of Ancient Persia, presents us with a strikingly ideal conception of the godhead. In its purity and spirituality the figure possesses an individuality, elevation and loftiness that is not to be paralleled in the ancient religion of Greece, of Rome, of India. The gods of the Greek and Roman pantheon, with their human forms, their human passions, their human failings, can offer no likeness to the Lord God of Iran with his heavenly host of angels and archangels. Nor can the frenzied Indra, exhilarated by copious draughts of intoxicating soma and accompanied by the warring elements of the storm, afford a parallel. No, nor the pale and colorless Brahma, nor that vague Nirvana or state into which the faithful follower of Buddha sinks back or is re-absorbed. No, none of these present a true match for such a conception of the Supreme Being as Zoroaster taught. The majesty of the kingly figure of Ahura Mazda in the Avesta, in the Achæmenian inscriptions, in the Pahlavi literature of Sassanian times-this truly characteristic production of Zoroaster's spirit-finds its parallel and superior in Sacred Scripture alone. The concept of Ormazd, however, in its purity, its ideality, its dignity, can offer a fair comparison to the flaming majesty of the Holy One of Israel, the God of truth, of justice, of power and of wrath, or to the Being who, in our Savior's teaching, is more especially the God also of love, of goodness and mercy-the Father in Heaven in whom we believe and place our trust.

In one point, however, the god of ancient Persia strikingly differs from the God of Israel. This is in the attribute of Omnipotence. Ahura Mazda, although omnipresent and omniscient, is nevertheless not omnipotent; his power is ever limited, hampered, confined, by that self-existent, coeval, but not co-eternal, rival-Anra Mainyu. "May Ahura Mazda rule at will over his creatures"-rule at will, as shall be when the millennium comes-this is the constant prayer of the pious Zoroastrian. But a fuller discussion of this point and of the resemblances between Ormazd and Jehovah, must remain for another occasion.

THE NEW PLANET "D. Q."

The discovery by Herr Witt of a small planet on August 13th last has aroused very great attention in all astronomical quarters. We drew attention to the discovery in this column several weeks ago, since when several important papers have appeared dealing with the question.

According to a memoir on the subject in the Observatory, the diameter of this new planet, "D. Q.," is probably about seventeen miles, and its mass about one two-millionth of that of the Moon. Apart from the fact that the body is (with the exception of the Moon) our nearest neighbor, the planet is of great interest, as it will afford a most excellent means of determining the Sun's parallax. It is estimated that we may by means of it hope to determine the Sun's parallax with an accuracy three times as great as that given by any previous method. It has been suggested that the planet may have recently been introduced into the solar system through perturbations, but this does not seem possible, as the orbit does not approach that of any large planet sufficiently closely, and it seems pretty clear that “D. Q." is an original member of the solar system.

ASTEROIDS.

In discussing the fact that this planet does not fall in with the law of Bode, Mr. William Lockyer, in Nature, suggests that perhaps the new body was originally part of the planet which, when broken up, gave rise to the group of minor planets. Opinion, he tells us, is still divided as to the true origin of asteroids—namely, whether they are the result of a large series of explosions of an original planet which revolved between Mars and Jupiter; whether they are the condensation of matter which originally was distributed in rings like Saturn's, but which was disturbed by the action of Jupiter; or lastly, whether they are the result of tidal action on the tenuous primitive masses. The presence of the new planet in this excep tional orbit might be accounted for on any of these hypotheses. It is possible that several of these bodies may have been violently disturbed by Mars when in a very favorable position,

and thus made to revolve in orbits more eccentric and inside that of Mars.-Modern Astrology.

THE POWER OF FEAR.

A STORY FROM THE ORIENT.

Once upon a time a merchant was journeying to Constantinople. On the way he was overtaken by another traveler on the same road, and after greetings they fell into conversation. "Whither do you go?" asked the merchant.

"To Constantinople," was the reply.

"You seem greatly hurried. Why do you hasten?"

"I have business of great importance."

"Indeed," said the merchant. "May I ask your name?"

"My name is Cholera," was the reply.

"And what will you do in Constantinople?"

"Follow the bidding of my master, Death. He requires many lives of me."

"How many?" asked the merchant.

