_Books in which the subject is occasionally introduced._
To offer any thing in the shape of a perfect list of these, would be to
attempt an impossibility, and therefore such only as have come under the
author's immediate inspection are here presented to the curious reader.
The same remark will apply to the list of single prints that follows.
There is a very singular book, printed, as supposed, about 1460, at
Bamberg, by Albert Pfister. It is in German, and a sort of moral allegory
in the shape of complaints against Death, with his answers to these
accusations. It is very particularly described from the only known perfect
copy in the royal library at Paris, by M. Camus, in vol. ii. of "Memoires
de l'institut. national des sciences et arts: litterature et beaux arts,"
p. 6 et seq. It contains five engravings on wood, the first of which
represents Death seated on a throne. Before him stands a man with an
infant to complain that Death has taken the mother, who is seen wrapped in
a shroud upon a tomb. The second cut represents Death also on a throne
with the same person as before, making his complaint, accompanied by
several other persons at the feet of Death, sorrowfully deposing the
attributes of their respective conditions, and at the head of them a Pope
kneeling with one knee on the ground. The third cut has two figures of
Death, one of which, on foot, mows down several boys and girls; the other
is on horseback, and pursues some cavaliers, against whom he shoots his
arrows. The fourth cut is in two compartments, the upper representing, as
before, a man complaining to Death seated on a throne with a crown on his
head. Below, on the spectator's left hand, is a convent whence several
monks are issuing towards a garden encircled with hurdles, in which is a
tree laden with fruit by the side of a river; a woman is seen crowning a
child with a chaplet, near whom stands another female in conversation with
a young man. M. Camus, in the course of his description of this cut, has
fallen into a very ludicrous error. He mistakes the very plain and obvious
gate of the garden, for a board, on which, he says, _several characters
are engraved which may be meant to signify the arts and sciences, none of
which are competent to protection against the attacks of Death_. These
supposed characters, however, are nothing more than the flowered hinges,
ring or knocker, and lock of the door, which stands ajar. The fifth cut is
described as follows, and probably with greater accuracy than in M. Camus,
by Dr. Dibdin, from a single leaf of this very curious work in the
Bibliotheca Spenceriana, vol. i. p. 104, accompanied with a copy of part
of it only. "Above the figures there seen sits the Almighty upon a throne,
with an attendant angel on each side. He is putting the forefinger of his
left hand into the centre of his right, and upon each of the hands is an
eye, denoting, I presume, the omniscience of the Deity." The fac-simile
cut partly corresponds with M. Camus's description of Death, and the
complainant before Christ seated on a throne in a heaven interspersed with
stars. The above fourth cut among these is on a single leaf in the
possession of the author, which had Dr. Dibdin seen, he would not have
introduced M. Camus's erroneous account of it, who has also referred to
Heineken's Idee, &c. p. 276, where it certainly is not in the French
edition of 1771. 8vo.
In the celebrated Nuremberg Chronicle, printed in that city, 1493, large
folio, there is at fo. cclxiiii. a fine wood-cut of three Deaths dancing
hand in hand, another playing to them on a haut-boy. Below is a skeleton
rising from a grave. It is inscribed IMAGO MORTIS.
In the "Stultifera navis" of Sebastian Brant, originally printed in German
at Basle and Nuremberg, 1494, are several prints, finely cut on wood, in
which Death is introduced. In an edition printed at Basle, 1572, 12mo.
with elegant wood engravings, after the designs of Christopher Maurer, and
which differ very materially from those in the early editions, there is a
cut of great merit to the verses that have for their title, "Qui alios
judicat." It represents a man on his death bed; and as the poet's
intention is to condemn the folly of those who, judging falsely or
uncharitably of others, forget that they must die themselves, Death is
introduced as pulling a stool from under a fool, who sits by the bed-side
of the dying man. In the original cut the fool is tumbling into the jaws
of hell, which, as usual, is represented by a monstrous dragon.
In the "Calendrier des Bergers," Paris, 1500, folio, at sign. g. 6, is a
terrific figure of Death on the pale horse; and at sign. g. 5. Death in a
cemetery, with crosses and monuments; in his left hand the lid of a coffin
in which his left foot is placed. These cuts are not in the English
translation.
"Ortulus Rosarum," circa 1500, 12mo. A wood-cut of Death bearing a coffin
on his shoulder, leads a group consisting of a pope, a cardinal, &c.
In the dialogue "Of lyfe and death," at the end of "the dialoges of
creatures moralysed," probably printed abroad without date or printer's
name soon after 1500, are two engravings in wood, one representing Death
appearing to a man with a falcon on his fist, the other Death with his
spade leading an emperor, a king, and a duke. The latter is not found in
the Latin editions of this work, and has probably formed a part of some
very old Dance of Death.
