SOURCE: "Walford's Antiquarian: Astrology and William Lilly," in Antiquarian Magazine and Bibliographer, Vol. 10, No. 59, 1884, pp. 147-52.

In this essay, Walford details the historical background and significance of astrology, leading up to Lilly.

Astrology, which Mr. [G. O.] Fisher defines as "the Science of the Stars," is generally accepted as meaning the art of foretelling future events from the aspects and conjunctions of the heavenly bodies; and it is tolerably ancient, if there is truth in the tradition that Adam was the first who practised it. Josephus tells us that Seth, having learned from his parent that everything on earth should perish either by fire or water, engraved this knowledge on a column of stone, which both Josephus and his predecessor Manetho declare to have existed in their own days. Josephus further states that the art was taught by Enoch and Noah, who preserved it to the days of...