Anima Astrologiae or A Guide for Astrologers
by William Lilly
1675

EXCERPT:

We have formerly some thoughts of revising our Introduction to Astrology, now out of print, and to have enriched it from another edition with the choicest aphorisms, both from the writings of the ancients and our own many years’ experience, but the laboriousness of that work, considering our age and many infirmities of body, with the discouragements we have already met with from some ungrateful persons, caused us to lay aside (at least for the present) those intentions.

Yet that we might not be wholly wanting to promote anything that might tend to the advancement of Art and gratification of its painful students, and knowing how necessary the ensuing Considerations of Guido Bonatus and Aphorisms adjoined, are to be known and regarded, which many of our ingenious countrymen could not do, for they have hitherto remained in the Latin tongue with the rest of the works of these authors in large volumes, difficult to be got at and too chargeable for man to buy, we therefore recommend them to a friend to be translated by themselves, which he has judiciously performed in plain significant language, so that we judge the work may deserve the title Anima Astrologiae which we have given it, comprehending the marrow and substance of Astrology, and much excellent matter necessary to be observed by all honest students that practice Art to discover truth and not to vapour with.

1675. Lilly, the astrologer of the seventeenth century, first translated this work into English. The work contains 146 considerations of Guido Bonatus and through this text the student will be materially helped on many difficult points in judging a nativity or horary figure. As stated in this text the belief is that astrology is not a collection of myths and symbols to puzzle the superstitious, but every Star, Sun, Planet or Moon is a Divine ideography, portraying some Divine Truth. When this truth is understood, harmony of mind with itself is felt. Man is a microcosm, corresponding to the macrocosm. One is in sympathy with the other and is felt. The connection between the terrestrial and super worlds is real. The same spirit is in all, transforms all, restores all and blesses all.