THE fine and delicate judgment given by Mercury in Libra is at once its virtue and its vice; for in practical matters rough-and-ready decision is often of more value than accuracy, and the insistence on the latter which this position gives, if exaggerated, means hesitation, vacillation, and delay. There is generally a quick intuitive flash of conviction followed by the attempt to weigh the decision logically, which is often dangerous. The better policy would be to train the mind to follow its intuitions. It is the old story of the ass who starved between two thistles because he could not decide which he would eat first. In matters where mind is the sole consideration, however, Libra is as good a sign as can be found for Mercury. The Venusian nature softens the metallic coldness of the Mercurial nature, and Saturn being exalted in Libra, there is an added element of wisdom which pure reason lacks. The real drawback is in the airy nature of the sign, which may give a certain looseness and even frivolity to the disposition of the mind. There is usually great ambition for intellectual accomplishments, but little inclination to labor to attain them. The mind easily becomes distracted; sometimes we may find the native “Jack of all trades, and master of none,” as the saying goes.
Such people, too, have the defect common to the open mind; they form an opinion after long and careful study, and yet may abandon it at a moment’s notice on quite inadequate grounds. The sensitive balance of the mind makes it very difficult to speak positively about such people without the fullest study of the whole horoscope. With this position we find the most varied accomplishments. Great mystics and artists like Coleridge, great lexicographers like Sir Richard Quain, great statesmen like Kruger, great lawyers like Lord Brougham, great theologians {sic!} like Savonarola, great scholars like Erasmus, great philosophers {sic!} like Cornelius Agrippa, {213} great rulers like Queen Elizabeth, great actresses like Mrs. Langtry, great courtesans like Cleo de Merode -- all come under this possibility. One cannot tell merely from the position itself along what lines the mind may move, or even how it will work, as Mercury in this sign is more sensitive and pliable than in any other.
The position may, however, be called good; it is rare to find a thoroughly incompetent mentality with Mercury in this sign; such an event is unlikely to occur unless there be serious affliction. Unless, however, there are some good aspects to strengthen Mercury, the mind is likely to be shallow.
The following well known persons were also born with Mercury in the sign Libra:
Alfred Dreyfus
Lily Langtry
Whitelaw Reid
Spencer Trask
Christabel Pankhurst
Henry George
Eleanor Gates
Von Hindenburg
William O. Stoddard
David Graham Phillips
Edward W. Bok
MacMonnies
Ramsay MacDonald
For the benefit of those who are not in possession of Raphael”s Ephemeris, or who are not able to interpret the symbol contained therein, the years when Mercury is in the sign Libra are as follows:
From September 25th through October 12th 1840
September 17th " October 5th 1841
September 9th " September 29th 1842
September 2d " September 29th 1843
October 7th " November 8th 1843
August 27th " October 4th 1844
October 10th " October 31st 1844 {214}
From October 7th through October 24th 1845
September 30th " October 16th 1846
September 22d " October 9th 1847
September 13th " October 1st 1848
September 6th " September 27th 1849
October 26th " November 10th 1849
August 30th " November 5th 1850
August 27th " September 20th 1851
October 11th " October 29th 1851
October 4th " October 20th 1852
September 26th " October 13th 1853
September 18th " October 6th 1854
September 11th " September 30th 1855
September 3d " September 26th 1856
October 13th " November 8th 1856
August 28th " November 2d 1857
August 30th " September 3d 1858
October 9th " October 25th 1858
October 1st " October 18th 1859
September 22d " October 9th 1860
September 15th " October 3d 1861
September 7th " September 27th 1862
October 31st " November 11th 1862
August 31st " November 6th 1863
August 26th " September 24th 1864
October 11th " October 29th 1864
October 5th " October 22d 1865
September 28th " October 14th 1866
September 20th " October 7th 1867
September 11th " September 30th 1868
September 4th " September 26th 1869
October 18th " November 9th 1869
August 29th " November 3d 1870
August 27th " September 11th 1871
October 10th " October 27th 1871
October 2d " October 18th 1872
September 24th " October 11th 1873
September 16th " October 4th 1874 {215}
From September 9th through September 28th 1875
November 6th " November 10th 1875
September 1st " November 6th 1876
August 27th " September 30th 1877
October 11th " October 31st 1877
October 6th " October 23d 1878
September 29th " October 16th 1879
September 20th " October 7th 1880
September 12th " October 1st 1881
September 5th " September 27th 1882
October 23d " November 10th 1882
August 30th " November 4th 1883
August 26th " September 16th 1884
October 10th " October 27th 1884
October 3d " October 19th 1885
September 25th " October 12th 1886
September 18th " October 5th 1887
September 9th " September 28th 1888
September 2nd " September 27th 1889
October 9th " November 8th 1889
August 27th " November 1st 1890
October 8th " October 24th 1891
September 30th " October 16th 1892
September 22d " October 9th 1893
September 14th " October 2d 1894
September 6th " September 27th 1895
October 28th " November 11th 1895
August 30th " November 4th 1896
August 26th " September 21st 1897
October 11th " October 28th 1897
October 5th " October 21st 1898
September 27th " October 13th 1899
September 19th " October 6th 1900
September 11th " September 30th 1901
September 4th " September 27th 1902
October 16th " November 10th 1902
August 29th " November 3d 1903
August 28th " September 7th 1904 {216}
From October 9th through October 26th 1904
October 2d " October 18th 1905
September 24th " October 11th 1906
September 16th " October 4th 1907
September 8th " September 28th 1908
November 2d " November 11th 1908
September 1st " November 7th 1909
August 27th " September 28th 1910
October 12th " October 31st 1910
October 7th " October 23d 1911
September 28th " October 15th 1912
September 20th " October 8th 1913
September 13th " October 1st 1914
September 5th " September 27th 1915
October 21st " November 11th 1915
August 29th " November 4th 1916
August 27th " September 14th 1917
October 10th " October 27th 1917
October 3d " October 20th 1918
September 26th " October 12th 1919
September 17th " October 4th 1920
September 9th " September 29th 1921
September 2d " September 30th 1922
October 5th " November 8th 1922
August 28th " October 4th 1923
October 12th " November 1st 1923
October 7th " October 24th 1924
September 30th " October 16th 1925
September 22d " October 9th 1926
September 14th " October 2d 1927
September 6th " September 27th 1928
October 25th " November 10th 1928
August 30th " November 5th 1929
