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The Dance of Death,

FRONTISPIECES AND TITLE-PAGES TO BOOKS.

"Arent Bosman." This is the title to an old Dutchlegend of a man who had a vision of hell, which is relatedmuch in the manner of those of Tundale and others. Itwas printed at Antwerp in 1504, 4to. The frontispiecehas a figure of Death in pursuit of a terrified young man,and may probably belong to some other work.

On a portion of the finely-engraved wood frontispieceto " Joh. de Bromyard Summa predicantium," Nuremberg,1518, folio, Death with scythe and hour-glass stands onan urn, supported by four persons, and terrifies severalothers who are taking flight and stumbling over each other.

" Schauspiel Menschliches Lebens." Frankfort, 1596, 4to.Another edition in Latin, entitled "Theatrum vitse humanse,"by J. Boissard, the engravings by De Bry. At the top ofthe elegant title or frontispiece to this work is an oblongoval of a marriage, interrupted by Death, who seizes thebridegroom. At bottom a similar oval of Death diggingthe grave of an old man who is looking into it. On oneside of the page, Death striking an infant in its cradle ; onthe other, a merchant about to ship his goods is interceptedby Death.

On the title-page to a German jeu d'esprit, in ridiculeof some anonymous pedant, there is a wood-cut of Deathmounted backwards on an ass, and near him a fool ham-mering a block of some kind on an anvil. The title ofthis satirical morsel is :—" Res Mira. Asinus sex linguarumjucundissimis anagrammatismis et epigrammatibus oneratus,tractionibus, depositionibus, et fustuariis probe dedolatus,hero suo remissus, ac instar prodromi prsemissus, doneemeliora sequantur, Asininitates aboleantur, virique bonirestituantur : ubi etiam ostenditur ab asino salso intentatavitia non esse vitia. Ob variam ejus jucunditatem, suavita-tem et versuum leporem recusus, anno 1625." The addressto the reader is dated from Giessen, 19th June, 1606, andthe object of the satire disguised under the name of JonasMelidseus.