Oxley, Thomas ‘The Celestial Planispheres, or Astronomical Charts. Part I. Shewing by Inspection, or only by drawing a Straight Line, All the most useful Problems in Astronomy, in the most Easy, Pleasing, and Expeditious manner, by means of the Celestial Planispheres. Part II. A New and Comprehensive System of Directional Motion, According to the Principles of Ptolemy and Placidus, Explained in the most Easy and Familiar manner, so as to be perfectly understood by every capacity. Also, A Complete System of Calculating Nativities, by the Celestial Planispheres, From the Equator to Sixty Degrees of Latitude; Whereby the most Laborious and hitherto Intricate Calculations are solved, by Drawing a Straight Line, or only by extending a pair of Compasses, and the Arcs of Direction are obtained with wonderful exactness, and as much can be performed in a few Hours, as formerly required many Days. Illustrated by the Nativity of the Emperor Napoleon. Part III. Containing New and Improved Formulae for Astronomical Calculations, Also, for finding from the True Mundane Position of the Part of Fortune, its True Place in the Zodiac both in Longitude and Latitude, also, the True Method of finding the correct Polar Elevations both of the Planets, and of all the different Houses of the Celestial Figures, etc. and other interesting particulars in Directional Motion, never before Published. Part IV (which is added by particular desire,) containing Choice Astrological Aphorisms from Ptolemy; Also, the Significations of the Different Positions of the Planets, and of Directions from the Celebrated W. Lilly; so that a Purchaser of these “Celestial Planispheres,” will be enabled thereby both to calculate and to give a correct judgment on any Nativity without the help of any other book. To which is added the Author’s New Theory of the Predictive Science, being a most irresistible defence of Astrology. Also, interesting Remarks and Calculations, on the Nativity of King William the Fourth. With Ten Large Copperplates[1], Most Accurately Engraved‘ Published by Davis and Dickson, 17, St. Martin’s Le Grant, Newgate Street, London; Blackwood, Edinburgh; Robinsons, and Grapel, Liverpool; and may be had of the Booksellers in general, 1830.
Quarter cloth (worn at hinges) with paper-covered boards (edgeworn). [1 leaf] + viii + [pp. 9-304].
[1] NB: the advertised ten copper plates were not bound in with the book and were apparently issued separately; I have never seen a set for sale, which indicates that they have typically been lost.
About this Book Scan
Carefully scanned in full colour from our complete original printing of the 1830 first edition.
Thomas Oxley was one of the leading English astrologers of the mid-19th century. His first of two main textbooks, The Celestial Planispheres (1830), influentially advocated the replacement of the traditional square astrological figure with the modern round one.