An anonymous engraving of a naked youth who with a sword strikes at the head of Death pursuing another youth. Oblong, 9½ by 5½.
An upright engraving, 5½ by 4, representing a young man on horseback holding a hawk on his fist, and surrounded by various animals. Death holding an hour-glass, strikes at him with his dart. Behind, the tree of knowledge, with the serpent and apple. At bottom, on the right, are the initials T. P. ex.
An engraving of the Duke of Savoy, who, attended by his guards, receives petitions from various persons. Before him stands in a cloud the angel of Death, who points towards heaven. At bottom, on the left, “Delphinus pinxit. Brambilla del. 1676,” and on the right, “Nobilis de Piene S. R. C. Prim. cælator f. Taur.” Oblong, 10½ by 7½.
An engraving by De Gheyn, intitled, “Vanitas, idelheit.” A lady is sitting at a table, on which is a box of jewels and a heap of money. A hideous female Death strikes at her with a flaming dart, which, at the same time, scatters the leaves of a flower which she holds in her left hand. Upright, 9 by 7.
A very small circular wood-cut, apparently some printer’s device, representing an old and a young man, holding up a mirror, in which is reflected the figure of Death standing behind them, with the motto, “Beholde your glory.”
An anonymous print of Death and the miser. Death seizes his money, which he conveys into a dish. Upright, 3½ by 2½. It is a copy from the same subject in the Lyons wood-cuts.
1700-1800
An anonymous modern copy of Death and the bridegroom, copied from the Lyons wood-cuts, edition 1562.
An etching of Death, with an hour-glass in one hand and a cane in the other, entering a room where a poor poet has been writing, and who would willingly dispense with the visit. At bottom “And when Death himself knocked at my door, ye bad him come again; and in so gay a tone of careless indifference did ye do it, that he doubted of his commission. There must certainly be some mistake in this matter, quoth he.” The same in Italian. This is one of Patch’s caricatures after Ghezzi. Upright, 16½ by 12.
A print intitled “Time’s lecture to man,” with eight stanzas in verse, beginning “Why start you at that skeleton.” It consists of three divisions. At top a young man starts at the appearance of time and death. Under the youth “Calcanda semel via lethi.” At each extremity of this division is a figure of Death sitting on a monument. The verses, in double columns, are placed between two borders with compartments. That on the right a scull crowned with a mitre; an angel with a censer; time carrying off a female on his back; Death with an infant in his arms; Death on horseback with a flag; Death wrestling with a man. The border on the left has a scull with a regal crown; an angel dancing with a book; Death carrying off an old man; Death leading a child; Death with a naked corpse; Death digging a grave. At bottom “Sold by Clark and Pine, engravers, in Castle Yard, near Chancery Lane, T. Witham, frame-maker, in Long Lane, near West Smithfield, London.” With a vignette of three Deaths’ heads. 13 by 9½.
There is a very singular ancient gem engraved in “Passeri de Gemmis Astriferis,” tom. ii. p. 248. representing a skeleton Death standing in a car drawn by two animals that may be intended for lions; he holds a whip in his hand, and is driving over other skeletons. It is covered with barbarous and unintelligible words in Greek characters, and is to be classed among those gems which are used as amulets or for magical purposes. It seems to have suggested some of the designs that accompany the old editions of Petrarch’s Triumph of Death.
A folio mezzotint of J. Daniel von Menzel, an Austrian hussar. Behind him is a figure of Death with the hussar’s hat on his head, by whom he is seized. There are some German verses, and below
Mon amis avec moi à la danse
C’est pour vous la juste recompense.
The print is dated 1744.
A Dutch anonymous oblong engraving on copper, 10½ by 10, intitled “Bombario, o dood! te schendig in de nood.” Death leads a large group of various characters. At bottom verses beginning “De Boertjes knappen al temaal.” On each side caricatures inscribed Democritus and Heraclitus. It is one of the numerous caricatures on the famous South Sea or Mississippi bubble.
