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F ali the subjecis, morat, religious, or allegorical, which have been prosusely illustraled by the aris of the middie ages, nosingle theme has given rise to so striking a series os pictorialde vices as that of the Dance of Death. V This curious and interesting series os semi - realistic, semi - symbolicat compositions was
gradually developed by severat generations os mediaevat artisis, untilit culminated, in the heginning of the I 6th century, in those strihingemblematic designs, generalty attributed to Hans Holbein, whicli, infertilily of invention and powex of artistic execution, have never, in their
O- peculiar Vein, been SurpaSSed, or eVen equalied, by any similar Series, ei ther ancient or modem. The subject was, in Shori, a most Suggesti Veone, being at once a terribie, though at the Same time grotesque satire,in which the incongruous combination of dancing and dying compriseda profipund and philosophicat criticism, and a sarcasticatly biling milleoupon the ordinary courses of human liis in iis various ranks. It has been termed by a celebrated Frenta critic a gallery of sublime hussoonern a sepulchral phantasmagoria; and by another French writer, lyέpopόe lugubre; -tems whicli are at once happily and accuratelyconceived ; for the grim and sardonic crudity of the allusions, combine twith an irresistibie, though mocking and caustic drolle , are so inter- mingled with deeply tragic elemenis, osten trealed with a singularly poetical sense of grandeur, that the buffoonery itself seems to culminate in a Lindof wildly horribie sublimity. Emile Souvestre, in his ' Voyage k Basle,' says, speahing of the PDance of Death V originalty executed there, more than a century before the time os Holbein, On ne scaurait imaginer sans lymoirvu, combien te peintre a dόpensό de l'imagination pour varier et donner kchaque schne de la drame uniforme l'inthrhi et i 'imprόvue de l'oeuvre leplus variέ. V Baron Taylor and Μ. Jubinal express equat surprise at theenerin and variety with which the subject has been trealed ; and Coxe, in his letters on Switeterland, expressed his unisimed astonishment at the variety and invention displayed in the V Dance of Death V which he saw onthe walis of the Dominican cemetery at Basle ; while the ari osten displayed is
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Os so high a kind that Μ. Fortoul does not hesitate to say os the woodcuts of the early printed editions os the subjeci that they vivi lly recati the style,
at once large and delicate, of the painted glass os the I4th century, and arefit to rivaliae with ille very best specimens os the old schoois os art of either Cologne or Florence. Νo other subjeci seiaed umn by the artisis of the mediaevia periods or those of the Renaissance has, in stiori, Men in fruitsulos striking resulis. Νeither the Ars Μoriendi, V With iis groups of angelsand demons contending sor the fouis os the departing, nor the Ship OsFools,V with iis quaint and even invage onflaught upon ali the vices and sollies os the times, nor even the more genialty satirical humoum of Renaro the Fox, V have led to such remarkahle artistic resulis in the treaimentos the respective series os illustrations to which they have oven rise asthe Dance of Death. V The fame may be said of VI a Danse des Aveugies, ' by Ρierre Michauit, whose remarhable allegory of the three blind guides, Love, Fortune, and Death, with the appended morat, in which it is stlown that, although a sew may avoid the dominion os the two fimi, that os the last is inevitabie, was almost as popular as the ' DanCeos Death. V Vel neither did that work, though apparently so SuggeStiveos artistic illustration, serve to develope any very remarkable seri os designs. Nor did the three striking legenos of Cupido and Atropos,' 'by Iean Lematre, though some os the ideas are so picturesquely territile, as, for instance, the one in Whicli Cupid and Death accidentally meet in their rounds, and go to drink in a lavem, where, aster their libations, they accidentalty change weapons, Death taking the bow and shasis of Cupid, and Cupid the clari os Death. And it is to be remarhed that, during the periods when these and other analogous subjecis formed the lavourite litem ture os Europe, the texi os the author Was osten completely overtat lby the exuberance and abundance of the illustrative additions of the artisti -a laci eastly undemtood when it is recollected that the power of reaclingwas confined to a se , while the capacity necessary to the underetanding ofa plainly and expressively dra n Picture Was Possessed by all. In order fully to appreciate the nature and peculiar meriis of the Danceos Death, V whether as a Poem, in iis rude verses, or in the quaint symbolismos iis pictorial illustrations, it is necessary to trace, as sar as practic te, theorion of the idea, and the successive steps by which it appeam to have attained iis striking final development as a series os literary or pictorial
