THE DANCE OF DEATH. 21 After what has been said., it becomes necessary to attempt at least to give some reason for the almost universal opinion, that these designs were the offspring of Holbein's pencil. Most of those writers who have described the town of Basil, as well as the compilers of the lives of the painters, speak of a Dance of Death by Holbein, some referring to the old Dance of Macaber, and others to the more modern one; but it is not difficult to see/ that they have but transcribed from each other, without taking any pains to examine the subject. Certain it is, however, that Holbein did paint a Death's Dance in its improved state, and likewise more than once. Bishop Burnet, in his travels in Switzerland, speaks of a Dance of Death, painted by Holbein, cc on the walls of a house where he used to drink," which was then so worn out, that very little was to be seen except shapes and postures. He then mentions the old Death's Dance at the Dominicans' convent*, which, he says, was " so worn out some time ago, " that they ordered the best painter they had to fc lay new colours on it; but this is so ill done, (e that one had rather see the dead shadows of *c Holbein's pencil, (i. e. on the walls of the ec house), than this coarse work." This account is corroborated by Keysler, who adds, that the painting on the house was then entirely obliterated. Patin, in his travels, also * By mistake called the convent of the Augustinian*,