the planets on human life.
_First side_. The moon, governing infancy for four years, according
to Selvatico. I have no note of this side, having, I suppose, been
prevented from raising the ladder against it by some fruit-stall or
other impediment in the regular course of my examination; and then
forgotten to return to it.
_Second side_. A child with a tablet, and an alphabet inscribed on
it. The legend above is
"MECUREU' DNT. PUERICIE PAN. X."
Or, "Mercurius dominatur puerilite per annos X." (Selvatico reads VII.)
"Mercury governs boyhood for ten (or seven) years."
_Third side_. An older youth, with another tablet, but broken.
Inscribed
"ADOLOSCENCIE * * * P. AN. VII."
Selvatico misses this side altogether, as I did the first, so that the
lost planet is irrecoverable, as the inscription is now defaced. Note
the o for e in adolescentia; so also we constantly find u for o;
showing, together with much other incontestable evidence of the same
kind, how full and deep the old pronunciation of Latin always remained,
and how ridiculous our English mincing of the vowels would have sounded
to a Roman ear.
_Fourth side_. A youth with a hawk on his fist.
"IUVENTUTI DNT. SOL. P. AN. XIX."
The sue governs youth for nineteen years.
_Fifth side_. A man sitting, helmed, with a sword over his shoulder.
Inscribed
"SENECTUTI DNT MARS. P. AN. XV."
Mars governs manhood for fifteen years.
_Sixth side_. A very graceful and serene figure, in the pendent cap,
reading.
"SENICIE DNT JUPITER, P. ANN. XII."
Jupiter governs age for twelve years.
_Seventh side_. An old man in a skull-cap, praying.
"DECREPITE DNT SATN UQ' ADMOTE." (Saturnus usque ad mortem.)
Saturn governs decrepitude until death.
_Eighth side_. The dead body lying on a mattress.
"ULTIMA EST MORS PENA PECCATI."
Last comes death, the penalty of sin.