THE INHARMONIOUS ASPECTS

Here there is usually a definite sacrifice of happiness, either to an ideal, to a material

ambition or to duty, as in the case of soldiers and sailors, whose vocation demands the sacrifice of
ordinary home comforts.
In regard to character the worst side of the configuration lies in its exacting and selfish
character, which, though by no means a necessary phenomenon, occurs regularly in the lower
types. A sort of mean jealousy, unredeemed by the romance of Uranus or even the passion of
Mars, may be observed, and, with Mercury-Mars afflictions, nagging may occur. Wives may carry
punctuality to such a point that lateness at a meal may mean a day of disharmony; husbands may
be household tyrants waging constant battle over domestic accounts.
One may credit Venus-Saturn natives with fidelity; they are often very cold in some part of
their nature, and, even with ascendants such as Taurus or Libra, may astonish one with
unsuspected hardness. Yet to a few they may be devoted and loyal beyond what is usual. There is
often a tendency to be apprehensive and to be given to forebodings; and some tend to nurse
grievances and dwell on supposed slights.
The life is generally a hard one, either through poverty or worldly failure, or, if this does not
occur owing to other counteracting indications, then there is usually either depression and
moodiness, loneliness (often with bereavement), or ill-health. The last is, however, the least
characteristic feature of the configuration, which centres above all in the emotional and affectional
spheres.
Childhood does not seem to suffer particularly, as is usually the case with Venus-Mars
aspects, but one of the parents as a rule the father is apt to be a burden. Frequently he is a
forceful, tyrannical, exacting or dominating type, whose will allows little free development in his
children. Sometimes, though less often, he is unpractical, a failure and a financial burden to his
family. Sometimes his early death is denoted, and step-parents may occur. He is rather likely, in
some instances, to require his children to grow up too soon, to realize their responsibilities too early,
and to work more strenuously than an all-round unfoldment might call for.
The mother is often affected and is as a rule strongly tinged with Saturnian characteristics,
as in the way of being ambitious, worldy, snobbish or aloof.
Generally there is apt to be a condition of fixation in respect of one or both parents. The
child is too strongly marked with their impress and tries to grow into their likeness or that of one of
them, each sex tending to assimilate itself to the parent of the opposite gender. Sometimes the

limitation is more purely external, as when the child has to deny itself to support its parents in old
age. But the general effect of the parents on the child is in the direction of increasing its seriousness
and its responsibilities, and those born with this configuration are peculiarly susceptible to this sort of
influence, which is none the less detrimental because often well-intentioned.
In marriage it can be easily understood that Venus-Saturn afflictions act very badly. The
good aspects are compatible with the great happiness and mutual love, but even thus bereavement
and other forms of separation are possible. Considerable differences of age, and less often of
social status, are common both with good and bad aspects.
Bad aspects may delay marriage or even assist in preventing it altogether. If it occurs, then
ill-health or misfortune often befalls the partner, or gradual estrangement may ensue, in which
respect the aspect (if it takes this form at all) is very deadly and far more dangerous in my
experience than Venus-Mars.
It must be stated frankly that this combination is of a serious kind. I have certainly known
cases wherein a minor evil aspect has apparently been completely externalised that is to say, the
character does not seem to have suffered at all yet one cannot but imagine that true peace and joy
are difficult to attain for those who have such contacts. As a rule either the life is exceptionally sad,
or the nature is such that normal misfortunes are felt abnormally. It is a distinct demand that
happiness should not be sought in the things of Saturn and in his kingdom.