Grave morall Spenser *.

Spenser's poetry is,

Truth severe, by fairy fiction drest †.

As a real poet expresses it; one who has shewn us that all true genius did not expire with Spenser. Let me add Milton's opinion, who calls our author, "Our sage, serious Spenser, whom I dare be known to think, a better teacher than Scotus or Aquinas ‡.”

B. i. c. i. s. ii.

But of his cheare did seeme too solemne sad.

Sad did not always imply sorrow, but gravity of countenance and deportment. "Certaine gentlemen of the privie chamber [of Henry VIII.] were removed for their

To my most dearely loved friend, Henry Reinolds, of poets and poesie.

+ Gray's Odes.

A Speech against Unlicensed Printing. Birch's edit. vol. i. pag. 147.

graved by Hollar, in Dugdale's Monasticon*. In all probability, this painting at St. Paul's, or that, which was the same, at St. Inno cent's gave Hans Holbein the hint for composing his famous piece, called the Dance of Death, now to be seen at Basilt.

It is commonly received, that the wood

Vol. iii. pag. 368.

+ But Mr. Walpole, in his very curious and judicious Anecdotes of Painting in England, just published, endea vours to prove that Holbein did not paint this picture. vol. i. pag. 74. However, a poet cotemporary with Holbein, Nicholas Borbonius, has addressed an epigram to Hans Holbein, with this title, " De Morte Picta, a Hanso Pictore nobili." Nuga Poeticæ, lib. vii. car. 58. Basil. 1540. 12mo. For that this Hansus, besides his having been the author of a Mors picta, was no other than Hans Holbein, I presume from another copy of verses in the same collection. lib. iii. car. 8.

Videre qui vult Parrhasium cum Zeuxide,

Accersat e Britannia

Hansum Ulbium, et Georgium Riperdium

Lugduno ab urbe Galliæ.

By the way, I cannot find the name of this G. Riperdius, in any collection of Lives of Painters.

cuts, from whence Hollar engraved his exquisite set of prints, entitled the Dance of Death, were executed by Holbein : but I am apt to think this a mistake, which arose from confounding Holbein's supposed picture, above-mentioned, with these wood-cuts. For it will appear, that Holbein's manner of cutting in wood, is entirely different from that in which these are finished, by comparing them with Holbein's scriptural woodcuts, inserted in Archbishop Cranmer's catechism*. In the cuts of this catechism there is a simple delicacy of handling, not found in those of the Dance of Death; which, how

* Catechismus, that is to say, &c. Excud. Gualt. Lyne, 1548, 12mo. Hans Holbein is engraved at full length, in the cut at pag. 217. I find also his initials, I. H. on the book at the foot of the altar, in cut, pag. 166. Also on the pedestal of the table, cut, pag. 203. Mr. Walpole, ubi supr. pag. 93. mentions an edition of this book in quarto. The edition I have seen has on the back of the title a wood cut, of Edward VI. presenting the bible to the Bishops, and other nobles. It is dedi◄ rated to Edward VI. by Cranmer.

ever, have an inimitable expression, and are probably the work of Albert Durer. I am not ignorant, that Rubens, who had copied this Dance of Death, recommended them to Sandrart, as the performance of Holbein of which Sandrart himself informs us, "Sic memini, &c. I also well remember, that in the year 1627, when Paul Rubens came to Utrecht to visit Handorst, being escorted, both coming from, and returning to Amsterdam, by several artists, as we were in the boat, the conversation fell upon Holbein's book of cuts, representing the Dance of Death; that Rubens gave them the highest encomiums, advising me, who was then a young man, to set the highest value upon them, informing me, at the same time, that he, in his youth had copied them*. But if Rubens stiled these prints Holbein's, in fami

* Joachim. Sandrart, Academ. Pict. part. ii. lib. iii. cap. 7. pag. 241.

liar conversation, it was but calling them by the name which the world hd given them, and by which they were generally known. Besides, in another place Sandrart evidently confounds these wood-cuts with Holbein's picture at Basil. "Sed in foro, &c. But in the fish-market there [at Basil] may be seen his [Holbein's] admirable Dance of Peasants; where also, in the same public manner, is shewn his Dance of Death, in which, by a variety of figures, it is demonstrated that Death spares neither popes, emperors, princes, &c. as may be seen in his most elegant wooden cuts, of the same work." Now the cuts, of which at present I am speaking, are fifty-three in number, every one of which has an unity, and is entirely detached from the rest; so that, how could they be representations of one picture? But if it be

* Joachim. Sandrart, Academ. Pict. pag. 238. Evelyn is equally mistaken, Sculptura, pag. 69. Lond, 1754. 8vo.