“ He is stretching out his hand for the gold that the rich man is going to give him, without doubt to obtain of him a favourable decision, and to bear down the poor unfortunate man, who appears in a trembling posture at the side of the Judge. Death comes to surprise him in the midst of his prevarications, and is snatching out of his hands the rod which is the mark of his dignity. ”

“ 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. ”

“ La Mort développe en ce moment toute sa puissance; elle occupé fièrement la fond du trône, & appuie nonchalemment son brass sur la couronne du Monarque. L’air irrité avec lequel le Chef de l’Empire regarde l’avocat & ses deux cliens qu’on voit, la tête découverte, à côté de leur défenseur, est d’un heureux présage pour le pauvre opprimé. On voit au bas du trône le sceptre & le globe de l’empire posés sur un coussin. La Mort a placé son sable fatal à côté de ces atributs d’une grandeur qu’elle peut faire évanouir à son gré. ”

“ Ce pauvre Aveugle suit d’un air chagrin son nouveau conducteur qui le mène impitoyablement par les plus mauvais chemins; en vain veut-il éviter, en tâtonnant, les obstacles qui s’opposent à sa marche forcée; il n’évitera pas le terme fatal où la Mort le conduit, et qui ne sera dans le fond que celui de ses maux. ”

“ In the midst of a pompous march, in the court of a great palace, Death, who seems here to do the office of gentleman-usher, leads this Princess to the brink of a grave, and shews her the bounds within which all her grandeur is to be confined. ”

“ On a field of battle, covered with dead carcasses, Death, armed with a buckler and a huge dart, attacks this warrior, in the bosom of victory, escaped alone from the carnage of the day, and is giving him some terrible blows. It is in vain that this brave Soldier, whose courage seems invincible, is obstinately attempting to dispute the victory with an irresistible adversary. ”

“ La Mort exerce ici son empire sur un de ses plus fertiles domaines; elle brise elle-même le mât d’un vaisseau violemment agité par la tempête, & jette tous les passagers dans le plus affreux désespoir. On en distingue un seul placé près du mât, qui a conservé cette tranquillité d’âme qu’une bonne conscience accorde dans les plus grands périls aux esprits fermes & courageux ”

“ Were Death capable of considerations, what class of society would better deserve to be exempted from his ravages, than the labourers; incontestably the most useful, most laborious, and most productive of real opulence? But he is now striking the horses harnessed to this Husbandman’s plough; and this enemy of the human race can strike no blow more severely felt, than by thus attacking it in the source of its subsistence. ”

“ As he is just stepping into his convent, with his Christmas-box and wallet, Death stops him at the door; and deaf to his cries, as well as regardless of the fright he throws him into, drags him with all his might by the cloak, and renders all the good Friar’s attempts to disengage himself ineffectual. ”

“ In the first transports of an happy union, this tender couple appears so wholly taken up with each other, and so inebriated with their mutual happiness, that they neither see nor hear. Death, who is marching before them, beating furiously on a little drum, is soon to give a cruel interruption to their enjoyments. ”

“ L’on voit ici la Mort qui conduit sur le bord de sa fosse, en jouant du psalterion, un Vieillard courbé sous le poids des années, & parvenu au dernier degré de la caducité. Le Vieillard se laisse emmener avec ce calme & cette tranquillité qui sont l’apanage de la sagesse & les fruits d’une bonne conscience. ”

“ D’un air de tranquillité & de résignation ce bon Pasteur suit la Mort, qui l’emmène en riant et en dansant, tandis que quelques bergers, oubliant leur troupeau, errent çà & là dans la campagne, désespérés de la perte de leur chef. Le soleil prêt à se coucher, va laisser dans les ténèbres ce malheureux troupeau, qui n’ayant plus de conducteur, sera bientôt la proie du loup & des autres bêtes féroces. ”

“ La Mort ridiculement coiffée de diverses plumes flottantes, & vêtue d’une espèce de mante, emmène hors de son couvent une Abbesse qu’elle tire de toutes ses forces par son scapulaire. La révérendissime Mère quitte à regret la vie & les honneurs dont elle jouit, & exprime par l’altération de ses traits & par ses cris, l’effroi que la Mort a jeté dans son âme. ”

