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THE DANCE OF DEATH.

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After what has been said, it becomes necessaryto attempt at least to give some reason for thealmost universal opinion, that these designs werethe offspring of Holbein's pencil. Most of thosewriters who have described the town of Basil, aswell as the compilers of the lives of the painters,speak of a Dance of Death by Holbein, some re-ferring to the old Dance of Macaber, and othersto the more modern one; but it is not difficult tosee, that they have but transcribed from eachother, without taking any pains to examine thesubject. Certain it is, however, that Holbeindid paint a Death's Dance in its improved state,and likewise more than once. Bishop Burnet, inhis travels in Switzerland, speaks of a Dance ofDeath, painted by Holbein, cc on the walls of ahouse where he used to drink," which was thenso worn out, that very little was to be seen exceptshapes and postures. He then mentions the oldDeath's Dance at the Dominicans' convent*,which, he says, was ec so worn out some time ago," that they ordered the best painter they had tof c lay new colours on it; but this is so ill done," that one had rather see the dead shadows offc Holbein's pencil, (i\ e. on the walls of the"house), than this coarse work."

This account is corroborated by Keysler, whoadds, that the painting on the house was thenentirely obliterated. Patin, in his travels, also

* By mistake called the convent of the Augustinians.

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