An engraving, published by Darly, entitled “Macaronies drawn after the life.” On the left a macaroni standing. On the floor dice and dice-box. On a table cards and two books. On the right, Death with a spade, leaning on a sarcophagus, inscribed “Here lies interred Dicky Daffodil, &c.” Oblong, 9 by 6.
A very clever private etching by Colonel Turner, of the Guards, 1799, representing, in the foreground, three Deaths dancing in most grotesque attitudes. In the distance several groups of skeletons, some of whom are dancing, one of them beating a drum. Oblong, 5½ by 3½.
A small engraving by Chodowiecki. Death appears to a medical student sitting at a table; underneath these lines,
De grace epargne moi, je me fais medecin,
Tu recevras de moi la moitié des malades.
Upright, 3½ by 2. This is not included in his Dance of Death.
The same slightly retouched, with German verses.
A small engraving, by Chodowiecki, of Death approaching a dying man attended by his family and a physician. Oblong, 2½ by 2.
A modern engraving, intitled “An emblem of a modern marriage.” Death habited as a beau stands by a lady, who points to a monument inscribed “Requiescat in pace.” Above a weeping Cupid with an inverted torch. At bottom
… No smiles for us the Godhead wears,
His torch inverted and his face in tears.
Drawn by M. H. from a sketch cut with a diamond on a pane of glass. Published according to act of parliament, June 15, 1775.
A modern caricature intitled “A patch for t’other eye.” Death is about to place a patch on the right eye of an old general, who has one already on the other. His hat and truncheon lie on the ground, and he is drawing his sword for the purpose of opposing the intention of his grim adversary, exclaiming at the same time, “Oh G – d d – n ye, if that’s your sport, have at ye.” Upright, 8 inches by 7.
A small engraving by Chr. de Mechel, 1775, of an apothecary’s shop. He holds up a urinal to a patient who comes to consult him, behind whom Death is standing and laying hands upon him. Below these verses:
Docteur, en vain tu projettes
De prononcer sur cette eau,
La mort rit de tes recettes
Et conduit l’homme au tombeau.
Oblong, 4 by 3.
An anonymous and spirited etching of Death obsequiously and with his arms crossed entering a room in which is a woman in bed with three infants. With uplifted arms she screams at the sight of the apparition. Below in a corner the husband, accompanied with four other children. Upright, 11 by 10½.
“The lawyer’s last circuit.” He is attacked by four Deaths mounted on skeleton horses. He is placed behind one of them, and all gallop off with him. A road-post inscribed “Road to hell.” Below, the lines from Hamlet, “Where be his quiddits now? his quillets, his cases, his tenures, and his tricks, &c.” Published April 25, 1782, by R. Smith, opposite the Pantheon, Oxford Street. Oblong, 10 by 6½.
1800
A modern wood-cut of a drinking and smoking party. Demons of destruction hover over them in the characters of Poverty, Apoplexy, Madness, Dropsy, and Gout. In the bowl on the table is a monstrous head inscribed “Disease.” Behind, a gigantic figure of Death with scythe and hour-glass. Oblong, 3½ by 3.
A Sketch by Samuel Ireland, after Mortimer, in imitation of a chalk drawing, apparently exhibiting an Englishman, a Dutchman, and a Spaniard. Death behind stretching his arms upon all of them. Oblong 10½ by 8.
A wood print intitled “Das betruhte Brautfest.” Death seizes a man looking at a table covered with wedding-cakes, &c. From a modern Swiss almanack. Oblong 6½ by 5½.
A mezzotint of a physician, who attending a sick patient in bed is attacked by a group of Deaths bearing standards, inscribed “Despair,” “l’amour,” “omnia vincit amor,” and “luxury.” Oblong, 11 by 8½.
An etching from a drawing by Van Venne of Death preaching from a charnel-house to a group of people. His text book rests on the figure of a skeleton as a reading desk. It is prefixed to Mr. Dagley’s “Death’s Doings,” mentioned in p. 157. Oblong, 5½ by 4¼.
