WHITE, Thomas.

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The Beauties of Occult Science Investigated; or, the Celestial Intelligencer: in Two Parts. First edition of this scarce astronomical treatise. Thomas White provides both a comprehensive introduction to astronomy and an advanced guide to understanding the universe and its influence on human life. Only six institutional copies are recorded worldwide, all held in libraries in the UK and the US.White argues that, because humans are composed of the same particles and subject to the same forces as the rest of the universe, we are intrinsically connected to the planets and their movements. By understanding and practising astrology, the reader may learn "how they may most fortunately manage their affairs in the World" (pp. 11–12). The work also includes chapters on predicting wealth, health, marriage, birth, and death, together with case studies of notable figures including Louis XVI and Napoleon. The book proved successful on publication, prompting the issue of a second edition the following year.Little is known about the life of Thomas White of Bath. In 1813, he was arrested on the Isle of Wight for fortune-telling and was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. He died in Winchester Gaol during his sentence.

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