In an edition of "Boetius de consolatione," Strasburg, 1501, folio, is a
figure of Death on a lean horse throwing his dart at a group of warriors.
In the "Freidanck," Strasburg, 1508, 4to, near the end is a wood-cut of a
garden, in which two men and two women are feasting at a table. They are
interrupted by the unexpected appearance of Death, who forcibly seizes one
of the party, whilst the rest make their escape.
In the "Mortilogus" of Conrad Reitter, Prior of Nordlingen, printed at
Augsbourg by Erhard Oglin and Geo. Nadler, 1508, 4to. there is a wood-cut
of Death in a church-yard, holding a spade with one hand and with the
other showing his hour-glass to a young soldier; and another of Death
shooting an arrow at a flying man.
In "Heures a l'usaige de Sens," printed at Paris by Jean de Brie, 1512,
8vo. the month of December in the calendar is figured by Death pulling an
old man towards a grave; a subject which is, perhaps, nowhere else to be
found as a representation of that month. It is certainly appropriate, as
being at once the symbol of the termination of the year and of man's life.
In the "Chevalier de la Tour," printed by Guillaume Eustace, Paris, 1514,
folio, there is an allegorical cut, very finely engraved on wood, at fo.
xxii. nearly filling the page. The subject is the expulsion of Adam and
Eve from Paradise, the gate of which exhibits a regular entrance, with
round towers and portcullis. Behind this gate is seen the forbidden tree,
at the bottom of which is the Devil, seemingly rejoicing at the expulsion,
with an apple in his hand. Near the gate stands the angel with his sword,
and a cross on his head. Between him and the parties expelled is a
picturesque figure of Death with a scythe ready for action.
"Horae ad usum Romanum," printed for Geoffrey Tory of Tours, 1525. Before
the Vigiliae Mortuorum is a wood-cut of a winged Death holding a clock in
one hand; with the other he strikes to the ground and tramples on several
men and women. Near him is a tree with a crow uttering CRAS CRAS. In
another edition, dated 1527, is a different cut of a crowned figure of
Death mounted on a black mule and holding a scythe and hour-glass. He is
trampling on several dead bodies, and is preceded by another Death, armed
also with a scythe, whilst a third behind strikes the mule, who stops to
devour one of the prostrate figures. Above is a crow.
In a beautiful Officium Virg. printed at Venice, 1525, 12mo. is a vignette
of Death aiming an arrow at a group consisting of a pope, cardinal, &c.
Another Death is behind, on the spectator's left.
In "Heures de Notre Dame mises en reyne, &c." par Pierre Gringoire, 1527,
8vo. there is a cut at fo. lx. before the vigilles de la mort, of a king
lying on a bier in a chapel with tapers burning, several mourners
attending, and on the ground a pot of holy water. A hideous figure of
Death holding a scythe in one hand and a horn in the other, tramples on
the body of the deceased monarch.
In a folio missal for the use of Salisbury, printed at Paris by Francis
Regnault, 1531, there is a singular cut prefixed to the Officium
Mortuorum, representing two Deaths seizing a body that has the horrible
appearance of having been some time in its grave.
In a Flemish metrical translation of Pope Innocent III.'s work, "De
vilitate conditionis humanae," Ghend, 1543, 12mo. there is a wood-cut of
Death emerging from hell, armed with a dart and a three-pronged fork,
with which he attacks a party taking their repast at a table.
In the cuts to the Old Testament, beautifully engraved on wood by Solomon
or le petit Bernard, Lyons, 1553, 12mo. Death is introduced in the vision
of Ezekiel, ch. xxxvii. In this work the expulsion from Paradise is
imitated from the same subject in the Lyons wood-cuts.
In "Hawes's History of Graund Amoure and la bel Pucell, called the Pastime
of Pleasure," printed by R. Tottel, 1555, 4to. are two prints; the first
exhibits a female seated on a throne, in contemplation of several men and
animals, some of whom are lying dead at her feet; behind the throne Death
is seen armed with a dart, which he seems to have been just making use of:
there is no allusion to it in the text, and it must have been intended for
some other work. The second print has two figures of Death and a young
man, whom he threatens with a sort of mace in his right hand, whilst he
holds a pickaxe with his left.