"Not less than ten thousand," answered Cholera.

Upon hearing this, the merchant began to beg and entreat that Cholera be merciful and spare the people. Finally, in response to the merchant's urgent entreaties, Cholera said:

"I cannot spare them all, but I will agree to kill only one thousand."

Not being able to gain any further concession, the merchant at last answered:

"Very well. I depend upon your word that you will take only one thousand.”

Just then they came to the city gates and each went his way. In a few days the merchant learned that the dreaded disease, cholera, had appeared among the people, but he consoled himself by thinking that only one thousand would become victims. However, as time passed, the disease spread with fatal power until at least ten thousand had been gathered in by Death.

About this time the merchant had completed his business and set out to return home. After journeying for a time he was again overtaken by his former companion, Cholera.

“Ah!” said the merchant, "you deceived me; shamefully deceived me. You solemnly promised me that you would kill only one thousand people, and instead fully ten thousand have died. Out upon you for a liar and a villain!”

"Nay, nay, not so fast," said Cholera, "I have not broken my word. I killed only one thousand."

"But how is it that ten thousand have died?"

"It is true I killed only one thousand, but FEAR killed the nine thousand."- Universal Truth.

BUDGET.

FROM THE CONSERVATOR.

Man after all is not ripened by virtue alone. Were it so this world were a paradise of angels. No! Like the growth of the earth he is the fruit of all the seasons; the accident of a thousand accidents, a living mystery, moving through the seen to the unseen. He is sown in dishonor; he is matured under all the varieties of heat and cold; in mist and wrath, in snow and vapors, in the melancholy of autumn, in the torpor of winter, as well as in the rapture and fragrance of summer, or the balmy affluence of spring-its breath, its sunshine, its dew. And at the end he is reaped-the product, not of one climate, but of all; not of good alone, but of evil; not of joy alone, but of sorrow—perhaps mellowed and ripened, perhaps stricken and withered and sour. How, then, shall we judge anyone?— Lord Roseberry.

DELINEATION OF CHARACTER FROM SOLAR BIOLOGY.

This column is exclusively intended to aid in their attainments those who are studying Esoteric methods. We receive a great many letters from parties who are not subscribers, and who, we have reason to believe, are not especially interested in the Esoteric work; and, as our space is too limited to give more than a small number of the delineations asked for, we must exclude all but those whose names are found upon our subscription list, and members of their families who are striving for the attainments. This is our only means of discerning who is entitled to our time and to space in this column.

In writing for Delineation of Character from Solar Biology, always send hour and place of birth, also state sex.

We have introduced the Greek letter O as the character indicating "the rising sign."

W. F. Dec. 13, 1862, 8.50 p.m. England.

in ; in m; 0, &; in ; h in ; 2 in Y; ♂ in m; 9 in ; in I.

E. A. F.

Dec. 14, 1862, 1 a. m. England.

in ; in m; 0, ~; in ; h in ; 2 in ; & in m; in ; in I.

The planetary positions given above are those of a gentleman and his wife. It is quite a remarkable circumstance to find husband and wife born within 4 hrs. and 10 mins. of each other. It will be seen that the positions are identical, the only difference in the data being that the husband has a Leo body (rising sign) and the wife a Libra body. Both are active, industrious, with good mind, high-spirited, lovers of science, hard workers in whatever direction the mind tends. Both are well adapted to the study of chemistry, of electricity, and of the subtle laws of nature. Born for the pursuit of science. now consider the characteristics of the gentleman.

We will

Mr. F.-You are free, open, and bold in the face of danger. You do not like to be bound by any law, yet are faithful and law-abiding. There is a peculiar kind of suspicion in your nature, which will be a great hindrance to success. Are too critical and exacting. If you would reach the highest goal of attainment, search out and eliminate all inclination toward selfishness; overcome a hasty temper. Give your mind to the musing study of the laws of God and of nature. Earnestly desire the gift of inspirational knowledge. Plenty of physical exercise is necessary to the preservation of your health. Be careful not to have too many ideas on hand at the same time. The times of especial danger in the regeneration are while the moon is passing through the sign Leo, Virgo, or Sagittarius, and the hours when these signs are rising.