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Research Sources For Astrology

Astrology Since The Renaissance

Astrology died at the end of the 17th century with the rise of modern science. Modern astronomers were and are quite hostile to a rival. When Bouché-Leclercq wrote, in the late 19th century, the beginnings of a modern revival were barely visible. It became popular once more in the aftermath to WW I and the revulsion toward that disaster, brought about by modern science and technology, many thought. Robert Graves was not the only one to conclude that anything might be true, except what you read in newspapers. The techniques of modern astrology were partly taken from reprints of Renaissance astrologers, such as Lilly, partly brought to Europe from India by such groups as the Theosophical Society. Modern astrology is largely "scientific." "Religious" astrology is found occasionally among Wiccans and modern ritual magicians.

Brooke, John L., The Refiner's Fire; The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844 (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1994) {Early American occult beliefs and how they affected the first generation of Mormons. Cf. Leventhal}

Chaney, W. H., "The Astrologer's Vade Mecum," in James R. Lewis, The Beginnings of Astrology in America. Astrology and the Re-emergence of Cosmic Religion, Cults and New Religions, J. Gordon Melton, gen. ed. (NY and London: Garland Publishing, 1990) {Only original pages given, not any for Lewis volume. Melton has edited many good reference works on North American religions. This series began recently to re-publish works of historical value.}

Dean, Geoffrey and Mather, Arthur eds. Recent Advances in Natal Astrology (Bromley, Kent, England, The Astrological Association, 1977). {"This is billed as a 'critical review' and it really is. many articles on every conceivable contemporary application and research project on astrology. It has numerous formulas and algorithms printed nowhere else. Essential for serious research programs, particularly scientific, and statistical. It is already dated, and it is to be hoped that another edition is in the making." --Win Rowe.}

Gargalis, S., "The Daily Guide," in James R. Lewis, The Beginnings of Astrology in America. Astrology and the Re- emergence of Cosmic Religion, NY and London: Garland Publishing, 1990 {Only original pages given, not any for Lewis volume. Early astrological pamphlet of historical interest.}

Gettings, Fred. The Secret Zodiac : the hidden art in mediaeval astrology. (London; New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1987) {Study of the S. Miniato al Monte (Church : Florence, Italy) with index and bibliography (pp. 171-91) on astrology in art, Christian art and symbolism, and the zodiac in art.}

Hazelrigg, J., "Metaphysical Astrology," in James R. Lewis, The Beginnings of Astrology in America. Astrology and the Re-emergence of Cosmic Religion, NY and London: Garland Publishing, 1990 {Only original pages given, none for Lewis volume.}

Howe, Ellic, Astrology: A Recent History Including the Untold Story of its Role in World War II (NY: Walker, 1968) {reprint of Urania's Children, 1967. This is nearly the only good history of the astrological revival in modern times. Howe helped print bogus astrological magazines to drop on Hitler's Germany, and has written on the history of ritual magic and of printing, as well.}

Hungad, Temple, "A Brief History of Astrology," in James R. Lewis, The Beginnings of Astrology in America. Astrology and the Re-emergence of Cosmic Religion, NY and London: Garland Publishing, 1990 {Only original pages given, not any for Lewis volume.}

Leventhal, Herbert, In The Shadow of the Enlightenment: Occultism and Renaissance Science in Eighteenth Century America (NY: New York University Press, 1976) {The occult renaissance in colonial America. Cf. Brooke}

Lewis, James R., ed. with introduction, The Beginnings of Astrology in America. Astrology and the Re-emergence of Cosmic Religion, in J. Gordon Melton, Cults and New Religions NY and London: Garland Publishing, 1990 {An anthology of early US astrological texts.}

Quinn, D. Michael, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (Salt Lake City, UT: Signature Books, 1987) {A distinguished Mormon historian demonstrates that Joseph Smith was a backwoods occultist, as well as a prophet. Fascinating photographs of Smith's amulets, seer stones, etc. Quinn demonstrates that the Jupiter amulet that Smith wore at his death was copied from a particular edition of Reginald Scott's Discoverie of Witchcraft. There is a curious foreword in which Quinn testifies to the sincerity of his own Mormon faith.}

Truzzi, Marcello, "Astrology: A Review Symposium," Zetetic Scholar 3-4 (1979): 71-121 {reviews and discussion of Dean, Mather, et al., 1977. Includes George O. Abell, Dane Rudhyar, Hans J. Eysenck, Michel Gauquelin, Malcolm Dean, Joseph Agassi and Arthur Mather. An excellent discussion of the issues facing modern "scientific" astrology.}

Zoller, Robert, The Arabic Parts in Astrology. A Lost Key to Prediction (Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions International, 1989) {Despite the title, not particularly Arabian. Ostensibly on the lots, fictional planets calculated as so many degrees away from a real planet. The Lot of Fortune was the most important. (Compare Neugebauer and van Hoesen.) Zoller is an unusually scholarly believer, pp 15-76 are on the metaphysics of astrology, largely Neo-Platonic: "... the basis of astrology is not the physical movements of the planets, not some kind of 'radiation' from the stars, but is in fact the esoteric nature of number...." He is also rather deterministic: "... it is in fact one of the primary tenets behind the study of astrology that all experiences... are caused by the action of 'Heaven' on `Earth'....", pp 71-133 translate Guido Bonnati's thirteenth century Liber Astronomiae. Includes a section on predicting commodity prices -- probably as useful as any stockbroker's formula used today. "The most important and complete book in English on the computation and use of the so called 'Arabic Parts'. An essential and excellent work." --Win Rowe.}