HOUSE, in Astrology, denotes the twelfth part of the heavens. The division of the heavens into houses is founded upon the pretended influence of the stars, when meeting in them, upon all sublunary bodies. These influences are supposed to be good or bad; and to each of these houses particular virtues are assigned, on which astrologers prepare and form a judgment of their horoscopes. The horizon and meridian are two circles of the celestial houses, which divide the heavens into four equal parts, each containing three houses, six of which are above the horizon, and six below it; of these, six are called eastern and six western houses.
A scheme or figure of the heavens is composed of twelve triangles, all called houses, in which are marked the stars, signs, and planets, so included in each of these circles. Every planet has likewise two particular houses, in which it is pretended that they exert their influence in the strongest manner; but the sun and moon have only one, the house of the former being Leo, and that of the latter Cancer.
The houses in astrology have also names given them according to their qualities. The first is the house of life, which is the ascendant, extending five degrees above the horizon, and the rest below it. The second is the house of riches; the third, the house of brothers; the fourth, in the lowest part of the heavens, is the house of relations, and the angle of the earth; the fifth, the house of children; the sixth, the house of health; the seventh, the house of marriage, and the angle of the west; the eighth, the house of death; the ninth, the house of piety; the tenth, the house of offices; the eleventh, the house of friends; and the twelfth, the house of enemies.