56 THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXII.-THE COUNTESS. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ? ... Show more
56 THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXII.-THE COUNTESS. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ? Job, ii. 10. She is wholly taken up with the care of her dress, and is receiving with eagerness, from the hands of one of her maids, a very rich robe with a gold chain. Death comes to derange her toilet, and has already, without being perceived, slipped round her neck a collar made of small bones. PLANCHE XXII.LA COiWTESSE, Elle n'est occupee quedu soin desa parure, & re^oit avec empressement, des mains d'une de ses femmes, un habillement tres-riche avec une chaine d'or. La Mort vient troubler sa toilette, & lui adeja passe autour du cou, sans qu'elles'en soit encore aper^ue, un collier fait de petits os de mort
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THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXII I.THE MERCHANT. 57 Tiie getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeketh death. Pr... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXII I.THE MERCHANT. 57 Tiie getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeketh death. Prov. xxi. (5. Escaped from the dangers of the sea, and safely arrived in port, this rich Merchant believes himself now in perfect safety; but he is mistaken. Employed in counting his money, examining his goods, and treating about their disposals a bad customer, Death himself, comes up, and it is his person only that he wants to bargain for. PLANCHE XXIILLE MARCHAND. Echappe aux perils de la mer, arrive* heu-reusement au port, ce riche Marchand se croit en pleine securite ; il se trompe. Occupe a compter son argent, a, examiner ses marchandises & a traiter de leur vente, un mauvais chaland, la Mort ellememe, arrive, & ce n'est que de sa personne qu'elle veut faire emplette.
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58 THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXIV.THE HAWKER. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. xi... Show more
58 THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXIV.THE HAWKER. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. xi. 28. Bending under the weight of his load, he is advancing, with a quick pace, to the neighbouring town, comforting himself with thinking on the gain he is to make there; but Death, in the form of two skeletons, is come to put a sudden end to his labours and his hopes. One of the skeletons is dragging him forcibly by the arm, while the other behind him is playing on a marine trumpet. It is in vain that the poor Hawker points with his finger to the place where his business calls him; this disagreeable company appear desirous of making him take another road. PLANCHE XXIV.LE COLPORTEUR. Gouiibe sous le poids de sa charge, il avance a grands pas1 vers le lieu voisin, & trouve du sou-lagement en revant au gain qu'il pourroit y faire; mais la Mort, sous la figure de deux squelettes, est venue subitement mettre fin a ses peines & a ses esperances. 1/ un des squelettes le tire avec force par le bras, tandis que Pautre joue derriere lui de la trompette marine. C'est en vain que le pauvre Colporteur montre des doigts Pendroit ou ses affaires Pappellent, cette facheuse compagnie paroit vouloir lui faire prendre une autre route.
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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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THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXIX.THE OLD WOMAN. Death is better than a bitter life, or continual sickness. Eccles. xxx. 17. The grim countenance of this good old Dame does not indicate the same... Show more
THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXIX.THE OLD WOMAN. Death is better than a bitter life, or continual sickness. Eccles. xxx. 17. The grim countenance of this good old Dame does not indicate the same resignation as appears in the former subject. Wholly occupied in mumbling her rosary, she pays no attention to the sound of a dulcimer,, on which one of her conductors is playing. The other skeleton, impatient of the slowness of the Old Woman's march, is employing menaces and, blows to make her advance. : PLANCHE XXIX.LA VIE1LLE. Le visage rechigne de cette bonne Vieille n'annonce pas la merne resignation que dans le sujet precedent. Toute occupee a marmotter son rosaire, elle ne prete aucune attention au son du timpanon dont joue Tune de ses conductrices. L'autre squelette^ impatient de la lenteur que la bonne Vieille met dans sa marche, emploie les menaces & les coups pour la faire avancer.
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64 THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXX.THE CHILD. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and co... Show more
64 THE DANCE OF DEATH. PLATE XXX.THE CHILD. Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. Job, xiv. 1. If under the roof of poverty there is any comfort, it is in having children, by whom we may hope one day to be solaced. This is the case with this poor widow ; but Death is of a different opinion,, and is come to carry off her youngest Child, unmoved by her prayers and lamentations. PLANCHE XXX.L'ENFANT. Si sous le toit de la pauvrete il y a quelque consolation, e'est d'avoir des enfans dont on peut esperer d'etre un jour soulage. C'esl le cas de cette pauvre veuve, mais la Mort n'est point de cet avis, & vient de lui enlever le plus petit sans se laisser flechir, ni par ses prieres ni par ses lamentations. END OF THE DANCE OF DEATH-
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