devices intended to serve as a generat memento mori to man and woman-kind of every state and station in lise. That images os analogous character were in use in pagan times is well known, not only among the Greelis an lRomans, but even with the Egyptians ; and that a link of connection maybe traced belween the thoughis and customs of pagan times With those of the earlier Christian periods is tolerably evident. Herodotus informs us that the Egyptians placed a smali image of a mummy upon the tables of theirbanquet-halis, as a reminder of the bries and uncertain duration os humanliis; and he also telis us that the Greelis adopted a similar symbolfor the fame purpose, a smali modet os an embalmed body beine passed round to the mesis at hanquets. each guest in tum repeating the formula, Eat, drink, and be merta, sor when ye are dead ye Will be like
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this. V The Greelis had also a sar more poetical symbol, by means of Whichthe immortality of the fout was expressed illat which fornis the basis of the
to a well-known Greeli gem, engraved with the images os a inuti and abutterfly, the one Symboliging deam, the other immortality ; the adoptionos the butterfly as an emblem of the fovi being, perhaps, one os the most gracesul and poetical of ali the semi-religious myths of Greeli orion. lis application is, indeed, so obvious that it must be at once accepted as oneof the most apposite symbols ever devised. It is evidently Munded on the apparent death of the creeping larva or cate illar, and iis enclosure in thesarcophagus- like chrysalis, stom whicli it eventuatly comes sortii, fumishedwith beautilat wings, to emble it to soar into a higher sphere than that os iis former existence. That this image sanalogo to that of the scarabaeus os the Egyptiansi furvived the pagan sorvis of civiligation, and was stillmade use os in Christian times, is proved by the existence of severat monumenis, in Which it is Mund introduced, most frequently in the sorm os abutterssy issuing smin the mouili os a dying man, and so expressing the departure of the foui. This, then, may be considered a well-established link between the symbolism of the classical and modem period-a connection acknowledged at a very early period by such writers as Eusebius, Gregory, and Clemens of Alexandria, Who are Mund resorting to the philosophy and poeto os Greece sor the pictures they have drawn os In the less poetic sorvis os Roman imagery, the suggestive image of themummy-case and Poetic symbolism os the skuli and butterssy gave place tothe human Sheleton adopted as a memento mori, and this, perhaps, is the finisteP toWards the bullding. up of the master-work of mediaeves allegory-thetamous ' Dance of Death. V Petronius, in laci, when describing thebanquet of Trimalcion, oves a somewhat detested account of a smali silverskeleton made to execute a Series of dance postures by means of intemalmachineo, during Which the host recited verses to the following effect :- Alas i alas i how inconsiderate a thing is man t A breath may puss awayhis fragile existen . We inali est be one clay like this, when Pluto hasseiged his preyV-whicli is simply an Epicurean appeat inculcating theenjoyment os the present. A sarcophagus, sculptured with clancings eletons, was discovered at Cumae in I 8IO ; and three dancing sheletonso. an antique lamp, as described by Douce, were exhibited at a meeting os the Archaeological Society os Rome in I 83I-these images being intendedio convey the idea that there was nothing reatly depressing or terribie in the passage stom this life to a higher form os existence. But in these
symbolf there Was no attempt to convey a terribie admonition concerning the special sins of various classes of society, accompanted by denunciations os suture punishmenis, as in the mediaeves UDance of Death. ' Nevertheless, we find in them the root of the special kind of imagery which was developed with suta powersul essect by the versifers and artisis of themiddie ages. These pagan symbols are, in laci, as directly linked withmediaevat imagery as are such Biblicat figures as the sheletons evoked by Egehiel, or as that os the V Angel os Death V who visited and destroyed
' Ficorni's Gemmae Literatae,' table Vii.
