A Manual of Astrology

Raphael · 1828

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About the book

The book of the stars from Regency London: Raphael — the pen-name that launched a dynasty of almanacs — teaching nativities, directions and horary questions in full Romantic dress. The oldest astrology on this shelf, written when the art was a scandal and sold like one.

Try the short course

Part 1 · Raphael Makes the Case for the Stars. The first six slides, free.

Raphael Makes the Case for the Stars

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In February 1820 the London papers carried a small death notice. Samuel Hemmings, an ironmonger who had done well in trade, was dead. What made it news was the date.

Hemmings was born on 4 June 1738, at nearly the same moment as King George III and in the same parish, St Martin’s in the Fields. He set up in business in October 1760, when the king came to the throne. He married on 8 September 1761, the king’s own wedding day. And he died on 29 January 1820, the same day as the king, at nearly the same hour.

Raphael puts this story on the very first page of his text, before any argument. Two lives from one moment is the whole claim of astrology, told as a newspaper item.

Inside the course

16 parts

The antiquity, verity and utility of astrology, defendedFree above
The elementary principles of the science
Comets, fixed stars and the galaxy
The twelve signs and their significations
The celestial influences of the planetary orbs
The twelve houses of heaven, and their effects
Significations no author printed before — Raphael's manuscripts
The perpetual tables, and how to use them
Casting the figure of a nativity
A scheme of nativity, worked in full
The nativity of the King of England, as a second example
Directions: the measure of coming time
Horary questions — asking the moment itself
The horoscope of London Bridge, and the book's own birth chart
State astrology: ingresses, new moons and eclipses
Comets, meteors, and the mystic signatures of the heavens

Questions

Is A Manual of Astrology free to read in Astra Trainer?

Yes. The full book opens free in the app’s reader, in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Russian.

What is the short course?

16 short parts that walk through the book’s key ideas in slides, each with a quick quiz. The first six slides are free to try on this page.

Where do I get the app?

Astra Trainer is free on the App Store and Google Play. A Manual of Astrology is waiting in the app’s library.