Mr. Dagley, in the second edition of his “Death’s Doings,” p. 9, mentions a print of “a man draining an enormous bowl, and Death standing ready to confirm the title of the print, “the last drop.”
An etching by Dagley, after Birch, of Baxter, a famous cricketer, bowled out by Death. Below, his portrait at full length. Oblong, 9 by 7.
“Sketches of the celebrated skeletons, originally designed on the long wall between Turnham-Green and Brentford.” Etchings of various groups; the subjects, billiards, drafts, cards, dice, toss, and pitch. Oblong, 18 by 11.
“Humorous sketches of skeletons engaged in the various sciences of Singing, Dancing, Music, Oratory, Painting, and Sculpture.” Drawn by H. Heathcote Russell as a companion to the skeletons copied from the long wall at Brentford. Published 3d June, 1830. Same size as the preceding print.
A lithographic print of a conjurer pointing with his magic wand to a table on which are cups, a lanthorn, &c. In the back-ground, the Devil running away with a baker, and a group of three dancing Deaths. Below, birds in cages, cards, &c. Oblong, 8 by 6.
A small modern wood-cut of Death seizing a lady at a ball. He is disguised as one of the party. Underneath, “Death leads the dance.” —Young – Night 5.
From “the Christian’s Pocket Magazine.” Oblong, 2½ by 1½.
A design for the ballad of Leonora, by Lady Diana Beauclerc. A spectre, as Death, carrying off a lady on horseback, and striking her with his dart. Other Death-like spectres waiting for her. Oblong, 11¾ by 9.
A small modern engraving of Death presenting a smelling bottle to a fainting butcher with one hand, and with the other fanning him. The motto, “A butcher overcome with extreme sensibility, is as strangely revived.”
A modern halfpenny wood-cut of several groups, among which is a man presenting an old woman to Death. The motto, “Death come for a wicked woman.”
An oval etching, by Harding, intitled “Death and the Doctor.” Upright, 4½ by 3½.
A modern etching of Death striking a sleeping lady leaning on a table, on which little imps are dancing. At bottom, “Marks fecit.” Oblong, 4 by 3.
An anonymous modern wood-cut of Death seizing a usurer, over whom another Death is throwing a counterpane. Square, 4 by 4.
An etching, intitled “the Last Drop.” A fat citizen draining a punch-bowl. Death behind is about to strike him with his dart. Upright, 8½ by 6½.
In an elegant series of prints, illustrative of the poetical works of Goethe, there is a poem of seven stanzas, intitled “Der Todtentanz,” where the embellishment represents a church-yard, in which several groups of skeletons are introduced, some of them rising, or just raised, from their graves; others in the attitude of dancing together or preparing for a dance. These prints are beautifully etched in outline in the manner of the drawings in the margins of Albert Durer’s prayer-book in the library of Munich.
Prefixed to a poem by Edward Quillinan, in a volume of wood-cuts used at the press of Lee Priory, the seat of Sir Egerton Brydges, intitled “Death to Doctor Quackery,” there is an elegant wood-cut, representing Death hob-and-nobbing with the Doctor at a table.
In the same volume is another wood-cut on the subject of a dance given by the Lord of Death in Clifton Halls. A motley group of various characters are dancing in a circle whilst Death plays the fiddle.
In 1832 was published at Paris “La Danse des Morts, ballade dediée à Madame la Comtesse de Tryon Montalembert. Paroles et musique de P. Merruau.” The subject is as follows: A girl named Lise is admonished by her mother not to dance on a Saturday, the day on which Satan calls the dead to the infernal Sabbat. She promises obedience, but whilst her mother is napping, escapes to the ball. She forgets the midnight hour, when a company of damned souls, led by Satan, enter the ball-room hand-in-hand, exclaiming “Make way for Death.” All the party escape, except Lise, who suddenly finds herself encircled by skeletons, who continue dancing round her. From that time, on every Saturday at midnight, there is heard under ground, in the church-yard, the lamentation of a soul forcibly detained, and exclaiming “Girls beware of dancing Satan!” At the head of this ballad is a lithographic print of the terrified Lise in Satan’s clutches, surrounded by dancing, piping, and fiddling Deaths.