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the host of Sennacherib, as described in the passage so finely paraphrased by Byron,
These churchyard dances have, however, no direct connection With thcseries os verses and devices known as the Dance of Death, V except byassociation os ideas, and as exhibiting that strange mixture of the sacredand prosane, in rites and ceremontes, as weli as in Works of ari and literature, which was one os the distinctive characters of the middie ages ; worksin whicli mere blended a deep-seated religious superstition with an out-rageousty burtesque and energetic humour ; While both were united to that Deling os intensely eamest devotion whicli mised the vast cathedrais, and Munded those magnificent monasteries stili represented by Structures Which, in intricate richness os elaborate ornament, and even in bare dimensions, exceed the architectural monuments of any other age. Far more closelyallied to the ideas developed in the UDance os Death V were the Μysteries and Μoralities, those curious dramas which supplied the place of the ancient theatre sor a considerable period during the flow progress of modem civiligation. All the records relating to these works have been perseveringlyransacked sor allusions to the Dance of Death V in the precise formin which we find it developed in the coume os the Isui century, and notiatogether Without interesting resulis. The Μysteries, it is true, Were, Withmore or less striciness, confined to the pulting in action of well-known passages os the Scriptures, but in the Μoralities V which sollowed them, in Which symbolic abstractions, Such as Falth, Hope, Sin, and Death, were
what similar tendency to the pictorial one of the Dance of Death; ' and of
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the more intimate connection os these dramatio performances with this subjeci I shali have surther occasion to remark uPon. Another branch line of research has led some os our archaeological investigators to consider the scourge of the great plagues of the I3th and i thcenturies as having suggested the idea os Warning men of the uncertainty ostiis, by representing Death in the act os striking clown ali classes with indiscriminate alacrity ; and, in laci, the desolating ravages of the pestilences in various paris of Europe may be figuratively described as rather like a rechless and horribly fantastic dance than the usual measured march of the destroyer. Μ. Peignot, one os the most industrious, and at thesame time sancisul investigators of ali matters pertaining to mediaevalarchaeoloin, has even put forWard the ingenious suggestion that the plagueos I 373 exhibited peculiar characteristics which may have had to do withthe actuat devices of the PDance os Death, ' those Who were struch hyit heing almost immediately seiged with convulsions os an unusual hind, whicli resembled, though in a grotesque and horribie manner, the actionos clancing, in the contortions of which the patienis died. It may beadmitted that the symptoms of this plague, thus categoricatly described, suggest a temptingly plausible theory to speculative archaeologists ; but in the face of other evidence os more probable character it cannot be seriousty
It is time to tum to fources Whicli appear to be more immediately connected with the origin of the celebrated UDance of Death. V In the Ioth century, according to Μ. du Merit, appeared St. Fulbert's Visionos Death, V which may have contained the literam germs of the subjeci; hut a far more direct fource Seems to have deVeloped itself, about Iaso, in the legend known in France as ULe dii des trois moris et des trois vise, generalty attributed to the Egypti an ascetic St. Μacarius. Both theseworks obtained a very wide Spread circulation, and, after a certain lugubrious fashion, hecame extremely popular. One of the causes of their lavour lereception by the generat masses of society, and quite independent of theundoubted religious enthusiasm Which stirred the whole of Christendom atthat period, was the simple laci that ii set strikingly sorth the persectequality os both ricli and poor in the face of Death, whicli, in an age whenthe sociat demarcatious were os the most marked and impassable character, rendered even such a sociat leveller aS Death a popular personage. Thelast-named legend has for iis principat feature the unexpected meeting of three kings, or nobies, With tliree sheletons ; and the dialogues whita successively ensue between them t e the form os a rude legendary poem. There are severat French Versions of this production, the best known
which are striking and sor cibie in style hom their crude simplicity. Manuscripis of these Works are osten accompanted by one or more illuminaledillustrations, generalty rather rude in character, but occasionalty os considerable artistic merit,-the treaiment of the three Deaths being preciselysimilar to that adopted in the earlier Dances os Death. V There were also many German versions, two of the best known being respectively
' In 13 8 the Rhine country suffered such searsul ravages that in Strasbourg alone x, o were carried off Within a very bries period, out os a comparatively smali population.
