posted August 02, 2007 06:00 PM              

"Egoism and selfishness are essentially exaggeration of our instinct of self-preservation and of the individualizing principle. These probably come respectively under Cancer and Aries, but the faults of egoism and selfishness can hardly be ascribed to one sign more than to another; they occur in all of them, except where the ego is of a relatively high type. Even many martyrs and protagonists of causes are essentially egoistic (although not selfish). It has been said that "it is really setting rather a high value on one's opinions to be willing to die for them!"

he goes on:

"In a very general sense it may be said:

-Aries is usually egoistic, but not necessarily by any means selfish.
-Taurus is good-natured, but selfish and lazy.
-Gemini is egoistic, but also often selfish, frequently in a rather childish way." [I agree with this]
"-Cancer is as a rule neither the one nor the other, although Saturn in affliction with the Moon is often very mean.
-Leo is, in good types, very unselfish, affectionate, and ready to help others' but it is frequently egoistic in the extreme.
-Virgo is self-centred.
-Libra is often lazy, and dislikes contact with the sadder aspects of life, but it is distinctly unegoistic.
-Scorpio goes to extremes, but is usually devotedly selfless towards its special idols.
-Sagittarius is generous with material help, but often careless of others and slapdash in its manner.
-Capricorn acts from principle rather than from the heart; it is self protective, and is seldom willing to do more for others than is strictly due to them.
-Aquarius is unselfish in the service of causes and ideals, rather than individuals; it is not egoistic, but in present-day types the Saturnian rulership often causes a good deal of selfishness; in good types, the reverse is true.
-Pisces is good-natured and as a rule is far from selfish; it can, however, show a certain amount of egoism in its liking for preaching at others."

and goes on:
"Turning to the planets, afflictions to the lights or to Mercury are always liable to produce an over-accentuation of the individualist tendency. Mars and Uranus tend to self-assertion and extreme independence; Saturn narrows the sympathies and general outlook" [this is very true in my experience] ":hence the Moon or Mercury afflicted by Saturn is a common feature in the nativities of tyrants and absolute monarchs.

The great star Sirius [...] has relation to inordinate self-opiniativeness, self-esteem, and self-will. This must be considered principally by conjunction and opposition, above all with the Sun."