Mercury in Libra

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

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