The Constellation “Cancer” — the fourth of the Zodiac — exerts its influence from June 19 to July 23 (including the “5 Epagomenes,” or supplementary degrees).
It always gives to the subject a most agitated, restless existence, but a life of power and incessant activity.
Cancer endows the subjects it influences with a taciturn disposition, with a searching mind and good morals, pure even to austerity. Their imagination, of a rich, creative character, will be in love with the fantastic; added to it will be a great aptitude for assimilation, so that the subject will be ever ready to act in real life the part of the particular hero for whom his imagination, his dreams, or his readings will have given him a temporary fancy.
The mood will be changeable, capricious, fickle to a degree, and the intercourse with others will suffer on that account, although the subject himself will not greatly care.
An unquenchable thirst for sympathy will make him attach himself to a new fancy as fast as the preceding one will lose its attraction.
This sign renders one discreet, independent, open-minded, and versatile.
The Moon, who has its throne in this constellation, gives the subject sometimes the appearance of a most phlegmatic individual, and again it shows him up as a most unreasonably irritable fellow; both states of the mind are due to excessive impressionability and sensitiveness.
Those born under Cancer are quick in body and mind, clever in business matters and fit to command; they are ambitious to obtain wealth, honors and all the good things of life, and Cancer helps them to succeed, while it gives them decided religious tendencies. Women born under this sign are both hard workers and imperious. Eclecticism and general versatility are among the gifts of Cancer.
The complex Influences that proceed from this sign, and which are more helpful to those who are born between midnight and noon, may render the subject either brave or cowardly according to circumstances and surroundings. The same individual may show himself one day suspicious or simply prudent to excess; and, the next morning, influenced by the phases of the moon, he may prove extravagantly thoughtless, absent-minded and fanciful.
These qualities are the causes of the sudden but weak and short-lived fits of anger of the subject; in reality, it is only assumed anger which will vanish like smoke.
Wealth will be often very hard to collect, and the inherited patrimony may be
recklessly squandered, either by relatives or by children of the subject.
Losses at the gaming table, or in speculation, or through thieves are to be expected; but, in the latter part of life, the chances to become rich are excellent.
During his youth, the subject will meet with obstacles to his chosen vocation and
have troubles from near relations; he is threatened with an early loss of brothers or with quarrelling with them. He may have a second (or adopted) family, outside of his own. His children will cause him much anxiety; it will be hard for him to settle them in life, with the exception of the eldest one, however, who will reach a high position.
The subject’s kindred will push him energetically in the career he will finally select.
Many will be the vicissitudes and worries of the subject; some of them of a mysterious nature; but at the hour of most desperate crisis, unexpected assistance will come up providentially.
This sign gives one a repulsion against marriage and renders it, if entered into, quite unsatisfactory; the subject may inherit property from a first wife, but a law suit will be connected with it.
Travels will be long and profitable. One of them will make the subject comparatively famous and he will emerge “all right” out of the perils and struggles he may encounter in these journeys.
Some changes of residence will prove injurious to the health and to the pocket, on account of undesirable acquaintances or hidden enemies; even ambushes are to be feared, especially at the age of 14, 26 or 38.
Toward the 35th year the subject’s position will be changed from good to bad or vice-versa. After that age it will be much more steady.
The subject will have many friends and protectors, especially among persons of the other sex; one of these patrons will run a great danger of total ruin, which will have a disastrous effect upon the subject.
At the age of 20, 32 and 44 there will be great peril resulting from secret intrigues of declared enemies or traitors among the subject’s trusted friends.
Cancer generally gives the people born under it excellent health. Should they be ill, the parts of the body to be affected will be the lungs and in general the breathing organs.
Wounds inflicted by the hands of man are foretold.
This sign gives the subject a lymphatic-bilious temperament in a southern climate and a lymphatic-nervous disposition in a northern latitude.
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From Practical Astrology by Comte C. de Saint-Germain