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entilled ' Van dian Konmen, V and Van den doden Κonigen, und vanclen levenden Κonigen. V There were also English versions of the legen one of whicli is preserved among the Arundet manuscripis in the Britisti Museum. This English version os the Three Living and the Three Dead, ' in addition to the interest of the subjeci, is remarkable as affordinga curious example of the English language in a transition state. Forinstance. in the rude illumination at the Minning three kings, who arerepresented Pumuing the exciting amusement of the chase in a ple antwood, sud lenly meet three sheletons, at the sight of which, Ming naturassystruck with dismay, the fimi hing is represented M Sasng,
whicli, put into rather more modem form, Would read, -
The characters of this legend are osten changed in the different versions ;somelimes they are a hing, a queen, and a nObleman ; somelimes threenoble youilis in gaily-broidered Suiis, and bearing richly-adomed weaPons, revelling, as huntem, in the luxuries and privileges of rank and wealth. There is a very early representation os this Version of the Three Livingand the Three Dead V in the church at Brie, near bleig. Orcagna's celebrated U Triumph of Death in the Campo Santo, at Pisa,painted in the I th century, may be called an Italianized version os this legend. The three principat figures are the three kings of the origines legend, hut they are accompanted by their mistresses, and St. Macarius himselftakes the place os the three Skeletons, Showing to the living kings three open graves, in Whicli lie the hodies of three dead kings. In another part of the composition Death is symboliaed by a semale figure furnished with bais'wings and claws, and bearing a Scythe, With Which She sweeps down Popes, emperora, vings, and others of ali classes. Here, then, we already find an extension os the range of the legend of St. Μacarius to ali classes, as carried out more definitely and distinctly in the PDance of Death. V which no doubi owed much of iis immediate and lasting popularity, as preViousty Suggested, to iis fearleSS car ing out,
in a more modern and expressive form, of the well-known Verses of Horace-
Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede PauPerum tabem , Regumque turres.
The more Νorthem expansion os this subjeci, whether we consider ii asa series os stanetas forming a Poem entilled U The Dance of Death, V or as
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a mere extension os the legend of SL Μacarius, or as an original and more extensive work of analogous character, to which new verses were addedfrom time to time as Dein charactem were introduced, is asserted to have been of German origin, conclusion arrived at hom the iaci that the French and Latin verses attached to the earliest printed editions of theo Dance os Death V are stated, in more than one os the shori presaces ortities attached to those Works, to have been translated stom the German. On the other hand, with a view to explain the meaning of the termo Μacabre, V under which the first editions os the Dance of Death V wereissued in France, a sew observations os an apparently opposite tenden cymay be conveniently made in this place. Firstin is a German authoreither extended the poem of St. Macarius, or composed another os analomus but more extensive character, it seems probable that he would, ormight, have sounded his titie on the name of the origines author, and have termed his work the Μacarian or Μachabrian Dance, as Some writerson the subject have suggested a and an allusion closely bordering upon that Suggestion occurs in the celebrated La Vallthre catalogue, in Which aΜS. Dance of Death ' is described, with the note, On l'a dit composέPar uti nommέ Μacabre. V That the spirit us German satire of the periodclid actually mn in that direction, hoth poeticatly and pictorially, is proved by the works of Sebastian Brandi, whose Ship os Fools,' in which personifications os ali the leading types os human solly are represented asembarhed in the Ship of Lise, is an allegory closely resembling, in many respecta, the Dance of Death, V while iis profuse illustrations are notvery dissimilar in generat spirit to those helonging to that subjeci. It is morthy os note, also, that the Ship of Fools V was translated stom
merinant, alchemist, and astrologer, was also a munificent benefactor os' The Bibliophile Jacob ridicules this derivation, and jocosely suggesta in iis Stead
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entilled UVan drόn Konygen, V and Van den doden Κonigen, und vanden levenden Κonigen. ' There were also English versions of the legen one of which is preserved among the Arundet manuscripis in the BritishΜuseum. This English version of the Three Living and the Three Dead, ' in addition to the interest of the subjeci, is remarkable as affordinga curious example of the English language in a transition state. Forinstance. in the rude illumination at the beonning three kings, who arerepresented as Pursuing the exciting amusement of the chase in a ple ant ood, Suddenly meet three Sheletons, at the Sight of which, being naturassystruck with dismay, the fidit hing is represented M Saying,-
The characters of this legend are osten changed in the disserent versions ;Sometimes they are a king, a queen, and a nobleman ; somelimes threenoble youths in gaily-broidered Suiis, and bearing richly-adomed weaPons, revelling, as huntem, in the luxuries and privileges of rank and wealth. There is a Very early representation of this Version of the Three Livingand the Three Dead V in the church at Brie, near Μ eig. Orcagna's celebrated Triumph os Death in the Campo Santo, at Pisa,painted in the I4th century, may be called an Italianigeo version of this legend. The three principat figures are the three kings of the original legeno, but they are accompanted by their mistresses, and St. Μacarius himselftakes the place of the three sheletons, Showing to the living kings three open graves, in Whicli lie the bodies of three dead kings. In another part of the composition Death is symbolized by a semale figure surnished with bais'wings and claws, and bearing a Scythe, With Which she SWeeps down Popes, emperors, hings, and othere os ali classes. Here, then, we already find an extension of the range of the legend of St. Μacarius to ali classes, as carried out more definitely and distinctly in the PDance of Death. V which no doubi owed much os iis immediate and lasting popularity, as previouSty SuggeSted, to iis fearleSS carrying out,
in a more modern and expressive form, of the well-known verses os Horace-
Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauPerum tabernaS, Regumque turreS.
