THE DANCE OF DEATH. 59 PLATE XXV.THE MISER. Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required: of thee : then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided ? Luke, xi. 2. The charact... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. 59 PLATE XXV.THE MISER. Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required: of thee : then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided ? Luke, xi. 2. The character of the Miser is very forcibly expressed in this sketch. Shut up in a vault, which receives the light only through a wicket, secured with a double grate of thick iron bars, he is.entirely taken up with his beloved treasure, a considerable part whereof Death is snatching up before his eyes. This loss excites in him all the symptoms of the most violent desperation, and it plainly appears that his gold is an hundred times dearer to his heart than his life. PLANGHE XXV.L'AVARE. Le caractere de TAvare est rendu dans ce dessein avec beaucoup d'energie. Renferme dans un caveau qui ne re^oit du jour que par une lu-carne garnie d'une double grille d'epais barrcaux de fer, il n'est occupe que de son cher tresor, dont la Mort lui enleve a ses yeux une portion tres-con-siderable. Cette perte excite en lui tous les symp-tomes du plus violent desespoir, & l'on voit bien que son or lui tient cent fois plus a coeur que la vie.
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THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXVI.-THE WAGGONER. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, lie was found of them. 2 Chkon. xv. 4. We see Death here ven... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXVI.-THE WAGGONER. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, lie was found of them. 2 Chkon. xv. 4. We see Death here venting his capricious fury on a cart of wine that a poor Waggoner is conducting. Without doubt, the man himself will soon come, in his turn, to be the sport of his caprice; and the same cause that has now produced, will ere long effectually finish his despair. PLANCHE XXVI.LE VOITURIER. On voit ici la Mort exercer ses bizarres fu-reurs sur un char de vin que conduit un pauvre Voiturier. Sans doute que lui-meme va devenir a son tour le jouet de ses caprices, & que la meme cause qui vient d'occasionner son desespoir ne tar-dera pas a le terminer.
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THE DANCE OF DEATH. 61 PLATE XXV1LTHE GAMESTERS. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt. ... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. 61 PLATE XXV1LTHE GAMESTERS. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt. xvi. 20. The Devil and Death are disputing which of them shall carry off the losing Gamester. It is a contest, if we may say so., frightful as well as ludicrous, so much the more so, that the second Gamester, interesting himself in the fate of the first, is addressing fervent prayers to the Devil on his behalf; but the third is doing still better, taking the advantage of this moment of trouble and terror, to gather in the money that is lying on the table. PLANCHE XXVILLES JOUEURS. Le Diable & la Mort se disputent qui des deux emportera le Joueur qui a perdu. C'est un combat, s'il est permis de le dire, aussi effroyable que comique, d'autant plus que le second Joueur, s'interessant au sort du premier, addresse de fer-ventes prieres au Diable en sa faveur ; mais le troisieme fait encore mieux, & profite de ce moment de trouble & d'effroi, pour ramasser Tar-gent qui se trouve sur la table.
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THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXVIILTHE OLD MAN. My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. Job, xvii. 1. Here we see Death leading away, playing on a psaltery, an Ol... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXVIILTHE OLD MAN. My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. Job, xvii. 1. Here we see Death leading away, playing on a psaltery, an Old Man to the brink of the grave* bent under the load of years, and verging to the last degree of frailty. The Old Man allows himself to be carried off, with that calmness and tranquillity, which are the effects of wisdom, and the fruits of a good conscience. PLANCHE XXVIILLE VIEILLARD. L'on voit ici la Mort qui conduit sur le bord de sa fosse, en jouant du psalterion, un Vieillard courbe sous le poids des annees, & parvenu au dernier degr de la caducite, Le Vieillard se laisse emmener avec ce calme & cette tranquillite qui sont Papanage de la sagesse, & les fruits d'une bonne conscience.
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