“ Death here is exercising his power on one of his most fertile domains. He himself is breaking the mast of a ship violently tossed by the tempest, and throws all the passengers into the most fearful despair. One alone we can distinguish, near the mast, who preserves the tranquillity of mind which, in the greatest danger, a good conscience yields to firm and intrepid minds ”

“ Death, not less cruel than capricious, whose aid alone he implores, and in whose power it is to make him happy, deaf to his prayers, allows him to groan under the load of evils which overwhelm him, whilst he delights to tear from this life those who think themselves happy, or are attached to it by the strongest ties. ”

“ He has his eyes fixed on a sphere hanging from the ceiling, and appears profoundly engaged in the vain chimeras of judicial astrology, while Death comes to turn his attention upon a death-head, which he is presenting to him in a most grotesque attitude, seeming to say, in a jeering tone, Could thy sublime art inform thee, that I was coming to pay thee this visit to-day? ”

“ Dans l’état le plus déplorable, estropié, exposé presque nud aux injures du tems, il est assis devant la maison d’un homme opulent, dans laquelle il a la douleur de voir entrer plusieurs personnes qui le regardent sans songer à soulager ses peines. La Mort non moins cruelle que bizarre, dont lui seul implore le secours, & qui pourroit faire son bonheur, sourde à ses prières, le laisse gémir sous le poids des maux qui l’accablent, tandis qu’elle se plaît à arracher de cette vie ceux qui s’y croient heureux, ou qui y tiennent par les liens les plus puissans. ”

“ This worthy Cavalier, returned victorious from so many combats and tournaments, comes at length to meet his match. Death has run him through the body with a furious stroke of the lance, and is laughing at the vain efforts he makes to defend himself. ”

“ Renfermé dans un caveau qui ne reçoit du jour que par une lucarne garnie d’une double grille d’épais barreaux de fer, il n’est occupé que de son cher trésor, dont la Mort lui enlève à ses yeux un portion très-considérable. Cette perte excite en lui tous les symptômes du plus violent désespoir, & l’on voit bien que son or lui tient cent fois plus à cœur que la vie. ”

“ La Mort l’emmène gaiement en le faisant danser au son d’une cornemuse; le Fou qui ne sait pas sans doute la catastrophe qui l’attend, paroît méditer une malice qui sera vraisemblablement la dernière.
Ce couple dansant termine la marche de cette suite où Holbein a su réunir une morale salutaire, aux sallies les plus gaies & les plus plaisantes qui contrastent singulièrement avec la tristesse du sujet. ”

“ But Death will avenge the oppressed; he is pouring into the hands of the Advocate money in abundance, of which he will have little use, for he is, at the same instant, shewing him, with an air of insult, his sand run out. ”

“ On her knees before a little altar, with her rosary in her hand, she is amorously listening to the songs which a young man, seated on a bed, addresses to her, accompanying them with his lute. Death comes to put out the tapers burning on the altar, and to change into sadness the pleasures of this conversation. ”

“ Si la Mort pouvoit user de quelque considération, quelle classe de la société mériteroit mieux d’en être ménagée que celle du laboureur, sans contredit la plus utile, la plus laborieuse, & la plus productive des véritables richesses? Mais elle frappe déjà les chevaux attelés à la charrue de ce Cultivateur, & cette ennemie du genre humain ne sauroit lui porter des coups plus sensibles qu’en l’attaquant dans les sources de sa subsistance. ”

“ Il tend la main à l’or que cet homme riche va lui donner, sans doute pour en obtenir un jugement favorable, & faire succomber le pauvre malheureux qu’on voit dans une attitude craintive à côté du Juge. La Mort vient le surprendre au milieu de ses prévarications, & lui arrache des mains la baguette qui est la marque de sa dignité. ”

“ Si sous le toit de la pauvreté il y a quelque consolation, c’est d’avoir des enfans dont on peut espérer d’être un jour soulagé. C’est 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 fléchir, ni par ses prières ni par ses lamentations. ”

“ He is doing every thing in his power to put off the moment that is to separate him for ever from his possessions, and his fine seat, which appears in the back ground; but Death inexorable has already set down beside him the fatal bier, into which he is about to make him enter. ”

