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THE DANCE OF DEATH.

This Dance is painted upon panels on the walls of a chapel on thenorth side of the Marienkirche.

Our own country is not wanting in instances. Old St. Paul'shad its Dance of Death (in the cloister called Pardon-church haughaccording to Pennant), which was demolished by the ProtectorSomerset, who carried off as " materials" the most splendidmonuments to build his palace in the Strand. Salisbury Cathedralhad its Dance, in a chapel. Hexham has or had some slightremains.

But the most noteworthy English painting was the life-sizeseries by Holbein in the Palace of Whitehall, in fresco, paintedfor Henry VIII, and which was unfortunately burnt down in 1697.

With the advent of printing the Dance of Death extended itsadmonitory gambols among the people, though probably what wasgained in popularity was lost in sanctity and salutary effect.

The first book at all worthy to be compared with the frescopaintings of the Dance, and which, indeed, as being the model forall subsequent attempts, may be considered the first book ofdesigns on the subject, was that printed at Lyons in 1538, byMelchior and Gaspar Trechsel, with forty-one exquisite wood-cuts.Under different titles (the first was " Simulachres et Historiees facesde la Mort ") and in various languages, it seems to have appearedin twelve editions up to the year 1573. This is the work which isoften and erroneously styled " Holbein's Dance of Death." Twoinstances have been given, and others follow, where the Dance hasbeen the subject of Holbein's pencil, so that, without examination,it has generally been found convenient to ascribe all goodexamples, and some indifferent, to that great painter, not only inexecution but design. But that Holbein was not the designer ofthe " Simulachres " is evident, for the dedication of the edition of