So earthy, mercurial, passive a sign as Virgo can have little in common with the fire and activity of Uranus. Sometimes the influence, as in the case of Cancer, becomes harmonised and fixed; but this will only be in special cases. For the most part the temperament will be meanly marked; one is likely to find eccentricity and mental instability, and it is improbable that any great driving force will be developed.
However, there is the case of Balzac, presumably the greatest novelist that ever lived. Here Leo is rising, and Uranus, though just within the second house, has no planet between him and the horizon. The Sun, lord of the Ascendant, is in conjunction with Jupiter in the tenth house. There is no lack of harmony between the personality and the temperament, except for the mercurial touch given by Virgo, which made the master personally very eccentric in manner and somewhat unaccountable in his actions; at least, so it appeared to the majority of his contemporaries.
A person of great learning was Pico de Mirandola. Here Libra is rising, and Uranus is in opposition to Sol. This gave him a love for obscure branches of knowledge; the temperament, although bound to study by its mercurial side, was further limited by opposition.
Mercury having much to do with the minor, executant, sort of music, it may be that the temperament turns in this direction. We have the pianist Wilhelm Backhaus, and the violinist Maud MacCarthy with this position. Each excellent technically, lacks any creative power such as we see in great composers.
With’ Brigham Young, however, Uranus is rising just within the second house in exact sextile to Mars and within 4 degrees of the conjunction of Jupiter. Mercury the lord is in close conjunction with Sol. This combination gives that tremendous energy and ability which he had, and which the mere position of Uranus would have denied him.
Far more characteristic of the isolated action is Miss Lind-af-Hageby, with five planets in Virgo, and Libra rising. Venus, The lady of the Ascendant, is less than seven degrees from the conjunction of Uranus. The temperament and personality are therefore united, but Virgo has full sway, and so the character is somewhat cold, sexless, and logical. A trine of Jupiter and Sol give enthusiasm, but this lies within the arid plains of knowledge. Despite its humanitarian object, one feels nothing very human in the work.
The influence of Virgo at its worst is seen in Miss Violet Charlesworth, of the imaginary motor-car accident and scarlet cloak and momentary music-hall engagement notoriety. Here Mercury appears as the boyish trickster; and Uranus makes the trick fantastic and explosive.
This sort of thing is much more to be expected from the Uranus in Virgo of the ordinary person, than anything of a constructive, creative, or even emancipatory or revolutionary character.