—This is the reason why the French are called Devils.

Having done with the reasons, I come to the weight and bearing—‘If I by the finger of God cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?’ ‘Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall never be forgiven to men’—and I assert this to be a universal blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, or a mad and irretrievable conversion of consummate good into consummate appropriated evil.

Let it be known, that this reverse to evil is also a reverse of qualities. As Platina is superlatively pure and strong, so these are superlatively filthy and weak.

Platina is black and white, a side of no light and a side of all light, the two extremes of colours; black, which imbibes all rays and burns; and white, which displays all rays and enlightens; the excess of heat, and perfection of temper.

B.