VII. GOTHIC PALACES 319

flowers. A very unusual representation, even in Italy; where, as in the North, he is almost always riding out hunting or hawking, sometimes playing on a musical instrument.¹ In Spenser, this month is personified as “the fayrest mayd on ground,” borne on the shoulders of the Twins.

In this archivolt there are only two heads to represent the zodiacal sign.

The summer and autumnal months are always represented in a series of agricultural occupations, which, of course, vary with the locality in which they occur; but generally in their order only. Thus, if June is mowing, July is reaping; if July is mowing, August is reaping; and so on. I shall give a parallel view of some of these varieties presently; but, meantime, we had better follow the St. Mark’s series, as it is peculiar in some respects.

6. JUNE. Reaping. The corn and sickle sculptured with singular care and precision, in bold relief, and the zodiacal sign, the Crab, above, also worked with great spirit. Spenser puts plough irons into his hand. Sometimes he is sheep-shearing; and, in English and Northern French manuscripts, carrying a kind of fagot or barrel, of the meaning of which I am not certain.

7. JULY. Mowing. A very interesting piece of sculpture, owing to the care with which the flowers are wrought out among the long grass. I do not remember ever finding July but either reaping or mowing. Spenser works him hard, and puts him to both labours:

“Behinde his backe a sithe, and by his side

Under his belt he bore a sickle circling wide.”

8. AUGUST. Peculiarly represented in this archivolt, sitting in a chair, with his head upon his hand, as if asleep; the

¹ [“The Venetians could not indulge in such pastimes, whilst love of flowers is a pleasing trait in their character. In the month of May, the very streets of Venice are brightened and sweetened by the quantities of flowers that are heaped up in the open shop windows, and carried about in the streets, in baskets, for sale. ... Many are grown in the city itself. There are many more gardens in Venice than strangers are aware of” (The Bible of St. Mark, p. 97).]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]