About the same time there appeared a silly ballad, set to music, intitled “the Cork Leg,” accompanied by a print in which the man with the cork leg falling on the ground drops his leg. It is seized by Death, who stalks away with it in a very grotesque manner.
CHAPTER XV
Initial or capital Letters with the Dance of Death
It is very well known that the use of initial or capital letters, especially with figures of any kind, is not coeval with the invention of printing. It was some time before they were introduced at all, a blank being left, or else a small letter printed for the illuminators to cover or fill up, as they had been accustomed to do in manuscripts; for, although the art of printing nearly put an end to the occupation of that ingenious class of artists, they continued to be employed by the early printers to decorate their books with elegant initials, and particularly to illuminate the first pages of them with beautiful borders of foliage or animals, for the purpose of giving them the appearance of manuscripts.
It has more than once been most erroneously asserted by bibliographers and writers on typography, that Erhard Ratdolt, a printer at Venice, was the first person who made use of initial letters about the year 1477; for instances are not wanting of their introduction into some of the earliest printed books. Among the latter the most beautiful specimen of an ornamented capital letter is the B in the Psalter of 1457, of which Dr. Dibdin has given a very faithful copy in vol. I. p. 107, of the Bibliotheca Spenceriana. This truly elegant letter seems to have been regarded as the only one of its kind; but, in a fragment of an undescribed missal in folio, printed in the same type as the above-mentioned Psalter, there is an equally beautiful initial T, prefixed to the “Te igitur” canon of the mass. It is ornamented with flowers and foliage, and in both these precious volumes there are many other smaller capitals, but whether printed with the other type, or afterwards stamped, may admit of some doubt. This unique and valuable fragment is in the collection of the present writer.
As the art of printing advanced, the initial letters assumed every possible variety of form, with respect to the subjects with which they were ornamented. Incidents from scripture and profane history, animals of every kind, and the most ludicrous grotesques, constitute the general materials; nor has the Dance of Death been forgotten. It was first introduced into the books printed at Basle by Bebelius and Cratander about the year 1530, and for one or the other of these celebrated printers an alphabet of initial letters was constructed, which, in elegance of design and delicacy of engraving, have scarcely ever been equalled, and certainly never exceeded. Whether they were engraved in relief on blocks of type or printer’s metal, in the manner of wood-cutting, or executed in wood in the usual manner, is a matter of doubt, and likely to remain so. They may, in every point of view be regarded as the chef d’œuvre of ancient block engraving, and to copy them successfully at this time might require the utmost efforts of such artists as Harvey, Jackson, and Byfield.134
A proof set of this alphabet, in the possession of the present writer, was shown to M. De Mechel when he was in London, on which occasion he stated that he had seen in the public library of Basle another proof set on a single sheet, with the inscription “Hans Lutzelburger,” who is elsewhere called formschneider, or block-cutter, of which he has written a memorandum on the leaf containing the first abovementioned set of proofs. M. de Mechel, with great probability, inferred that this person was either the designer or engraver of the alphabet as well as of the cuts to the “Historiées faces de la mort,” on one of which, as already stated, the mark 
is placed;135 but to whomsoever this mark may turn out to belong, certain it is that Holbein never made use of it.136 These letters measure precisely 1 inch by ⅞ of an inch, and the subjects are as follow:
A. A group of Deaths passing through a cemetery covered with sculls. One of them blows a trumpet, and another plays on a tabor and pipe.