The more Νorthern expansion of this subjeci, whether we consider ii asa series os Stanetas sorming a poem entilled ' The Dance of Death, ' oras
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a mere extension os the legend of St. Μacarius, or as an original and more extensive work os analogous character, to which new verses were addedfrom time to time as Desh charactem were introducta, is asserted to have been os German orion, conclusion arrived at hom the laci that the French and Latin verses attached to the earliest printed editions of theo Dance of Death V are stated, in more than one of the shori presaces ortities attached to those works, to have been translated stom the German. On the other hand, with a view to explain the meaning os the termo Μacabre, ' under whicli the fimi editions of the Dance os Death V wereissued in France, a few observations of an apparently opposite tendencymay be conveniently made in this place. Firstin is a German authoreither extended the poem of St. Macarius, or composed another of analogous hut more extensive character, it seems probable that he would, ormicti, have Mundeo his titie on the name of the origines author, and have termed his work the Μacarian or Μachabrian Dance, as some writemon the subject have suggested a and an allusion closely bordering upon that Suggestion occurs in the celebrated La Vallthre catalogue, in Which a MS. Dance of Death ' is described, with the note, On l'a dit composέPar un nomm6 Macabre. ' That the spirit us German satire os the periodclid actually mn in that direction, both poeticatly and pictorially, is proved by the works os Sebastian Brandi, whose Ship of Fools,' in whicli personifications os ali the leading types os human solly are represented asembarhed in the Ship os Lise, is an allegory closely resembling, in many respecis, the Dance of Death, V while iis prosuse illustrations are notvery dissimilar in generat spirit to those helonging to that subjeci. It is Worthy of note, also, that the Ship of Fools V was translateo stom
merchant, alchemist, and astrologer, Was also a munificent benefactor os' The Bibliophile Jacob fidicules this derivation, and jocosely suggesta in iis stead
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entilled Van drέn Konmen, V and UVan den doden Κonigeia, und vanden levenden Κonigen. ' There were also English versions of the legen one of which is preserved among the Arundet manuscripis in the BritishΜuseum. This Englisti version os the Three Living and the Three Dead, V in addition to the interest os the subjeci, is remarkable as affordinga curious example of the English language in a transition state. Forinstance. in the rude illumination at the Minning three kings, who arerepresented M pumuing the exciting amusement of the chase in a ple ant ood, Suddenly meet three sheletons, at the ficti os which, betag naturallystruck with dismay, the fini king is represented M Saying,-
The characters of this legend are osten changet in the disserent versions ;Sometimes they are a hing, a queen, and a nobleman ; somelimes threenoble youilis in gaily-broidered Suiis, and bearing richly-adomed Weapons, revelling, as huntem, in the luxuries and privileges of rank and wealth. There is a very early representation of this version of the Three Livingand the Three Dead ' in the church at Brie, near Meig. Orcagna's celebrated U Triumph os Death in the Campo Santo, at Pisa,painted in the 14ui century, may be called an Italiant2ed version os this legend. The three principat figures are the three kings of the original legeno, but they are accompanted by their mistresses, and St. Macarius himselftakes the place of the three Sheletons, Showing to the living kings three open graves, in whicli lie the bodies of three dead kings. In another part of the composition Death is symbolized by a semale figure sui nished with bais' Wings and claws, and bearing a Scythe, With which She sWeePS down popes, emperorS, kings, and others of ali classes. Here, then, we already find an extension os the range of the legend of St. Μacarius to ali classes, as carriel out more definitely and distinctly in the Dance of Death. V which no doubi owed much os iis immediate and lasting popularity, as previousty Suggested, to iis searleSS carrying out,
in a more modern and expressive som, of the well-known vemes of Horace
Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas, Regumque turres.
The more Νorthern expansion of this subjeci, Whether me consider ii asa series os Stangas forming a poem entilled ' The Dance of Death, V oras