"Imagines elegantissimae quae multum lucis ad intelligendos doctrinae
Christianae locos adferre possunt, collectae a Johann Cogelero verbi divini
ministro, Stetini." Viteberg, 1560, 12mo. It contains a wood-print, finely
executed, of the following subject. In the front Death, armed with a
hunting-spear, pushes a naked figure into the mouth of hell, in which are
seen a pope and two monks. Behind this group, Moses, with a pair of bulls'
horns, and attended by two Jews, holds the tables of the law. In the
distance the temptation, and the brazen serpent.
A German translation of the well known block book, the "Ars Moriendi," was
printed at Dilingen, 1569, 12mo. with several additional engravings on
wood. It is perhaps the last publication of the work. On the title-page is
an oval cut, representing a winged boy sleeping on a scull, and Death
shooting an arrow at him. The first cut exhibits a sort of Death's dance,
in eight small compartments. 1. A woman in bed just delivered of a child,
with which Death is running away. 2. A man sitting at a table, Death
seizes him behind, and pulls him over the bench on which he is sitting. 3.
Death drowning a man in a river. 4. Flames of fire issue from a house,
Death tramples on a man endeavouring to escape. 5. Two men fighting, one
of whom pierces the other with his sword. The wounded man is seized by
Death, the other by the Devil. 6. A man on horseback is seized by Death
also mounted behind. 7. Death holds his hour-glass to a man on his
death-bed. 8. Death leading an aged man to the grave. At the end of this
curious volume is a singular cut, intitled "Symbolum M. Joannis Stotzinger
Presbyteri Dilingensis." It exhibits a young man sitting at a table, on
which is a violin, music books, and an hour-glass. On the table is written
RESPICE FINEM. Near him his guardian angel holding a label, inscribed
ANGELVS ASTAT. Behind them Death about to strike the young man with his
dart, and over him MORS MINATVR. At the end of the table Conscience as a
female, whom a serpent bites, with the label CONSCIENTIA MORDET, and near
her the Devil, with the label DIABOLVS ACCVSAT. Above is the Deity looking
down, and the motto DEVS VIDET.
"Il Cavallero Determinado," Antwerp, 1591, 4to. A translation from the
French romance of Olivier de la Marche, with etchings by Vander Borcht.
The last print represents Death, armed with a coffin lid as a shield,
attacking a knight on horseback. In several of the other prints Death is
represented under the name of Atropos, as president in tournaments. In
other editions the cuts are on wood by the artist with the mark [monogram:
A].
In the margins of some of the Horae, printed by Thielman Kerver, there are
several grotesque figures of Death, independently of the usual Dance.
In many of the Bibles that have prints to the Revelations, that of Death
on the pale horse is to be noticed.
In Petrarch's work "de remediis utriusque fortunae," both in the German and
Latin editions, there are several cuts that relate materially to the
subject. It may be as well to mention that this work has been improperly
ascribed to Petrarch.
In many of the old editions of Petrarch's works which contain the
triumphs, that of Death is usually accompanied with some terrific print of
Death in a car drawn by oxen, trampling upon all conditions of men from
the pope to the beggar.
"Guilleville, Pelerin de la vie humaine." The pilgrim is conducted by
Abstinence into a refectory, where he sees many figures of Death in the
act of feeding several persons sitting at table. These are good people
long deceased, who during their lives have been bountiful to their
fellow-creatures. At the end, the pilgrim is struck by Death with two
darts whilst on his bed.
Death kicking at a man, his wife, and child. From some book printed at
Strasburg in the 16th century.
Death, as an ecclesiastic, sitting on the ground and writing in a book.
Another Death holding an inscribed paper in one hand, seizes with the
other a man pointing to a similar paper. The Deity in a cloud looking on.
From the same book.
"Mors," a Latin comedy, by William Drury, a professor of poetry and
rhetoric in the English college at Douay. It was acted in the refectory of
the college and elsewhere, and with considerable applause, which it very
well deserved. There is as much, and sometimes more, wit and humour in it
than are found in many English farces. It was printed at Douay, 1628,
12mo. with two other Latin plays, but not of equal interest.
A moral and poetical Drama, in eleven scenes, intitled, "Youth's Tragedy,
by T. S." 1671 and 1707, 4to. in which the interlocutors are, Youth, the
Devil, Wisdom, Time, Death, and the Soul. It is miserable stuff.
"La Historia della Morte," Trevigi, 1674, 4to. four leaves only. It is a
poem in octave stanzas. The author, wandering in a wood, is overwhelmed
with tears in reflecting on the approach of Death and his omnipotent
dominion over mankind. He is suddenly accosted by the king of terrors, who
is thus described:
Un ombra mi coperse prestamente
Che mi fece tremar in cotal sorte
Ell'era magra, e longa in sua figura,
Che chi la vede perde gioco, e festa,
Dente d'acciaio haveva in bocca oscura,
Corna di ferro due sopra la testa
Ella mi fe tremar dalla paura, &c.