B. Two Deaths seize upon a pope, on whom a demon fastens, to prevent their dragging him along.
C. An emperor in the clutches of two Deaths, one of whom he resists, whilst the other pulls off his crown.
D. A king thrown to the ground and forcibly dragged away by two Deaths.
E. Death and the cardinal.
F. An empress sitting in a chair is attacked by two Deaths, one of whom lifts up her petticoat.
G. A queen seized by two Deaths, one of whom plays on a fife.
H. A bishop led away by Death.
I. A duke with his hands clasped in despair is seized behind by Death in the grotesque figure of an old woman.
K. Death with a furred cap and mantle, and a flail in his right hand, seizes a nobleman.
L. Death in the habit of a priest with a vessel of holy water takes possession of the canon.
M. Death behind a physician in his study lays his hand on a urinal which he is inspecting.
N. One Death lays hold on a miser, whilst another carries off his money from a table.
O. Death carries off a terrified monk.
P. Combat between Death and the soldier.
Q. Death very quietly leads away a nun.
R. Death and the fool who strikes at him with his bauble.
S. Exhibits two Deaths, one of whom is in a very licentious action with a female, whilst the other runs off with an hour-glass on his back.
T. A minstrel with his pipe, lying prostrate on the ground, is dragged away by one Death, whilst another pours something from a vessel into his mouth.
V. A man on horseback endeavouring to escape from Death is seized by him behind.
W. Death and the hermit.
X. Death and the Devil among the gamblers.
Y. Death, the nurse, and the infant.
Z. The last Judgment.
But they were not only used at Basle by Bebelius Isingrin and Cratander, but also at Strasburg by Wolfgang Cephaleus, and probably by other printers; because in an edition of Huttichius’s “Romanorum principum effigies,” printed by Cephaleus at Strasburg in 1552, they appear in a very worn and much used condition. In his Greek Bible of 1526, near half the alphabet were used, some of them by different hands.
They were separately published in a very small volume without date, each letter being accompanied with appropriate scriptural allusions taken from the Vulgate Bible.
They were badly copied, and with occasional variations, for books printed at Strasburg by J. Schott about 1540. Same size as the originals. The same initials were used by Henry Stainer of Augsburg in 1530.
Schott also used two other sets of a larger size, the same subjects with variations, and which occur likewise in books printed at Frankfort about 1550 by Cyriacus Jacob.
Christopher Froschover, of Zurich, used two alphabets with the Dance of Death. In Gesner’s “Bibliotheca Universalis,” printed by him in 1545, folio, he used the letters A. B. C. in indifferent copies of the originals with some variation. In a Vulgate Bible, printed by him in 1544, he uses the A and C of the same alphabet, and also the following letters, with different subjects, viz. F. Death blowing a trumpet in his left hand, with the right seizes a friar holding his beads and endeavouring to escape. O. Death and the Swiss soldier with his battle-axe; and, S. a queen between two Deaths, one of whom leads her, the other holds up her train. The Gesner has also a Q from the same alphabet of Death and the nun. This second alphabet is coarsely engraved on wood, and both are of the same size as the originals.
In Francolin’s “Rerum præclare gestarum, intra et extra mœnia civitatis Viennensis, pedestri et equestri prælio, terra et aqua, elapso Mense Junio Anni Domini MDLX. elegantissimis iconibus ad vivum illustratarum, in laudem et gloriam sere. poten. invictissimique principis et Domini, Domini Ferdinandi electi Roma: imperatoris, &c. Vienna excudebat Raphael Hofhalter,” at fo. xxii. b. the letter D is closely copied in wood from the original, and appears to have been much used. This very rare work is extremely interesting for its large and spirited etchings of the various ceremonies on the above occasion, but more particularly for the tournaments. It is also valuable for the marks of the artists, some of which are quite unknown.
Other copies of them on wood occur in English books, but whether the whole alphabet was copied would be difficult to ascertain. In a Coverdale’s Bible, printed by James Nicolson in Southwark, the letters A. I. and T. occur. The subject of the A. is that of the fool and Death, from the R. of the originals, with the addition of the fool’s bauble on the ground: the two other letters are like the originals. The size 2 inches by 1½. The same letters, and no others, occur in a folio English Bible, the date of which has not been ascertained, it being only a fragment. The A is found as late as 1618 in an edition of Stowe’s “Survey of London.” In all these letters large white spots are on the back-ground, which might be taken for worm-holes, but are not so. The I occurs in J. Waley’s “table of yeres of kings,” 1567, 12mo.
