The next house in order from the ascendant is the second house, or house of "Riches". This signifies the estate, fortune and property, riches, gain or loss in pecuniary affairs, poverty, misfortune, and in fact every thing relating to (that plague of the wise man, and that idol of the fool) gold, and " the worlds wide wealth" of him for whom the figure is cast. The ancient Astrologers attribute the same effects to this house, both in nativities and horary figures; but this requires some explanatory developement, for if the nativity be afflicted other ways, if the luminaries are evilly aspected by Saturn, Mars, or Herschel, even though Jupiter should be posited in the second house, and in his most powerful dignities, the native would be far more liable to misfortune and loss than fortunate. The attentive student will at once perceive from this explanation, that the genuine principles of the celestial science are founded on philosophical axioms, which nothing can neutralise, and which invariably point to the same steady objects.

In the questionary art, the second house denotes the money of the querent, his loss or gain in speculations relating to business or pecuniary affairs in general, or any question in particular; also of loans, friends, and assistants in law-suits, and such like. In State Astrology, it denotes allies, warlike officers, and the pecuniary resources of the nation at large; especially in the scheme of the heavens, which is cast for the vernal ingress. According to MSS. writers, the second house denotes " inheritance, lucre, and divers winning; also it denotes the brethren of private enemies, for it is the third house as accounted from the twelfth; and fathers, or grandsires of friends, for it is the fourth from the eleventh house; also king's sons, for it is the fifth house from the mid-heaven; also upon the death of wives, familiars, fellows, (partners) and open or public enemies, as-being the eighth house from the seventh, in due order; also upon the religion and long journeys of servants, for it is the ninth reckoned from the sixth house; also upon the trade, (magisttiry) credit, profession, and honor of children, as being the tenth house from the fifth; also upon the friends and well-wishers of fathers, being the eleventh reckoned from the fourth' bouse; and lastly, upon private enemies of brethren as being the twelfth reckoned from the third house".

It is a feminine house, and similar in effect to the sign , ruling the neck and shoulders.