The work consists of a long dialogue between the parties. The author
enquires of Death if he was born of father and mother. Death answers that
he was created, by Jesus Christ, "che e signor giocondo," with the other
angels; that after Adam's sin he was called _Death_. The author tells him
that he seems rather to be a malignant spirit, and presses for some
further information. He is referred to the Bible, and the account of
David's destroying angel:
Quando Roma per me fu tribulata
Gregorio videmi con suo occhio honesto
Con una spada ch'era insanguinata
Al castel de Sant Angelo chiamato
Da l'hora in qua cosi fu appellato.
This corresponds with the usual story, that during a plague Gregory saw an
angel hovering over the castle, who, on the Pope's looking up to him,
immediately sheathed his flaming sword. More questions are then propounded
by Death, particularly as to the use of his horns and teeth, and the
curiosity of the author is most condescendingly gratified.
Bishop Warburton and Mr. Malone have referred to old Moralities, in which
the fool escaping from the pursuit of Death is introduced. Ritson has
denied the existence of any such farces, and he is perhaps right with
respect to printed ones; but vestiges of such a drama were observed
several years ago at the fair of Bristol by the present writer. See the
notes to Measure for Measure, Act iii. sc. 1, and to Pericles, Act iii.
sc. 2.
In "Musart Adolescens Academicus sub institutione Salomonis," Duaci, 1633,
12mo. is an engraving on copper of a modern Bacchus astride upon a wine
cask drawn by two tigers. In one hand he holds a thyrsus composed of
grapes and vine leaves, and in the other a cup or vase, from which a
serpent springs, to indicate poison. Behind this Bacchus Death is seated,
armed with his scythe and lying in wait for him. The motto, "Vesani
calices quid non fecere," a parody on the line, "Fecundi calices quem non
fecere disertum?" Horat. lib. i. epist. v. 1. 19.
In "Christopher Van Sichem's Bibels' Tresoor," 1646, 4to. there is a
wood-cut of Death assisting Adam to dig the ground, partly copied from the
subject of "the Curse," in the work printed at Lyons.
In "De Chertablon, maniere de se bien preparer a la mort, &c." Anvers,
1700, 4to. there is an allegorical print in which a man is led by his
guardian angel to the dwelling of Faith, Hope, and Charity, but is
violently seized by Death, who points to his last habitation, in the shape
of a sepulchral monument.
In Luyken's "Onwaardige wereld," Amst. 1710, 12mo. are three allegorical
engravings relating to this subject.
In a very singular book, intitled "Confusio disposita rosis
rhetorico-poeticis fragrans, sive quatuor lusus satyrico morales, &c.
authore Josepho Melchiore Francisco a Glarus, dicto Tschudi de Greplang."
Augsburg, 1725, 12mo. are the following subjects. 1. The world as Spring,
represented by a fine lady in a flower-garden, Death and the Devil behind
her. 2. Death and the Devil lying in wait for the miser. 3. Death and the
Devil hewing down the barren fig-tree. 4. A group of dancers at a ball
interrupted by Death. 5. Death striking a lady in bed attended by her
waiting maid. 6. Death gives the coup-de-grace to a drunken fellow who had
fallen down stairs. 7. Death mounted on a skeleton-horse dashes among a
group of rich men counting their gold, &c. 8. A rich man refused entrance
into heaven. He has been brought to the gate in a sedan chair, carried by
a couple of Deaths in full-bottom periwigs.
In Luyken's "Vonken der lief de Jezus," Amst. 1727, 12mo. are several
engravings relating to the subject. In one of them Death pours a draught
into the mouth of a sick man in bed.
In Moncrief's "March of Intellect," 1830, 18mo. scene a workhouse, Death
brings in a bowl of soup, a label on the ground, inscribed "Death in the
pot." An engraving in wood after Cruikshank.
In Jan Huygen's "Beginselen van Gods koninryk," Amst. 1738, 12mo. with
engravings by Luyken, a dying man attended by his physician and friends;
Death at the head of the bed eagerly lying in wait for him.
In one of the livraisons of "Goethe's Balladen und Romanzen," 1831, in
folio, with beautiful marginal decorations, there is a Dance of Death in a
church-yard, accompanied with a description, of which an English
translation is inserted in the "Literary Gazette" for 1832, p. 731, under
the title of "The Skeleton Dance," with a reference to another indifferent
version in the "Souvenir."
The well-known subjects of Death and the old man with the bundle of
sticks, &c. and Cupid and Death in many editions of AEsopian fables.