IN the last issue of Isis (vol. 41, 125–126, p. 374) there is a short review by Professor Sarton of a recent publication by E. S. Drower of the Mandean “Book of the Zodiac” which is characterized by the reviewer as “a wretched collection of omens, debased astrology and miscellaneous nonsense.” Because this factually correct statement1 does not tell the whole story, I want to amplify it by a few remarks to explain to the reader why a serious scholar might spend years on the study of wretched subjects like ancient astrology.