The fifth house refers in the first ease to the pleasures enjoyed by the native, and the influence of Neptune, while very peculiar, cannot be described as unfortunate, except in bad cases of affliction, or through the general weakness of the rest of the horoscope. The native is likely to find amusement in clandestine or, fantastic, pleasures. Conventional minds always associate such dispositions with moral laxity. and this is entirely unjustified. One might instance the cases of Baudelaire and Maeterlinck, who both have this planet near the cusp of the fifth, and one may point to the very remarkable character of their poetry. No doubt in these cases, this poetry was a true reflection of the moral character. Lord Byron again had this position and although his poetry was singularly sane, no doubt his pleasures were, to some extent abnormal, as viewed from the standpoint of orthodoxy.
On the other hand, there is the case of Rosa Bonheur, who dressed as a man and associated with men, but there is no suggestion that this, in any way, detracted from her uprightness; the force of her character was very remarkable. We know of another case through private practice, in which the native likes to disguise herself as a working girl and frequent dance halls in the less wealthy parts of the city where she lives, and she has spent the summer in the woods, cooking for a party of girl guides. Neptune is, however, strongly supported by the Sun, and these experiences have been no more harmful to her than those of Joan of Arc in history, Una and Britomart in romance or many saint or virgin in the jester’s sanctorum. On the other hand, we have such cases as those of Marie Bashkirtseff, who found pleasure in writing the most extraordinary diary that has ever been given to the world; Bulwer-Lytton, who set the fashion of occult novels, and spent a great part of his life in fantastic experiences among Rosicrucian friends; and Bismarck, who, though of spotless moral character, sought relaxation in diversions unnatural to his station. It will be remembered that his favourite author was Gaboriau and that he was usually to be found when not at work chatting with the students in beer-halls. A less favourable influence of Neptune is seen in the case of Lillie Langtry. We may also instance Martin Luther, who tore a nun from the convent and in so doing pulled down the temporal power of the Catholic Church; and there is also George Edalji, who was sentenced to many years’ imprisonment for a series of maiming outrages upon horses and cattle, a campaign which was carried on in connection with a number of anonymous (letters sent by him to me police. He called himself Captain Darby, chief of the Great Wyrley gang. which probably existed only in his imagination. The anarchist Vaillant ) also had this position of Neptune.
In many cases, however, the indication implies no more than a passion for art and music, or even more frequently, the theatre. From this alone one cannot judge whether there is much ability to create Of even to interpret art; such questions must be decided both by the aspects to Neptune and by the tenth house, and the first, but the love of all such things is evident. It is unlikely that there will be much tendency to the enjoyment of outdoor sports, or of the pleasures of study. The indulgences will be rather trivial and transient. They will usually involve some kind of make-believe; nor are they likely to be particularly vigorous, still less violent, and they should fascinate temporarily, rather than create any serious interest.
The fifth house also refers to children and here Neptune may be regarded as decidedly unfortunate. Even with a fertile sign on the cusp of the fifth house and a well-aspected ruler, the native is not likely to have children unless Neptune itself be very well-aspected, or if there are children they will die in infancy. This is more strongly indicated where the native is a man; favourable aspects will of course remove this disability and in such a case, the children may be of the Neptunian type. This will make them adorable as children, but it is evident from what has been said with regard to the first house, that they will need the greatest care with regard to health and to education.
As Leo is the sign naturally pertaining to the fifth house, affairs of the heart are indicated thereby. By this one not only does not mean wedlock, but rather tends to exclude it. The native whose Neptune is in the fifth house will probably be very curious in the matter of love. He will fall in love with strange and curious people, and he will manifest his affections in a very unusual way. Spirituality of love is particularly indicated in the best cases. As, however, this planet on which we crawl, has a habit of being very practical , these relations, sometimes work out in a manner far from satisfactory, and lead to more trouble than common and gross infringment of the conventional rules. In many natures, there will be a disinclination for any kind of love in the ordinary sense of the word. It is likely to take such forms as symbolism, fetichism, and other more or less harmless weaknesses and incapacities. There is also a liability to secret and solitary habits and in particular the: native may be tempted to indulge in alcohol, ether, or narcotic drugs. There is probably no conviviality in such practices, the native prefers to enjoy his perverse pleasure in secret.
The fifth house also indicates speculation, but not so much those speculations which are undertaken on the large scale, and with a definite end in view. We are not to include under this house such questions as the exploitation of inventions, the establishment of large businesses or even any kind of gambling which is undertaken in cold blood for purposes of gain. It is rather when speculation is undertaken merely as an amusement that the fifth house indicates the fortunes of the native. Neptune in this position is decidedly bad. The pendulum of luck will swing in a very violent and irregular manner. There may at times be large gains, but they will be offset by even larger losses. The native will have very little control of himself in this respect; he will enter the casino with a firm determination not to risk more than the amount he is carrying about him, but having lost it all in the morning, he will be cabling hysterically for funds in the afternoon. He will probably have a settled contempt for mathematics and a belief in all kinds of wild systems. He will wear his pockets out with mascots and irritate every hunchback in the neighbourhood by his assiduity. Another danger with which he has to contend is that of actual cheating on the part of those with whom he gambles.