Jean Baptiste Morin writes that he was born during the daytime i.e. 8:33 in the morning, and the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Saturn are all in the 12th house. He used the Whole Sign house system so they are “all” square to Mars in the third.

The parental effect

The Moon is the significator of my parents because it is the ruler of the 4th House, he is Aries rising, and in particular the Moon represents my mother because both are feminine. The Moon also is in the feminine sign of Pisces — 02 Pisces while the Sun by his reckoning is at 04 degrees Pisces and partile Jupiter, a money sign. But, he continues, as “the Sun is between my mother and money, it is not from her I will get anything”, he writes somewhat embittered, and that he writes on is his brother’s doing, the Mars in Cancer in the 3rd house.

He wants to be clear that his father — the Sun — is not at fault, because “he never wished me harm”. Cardinal Richelieu, on the other hand, was his secret enemy and shows up in Morin’s chart 12 Pisces. Notice that the Sun is next to Saturn, and these “sunbeams” of ill emanate from Saturn and the powerful enemies he unwittingly made. Morin clarifies this that “I do no think that the Sun is my father alone, but also myself as the Sun is too universal in itself to refer to anything else”.

Ptolemy and Jerome Cardan are correct about the Moon being my moral nature, — 02 Pisces in the 12th — just as Mercury is my mental capacity” — at 26 Aquarius in the 11th. He continues that his Mercury is ruled by the beneficial aspects of Saturn — the traditional house ruler — and not its harsher qualities when it is in the 10th, making my mind more open to ideas and calculations. Venus is next to, and is ruled either by Libra or Taurus, either works in his favour. “This would say that I am not only curious but open to new ideas and ventures and I have found that to be true.”

Morality

The Moon’s ruler is Cancer and found in his chart in the 4th house and since the Moon and Cancer have the same basic nature he postulates that his moral capability is sound. But he adds the following caveat, “If we apply, as some do, Mercury’s aspect to his Moon, it is behind, and this means that everyone born that day would have the same capabilities”.

He finds fault with that and says what we do with the other planets we should do with Mercury and its position too, and not by its relation to the luminary. Naturally, he adds, that the Ruler of that house and whether it is afflicted by the ruler or not changes a person’s mental outlook too.

His ascendant’s ruler is 19.08 Aries that is ruled by Mars and found in the 4th house. It is interesting that he does not mention that Mars in Cancer is in its fall (it is exalted in Capricorn and so in fall in the opposite house) and it is both locally and essentially. Instead, Morin writes that it is in good aspect to his Sun (a trine), so it brings honors to his name (which was true). Mars is also in good aspect to Jupiter (also trine), thus he will also bring by his own efforts money (which he did). Jupiter is also exalted in the 12th as the traditional ruler of Pisces — he does not mention that either.

Intellect

Now, Morin tackles whether his horoscope is accurate regarding his acumen. He writes that first “I look to the relationship between Mercury and my ascendant (for him it is sextile), and thence to the relationships between Mercury and the ascendant’s ruler (Mars) to see what type of intelligence I will have. For me, we see that Mercury is next to Venus and it’s lord as I have written are good, so this means I am eager student. Mercury to my ascendant is also good though to my ascendant’s ruler (Mars) is in a harsher aspect (obviously Morin is inferring that no aspect means a poor one) meaning that my mind will be sharp, logical, cold and discriminating.”

I will in conclusion, state that all of this is very general and not specific enough to make a real determination. Ptolemy of course would disagree with me, and so would many current, past and probably future astrologers. Thus we must study further and delineate this chart in greater detail.”

–end chapter 3, Book xxi