Note 73 — Chapter III
Edward Rehatsek translation
It does not appear that the astrologer’s prediction was fulfilled—though a blind man once shot a crow, but, like the astrologer, for one hit he missed a thousand times. A good story is told of an essay in the capacity of astrologer on the part of Anvarí, the celebrated Persian poet. It so happened that in 1186 A.D. (581 or 582 A.H.) there was a conjunction of all the planets in the sign of Libra. Anvarí predicted a storm which would eradicate trees and destroy all buildings. When the fatal day arrived, it was perfectly calm, and there was the whole year so little wind that the people were unable to winnow their corn. The unlucky poet-astrologer was obliged to fly to Balkh, where he died, in the reign of Sultan Alá-ed-Dín Takash, A.D. 1200 (A.H. 596).
Astrologers having predicted for the year 1523 incessant rains and disastrous floods, the good abbot of St. Bartholomew, in Smithfield, London, built a house at Harrow-on-the-Hill, and stored it with provisions. Many people followed his example and repaired to high places, in order to escape the expected deluge. But no extraordinary rains occurring, the disappointed soothsayers pacified the people by confessing themselves mistaken just one hundred years in their calculation!—Readers of Chaucer will remember how the arch-rogue Clerk Nicolas, for his own wicked ends, predicted, to his simple landlord, the carpenter, that a flood was presently to come upon the earth, greater than that which Noah and his family “rode-out” in the Ark.
Mrs. Meer Hasan Ali, in her interesting Observations on the Mussulmans of India, says: “It is wonderful the influence which a najúm [i.e. astrologer] acquires in the houses of many great men in India. Wherever one of those idlers is entertained he is the oracle to be consulted on all occasions. I know those who submit with a childlike docility to the najúm’s opinion, when their better reason, if allowed sway, would decide against the astrologer’s prediction. If the najúm says it is not proper for Nawáb Sahib and his lady to eat, drink, or sleep, to take medicine, to give away or accept any gift, the najúm has said it, and the najúm must be right.” (Vol. i, pp. 69, 70.)