Ben Jonson's servant and pupil[4] has given some good comic examples of the way in which those who honestly endeavoured to read the stars might be deceived,—though when the stars condescended “to palter in a double sense” it was seldom in so good a humour. One told a gentleman His son should be a man-killer, and be hang'd for't; Who after proved a great and rich physician, And with great fame, in the University Hang'd up in picture for a grave example! ——Another schemist Found that a squint-eyed boy should prove a notable Pick-purse, and afterwards a most strong thief; When he grew up to be a cunning lawyer, And at last died a Judge! [Footnote 4: BROOME.] CHAPTER LXXXVII. ASTROLOGY. ALMANACKS. PRISCILLIANISM RETAINED IN THEM TO THIS TIME. I wander 'twixt the poles And heavenly hinges, 'mongst eccentricals, Centers, concentricks, circles and epicycles. ALBUMAZAR. The connection between astrology and the art of medicine is not more firmly believed in Persia at this day, than it was among the English people during the age of almanack-makers. The column which contained the names of the saints for every day, as fully as they are still given in Roman Catholic almanacks, was less frequently consulted than those in which the aspects were set down, and the signs and the parts of the human body under their respective governance. Nor was any page in the book regarded with more implicit belief than that which represented the “Anatomy of Man's body as the parts thereof are governed by the twelve Constellations, or rather by the Moon as she passeth by them.” In those representations man indeed was not more uglily than fearfully made,—as he stood erect and naked, spiculated by emitted influences from the said signs, like another St. Sebastian; or as he sate upon the globe placed like a butt for him, while they radiated their shafts of disease and pain.