Chapter CCIV: Section C: TWENTY-SECOND CAPITAL. The Ages of Man; and the influence of

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.