CHAPTER V

The Houses

There are twelve celestial "Houses" in Astrology. They are derived from an equal division of the circle of observation into twelve parts. What is this circle of observation? It is an imaginary line passing from the eastern horizon, through the point inmediately beneath our feet, round to the eastern horizon again. In astronomy it is the "vertical of latitude". belonging to the place of birth. This circle is called a vertical because in is always vertical to the circle of horizon. One twelfth part of the circle of observation constitutes an astrological. "House". The following diagram shows how the houses are numbered.

The start on the Earth shows the place of birth. Above it is the mid-heaven, the line joining them being the cusp or edge of the tenth House. The Nadir is beneath, the Ascendant on the left, the Descendant on the righ of the figure. The outside circle is the circle of latitude. The first House is that inmediately beneath the eastern horizon. From this house the others are counted in the order shown in the figure. The cusp of each house precedes the space of the house. When a planet accupies a position within five degrees of the beninning of a luse, it is taken as being in that house, as its inflluence is actually there. Thus, if Saturn ( ) were bodily in the thierd House, but qithin five degrees of the cusp of the fourth, it would be read as in the fourth House.

All the affairs of life are distributed among the twelve houses. For purposes of classification the following division has been introducen by the author.

Houses are either Individual, Temporal, Relative or Terminal.

The Individual Houses are the first, fifth, and ninth, and relate to the body, soul, and spirit of man. The first House, corresponding to Aries, governs the body; the fifth House, symbolised by Leo, governs the soul; the ninth, corresponding to Sagitarius, relates to the spirit.

The Temporal Houses are the second, sixth, and tenth. The second, dymbolised by Taurus, governs the possessiones or property of the man; the sixth, Virgo, denotes his comforts-food, clothing, servants, etc. - and his health; the tenth, Capricorn, denotes the business, honour, credit and position of the person.

The Relative Houses are the third, seventh, and eleventh. The third, Gemini, shows consanguinity - the ties of blood relationship - brothers, sisters, and near relatives; the seventh, Libre, conjugality - the husband or wife of the person, partners and others in legal contract with the native; the eleventh, Aquarius, shows the tie of friendiship. It denotes the friends, advirsers, associates, and social relations of ther native.

The Terminal Houses are the fourth, eight, and twelfth. The fourth, Cancer,denotes the end of man, his final conditiosn the grave, etc. the eighth House, Scorpio, is that of Death, the twelfth, Pisces, that of bondage.

The signs of the Zodiac corresponding to the twelve houses may be taken as having potentially the same meaning, though they must not be confounden with the houses. The latter always remain in the same position, and hold the same meanings. The signs, on the contrary, are continually moving through the houses by their diurnal rising and setting, and hence the came sign will be successively in the comes to rise again in the first house.

The following significations are attached to the several houses. It is absolutely necessary, for the practice of Astrology, that they should be completely mastered :

The First House denotes the body of the native, his physical condition and appearance.

Second House-Money : possessions of value; trade; gain or loss.

Third House-Letters, papers, writings, journeys by land or short water journeys; all means of communication, vehicles, railways, etc; brothers and sisters, near relations, neighbours.

Fourth House- The residence, the place of birth; houses,landed property, grounds, mines, places under the earth, the grave; the mother in a man's horoscope, the father in a woman's horoscope; the mother- in-law a man's horoscope, and the father-in-law in a woman's.

Fifth House- Pleasures, love affairs, sex ties outside wedlock, children, theatres, schools and educational influences; places of amusement, bathing, the bedroom, and all senduos enjoyments.

Sixth House-Health servants, food, clothing, physical comforts, persorns employed, small animals and domestic creatures, climatic and other conditions bearing on health; the father's brothers and sisters in a female horoscope; the mother's brothers and sisters in a male horoscope.

Seventh House- The husband in a female horoscope, the wife in a female horoscope; partners, contracts, agreements; persons opposed to the native in contest, litigation, etc. open enemies, rivals; the grandparent - according to sex of horoscope (vide Forth House).

Eighth House - Death, dissolution, losses; the wife's or husband's wealth and possessions; the partner's property; legacies, bequests; the property of the dead; wills.

Ninth House-Religion and philosophy; publications; voyages; foreign countries; long distances from the birthplace; dreams, spiritual occurrences; lawsuits, lawyers; the clergy, church affairs; legal arbitrations,money in chancery; marriage relatives.

Tenth House - The occupation, credit, honour and rank; the father or mother -according to sex of horoscope; the employer, superior, master; business affairs generalyy, and the government of the country.

Eleventh House-Friends, councillors, companions, associates; society in wich the person will move;wishes and hopes; financial affairs of employers and those in command over the native.

Twelfth House-Confinement, restraint, prison, bondage, exile; secret enemies, ambushes, and plots; large animals, horses, etc. the mother's relatives in a female horoscope, and the relatives in a female horoscope, and the father's relatives in a male horoscope.

These are the chief significations of each of the houses. If it should be asked whether a person would have any voyages, then the ninth house would be referred to as governing the subject in question, and ehe sign and planets occupying that house, or ruling it, would determine whether voyages were likely, and whether they would be good or bad for the person to whom the horoscope refers.

The Cardinal Houses are called "the Angles". They are the first, fourth, tenth, and seventh. The second, fifth, eigth, and eleventh are Succedent Houses. The third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth are Cadent Houses.

The Angular Houses are the strongest in the figure, and of these the first and tenth are the more important. Plants placed therein are said to have dignity, and they exert a powerful influence over the life and character of the native.

The Cadent Houses are the weakest, and many planets therein considerably lessen the force and mastery of the horoscope, so that not infrequently the native sinks into obscurity, even though it may be that of retired luxury. Forceful and epoch-making horoscopes have the majority of planets in cardinal signs and angular houses.