“ In vain does he attempt, by groping his way, to avoid the obstacles that oppose his reluctant march; he will not avoid that fatal goal to which Death is conducting him, and which will be the only termination of his evils. ”

“ 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. ”

“ La Mort ajoute ici à l’exercice de son emploi accoutumé celui de vengeur de vassaux opprimés; elle jette avec violence à la tête de ce Seigneur ses armoiries, l’objet chéri de son orgueil, sous le poids desquelles elle va le faire périr. On le voit fouler à ses pieds un fléau, pour désigner son inhumanité envers les laboureurs, cette classe de la société si nécessaire & si respectable ”

“ Dans les premiers transports d’une douce union, ces deux tendres époux paroissent tellement occupés l’un de l’autre, ils sont si enivrés de leur bonheur mutuel, qu’ils ne voient ni n’entendent la Mort qui marche devant eux, en frappant vigoureusement sur un petit tambour, & qui va leur donner bientôt un cruel trouble-fête. ”

“ Sur un champ de bataille jonché de cadavres, la Mort armée d’un bouclier & d’un grand javelot, attaque dans le sein de la victoire ce guerrier échappé seul au carnage, & lui port des coups terribles. C’est en vain que ce brave Soldat dont la valeur sembloit indomptable, s’acharne à disputer la victoire à un adversaire auquel rien ne sauroit résister. ”

“ La Mort non contente d’avoir arraché à ce gros Prélat sa crosse, qu’elle porte en triomphe sur son épaule, & sa mitre, dont elle s’est affublée, le tire encore impitoyablement après elle; il élève d’une main son breviaire, & fait de l’autre de vains efforts pour la repousser. ”

“ Death here adds to his usual employment that of avenger of oppressed vassals. He is throwing with violence at the head of this Lord, his coat of arms, the dear object of his pride, under the weight of which he is ready to make him fall. ”

“ At the side of a stone table, placed vertically, Holbein appears behind a curtain, which Death opens to him, to place before his eyes the great Spectacle of the Scenes of human Life that he is going to sketch. This is also expressed by an heap of the attributes of grandeur, dignities, riches, arts, and sciences, mixed with death-heads, which Death is trampling under his feet. Below is an epitaph from Lucan—Mors sceptra ligonibus æquat. Death confounds the sceptre with the spade. This table is topped with a medallion, with the portrait of Holbein. ”

“ Death is come to put himself in the number, and is at this instant performing the office of cupbearer. He is pouring out drink to the Monarch, who holds out to him his great cup, which he is now probably to empty for the last time. ”

“ 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 disposal, a bad customer, Death himself, comes up, and it is his person only that he wants to bargain for. ”

“ Death ludicrously hooded with several flowing plumes, and robed in a kind of gown, carries out of her convent an Abbess, whom he is dragging with all his might by her scapulary. The reverend Mother with regret is leaving life and the honours she enjoys ”

“ Death, not contented with stripping this fat Prelate of his crosier, which he is carrying in triumph on his shoulder, and his mitre, with which he is dressing himself, is dragging him away without pity. He raises his breviary with one hand, and with the other is making some vain efforts to push him off. ”

“ Ce magistrat paroît fort occupé à donner en pleine rue à un homme riche, des conseils qu’un petit diable à califourchon sur son cou lui souffle aux oreilles, tandis qu’il ne fait aucune attention au pauvre qui lui touche doucement l’épaule, & démande dans l’attitude la plus suppliante à être écouté. La Mort indignée semble sortir de terre, pour mettre fin à cette conversation intéressée. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 ”

“ Echappé aux périls de la mer, arrivé heureusement au port, ce riche Marchand se croit en pleine sécurité; il se trompe. Occupé à compter son argent, à examiner ses marchandises & à traiter de leur vente, un mauvais chaland, la Mort elle-même, arrive, & ce n’est que de sa personne qu’elle veut faire emplette. ”

“ As he is preaching to his congregation, Death, who is behind him with a stole about his neck, holds over his head the bone of a dead body, and by shewing it to the assembly, preaches to them, undoubtedly, the most eloquent of all sermons. ”