An X and a T, an inch and ½ square, with the same subjects as in the originals, and not only closely copied, but nearly as well engraved on wood, are in the author’s collection. Their locality has not been traced.
Hollar etched the first six letters of the alphabet from the initials described in p. 214. They are rather larger than the originals, but greatly inferior to them in spirit and effect.
Two other alphabets, the one of peasants dancing, the other of boys playing, by the same artists, have been already described in p. 101, and were also used by the Basle and other printers.
In Braunii Civitates Orbis terrarum, Par. I. No. 37, edit. 1576, there is an H, inch and ½ square. The subject, Death leading a Pope on horseback. It is engraved on wood with much spirit.
In “Prodicion y destierro de los Moriscos de Castilla, por F. Marcos de Guadalajara y Xavier.” Pamplona, 1614, 4to. there is an initial E cut in wood with the subject of the cardinal, varied from that in Lutzenberger’s alphabet.
A Greek Π on wood, with Death leading away the pope, was used by Cephalæus in a Testament.
In “Fulwell’s Flower of Fame,” printed by W. Hoskins, 1575, 4to. is an initial of Death leading a king, probably belonging to some alphabet.
An S rudely cut on wood with Death seizing two children was used by the English printers, J. Herford and T. Marshe.
An A well cut on wood, representing Death striking a miser, who is counting his money at a table. It occurs at fo. 5 of Quad’s “fasciculus geographicus.” Cologne, 1608, small folio, printed by John Buxemacher.
An R indifferently cut on wood, two inches square. The subject, Death in a grave pulls an old man towards him. A boy making his escape. From some unknown book.
An S indifferently cut on wood, two inches square. Death shovelling two sculls, one crowned, into a grave. On the shovel the word IDEM, and below, the initials of the engraver or designer, I. F. From some unknown book.
An H, an inch and half square, very beautifully cut on wood. The letter is surrounded by a group of people, over whom Death below is drawing a net. It is from some Dutch book of emblems, about 1640.
An M cut on wood in p. 353 of a Suetonius, edited by Charles Patin, and printed 1675, 4to. “Basle typis Genathianis.” The subject is, Death seizing Cupid. Size, 1½ square.
A W, 2⅛ square, engraved on copper, with the initials of Michael Burghers. A large palm tree in the middle, Death with his scythe approaches a shepherd sitting on a bank and tending his flock.
In the second volume of Braun and Hogenberg Civitates orbis terrarum, and prefixed to a complimentary letter from Remaglus Lymburgus, a physician and canon of Liege, there is an initial letter about an inch and a half square, representing a pope and an emperor playing at cards. They are interrupted by Death, who offers them a cup which he holds in his left hand whilst he points to them with his right. Other figures are introduced. This letter is very finely engraved on wood.
In Vol. II. p. 118 (misprinted 208) of Steinwich’s “Bibliothecæ Ecclesiasticæ.” Colon. Agrip. 1599, folio. There is a single initial letter V only, which may have been part of an alphabet with a Dance of Death. The subject is Death and the queen. The size nearly an inch square.
At fo. 1. of “F. Marco de Guadalajara y Xavier, Memorable expulsion y justissimo destierro de los Moriscos de Espana, Pamplona, 1613, 4to.” there is an initial E, finely drawn and well engraved in wood. The subject has been taken from two cuts in the Lyons Dance of Death, viz. the cardinal and the emperor. From the first, the figures of the cardinal and Death seizing his hat; and from the other, the figures of the kneeling man, and of Death seizing the emperor’s crown, are introduced as a complete group in the above initial letter. Size, 1½ inch square.
In p. 66 of the same work there is another letter that has probably belonged to a set of initials with a Dance of Death. It is an H, and copied from the subject of the bishop taken by Death from his flock, in the Lyons series. It is engraved in a different and inferior style from that last mentioned, yet with considerable spirit. Size, 1½ inch.