There is a particular sympathy between Uranus and Leo, not only because of the cherubic quality of the sign, but because it is a Solar sign, and Uranus is the secret generative force by which we call the Sun Father. Leo, too, by the Yetziratic attribution of the Qabalists, is a snake as well as a lion, and the magical image of his first decanate is a crowned lion with the body of a snake. Now Uranus himself combines very closely the force of these two animals. Fierceness and subtlety alternate in his mode of action; he is weighty in his onset and yet dangerously sudden; he is the giver of life and death. In fact, it is through Uranus that we are led to recognise the extremely close correspondence between Leo and Scorpio. One is the Lion, the other the Eagle, of the alchemistic philosophy; both possess the secret nature of the snake; and in their evil and averse aspect one is Cerberus and the other the Black Dragon of Putrefaction. Those versed in alchemy will behold and wonder at the beauty and lucidity of this symbolism.
There is however one serious drawback to this position of Uranus; this s, that the very sympathy with the secret part of the Solar force creates a danger. Apollo is called ‘creator and destroyer’; the Lingam is addressed by the Greeks as ‘all-begetter, all-devourer’ and this force is now seen to be concentrated in Uranus. And unless the Sun in any male horoscope be reasonably well-dignified there is no danger to the life of the native. Now the presence of Uranus in the house of the Sun is itself an affliction of the Sun, on the material plane, and so we must have Sol well-dignified in other ways or the native is liable to die before the occult power or the planet has time to manifest.
There is accordingly a great paucity of examples of the thesis which we have put forward as to its natural action when isolated; since from the nature of the case, such isolation is rather rare. Shelley is our one great exemplification; and his case is fortunately very perfect. We see the revolutionary influence at work in Greatheart; the rebel against the fetters that bind humanity, overflowing with solar force and love, blazes on high, melting the cold passions of age and experience with his naming jets of white-hot vapour of gold. Such works as Prometheus Unbound and The World’s Tragedy are pure Uranus in Leo. Shelley was saved from early death through illness by the conjunction of the Sun and Venus; six degrees from Uranus Sagittarius is rising and its lord Jupiter is in conjunction with Mars and Neptune. Unfortunately, Uranus being in the eighth house, a violent death was indicated. However, he had done his work; he had sown a new seed in the field of humanity, one of the most fruitful ever planted.
Another case of the most promising talent cut short is Edward VI, is admittedly the most accomplished scholar of his period. At an age when most boys are still struggling with the elements of Latin, he spoke fluently not only that comparatively easy language, but also Greek and Hebrew. Here again, however, the Sun is only seven degrees from the square of Uranus, and is himself squared within one degree by the Moon. The lord of the Ascendant Virgo, Mercury, is squared by Mars again within one degree. With such aspects it was impossible for the promise of youth 10 be redeemed b) the achievement of age.
Another superb example of the seductive, fascinating temperament given by Uranus in Leo is that of Mary Queen of Scots, as she stands out from all other queens for beauty and tragedy, not because these were so much greater than the others, but on account of the temperament itself, which has the faculty of inspiring the most amazing extremes of attraction and repulsion. There is never any thing half-hearted about the feeling with which such people are regarded. With Shelley, half the world made him Apollo incarnate; the rest thought, and even wrote, that he was in sober truth not a man at all, but a devil sent specially from hell to plague humanity. So with Mary Queen of Scots. She had Taurus rising and Venus in semi-sextile to the Moon, Sol is trine to Uranus; but being in the eighth house, a violent death was presaged as soon as the direction permitted, which duly came to pass.
Rather similar is the case of Cleo de Merode whose fascination may be held to match that of the unhappy Stuart. It has the same serpentine quality. Here Pisces is rising and its lord Jupiter is culminating. The life is made secure by the trine of Mars to the Moon, and there is no incompatibility anywhere to hurt the native.
Another example of the fascination, this time in a man, is Winston Churchill, the one really attracl1ve personality III English politics. At an age when most men, even if they start with his advantages of birth and wealth, are Just taking their seat for the first time in Parliament, he was a Cabinet Minister, holding the most responsible portfolios. S~0′:Pio is rising, a most harmonious circumstance and Sol is in the Ascendant, sextile to Saturn, so that the life IS protected. However, Uranus is rather near the cusp of the tenth house and a sudden fall, such as took place in 1915, was only to be expected.
Sometimes the temperament of Uranus in Leo confers unique powers in some obscure direction. One may instance Datas with Cancer rising, the sign of memory and the Moon in opposition to Uranus, limiting the mental powers to this peculiar faculty of remembering dates.
Like him is Houdini with unequaled dexterity in one very small and unusual accomplishment. The square of Mars to Uranus indicates the special line in which the temperament is displayed. A third case is Pelissier who scored no special success until he did something original and unique, producing a new form of entertainment. Here Leo is rising, Uranus in the twelfth house squared by the Sun. I-Hence the success was sudden and all too short.
Our last example is George Edalji. Here Scorpio is rising and Uranus too near the cusp of the tenth house to be pleasant, especially as Mercury is in exact opposition to him. An exact semisextile of Venus to Sol saves the life and Mars the ruler is in his own house. But there is no great help to the career and therefore we need not be surprised at the tragedy of the life, If he was guilty, we may consider that the Uranus in Leo position conferred dexterity in crime almost unparalleled in history; and the nature of the crime is very characteristic, But in any event, the fascination of the personality is evident; for his case excited the continuous interest of many of England’s leading publicists, so much so that ultimately not only his pardon but his reinstatement as a solicitor was obtained from the King.