SO receptive a sign as Cancer is not wholly suitable to Mercury, who easily “loses himself,” one fluid in another, so to speak. The result is often seen in poor memory, particularly in old age, although, if the planet be well dignified, the mind may be singularly {198} retentive, particularly in the matter of history. In fact, the tendency is often to assimilate precedent, and rather to refer to antiquity than to reason upon actualities. It is good for such persons as may be occupied in what may be called the by ways of life. Dealers in antiquities, bibliophiles, bookworms, and to a less extent, lawyers, may find some advantage in this position.
There is in all cases a decided lack of the sense of actuality, and, above all, of originality. Yet the intuition is often exceedingly good; such people may know, without being told, and without knowing how they know. The understanding is usually excellent, and the sympathy is easily excited. On the other hand, where these people dislike, the feeling is intense; they cannot endure the company of those who are not in harmony with them. Yet, although sensitive, they are more tolerant than the average person. The contrast in this respect with people who have Mercury in Scorpio is singularly well marked; for the latter, although they may deem it politic to conceal their contempt for inferior minds, keep inwardly the most extraordinary bitterness. Mercury in Cancer is really tolerant; its natives have the sense that opinions are, after all, not of supreme importance. They are, too, not always aware of their own defect of memory and lack of logic. Here one must pause, confronted by the fact that the most marvelous memory in the world, that of “Datas,” and the most powerful rationalizing mind of modern times, that of Bernard Shaw, both came under Mercury in Cancer. But the Mercury of “Datas” has Venus in exact conjunction, and his memory is purely detached and self-sufficient, and exclusively historical. He remembers dates, and dates only; and he remembers them in a mechanical manner, absolutely, and not because of their relation to other matters. This is in fact the precise type of memory indicated above as characteristic of this position. The case of Bernard Shaw is explained by the exact trine of Neptune to Mercury, which gives him his extraordinary faculty of detecting the falsity of conventional thought.
It may also be mentioned that the effect of Cancer is to make Mercury sway to the purely passive side. The mind is unusually impressionable, and though the inscriptions thereupon be “writ in water,” yet for the moment they sway the native. There is little real stability in the mind, and yet it falls easily into habit, which may be {199} obstinate if subjected for long periods to a single stress. The position inclines to mental idleness, and any powerful will can easily obtain dominion over the mind of the native by appealing to the senses rather than by argument, which arouses obstinate resistance. All this being peculiarly contrary to the best attributes of mind, we must regard Cancer as one of the less fortunate positions for Mercury.
The following well known persons were born with Mercury in the sign Cancer:
Alexander Dumas
Lord Tennyson
George Bernard Shaw
Robert Schumann
Henry Ward Beecher
Mark Benson
John O'Hara Cosgrave
William Gillette
Harrison Grey Fiske
Harrison Fisher
John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Calvin Coolidge
George M. Cohan
Booth Tarkington
Elbert Hubbard
For the benefit of those who are not in possession of Raphael’s Ephemeris, or who are not able to interpret the symbols contained therein, the years when Mercury is in Cancer, are as follows:
From June 15th through June 30th 1840
June 7th " June 25th 1841
August 6th " August 8th 1841
May 31st " August 7th 1842
May 31st " June 13th 1843
July 14th " July 31st 1843
July 8th " July 21st 1844
June 30th " July 13th 1845 {200}
From June 21st through July 5th 1846
June 13th " June 28th 1847
June 4th " June 26th 1848
July 15th " August 10th 1848
May 29th " August 4th 1849
July 12th " July 27th 1850
July 5th " July 18th 1851
June 26th " July 9th 1852
June 17th " July 1st 1853
June 9th " June 26th 1854
June 1st " August 9th 1855
May 28th " June 21st 1856
July 13th " July 31st 1856
July 9th " July 23d 1857
July 1st " July 14th 1858
June 23d " July 6th 1859
June 13th " June 28th 1860
June 5th " June 25th 1861
July 23d " August 11th 1861
May 30th " August 5th 1862
July 13th " July 28th 1863
July 5th " July 19th 1864
June 27th " July 10th 1865
June 19th " July 3d 1866
June 10th " June 27th 1867
June 2d " August 9th 1868
May 28th " July 1st 1869
July 11th " August 2d 1869
July 10th " July 24th 1870
July 3d " July 16th 1871
June 23d " July 7th 1872
June 15th " June 30th 1873
June 6th " June 25th 1874
July 30th " August 10th 1874
May 31st " August 7th 1875
July 13th " July 29th 1876
July 7th " July 20th 1877
June 29th " July 12th 1878 {201}
From June 20th through July 4th 1879
June 11th " June 27th 1880
June 3d " June 28th 1881
July 10th " August 10th 1881
May 29th " August 3d 1882
July 11th " July 26th 1883
July 3d " July 16th 1884
June 25th " July 8th 1885
June 16th " July 1st 1886
June 8th " June 26th 1887
May 31st " August 7th 1888
May 29th " June 15th 1889
July 13th " July 30th 1889
July 8th " July 22d 1890
June 30th " July 13th 1891
June 21st " July 4th 1892
June 12th " June 28th 1893
June 4th " June 26th 1894
July 18th " August 10th 1894
May 29th " August 5th 1895
July 11th " July 26th 1896
July 5th " July 18th 1897
June 26th " July 10th 1898
June 18th " July 2d 1899
June 9th " June 26th 1900
June 2d " August 9th 1901
May 29th " June 25th 1902
July 13th " August 2d 1902
July 11th " July 25th 1903
July 2d " July 15th 1904
June 23d " July 7th 1905
June 15th " June 30th 1906
June 7th " June 26th 1907
July 27th " August 12th 1907
May 30th " August 6th 1908
July 13th " July 29th 1909
July 7th " July 21st 1910
June 29th " July 12th 1911 {202}
From June 19th through July 3d 1912
June 11th " June 27th 1913
June 3d " August 10th 1914
May 29th " August 3d 1915
July 11th " July 25th 1916
July 3d " July 17th 1917
June 25th " July 8th 1918
June 16th " July 1st 1919
June 7th " June 26th 1920
August 3d " August 9th 1920
May 31st " August 7th 1921
June 1st " June 10th 1922
July 14th " July 31st 1922
July 9th " July 22d 1923
June 30th " July 13th 1924
June 21st " July 5th 1925
June 12th " June 28th 1926
June 5th " June 28th 1927
July 14th " August 11th 1927
May 29th " August 4th 1928
July 12th " July 27th 1929
